Camping sauna - how to organize, features, useful tips

The strongest argument that supporters of organized recreation use in disputes with “savage” tourists is the lack of normal hygienic conditions. A particular problem is the inability to wash well - the water is cold, the dirt is not washed off, but is only distributed in an even layer. However, for experienced tourists this is not a problem.

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If you have the skills and abilities, you can create quite comfortable conditions for yourself and even organize a very high-quality and functional bathhouse. People whose specific profession requires frequent exposure to field conditions have the ability to create a bathhouse from a minimal amount of available materials. It's not that difficult, it just takes a little time and effort. Let's take a closer look at this issue.

What is a camp sauna?

A camping sauna is a convenient tourist attribute that allows you to wash yourself in the field. The design of a portable sauna consists of a frame and an awning stretched over it. Inside or outside the tent there is a stove-stove, which is necessary to heat the room and create steam. In a simplified version, the stove consists of stones and firewood; to protect tourists from fire, it is covered with sheets of metal. A tank is placed on the fire in which water is heated.

A camping sauna is an indispensable thing for lovers of long hiking trips.

Bath procedures can be organized in any weather, even at sub-zero temperatures - a warm microclimate is maintained inside the portable room. The steam room is used not only for hygiene procedures, but also to keep warm during the cold season. If you set up a bathhouse on the shore of a pond, you can plunge into cold water after a steam bath.

With this hiking equipment, camping in the wild becomes much more comfortable. A portable sauna will significantly improve the conditions of being outdoors. The device will be useful for fishermen, hunters and just travelers.

In terms of physical sensations, a bathhouse in a tent is not much different from a regular bathhouse. Up to 4 people can be inside the bathhouse at the same time, standing at full height.

The camp sauna can accommodate 4 people

What to look for when buying

To ensure that a bathhouse does not “let you down” on a camping trip, you should choose it carefully. Proceed according to the recommendations below.

Bake

Do not confuse it with a regular tourist one, you need to take a special one. A steam room stove produces maximum heat in a short period of time, while conventional appliances, on the contrary, must maintain a comfortable temperature for as long as possible.

There are two types of sauna stoves:

• With built-in steam generator. This one works like a samovar - water constantly boils in the container, saturating the space with steam. The humidity rises very high.
• Kamenka. Stone masonry is laid in it; it becomes heated from the heat, water or a flavored infusion is poured on top. The good thing about this method is that you can regulate the humidity level yourself; but in the end the steam will be much less than from a steam generator.

Which option to choose is a matter of taste; both have their supporters.

What else should you pay attention to? On the quality of the material. Almost all mobile ovens are made of stainless steel. But steel comes in different grades: AISI 430, 321, 304.

All brands are considered heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant, but they differ in composition.

AISI 430 alloy contains very little nickel; When heated strongly, such a metal loses the properties of stainless steel and begins to behave like ordinary black steel. Unfortunately, most budget models use it because of the low price; this greatly shortens the service life.

Also, when purchasing, do not forget to find out:

• Chimney diameter. Check that it fits your awning.
• Weight. For a hiking trip, you will need a model no heavier than 10-15 kg.
• Availability of a spark arrester. This is a mandatory element to ensure your safety.
• Ease of assembly. Do I need to screw the legs, doors, how long will it take?

One of the best stoves for mobile baths is the Altai model. It provides the desired temperature, is made of high-quality steel, fits in a bag and is convenient for transportation - you can take it on a road trip or on a hike. Also, “Bereg”, “Merida”, “Poshekhonka” stoves are suitable for traveling on foot.

Tent canopy material

The main difference between a bathhouse and a regular tourist one (except for the hole for the chimney) is the mandatory fire-resistant fabric. In addition, in order for the temperature inside to rise to the desired level, the awning must have waterproof and windproof properties. Oxford is considered the best material. Some combine it with nylon or polyester.

Nylon Oxford is stronger and resistant to chemicals.

Polyester has higher heat resistance.

Overall, both options are good.

