What to Wear to a Sauna and Cold Plunge

The short version

Wear what you'd wear to swim. Bring a water bottle and something dry to change into. That's genuinely most of it. The rest of this guide covers the small things that make a visit smoother, plus what's already waiting in your suite.

What to wear in the sauna

A swimsuit, swim trunks or light athletic shorts all work. You're going to sweat, so pick something you don't mind getting damp.

• Fabric: quick-dry fabrics feel better than cotton, which gets heavy and clingy once it's wet.
• Fit: loose or stretchy beats tight waistbands. You'll be sitting, leaning back and moving between the heat and the cold.
• Metal: skip jewelry, and anything with metal clasps if you can. Metal heats up fast.
• Underneath you: sit on a towel. It's more comfortable and keeps the bench clean.

What to wear in the cold plunge

The same swimsuit is perfect. There's no need for special gear on your first visit.

• Hair: tie long hair up or tuck it under a cap if you don't want it soaked.
• Rinse first: a quick shower before you get in washes off sweat and lotion and keeps the water clean.
• Hands: if cold fingers are the hardest part for you, rest your hands on the edge, out of the water. It's allowed.

Do you have to wear a swimsuit?

Your suite is private, with the door closed, so nobody else sees you. Swimwear is the simple default, and it's the easy choice if you're sharing the suite with a friend. When in doubt, wear it.

What to bring

Here's the packing list we'd give a friend:

1. A water bottle. You'll sweat more than you think. In one study, an hour in a hot sauna dropped body weight by 0.7 to 0.9 kg, about 1.5 to 2 pounds, and that's mostly sweat (Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 1986). Drink before and after.
2. Dry, loose clothes for afterward. You might feel warm for a while, or a little chilly after the plunge, so layers are handy.
3. A hair tie or clip, plus a brush or comb if you're particular about your hair.
4. Sandals or slides. The floor around the plunge gets wet.
5. A bag for wet swimwear. A plastic bag or a dry bag saves the rest of your stuff.
6. Your favorite moisturizer for after the shower, if you have one. Heat may even be kind to your skin: in a small study of traditional saunas, regular users had better-hydrated skin and a steadier skin barrier than non-users (Dermatology, 2008).
7. Your phone for music, if you like your own playlist. You can play it in the suite; just keep the phone out of the sauna cabin itself.

What's already in your suite

You don't need to pack a towel. Every CBR suite comes with:

• Towels. There's a per-person limit, so if you like one towel to sit on and another to dry off, bring a spare from home.
• Your own shower, right in the room, so you can rinse between rounds and get ready before you leave.
• Shower basics like body wash and shampoo.
• A clock on the wall, so you can keep an eye on time without your phone.
• Lighting you control. Change the sauna light color with the remote.