Monday, January 31, 2011

ABR Wood Fire Sauna

This review comes from early January 2011. The Sauna was upgraded somewhat in the off season including taking out the window and adding insulation. This is a traditional wood fired multi bench sauna with a changing room. The Sauna is an outbuilding and the wood is added from inside the sauna room itself. The Sauna also contains a shower. The proprietors do a good job of having loofahs and other amenities including scents for the sauna. While not being on a lake the Sauna has very good snow rolling being in the UP with almost daily powder. The Sauna was up to about 200f which is about the perfect temp for being able to take a long but very enjoyable Sauna. This Sauna has the look and feel of a classic and partaking after putting in 30k is always a treat. This Sauna receives the Has Heat-Will Repeat rating. On all past partakings the sauna was also up too snuf with good heat.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Maplelag No Suit Sauna

This is a historical review of the Maplelag No Suit Sauna. This review comes from December 9th 2010. The old Sauna received a rebuild in summer 2010 and the reviewer was allowed to partake in the inaugural new old sauna session. This is a standard design wood fired outbuilding sauna with wood stoking coming from the changing room. Temps were very good on the inaugural night approaching about 190f. Snow rolling and swimming opportunities are just outside the door as long as the proprietor has cut the requsite hole in the ice. This Sauna has 3 benches allowing all to partake and those on top to get good heat. This Sauna has been featured in numerous midwest Sauna books (in the old incarnation) and has great historic feel. You are about 20 feet above little sugarbush lake when in the Sauna. On the second night we got it closer to 200 than 190f which was nice. All in all nice view and setting, good heat, and historic feel. A good historic but new Sauna. Watch for a review of the old Sauna from the archives soon. This Sauna receives the "Highly Recommended" rating for doing very well in all categories.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Second Street Sauna Marquette, MI

Second Street Sauna, Marquette, MI. This is a public Sauna for hire. The Sauna was cold on the review date of 1 26-2011 (approximately 50c) and the proprietor suggested using water to get the desired temperature. At the end of the hour or so session all the reviewer succeded in doing was getting very wet and very disappointed. A for hire Sauna should be cranking and be at least 80-90c and should not require water to "sweat". This sauna will make the soon to be created bottom 5 list and is unfortunately the first review for this website. While the building and Sauna had some character being an old Sauna from 1926 without enough heat it just doesnt cut it. The Sauna is a two story invention with an open room, shower underneath and the stove (if you can call it that) suspended in the air about 9' off the ground. You sit in a loft but its one bench only and about the level of the heater (hardly a top bench). The Sauna is downtown and does not have a snowroll, swimming, dunking, or other option. With the lack of heat it doesnt need it. The idea for this website came from sitting in there wondering how it could really be so bad. No Heat so this gets a 1 of 10. This Sauna Receives the "No Heat-No Repeat" rating.