Welcome to Issue #2 of the Float Tour Blog. As you saw in Issue #1, we’ll be updating our travels and sharing what we learn from float centers along the way. As we get into a solid flow of visiting centers, these posts will happen more frequently.

Now, onward with the next stops along the tour…

The First Tank Manufacturer on the Tour…

After Float Therapy we got to visit our first manufacturer of the Tour – Todd Hambrook of ACE Composites. A fairly new player in the float tank manufacturing field, they’ve spent a long time in aviation and recreational vehicle compositing. They made a big impression on the 2015 Float Conference with a Float Room that they demonstrated on stage (built in partnership with Zak King of Float Therapy).

Since then, they’ve been making tanks at breakneck speed and are eager to see how the industry grows. What was especially impressive was the care they take in how they operate. Even though it’s a fiberglass manufacturer, protective gear wasn’t necessary to tour most of the manufacturing floor. They have a strong focus on working with high quality product to reduce waste and keep their manufacturing floor clean and safe by using measures which we haven’t seen before.

Their penchant for quality above all else shows in every level, from the manufacturing floor to the end product.

The Next Stop…

Here we had the privilege of visiting the first of our many Float Tank Solutions apprentices on the tour. Chaz Allen at Healing One came to Portland to learn first hand how Float On does business and took what he learned to create an incredible float and wellness center. The atmosphere is incredibly inviting and, as the only float center in Reno, Healing One is staying very busy.

They’re so busy, in fact, that they’re building out another float room of their own design to meet the demand. Healing One offers several other services as well, including massage, sound therapy, and oxygen therapy. They even sell juggling clubs, which we couldn’t pass up – Graham and Ashkahn both nabbed a set. 

It will will definitely be exciting to see where this center goes in the years to come, and we can’t wait to get an update on their new room at the conference.

Trucking off to Truckee…

Our next stop was perhaps the coziest on the Tour so far. RISE Float House out of Truckee, California. In the heart of the mountains near Lake Tahoe it has to be one of the quietest float tank centers we’ve seen. It’s a single Samadhi tank in their cabin home and delightfully quaint. Jay and Carrie, who run the center, provided us with healthy vegetarian snacks and tea while we talked about their tank and what it’s like running a center.

They’ve only been open a year and are only running the Rise Rise Float House part-time while they juggle work and school, but they’ve already done over 90 floats. In the near future, they’d like to expand to a separate brick and mortar store, but are also very happy being able to share floating with everyone they meet in the meantime.

Finishing the Day with Float Pioneers…

From Truckee we made our way to one of the most important stops on our Tour: Samadhi Tank Company in Grass Valley. For the uninitiated, Glenn and Lee Perry started Samadhi with the blessing and guidance of Dr. John C. Lilly in the early 70s.

The goal of the company has been to make tanks that can be placed comfortably in every home. With more than 40 years of floating under their belt, Glenn and Lee have seen just about everything there is to see in float tank centers, and no one has yet to make a float tank center as large as their 20 tank center and showroom that they set up in the 80s.

These days, Samadhi is focused almost solely on manufacturing. Their latest designs are innovations to their Float Furniture (which they first manufactured back in the 80s): float tanks that fold into furniture so as not to take up more space in the home.

Glenn and Lee, as well as being pioneers in the industry, have always been there to lend a hand to anyone interested in floating. Even at our last stop, Jay and Carrie from RISE Float House, told us how Glenn and Lee help with their tank any time they’ve had an issue or run into any concerns. This love and care, as well as their consistently warm and inviting attitude to everyone they meet, makes them the unofficial “Grandparents of Floating.” Definitely reach out and try to stop by and say hello if you’re ever in the Grass Valley area. Just hanging out with them on their property gives you the glow and tranquility of a good float.

Stay Tuned…

That’s all we have for now. Thanks for checking in with us and we look forward to sharing our experiences on the road. We have a route, and we’re trying to see as many people as possible. If you’re along the way, get in contact with us and we’ll try to put your center on the tour!

We’ve shared a few sample pics that we’ve taken so far, but we’re also shooting video during the Float Tour which will also be released over time. Stay tuned to Float Tank Solutions on Facebook, Twitter, and (now) Instagram for closer to real time updates of the tour.

We’ve also confirmed dates and cities for our 2-Day Float Tour Apprenticeship and 1-Day Advanced Workshop. New York City is just weeks away on April 25-27th. If you’re interested in knowing more about upcoming events, be sure to visit TheFloatTour.com.

See you in Issue #3…