Frame

There are two main options:

• Collapsible aluminum tubes are lightweight and fireproof. An oxide film forms on the surface of aluminum, which prevents corrosion; You should not choose painted, shiny, attractive-looking tubes - these break quickly. A good tent skeleton is made from unpainted, stain-resistant aluminum; To assemble the frame, you will need gloves. The exception is anodized tubes. They look beautiful, do not get dirty, but are expensive, and have no advantages over unpainted aluminum.
• Frameless designs. To install the canopy, the tourist will need to collect suitable poles in a wooded area. Do not use too dry ones: they are fragile and flammable.

Frameless sauna tent
Frames vary in volume. The diameter determines how difficult it will be for you to set up a tent: straightening a wide awning and pulling it over a skeleton alone is quite difficult.

The weight of the structure depends on the diameter of the aluminum tubes:

• 10 mm - the lightest, used in backpack-type baths. Optimal for hiking. The weight of such a tent does not exceed 8 kg.
• 13 mm - lightweight design. The weight of a tent for 3-4 people will be around 10-15 kg. Can be used on hikes.
• 16 mm - reinforced design with increased strength. Such a frame will not lose its shape even if it is knocked over by the wind. But it is heavy: a tent for 3-4 people weighs 30 kg or more. Suitable for a summer residence, for a beach holiday, for winter tourism on wheels.

It’s good if the frame design includes several arcs and the model has detachable internal partitions. The presence of a vestibule eliminates the need for tourists to change clothes in the car.

Another important parameter for convenience is transport dimensions. Pay attention to the dimensions of the equipment when folded. Many manufacturers sell portable tents already packaged in special backpacks/bags for comfortable transportation.

Safety

Using a tourist bath involves working with fire, so you need to remember the safety rules. If the fire escapes the stove and spreads to the tent, there will be a fire, so it needs to be monitored closely.

The place to install the bathhouse should be cleared of grass, dry leaves, and brushwood - when the stove is lit, they can catch fire and set the tent on fire. The tent is usually made of flammable materials, so they need to be kept away from fire. It is worth installing a spark arrestor on the pipe of a camp sauna. Furnaces are equipped with protective screens that protect against burns.

To prevent sparks from flying out, a spark arrester is installed on the bathhouse chimney.

The frame of the tent must be reliable and durable, able to easily withstand gusts of wind and mechanical loads. It is best to make it from flexible metal rods: hollow pipes are easy to bend, as a result of which the structure becomes unusable, and the rods break with great difficulty.

To prevent the metal base from breaking, it needs resistance to corrosion processes, severe frosts and high heat.

Ready-made camping sauna designs

You can purchase a modern camp sauna in a tourist store. The factory device consists of several structural parts:

• prefabricated metal frame;
• polyester awning;
• heating device.

Diagram of a mobile bathhouse (MB-5)
Assembling and disassembling a portable bathhouse will take no more than 15 minutes.

The most convenient and compact mobile bathhouse has the fifth modification (MB-5). This model has small dimensions and weighs only 19 kg. To transport a sauna tent, two bags are used: the stove is placed in one, the awning and frame are placed in the other. For the manufacture of frame racks, duralumin alloys of aluminum D16T and V95T1 are used.

Ready-made models

There are ready-made kits of accessories for sale for assembling a camp sauna. Usually in retail chains they are called “mobile sauna-tent”.

The kit includes:

awning;

tent frame;

door frame;

transport bag.

The number of such kits is very large; there are offers costing from 6,000 rubles to 45,000 and above. The difference between them is the size of the tent, its height and the presence of additional parts. However, they are all some kind of regular tent.

For all models, it is also necessary to purchase or manufacture a stove. In general, the cost of a ready-made camping bathhouse set can range from 16,000 to 80,000 rubles, and even more.

This is only available to fairly wealthy people. Considering that it is impossible to carry these accessories on yourself, the option with a ready-made sauna tent is only suitable for tourists traveling by car (with a trailer, if possible).

There are manufacturers from whom you can order a complete set of baths, including a stove, shelves, a water tank and other accessories. However, all additions increase the overall price of the kit and are quite expensive.

Therefore, the demand for them is limited, and the reasons for this limitation are not only money, but also the size of the kits. Even when rolled up and packed, one such set can completely fill a spacious car trunk.

Features of installing a camp bath

There are two options for installing a camp bath: traditional (black) and safer (white).

