Portable Sauna: Options for a Near Infrared Sauna
Portable saunas are gaining in popularity, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19 as people have been finding ways to maintain and indulge in self-care at home. Most people are familiar with the traditional saunas or steam rooms that have been available within gyms and spas. These group use facilities have been around for hundreds of years and have made the benefits of sauna use well-known and sought after. There are also portable steam saunas popping up for use at home.
We now have an option for a new type of sauna with infrared light. First discovered by Sir Frederick William Herschel and used by NASA, infrared falls under the dry sauna category and are also starting to pop up around the world in spas and wellness centers and also for at home use (as they are mostly portable saunas in nature).
Within the dry, infrared category, there are generally two types: far infrared (also referred to as FAR) and near infrared (also referred to as NIR) saunas. At Sauna Comfort, we focus exclusively on near infrared saunas as it utilizes half the energy and emits zero electromagnetic fields (EMFs) compared to FAR, while providing numerous health and wellness benefits.
Here, we provide an overview of the most portable to least portable (but still portable) near infrared solutions offered by Sauna Comfort.
Portable light arrays
Portable light arrays are used on their own or within an enclosure (which help trap the heat). The Sauna Comfort light array options differ in the number of bulbs they offer: one, two or four bulbs.
The one or two bulb units are more commonly used to target specific spots within the body. They are also conducive to bringing with you on the go, as long as you’ll have a power source. Some customers have reported bringing these with them in an RV or using with a timer to help them wake up in the morning.
Used within our enclosures (see next two sections) or on their own outside of an enclosure, the four bulb options provide the most light intensity. This means they are most likely to get you sweating, especially when used within an enclosure.
Portable fabric enclosure
A portable fabric sauna enclosure provides a more traditional sauna experience and makes owning and using a sauna at home easier than ever. Here are four reasons we love fabric enclosures for near infrared saunas:
- Ease of use: After initial assembly, it takes minutes to put up or take down.
- Traps heat: The fabric enclosure heats up very similar to our all basswood sauna enclosure.
- Sturdy: Comes with a basswood frame and all seams are double and triple stitched.
- Minimal profile: Its sleek design doesn’t make it an eyesore to leave up but also is easy to pack and store when not in use.
Portable wood enclosure
Wood enclosures arguably offer a more traditional or expected sauna experience yet are still considered a portable sauna. The time to set-up an all wood enclosure is considerably more than a fabric enclosure. Making the wood enclosure difficult to take down when not in use. However, it is possible to dissemble and move should you need to for a significant event, such as moving. Furthermore, the light array can be removed from the enclosure, creating a more “portable” element.
To learn more about using a near infrared sauna and its benefits, read why we love near infrared. To get set up with a near infrared light array and enclosure, shop Sauna Comfort.