Bob isn't really selling infrared saunas. He's selling a construction philosophy. The argument here is that most infrared saunas on the market are actively working against you — off-gassing adhesives, volatile wood oils, cheap carbon heaters that barely move the needle on infrared output. The claim is that materials matter as much as the therapy itself. And after 27 years building these units, Bob has some standing to make that argument.
The 81 times more infrared energy figure for ceramic versus carbon heaters is striking. I've seen this comparison surface in other discussions, and while the exact multiplier varies by source, the directional truth is consistent: ceramic heaters run hotter at the emitter surface and produce more mid-infrared wavelengths. Carbon heaters spread heat more evenly but at lower intensity. If you're optimizing for sweat response and thermal penetration, ceramic wins.
The Finnish longevity data — Rhonda Patrick's work, the Laukkanen studies — is built almost entirely on traditional steam saunas, not infrared. This is worth sitting with. When you see those remarkable numbers about cardiovascular mortality and Alzheimer's risk reduction, they come from people sitting in 80 to 100 degree Celsius wet heat environments, not 55 to 65 degree Celsius infrared cabins.
Infrared sauna research exists and is growing, but the evidence base is thinner. What we do know is that the cardiovascular response — elevated heart rate, increased plasma volume, vasodilation — appears in infrared use as well, just at lower ambient temperatures. Whether the outcomes are equivalent over decades of use is genuinely unknown.
The chemical sensitivity angle is underappreciated. Most conversations about sauna focus on protocol — duration, temperature, frequency — and almost none focus on what you're breathing while you're in there. If your sauna is off-gassing formaldehyde or cedar volatile oils, you're adding a toxic burden at the same time you're trying to reduce one. Bob's instinct to build clean is correct, and it's something the mainstream wellness conversation hasn't caught up to.
If you're buying a home infrared sauna, weight is a legitimate proxy for quality. A 560-pound crate signals solid wood and real construction. A 200-pound unit almost certainly means thinner panels, more adhesive, and compromised heater output. Ask about the wood species — white poplar or similar hypoallergenic options if you have any chemical sensitivities. Ask specifically whether the unit uses ceramic or carbon heaters, and don't accept "far infrared" as an answer without knowing the heater type underneath it.
Heat shock proteins don't discriminate by heat source. Whether you generate them in a Finnish sauna at 90 degrees Celsius or an infrared cabin at 60, the trigger is core body temperature elevation — roughly one to two degrees Fahrenheit above baseline. The pathway to those molecular chaperones clearing misfolded proteins from your cells runs through your thermometer, not your heater type. Which means a well-built infrared sauna, used consistently, is accessing the same cellular housekeeping mechanisms as any other heat protocol. The ritual matters. The consistency matters. The cleanliness of the environment matters more than most people think.