Installing a black sauna

With the black installation method, the stove-heater is placed inside the tent. In such a bathhouse there is a truly hot atmosphere, the room warms up much more efficiently. At the same time, this means that the steam room will be smoky all the time, and the tourists inside will get dirty in soot.

The wood stove is constructed from rounded medium stones. It is worth selecting smooth stones without defects on the surface.

The difference between the “black” sauna design is the location of the stove inside the tent

The larger the stones, the longer they will heat up and at the same time retain it longer.

They are arranged in a pyramid and firewood is placed on top. After the stove is assembled, you need to light a fire in it and wait 2-4 hours until the stones heat up until reddened.

While the stones are heating up, assemble the frame away from the fire so that the flames do not touch the awning. Next, they clear a place for the sauna structure: remove coals and firewood from the fireplace, and fill the area around the stove with water. Place a mat of pine branches around the stove to prevent catching a cold while walking on the cold, bare ground. After preparation, the frame is covered with hot stones.

The floor inside the tent is made of pine branches

Installing a bath in white

When installing a white sauna, the stove is located outside the tent. Heated stones are carried inside - all the dirt associated with lighting a fire remains outside. The design of the furnace and the method of constructing the frame are changing:

1. The stove is installed at a safe distance from the steam room. 10 m is enough to prevent sparks from reaching the tent and setting it on fire.
2. A well is built from massive flat stones and lined with long thick branches. The firewood must completely cover the well.
3. Light a fire and wait 1-2 hours for the stones to heat up.
4. They take a sapper shovel and carry the hot stones inside the bathhouse.
5. The frame is made from felled branches, film and tape. They place 8 poles in the shape of a parallelepiped: two are buried in the ground, two are placed parallel, the sticks are connected on top and the figure is completed. Tape the joints with tape. On the side they create a place for stones. The frame can also be built from three poles connected at an angle to form a tepee.
6. Wrap the finished frame with film and secure it with tape. Press the ends of the film with stones on three sides, leave space for the entrance on the fourth and secure the film with clothespins at the top.

Making a camp bathhouse “in white”
Spruce branches are laid on the floor. To make it possible to sit in the tent, you can bring logs there.

Nuances of a “savage” bathhouse

It’s quite simple to build a “savage” bathhouse with your own hands, but in nature, even in the forest, some difficulties with construction may arise.

Disadvantages of a polyethylene bath: - weight and volume of the film. Polyethylene film, even carefully folded, takes up half a backpack, it weighs a lot and therefore is not entirely convenient for long hikes; - impracticality of polyethylene. After bath procedures, it is very difficult to dry the cellophane tent and it is difficult to carefully put it back into the backpack; - stones. Not every area has suitable stones for constructing a stove. But they can be purchased in specialized stores. The advantage of purchased stones is that they heat up quickly, but the disadvantage is that they cool quickly, weigh a lot and take up space; - stuff. The probability of finding suitable poles in some areas is reduced to zero; - firewood. In order not to waste time looking for firewood or to avoid the loss of it completely, it is better to take it with you on a hike; — the facade does not have an entirely aesthetic appearance.

When you can’t afford to buy building materials to build a “Russian” bathhouse, you can install such a polyethylene bathhouse in your garden. Construction crews often use such baths. It is better to use beams instead of branches on your site, then the bathhouse will be much stronger. And having bought a professional awning, the facade of the garden bath will look more elegant than with polyethylene. The video shows the use of such a steam room in the wild.

What you need to assemble a camp sauna

The structure needs a frame, that is, a base on which the tent will be mounted. To create it, metal pipes or rods are used. They are fastened with large bolts or using a pin connection. There must be space in the back wall to build in the stove.

The awning can be made from classic tarpaulin or use more modern fabrics (nylon, polyester, waterproof fibers). When cutting off the required piece of fabric, you need to focus on the dimensions of the frame.

For the awning you can use natural tarpaulin or synthetic fabric with PVC coating

It’s impossible to set up a bathhouse without a heater. There are several options for homemade and ready-made stoves with different placement of stones and firewood:

• A U-shaped fireplace with firewood stacked inside it.
• A pyramid of stones lined with firewood.
• Layer-by-layer arrangement of firewood and stones (3-4 layers).
• A frame made of metal rods on which stones are placed and a fire is lit inside.
• The metal structure consists of a pallet and a firebox. The outer part is made of metal sheets (3-5 mm), stones are laid inside. The main part of the stove is located in the steam room, the firebox goes outside the tent.

