During the last Polar Vortex in North America, many of us were able to join the "200 club:" enjoying, say, a 180f sauna with outside temperatures hovering around -20f. But what about a run at the 300 Club? Saunatimes is pleased to visit with the Richter family from St. Paul, MN, who share their story of experiencing temperature extremes to an Antarctic extreme. Welcome the Richters: Tyler, Dave, and Tony building Tony’s sauna Tyler: A few years ago Tony and I were talking about the South Pole 300 Club (members take a 200-degree sauna followed by a sprint around the south pole monument when the temp reaches -100). We wondered, quite longingly, if we would ever have that chance here in Minnesota. Of course, it will never get … [Read more...]
Sauna build in Northwest Wisconsin has changed the whole cabin experience: everyone wants to hang out there
Guest post series continues. Please welcome John from Minneapolis by weekdays and Northwestern Wisconsin, near Hayward, by weekends. Welcome John: What compelled you to build your own sauna? I have been in love the authentic sauna experience since spending time living in Sweden and Germany In the 1980s. I have wanted to build a sauna at my cabin since I bought it 20 years ago. I have a building that is 5’ x 8’ right on the lake shore. It started life as a pump house and later served as a fish cleaning house. Today, we use it for storage. I had always planned to use it as a sauna and everyone I discussed it with felt that it needed to be on the shore of the lake. I could never pull the trigger because I could not figure out how to … [Read more...]
A poolside sauna in Eastern Canada provides a rich spectrum of hot, cold, relaxation and wellness retreat
Guest post series continues. Please welcome Troy V. from Rockwood, Ontario. Troy comes to Saunatimes with a good first world sauna problem: how to build an authentic sauna poolside, as part of his pool utility shed. So, let's dive right in and check out Troy's sauna building project. Enter Troy: What compelled you to build your own sauna? The decision to build my own came back in 2014, after listening to a podcast with Dr. Rhonda Patrick who detailed the health benefits of regular sauna use. What compelled me most was a lack of suitable sauna options in my area. I discovered the sauna for myself around 2006 as a member of the Fort Erie YMCA, located across the Niagara River from Buffalo, NY. In that location, the men’s change room … [Read more...]
They couldn’t find it in Canada, so they decided to build a German style sauna in their garden
Guest post series continues. Please welcome Michael from Muskoka,Ontario, Canada; about 150KM north of Toronto, and about 120 km south of the well known Algonquin Park. Enter Michael: What compelled you to build your own sauna First I went to the YMCA for workouts. Out of curiosity, I checked the “Finish” sauna, one day. It was so hot, I did not last 5 min. In general, I was able to deal with the cold a lot better, than with the heat. A member told me to ease into it and just to be patient with myself. No one would laugh or make fun of me, since this was normal, when first experiencing the sauna. Eventually I got used to it and started learning more about saunas and how to use them correctly. I also learned about the health … [Read more...]
He tackles his sauna build with a full time job and two young children and the result is a lifetime of pride and enjoyment
Guest post series continues. We welcome Mike, from Northwest Minnesota, who has created his own authentic sauna backyard retreat. For those of us busy with full time jobs and demands like a spouse who also works full time and young children at home, let us take a deep breath and share the appreciation for Mike's commitment to his sauna building project. Time is a construct. "Not enough time" may just be another way of saying "I'm not sure I want to do this." And that's ok. Sauna building is not for everyone. Yet for those of us who understand and accept the challenge, we are invariably rewarded with arguably the most beneficial improvement we can make to our homes or cabins. Want evidence? Enter Mike: What compelled you … [Read more...]
Contest – Show us your custom sauna door handle!
There are so many interesting sauna door handles out there. As we build our own saunas, by the time we get around to making our own sauna doors, we are usually well on a roll. All our tools are laid out and being used to cut in paneling around windows, ripping trim, boxing in windows. It is quite rewarding to be building our own saunas! After mounting our sauna doors, we may be caught a bit off guard. "Geeze, what should I do for a door handle?" Some cut out a handle from 2x8 stock. Some use the wooden handle from a $10.00 leveling trough at Home Depot, and others go to lengths to craft their own custom sauna door handles. Here are a few photos of the several dozens sent to us at … [Read more...]
HotLog is the brand new go-to smart phone app to help track your sauna sessions
Sauna is becoming quite the buzz lately, thanks in great part to the work of Dr. Jari Laukkanen and media reports on his 25 year ongoing studies on the health benefits of sauna. With this reporting, many people are regulating their vitals with increasing regularity.: heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, and it's never been easier thanks to technology in our pockets. Many years ago we got "1,000 songs in your pocket" and today we have a "sauna doctor on our sauna bench" thanks to Thomas Dori and his new App HotLog Sauna Session Tracker. We had the pleasure visiting with Thomas about his new creation. Welcome Thomas to Saunatimes. Hi Thomas, where are you from and when did you first start getting into sauna? I am from Vienna, Austria. … [Read more...]
Minnesota Lake Time Magazine article recognizes that sauna can be a noun and a verb
"Sauna provides a true escape from reality, if only for a few hours" says author Tom Rolando, from page 60 of the Winter 2018 edition of Lake Time Magazine, link here. "Sauna brings simplicity to the forefront" he goes on to observe. As example, the minimal materials and craftsmanship within the sauna building (wood), to what is needed to enjoy a fabulous sauna session (water), to the wardrobe required for taking a sauna (none). "The cool down is the time to feel the endorphin rush to the body and mind where an 'all is right with the world' attitude comes into being." Amen, Tom. … [Read more...]
Mobile Anglerfish sauna bends the rules of conventional sauna building
We warmly welcome back Travis Skinner to Saunatimes. We first learned about his unique sauna building projects with is Snail Shell Sauna, detailed here. Since then, Travis has been involved with multiple projects, and we are happy to revisit Travis' sauna building work with you: Hi Travis, so when and where did you first get attracted to Sauna? I started participating in sweats with my friends Joseph Becker and Tibor Breur. There was a regularly scheduled men's sweat once a month in Olympia, Washington. We would get together and have a ceremony, lead by Tibor at his house. Where are you are living and building saunas now? I spent time building at SunRay Kelley's homestead a few years ago and got connected with … [Read more...]
The Forgotten Sanctity of Sauna, Pentti Tuohimaa, Finnish in Sauna Magazine
The Forgotten Sanctity of Sauna article was shared with me by my friend Jarmo Lehtola, current or former CEO, Finnish Sauna Society. In the article, Pentti Tuohimaa, Honorary President of the International Smoke Sauna Club, leads the reader down a deep, resonating analysis of the holiness and sanctity of sauna. Tuochimaa begins by laying out a perception of harsh reality: "During the past hundred years, we Finns have forgotten about the sanctity of sauna. Modern people don’t bother to address anything as ostentatious as sanctitude." "Man is a hedonistic consumer, an exploiter of natural resources. Holiness, sanctity, is not recognized because it cannot be exploited. If one tries to exploit holiness, it hides itself." Then, we … [Read more...]