A man and his trailer are trying to bring the luxury of a sauna to residents’ backyards.
Durango’s Rocky Mountain Mobile Sauna is the latest company to join the mobile sauna trend.
The Global Portable Sauna market is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2023 and 2031, according to data from a Portable Sauna Market research report.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, sauna usage and equipment sales took a hit because of social distancing regulations. But it appears more people are getting into the mobile sauna business, according to the report.
Owner Craig Valkenaar has spent the last 25 years working in the health and wellness industry, working as a health coach.
He said the sauna helps with physical and mental health.
The idea came to him after his last business hit turmoil during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My last business kind of failed because of COVID. So I was pretty much living on my savings,” Valkenaar said. “It took me a while to put this thing together. On the first of January, I basically got the website up and started advertising.”
He is determined to guarantee customers an excellent sauna experience regardless of where they are located in Southwest Colorado.
Valkenaar said he is willing to deliver the mobile sauna anywhere from Cortez to Pagosa Spings. However, for locations more than 20 miles, there is an additional $3 charge per mile.
“I’ve talked to several other people – a guy just started one in Denver and New York. ... It’s mostly Airbnbs you know, like, people from Texas come out and ski for a week and they put it there,” he said.
The mobile sauna is 11 feet long, and can accommodate six to eight people at a time. The rental cost is $475 per day with a minimum rental period of two days and includes a $400 deposit.
Renters can add chairs and a fire pit to the rental for an additional $75 fee.
“When I take it places, all it needs is water,” Valkenaar said. “It doesn’t need electricity and has battery-operated lights, and then it comes with a cold plunge.”
The cold tub comes free of charge. Valkenaar said the best way to use the sauna is to switch between the cold tub and sauna.
It normally takes 30 to 45 minutes for the sauna to reach necessary temperatures of 135 to 150 degrees. Rocky Mountain will provide four hours of firewood per day for the rental.
A study from Harvard Medical School indicates that using a sauna can increase pulse by 30% or more and pump almost twice as much blood through the heart. Saunas are often credited for helping improve vascular function.
While the sauna can fit eight people, Valkenaar said six people normally creates the best atmosphere. Depending on demand for larger saunas will indicate whether he decides to purchase a larger kit to build.
Because the mobile sauna business is a relatively new concept, Valkenaar said finding liability insurance has been difficult. That is because there is limited data for how many claims have been made against mobile sauna companies. Customers are required to sign a waiver before renting.
The business has only one sauna to rent, but Valkenaar intends to build more based on demand. The sauna is made out of cedar. He said cedar is a durable wood and has a pleasant scent when heated.
While he may have only one sauna, he said turnaround times are generally quick.
Between rentals, he cleans the sauna by taking it to the car wash, where he hoses out the interior and sanitizes the inside. The entire process takes about 20 minutes.
tbrown@durangoherald.com