"U-shaped hearth"

"Pyramid"

Layer-by-layer arrangement of firewood and stones

Frame made of metal rods

The described bathhouse structure can be quickly built on a suburban area before building a stationary bathhouse.

Important Terms

To burn a fire and create steam in the sauna, you will need firewood. Typically, bath procedures last 3-4 hours, so the fire in the steam room is lit for the same time period. It is in the interests of tourists to light it up quickly, so you should not select too thick firewood for a camp bath - it burns out slowly and heats up the coolant poorly. Their diameter should not exceed 10-15 cm, then they will immediately heat the stones and allow you to feel the atmosphere of the bathhouse.

The maximum diameter of firewood for a camp bath should be 100-150 mm

The frame is constructed either from metal posts prepared before the trip, or from thin trunks/thick branches cut down on site. If tourists decide not to take a folding frame with them, a sufficient number of young trees or dead wood should grow near the camp. To install a tent, poles 3-4 cm thick are suitable. You need to think in advance about how to connect the parts of the frame and take care of the fastenings.

There should be a lot of stones in the place where the sauna tent is set up. It is necessary to immediately discard layered stones, as well as stones with chips and cracks - when heated, they can crack and suddenly fly into pieces with traumatic consequences for those present. You need to select solid cobblestones of medium size and flat shape. Stones that are too large will take a long time to heat up, small ones will not be able to retain the heat. The ideal diameter is 10-12 cm.

Stones for a camp bath can be collected not far from the chosen place

There must be a source of water nearby - this is a prerequisite for bathing procedures. If possible, it is worth placing a camp bathhouse on the shore of a reservoir.

How to choose a place for a mobile sauna

The frame is placed on the shore of a suitable body of water - a lake or river. An area with dense, non-flowing soil is suitable; The tent must be secured, otherwise burns and bruises are possible.

See if the parking lot has everything you need: suitable stones, poles for the frame, dead wood for kindling. Sometimes it is not possible to find a site that suits all parameters - you need to act according to the situation. In any case, the tent is set up close to the water, and you can bring stones and firewood.

The main stages of constructing a bath using improvised means

You can build a bathhouse in camping conditions right on the spot, using available materials.

Selection of location

The bathhouse should be located in a place where you can conveniently and quickly collect water. Typically, a camping steam room is installed on the banks of a river or lake. You need to make sure that there are cobblestones nearby (otherwise you won’t be able to build a stove) and a sufficient number of young trees.

The ideal option for a camp bath is a place on the bank of a river or other body of water

Construction of the stove

For the furnace, you need to collect a pile of small boulders (about the size of a head or two human fists).

Next, create a place for the stove foundation by digging a wide niche 20-30 cm deep with a shovel. The edges can be made slightly beveled.

Fill the hole with firewood and cover it with a layer of stones. You need to do this 2-3 times. (This is one of the options for creating a stove).

Light a fire inside and heat the stones for 1-2 hours until they are red hot.

A stove-stove for a camp bath is built on site from large cobblestones

Frame structure

To construct the frame, you need to chop thin trunks or long thick branches (3-4 cm thick and 2.5 m long) with an ax. Polyethylene or tarpaulin (approximately 25 m2) is used as covering material. To secure the awning, you can use tape/wire/cord/bast.

Install a frame around the heating center of a homemade bathhouse. It can be given a rectangular or triangular shape. The poles are spaced at a two-meter distance. Pull the awning over the frame and secure it.

An overlap of 30 cm is left on one side for the entrance to the room.

Solid frame of a camping sauna made of poles

Canopy for camping steam room

In order for the awning to be securely fastened, it must have sufficiently long edges. The canopy is pressed down with stones or buried in the ground. You can dig a trench around the perimeter of the tent, place awning fabric there and fill it with soil. We cover the floor with spruce branches, creating a warm covering. You can lay a rug on top.

Special stoves for camp baths

There are several options for factory models of camping stoves from different manufacturers.

