The history of hot tubs goes way back - over 2,000 years back to the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Wealthy Egyptians would have hot tubs built of stone in their home, where they would bath in water that was heated by hot rocks. In America, the history is a lot more recent. Though Native Americans and early Americans made use of natural hot springs, the hot tub itself really took off in the 1940-60s when American troops brought the bathing culture of Japan back to the United States. In the 60s, hippies would find old wine barrels and the like to make wood-fired, homemade hot tubs. Of course, these were not the most sanitary of hot tubs and eventually faded. About a decade later fiberglass and acrylic based spas started to debut, along with filtration systems, jets, and the modern spa system was born.
In 1985, an engineer in Southern California named Tom Thornberry took notice of the spa trend and thought he had something to add to the market. Together with two friends, they designed a portable spa in his garage. "It was invented in 1985 and debuted in 1986," Jim DiSanto, VP of Sales at Softub, says. “The premise was that since it was portable, it didn't need a foundation. Also, it ran off 120V electric instead of 220 so it could be setup easily anywhere electric was available."
According to the website, there is an anecdote about the “soft tub’s” debut. Thornberry recalls, "In January 1987, I went to the Atlantic City Northeast Spa & Pool Association (NESPA) show with the only Softub® in existence at that time. I was greeted by the blizzard of the century, which delayed the show and greatly limited attendance. Nevertheless, our product attracted attention and gave my partners and me the incentive to invest our time and limited capital in it.”
Couple is happy to have an easy to set up, outdoor hot tub [Photo: Softub]
The product is unique in its design as well as its material. Softubs use a Polybond, a soft, lightweight foam, which is nice for resting on, as well as extremely durable. The company promises it is so durable it can withstand the weight of an elephant, and, true enough, there is a picture of an elephant standing in and then ON an inflated Softub. "The high density polybond we use is used in packaging for insulation in other industries, but we are the only ones that use it in the spa industry," DiSanto says.
The original idea was conceived to target two types of consumers. "First we wanted to target the people that want to bring their hot tub indoors and, to this day, our hot tub fits through a standard door," DiSanto says. "Second, were the ones who wanted a mobile hot tub that they wouldn't need a permanent foundation. Then it kind of evolved from there." Nowadays, they continue to market to those consumers, but have brought in additional markets.
One of those being RVers. Since 2002, Softub has made it a point to take their tubs to RV shows. They did this for a couple reasons. "First, when we are looking for sales people, a lot of folks are around retirement age looking for an opportunity and they happen to frequently be RVers. We realized with the portability of the hot tub, it just makes sense with the lifestyle," DiSanto concluded.
The other reason is something they noticed about being a unique, niche product in traditional pool and spa stores. "We were often seen as a cheaper alternative and an entry level product, which we are not," DiSanto firmly states. Although Softub is relatively cheaper than fiberglass tubs, they strive to produce high quality portable tubs with a heater, real jets, and an overall product that will last.
Because of these factors, Softub has been "taking it to the streets," as DiSanto says, and going to RV, boat, and home shows, as well as places like county fairs. "When you go into a spa store, you basically know what you want and that works against us because we are not traditional," DiSanto tells The Buzz. "But at these shows it's great because people don't have any preconceived notions." It also is very easy for Softub to set up on a 120 electric plug and show people the consistency of the heater, allow people to feel the material, and even get in the water.
Since 1985, Softub became one of the top 5 manufacturers of hot tubs in the world. They sell to all 50 states and nearly 30 different countries. Their products are made in the USA. "These are not Chinese mass produced hot tubs," DiSanto explains, "they are made in a 1909 old textiles building in New Bedford, Massachusetts." DiSanto points out that this requirement was extremely important to Thornberry, who passed about a year ago, and it's something the company prides itself on. "It means a lot to us that these are made in America as it means it is high quality while also benefits our communities."
The Softubs come in three different sizes, ranging from a 2-3 person tub to a 6 person tub, and a bunch of different colors. The price range goes from $3,000-$6,000. They also have two options for surround - one wood and one rattan - for folks who want any extras to go around their tub. They are made to be put up at any time of year in any flat area that can handle the weight by simply being rolled to wherever it is desired. So if you want to soak and enjoy the mobile lifestyle, you must check out Softub.