Founded by three Swedish friends Sebastian, Viktor, and Josef, Bast is a sauna tent brand that aims to provide the incredible benefits of sauna use in a portable, private package. Thus the sauna tent was born. Given that the company is Swedish, and the country is known for its rich sauna culture I had high hopes for this sauna tent. We have been testing our tent for a few months now and in that time we have managed to come up with our own opinion about this head-turning sauna.
What is a Sauna Tent?
The tent
Made from waterproof and fireproof material and featuring a thin layer of insulation the tent to keep the heat in, the tent comes in it’s own carry bag. Packed up the tent is about the size of a family camping tent. It weighs 17kg and I found it to be straightforward to carry alone but it’s easier with a partner. The tent’s all-in-one design means there are no poles to thread through sleeves or anything like that. The tent is pitched by popping out each side panel individually followed by the roof. This is done by pulling on a toggle that is attached to the tent. It is very straightforward to do. Once pitched the “ground mat” or floor can be clipped in, this makes the tent feel far more cozy. The tent also comes with pegs for the corners as well as guy ropes to secure the tent down if it is windy.
The stove
The stainless steel stove is shockingly efficient. Weighing 21kg this stove is light enough to be portable but heavy enough to be sturdy and well-built. The supplied chimney comes in several sections that easily slot together and attach to the stove. The stove burns wood is very easy to light and keep burning. It generates a lot of heat and when used in conjunction with some sauna stones on top of the stove you can easily achieve 90+ degrees C.
First Impressions
Wow. As a regular sauna user, I was unsure what to expect from the bast sauna tent. I had high hopes but was also measuring my expectation. “It’s a tent, it’s not going to be as good at professional saunas,” I thought. I was wrong. After my first use of the bast sauna tent, I was hooked. I easily reached and maintained high temperatures and when paired with essential oils and some water to drip on the rocks, the experience is almost the same as professional seaside saunas.
Do we Recommend it?
Personal use
The bast sauna tent has removed several friction points for me. I can now easily have a sauna session at home on days when I don’t have time to drive to my local professional sauna.
Something different
The bast sauna has become a unique thing to do with friends. The portability of the sauna means that I can easily bring it with me on weekends away and have a unique activity to do with friends. Not only is the sauna an excellent way of connecting with friends (as it is a technology-free zone due to the heat), it is also brilliant for many aspects of your health.
The benefits of sauna use
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses the benefits of using the sauna, including improved endurance, strength, and brain health. Sauna use increases blood flow to muscles, reduces reliance on glycogen stores, promotes sweating ability, and enhances blood plasma volume and red blood cell count for better endurance. It also boosts heat shock protein production for strength athletes and Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor for brain health. Additionally, sauna use has shown promise as a treatment for depression.
What we Have Learnt
Durable
While you can absolutely leave the tent pitched year-round we would recommend packing it away regularly to prolong its life. The tent does come with a heavy-duty rain cover which we place on the top of the tent if we are leaving at pitched overnight and are expecting rain.
Beside water
For the optimal portable sauna experience, we recommend pitching your sauna tent beside water. Having a place to cool off in between sweat sessions leaves you feeling absolutely incredible. On a recent trail running weekend trip in the Wicklow Mountains, we pitched a tent beside a mountain river. It was absolutely amazing and not an experience you could have any other way.
Hydrate
If you are a regular sauna user, which you probably are if you’re reading this, you are likely aware of the importance of staying hydrated when using the sauna. If you sweat a lot, you can lose a significant amount of fluids in the sauna. With the sauna tent, there is no time limit, which can make it tempting to stay in for too long. To prevent unnecessary stress on the body, I always limit my sauna time to an hour and make sure to replenish my electrolytes after the session.