One of them is a Poshehonk stove from the PoshehonStar company. There are three models in the line with different sizes and power:

• small (volume 15 l, weight 3.5 kg, overall dimensions 23x23x50 cm);
• medium (30 l, weight 5 kg);
• large (volume 45 l, weight 6.5 kg, overall dimensions 30x30x65 cm).

Long-burning camp stove-poshekhonka made of stainless steel from the PoshehonStar company.
Wall thickness - 0.5 mm, length of chimney pipes (5 straight and two corner) - 1.5 m. Manufacturing material - stainless steel.

The device has a prefabricated structure, including removable legs, screen and doors. There are protective removable screens on the sides of the case. There is no built-in steam generator - to create steam you need to place stones on the body. The stove can burn from 5 to 10 hours. It will take a few minutes to assemble the pot.

The Bereg stove is also made of stainless steel, but of a different grade, with a heat resistance of 850 degrees. Has the following parameters:

• the thickness of the front and rear walls is 1 mm, the side walls are 0.8 mm;
• chimney length – 50 cm, width – 80 mm;
• firebox dimensions – 520x195x180 mm;
• stove dimensions – 700x280x415 mm;
• weight – 11.5 kg.

The “Bereg” camping stove is an excellent tool for organizing a camping sauna.
The role of the heater is played by a convection casing - stones are placed in this part of the stove. Hot air rises along the walls, transferring some of the heat to the stones, thereby creating thick steam. There is a glass on the door that regulates the air temperature. The kit includes a spark arrester.

The products of the Gorynych brand are known on the market of portable stoves. The stoves are made from the same steel as the previous manufacturer. The line is represented by three models:

The set includes a steam generator, a spark arrestor, a protective casing, a gate and a poker.

For these stoves you can purchase a water tank, corner chimney elements, diesel and gas modules. The built-in steam generator allows you to do without stones: the device begins to generate steam already at the beginning of kindling. Different parts of the structure have a thickness of 0.4-0.8 mm.

How should a wood chipper work?

The wood chipper has a simple device and lightweight design without unnecessary parts and equipment. The metal case is installed on the ground, the bottom has holes for ventilation through which air flows. This allows the coals to smolder for a long time and not disperse throughout the space, heating the container to the maximum. Stacked firewood instantly flares up. At the same time, the stove hardly smokes.

The wood chipper is a portable stove designed for heating and heating purposes.

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This type of camp stove can be made from a tin can (for example, peas, condensed milk or paint). The fire lasts approximately 20-25 minutes:

• make holes in the bottom of the jar;
• fill the jar with branches and pieces of bark;
• remove the branch from the center, creating a hole;
• insert paper or a bunch of dry grass there.

Stages of making wood chips from a can

The device takes up almost no space and is easy to carry. It is easy to place in both a tent and a hiking backpack. Travel stores sell collapsible models - when assembled, they are no larger than a gadget or a large pack of cigarettes.

Tips for using a camp sauna

• Ready-made, purchased tourist baths and mobile stoves are much more convenient and safer than home-made structures. The tent is made of heat-resistant materials, the stove is equipped with a chimney and a protective casing. If you don’t want to buy a portable camp sauna, you can rent one.
• When arranging a camp sauna with your own hands, you do not need to chase the large size of the steam room. A small tent is faster and easier to set up and heat. It is not at all necessary to steam with the whole group - you can do it in turns.
• Instead of polyethylene, tarpaulin and other artificial materials, you can use spruce branches to cover the tent. They need to be laid in 2-3 layers - then they will retain heat well and allow smoke to escape.

Have you ever made a bathhouse with your own hands? How did you do it? Share your experience in the comments.

Conclusion

How to make a camp sauna and what to use for it depends on your desires and capabilities. Naturally, if you travel on foot, carrying a ready-made stove and a tent with a frame is quite expensive. In this case, the easiest way is to carry only a ready-made awning, and build the frame and stove on site (see also the article “Do-it-yourself camping sauna - in nature with comfort”).

If you are a fan of car travel, then you can carry a complete set and build a mobile steam room in a matter of minutes. Moreover, its size can be very impressive, which is important when vacationing with a large group.

In order to understand all the intricacies even better, we recommend watching the video in this article, which clearly shows the beauty of using a bathhouse on a camping trip.

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