You could call it rolling recovery.
Drift Wellness, a mobile cold-plunge and sauna business, has been making its way around the Hamptons this summer, setting up everywhere from Barry’s Bootcamp in Wainscott to Hero Volley in Montauk, Jordan’s Run in Sag Harbor, and Hamptons Sweat in Southampton. Founded by Brady Yusko, a 2015 East Hampton High School graduate who played three varsity sports, and his girlfriend, Francesca Johnson, Drift has even become a popular addition at local bachelor and bachelorette parties.
“Our first event was a bachelorette party,” Yusko said. “They had a yoga instructor come in. They did yoga in the morning, and afterward they came down the stoop, and the sauna and cold plunge were waiting for them. We decked it out in bride gear.”
Yusko got hooked on hot and cold therapy at a gym in New York City, where he and Johnson lived for a year. When they moved back to the East End, he had trouble finding the services locally and floated the idea of a mobile business to Johnson over dinner one night.
“To do brick-and-mortar out here is kind of impossible without backing,” he said. “This was the closest thing I could think of. I was kind of expecting her to say no, but she said, ‘I’ll sell it as long as you build it.’ “
Johnson began cold-emailing potential clients and was shocked by the positive responses that started rolling in. The business has been booked nearly every weekend since May.
“We love Katy’s Courage, we love the May Day 5K, we love Jordan’s Run,” Johnson said. “We emailed all three of those runs, and they all said yes. We cold-emailed Barry’s and SoulCycle. Barry’s was the first client we had, which was really fun. From there, it kind of just took off by word of mouth.”
At Jordan’s Run in late July, the company’s ice bath and wood-fired barrel sauna were filled with runners seeking relief after the race.
“It was great. This is the perfect thing to have after a run,” said Charlie Loughlin, who spends his summers in Amagansett. “I feel a lot better. My knee was hurting, and I don’t feel anything now.”
Duncan Bennett of Sag Harbor agreed. “Both are fantastic,” he said. “The ice bath is as cold as can be, but comfortable. Same with the sauna. It’s nice and open. Fitting four people in there is nice. It’s nice for recovery after the race. My legs definitely feel better. It relieves a bit of the stiffness, wakes you up and cools you off.”
Cold plunges and saunas have become increasingly popular among athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Cold-water immersion is often used after exercise to reduce soreness and inflammation, while sauna use has been associated with relaxation and cardiovascular benefits. Alternating between the two is known as contrast therapy.
Yusko recommends spending three minutes in the cold plunge, which is filled with 300 to 400 pounds of ice to reach about 50 degrees, followed by 15 to 20 minutes in the dry sauna, which they keep between 185 and 195 degrees.
“When you pair the two together, it really dilates your capillaries and veins, and then you open up,” he said. “You go from the cold plunge to the sauna, sauna to the cold plunge. We normally do two cycles, which is really good for you, and then you feel amazing afterward. It’s one of those things where you don’t like it at first, and afterward you feel amazing.”
For Yusko, Drift Wellness is more than a business. It was named in honor of his father, Jeff, who died in November 2024 of complications of a brain injury he suffered when he was struck by a car while riding his bicycle. Yusko and his father used to walk the beach every day with their dog, collecting driftwood. Naming the business Drift was a way to preserve those memories.
Yusko and Johnson also plan to give back to the community by establishing a Drift Wellness Scholarship at East Hampton High School for one male student and one female student who are involved in sports or fitness.
“I was awarded the Kendall Madison Scholarship, which was a huge help to me,” Yusko said. “When we started this, we thought the best way to give back to help people like me was to start a scholarship.”
“It’s been really fun,” Johnson said. “We don’t have a normal dinner anymore. Every dinner is a business meeting now. But it’s been really rewarding. It’s nice coming back and being with the local community.”
Drift’s next major event will be the Hamptons Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K, scheduled for Sept. 26 in Southampton.
