Are you wondering what is the purpose of a sauna hat?

The first time you see someone walk into a sauna wearing a felt hat, it can frankly look silly. Something you’d buy at a Christmas market and never wear again. Then you sit on the top bench for ten minutes without one, feel the heat pressing down on your head, and it starts to make sense.

Sauna hats have been part of Finnish, Estonian and Russian bathing for generations. This guide covers what a sauna hat is for, the benefits of wearing one, what to look for when you buy one, and how the type of sauna you use changes how much you need it.

Quick answer: A sauna hat’s purpose is to shield your head from the hottest air in the sauna. Heat rises, so your head sits in the hottest part of the room. A wool or felt hat insulates your scalp, keeps your head cooler than your body, protects your hair from drying out, and lets you stay in comfortably for longer.

What is a sauna hat?

A sauna hat is a loose, soft hat made from wool felt, linen or cotton, worn inside a hot sauna. It usually has a bell or cone shape that comes down over the ears.

In Finland it is a saunahattu, in Estonia a saunamüts. The idea is the same in both: protect the part of you that sits closest to the ceiling, where the air is hottest.

A good hat helps. A sauna that suits your garden helps more.

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Sauna hat benefits

The main benefit of a sauna hat is that your head stays cooler. This means a more comfortable sauna session overall, which is particularly great for beginners. Many exerienced sauna-goers still like to wear a sauna hat, so we recommend you try it out and see if it’s to your liking.

Here’s the basics of what a sauna hat does for you aka. sauna hat benefits:

It keeps your head cooler. In a sauna, the air near the ceiling is typically far hotter than the air at bench level – and your head is right in it. A felt hat slows down how quickly that heat reaches your head. Your body still warms up properly, but your head doesn’t overheat first.

It lets you stay in longer. An uncomfortably hot head is usually the first thing that makes people leave. With your head shielded, many people find they can sit comfortably for a few minutes more and leave because they are warm through, not because their head is pounding.

It protects your hair and scalp. Dry heat pulls moisture out of hair, and regular sessions can leave it brittle. A hat also protects your scalp and ears, which are more sensitive to heat than most of your body.

It catches sweat. A soft brim or edge stops sweat running into your eyes – a small thing, but you really notice it at higher temperatures. The purpose of the sauna is to relax, so take every opportunity to be as comfortable as you can.

How much difference does your sauna make?

How much you need a sauna hat depends on how hot your sauna runs and where you sit. The higher the bench and the hotter the stove, the more a hat helps. Our guide to the best temperature for a sauna covers the typical ranges.

Barrel saunas. The curved shape of a barrel sauna keeps the room compact and moves the heat around evenly. It heats up quickly, and with a lower ceiling than a cabin, your head is never far from the hottest air. A hat is worth having here, specially if you plan on having very hot sessions.

Garden sauna cabins. Most garden sauna cabins have upper and lower benches. The top bench is noticeably hotter, so a hat makes the most difference if that is where you like to sit.

Sauna pods. A small sauna pod heats a small space, so it reaches temperature quickly and stays intense. Short sessions and a hat suit it well.

Thermowood saunas. Our Fjord series of modern saunas is built from thermowood – heat-treated pine. Thermowood doesn’t get as hot to the touch, so benches and backrests stay more comfortable to sit and lean on. A hat then looks after the part of you the timber can’t.

Wood-fired or electric. A wood-fired stove gives a softer, more traditional heat that can still run very hot near the ceiling. Electric heaters are easier to keep at a steady temperature. If you are still choosing, our guide to electric or wood-fired saunas sets out the differences.

Banya hats and Russian sauna hats

A banya hat is the Russian version of a sauna hat. It is worn in the banya, the traditional Russian bathhouse. Banyas are often run very hot and humid, with plenty of steam from the stones, so the hat comes in handy.

Russian sauna hats are usually thick wool felt, often with a wider brim or a pointed top. They also tend to be the most decorative – embroidered, printed with slogans, or shaped with horns or ears. The banya is a social place, and the hat is part of the fun. Whatever the style, the purpose is the same as a Finnish or Estonian hat.

Felt, wool or linen: what to look for

The best sauna hat is made from natural fibre, fits loosely and covers your ears. Our personal favorite is the felt hat and we recommend you give that a go as well – just make sure it’s from real wool felt and not from a synthetic material.

• Wool felt is the traditional choice and insulates best. It is the one to pick for a hot sauna or the top bench.
• Linen and cotton are lighter and cooler, and dry faster. They suit people who find felt too warm.
• Avoid synthetic fabrics. Polyester and acrylic don’t insulate in the same way and aren’t made for high heat. A woolly beanie is only worth wearing if it is pure wool.
• Look for a loose fit. The hat should sit lightly on your head with some air underneath, not grip it.

Should you wear a sauna hat wet or dry?

The good thig is that both work, and plenty of people switch between them. Using the hat dry is what insulates the best and is the usual choice. A damp hat feels cooler at first, which some people like when the sauna feels very hot to them or when sitting on the top bench. A common habit is to dip the hat in cold water between rounds, wring it out, and put it back on. We recommend that you try both and see what feels best.

How to look after a sauna hat

A felt hat lasts for many years – if you treat it gently. Here are a few tips on how to take care of yours:

• Let it dry between sessions on a hook outside the hot room.
• Hand wash it in cool water with a wool detergent, then reshape it and leave it to air dry.
• Never dry it on the heater or the stones.

Frequently asked questions

Planning your own sauna?

A sauna hat is a small thing, but it says a lot about how you use your sauna: often, properly, and probably on the top bench. If you are thinking about a sauna of your own, ordering over the winter means it can be installed in spring and ready for next winter. Browse our outdoor saunas to compare barrel saunas, cabins and pods, and read our winter guide to sauna and cold plunge for how to make the most of it.

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