The history of the tent sauna – The portable roots of the sauna

The Sauna – A Tradition Stretching Back Thousands of Years

The sauna has been an integral part of human culture for thousands of years. It is often thought that a sauna requires a permanent building, but historical sources reveal that portable, temporary steam baths have existed long before the saunas we know today.

Early Saunas

Archaeological discoveries and ethnographic observations suggest that even prehistoric Nordic tribes made use of temporary saunas built from natural materials. In winter, these could be constructed as pits dug into the ground, while in other seasons light wooden frames were covered with hides, fabric, or similar materials.

Although there is no precise evidence of the Vikings using portable saunas, stories and sagas tell us that people often traveled across the seas and gathered in camps to enjoy steam baths. We can only imagine the atmosphere after the steam—stories shared, laughter echoing, perhaps with a bottle of sahti being passed around.

The ancestors of tent saunas in different cultures

Portable saunas resembling Nordic models have also been found elsewhere:

• Native Americans in North America used steam sauna-like structures, such as sweat lodges, which were made of wood and covered with animal skins. These spaces were used for purification and ritual practices, and were used by nomadic tribes.
• The peoples of Siberia and the Urals also built mobile steam baths from snow or wood, which allowed for purification in cold conditions without a permanent building.
• The Chukchi, Nenets, and Evenks of North Asia built dome-shaped steam baths

• The nomadic peoples of Central and Eastern Europe built mobile steam baths from peat, clay, or animal skins. They utilized a hearth and hot stones, and the structures were easily transported with the camp.

  These historical examples show that a sauna or tent sauna is not just about washing or a hot room/tent, but the meaning of a sauna goes much deeper than is often imagined. The health benefits provided by nature have been known in many cultures, and they affect both physically and mentally.

Towards a modern tent sauna

In the 20th and 21st centuries, tent saunas gradually began to transform into commercial products. Often, existing tents were utilized in the implementation, with a heater fashioned from existing products, such as a tent stove, to achieve the desired temperature and steam.

The quality of the experience and the right composition of the sauna were often secondary – in hiking conditions, there was not necessarily much required. Ventilation, bench height and stone mass were not central to the design, which left room for development.

Modern tent sauna

Telttasaana's products are based on historical precedents, but combine them with a scientific understanding of the physical foundations of saunas. The power of the heater, the amount of stone mass, the ergonomics of the benches and the ventilation are designed so that each Telttasaana offers an authentic Finnish sauna experience - regardless of whether the sauna is by a lake, on a fell top or in a forest camp.

This development has a clear goal: to combine mobility and quality. History and cultural heritage have provided inspiration, but modern design and testing have made it possible for a tent sauna to be truly enjoyed anywhere, anytime.

The modern tent sauna is a direct continuation of tradition: it combines mobility and the proximity of natural materials with the authentic Finnish sauna experience. A tent sauna is not a modern device or camping equipment – ​​it is a traditional real sauna, as it has been for thousands of years, transportable and usable where the peace of nature and the call of a sauna meet.

The popularity of tent saunas is growing

In Finland, tent saunas have become increasingly popular, especially in recent years. Interest in mobile, ecological and experiential sauna bathing has grown. Many people appreciate the opportunity a tent sauna offers to enjoy a sauna in a place where there is no electricity, buildings or amenities – and that is precisely why the experience is so unique. - And traditional!