Torben leads Aufguss sessions in a wool T-shirt

Torben Mikkelsen took part in our Fit Lab in June. He is a trained sauna Aufguss master, and in September he sent us four photos from the sauna and a piece about why he does his Aufguss sessions in wool. He has become "really into wool," as he puts it. When he wrote to us, he had slept in a lean-to shelter every night since May, under a wool comforter. Here is his piece, lightly edited.

I love everything that happens around the sauna. The community, being present and the calm. Time with good people. And the feeling of well-being that stays in your body long after you've left the sauna.

I've been going to the sauna for years, and one of the first things I learned was the value of a good wool hat. It made the experience noticeably better. Later I trained as an Aufguss master and became fascinated by how music, scents, heat and cold can be put together into an experience that affects both body and mind.

As an Aufguss master you experience the sauna differently. You're constantly moving, close to the stove and right in the middle of the heat, the steam and the big swings in temperature. Your body works hard, and it wears down both your energy and your stamina.

That's where I noticed the difference.

When I started wearing a wool T-shirt, I found a whole new level of comfort. Not just in the sauna, but also when I go straight out to the cold rinse or the winter swim.

Cotton quickly gets wet and heavy, and polyester often feels hot and stuffy. My experience is that wool helps the body regulate its temperature. It moves moisture away from the skin, feels comfortable even in high heat and keeps insulating when it's damp.

The result is simple. I feel better and more comfortable.

I can focus on the experience instead of the heat.

Many people have already discovered the benefits of a wool hat in the sauna. For me the natural next step is a wool T-shirt.

If you're an Aufguss master, you can hardly do without it.

If you love the sauna, you owe it to yourself to try it. Once you've felt the difference, it's hard to go back.

Torben Mikkelsen
Aufguss master

If you want to try wool in the sauna yourself, you can start with our lightweight wool T-shirt in the 135 series or the H-355 Merino Beanie.