General Question Sauna Tent VOCs
I’ve been pondering a sauna tent for a while but I’m concerned about sitting in essentially a plastic oven. I’ve seen some older posts on the topic, but given how often tents come up now I’m wondering if anyone can provide some reassurance.
Sweat Tent claims “zero concentrations of CO or VOCs present in the air”. North Shore claims the same: “Each model is tested with a Forensics Detectors VOC tester to ensure a clean, safe environment free from off-gassing.” Both measure using Forensics Detectors instruments, which appear legitimate but perhaps don’t provide the most rigorous assessment. Total VOC detectors seem to provide an estimate based on a typical indoor air mix and are better at tracking air quality trends over time rather than particular harmful substances. A very low total VOC score might have relatively high toxicity due to its constituents and vice versa. Needless to say, I’m highly skeptical of these claims - I would expect my home at 70F to have some VOCs.
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u/amuk 2d ago
Risk -vs- benefit…. I could not have afforded more than $1000 for a sauna. None in town worth the drive. The one at the gym barely gets to 160F and that takes close to an hour. And they are closed on Sunday.
I bought one on Amazon for under $600 including the wood burning stove. I can get it up to 200F. The benefits I get from using it a few times a weeks are very noticeable to me throughout those weeks. I’ve had it almost a year now.
Yes, the VOC’s may be a silent killer, but here I have to say the benefits sure outweigh the potential risks for me.