Wood-burning sauna tents like Mobiba and Morzh have been popular for years. Unfortunately for them, as soon as the sauna tent movement really started to take off, Russia began a war against Ukraine.
So when the health benefits of sauna tents gained steam, there was nowhere to buy them. It took a couple of years, but American, Finnish, and Canadian companies have filled the hole in the market, often with better products than their Russian counterparts.
North Americans now have many options, with similar-looking sauna tents.
SweatTents, North Shore Prism (sold on Sauna Marketplace), Backwoods Glamping, Overland, Stokeyard Outfitters, and others have entered the market. The initial reviews are in, and the initial skepticism was warranted for several of these startup companies. Remember, Indiegogo, Crowdfunder, and other crowdfunding websites do not require the company to deliver anything.
There are reports of shady business practices, sauna stoves melting, loose pipes, water leaking into fireboxes, and smoke leaking into tents from companies trying to cash in on the trend. Luckily, it’s become quite clear which companies you can trust and who to avoid.
The Tents
The sauna tents from SweatTents, North Shore Sauna (In Stock Here), Stokeyard Outfitters, Backwoods Glamping, Overland (out of business), and aftermarket Chinese companies are VERY similar looking. Like Morzh, they are essentially modified ice fishing tents.
But what you can’t tell from pictures is the quality of the poles, zipper, and windows.
Some companies cheap out in these areas. If you buy a sauna tent direct from a Chinese manufacturer on Alibaba or AliExpress, there’s a very high likelyhood you are buying the version 1 prototype from one of the companies above. Expect off-gassing, broken zippers, and cracking windows if it gets cold enough.
And we wouldn’t recommend buying a standard ice fishing tent and modifying it. We tried that so you don’t have to…
VEVOR Ice Fishing Tent
We tried it so you don’t have to. It off-gases so bad it would be unbearable and likely unhealthy to sauna in.
You can see how this tent is ‘shiny’ while proper sauna tents are made of canvas.
We do not recommend a DIY sauna tent approach with standard Ice Fishing Tents. Sauna tents themselves are not much more expensive and they are finally in stock and widely available in North America.
There are a few sauna tents that are unique. DOME, Snowtrekker, Arctinar (on Sauna Marketplace), and Airframes Alaska, which are different categories of tents).
The sauna tent stoves are what truly set the companies and products apart. No matter what sauna tent you buy, we recommend going with this sauna tent stove. You won’t regret it.
North Shore Sauna Tents
Update: We saw early on that North Shore Sauna had integrity and came from the sauna tent community, and invited them to sell on Sauna Marketplace. As of April 8, 2023 there are PRISM Sauna Tents in stock.
You can buy North Shore Prism Sauna Tents here.
There is availability in the May shipment for sauna stoves and North Shore portable sauna benches are available now.
North Shore Sauna was the first American company (based in Duluth, Minnesota) to offer a high-quality Morzh alternative sauna tent. We received their Prism Sauna Tent to review in November 2022. We had it from box to fully assembled in 20 minutes.
It has great reviews from our customers as well as the sauna tent community, ‘International Disciples of Sauna Tent‘, the best place to ask questions and get inspiration about sauna tents.
Prism Sauna Tent Stove
Unfortunately, we had to wait another month for the sauna tent stove to arrive.
What really sets North Shore Sauna apart from other Morzh competitors is the Prism Sauna Tent Stove. It’s the only stove on the market that we KNOW beats the Morzh Intent sauna stove. Check out the Prism sauna tent stove here.
Sauna Tent Stove Reviews
You can also build a package that comes with a portable cedar sauna bench. Yes, you can save some money and build one yourself but this is a really well built, folding bench with 5 star reviews on Sauna Marketplace. Check it out here.
Portable Sauna Tent Bench
North Shore Sauna is the only place to buy the full sauna tent package – tent, stove, bench. It’s portable, easy to set up, and sturdy. You can definitely save some money building one yourself, but it’s nice to have one built for the tent from day 1. Check out the Sauna Tent Disciples Facebook page for DIY options for sauna benches.
Sweat Tent Reviews
Sweat Tent was the most aggressive advertiser, and the least known in the sauna tent community. They have been repeatedly called out on the Sauna Tent Disciples Facebook page as ‘Unseemly’ and ‘Not to be trusted’. Candid feedback from unhappy Sweat Tent customers can be found on the Sauna Disciples Facebook page.
The tents themselves are similar in quality to the others, but the stoves are suspect. Sweat Tent was an Indiegogo company, which means if they fail you may not get your money back. We truly hope it works out for Sweat Tent customers but if you still have a chance, some restraint may be in order based on the horror stories we are hearing. Here’s an email we got today:
I recently purchased the Overland setup and the stove all but failed on me in 5 uses (thin, cheap sheet metal that warped and even developed a hole)
Marketplace E-mail 1/10/2023
In addition, Sweat Tent has apparently bullied other sauna tent companies and had highly questionable business practices. We recommend avoiding Sweat Tent Saunas, based on Sweat Tent Reviews and first hand experiences.
Overland Sauna Tent Reviews
Overland Sauna was another unknown company that was heavy on marketing. Again, it seems they were a little over confident. Customers were left waiting for updates and had serious concerns about their purchases. It’s safe to say they had a rough start but seem keen on making things right.
Overland Sauna Tent reviews for their stoves have been BRUTAL. The stoves are cracking and essentially falling apart. One recent review on the Sauna Tent Disciples facebook page shows an unusable stove with water pouring into the firebox and smoke oozing out a gap in the back of the stove.
The reviewer wonders out-loud if the stove went through any product testing before shipping them to customers. From the looks of it, you have to wonder. So far Overland Sauna has not released a new version of their stoves which seem to be extremely flawed.
Stokeyard Outfitters Sauna Tent Reviews
Stokeyard saunas is a sauna company in Minnesota well known for their sauna events at the Hewing Hotel. They are releasing a sauna tent similar to the Prism Sauna Tent, that is available for rent in Minneapolis.
Their first stove had some issues but Stokeyard can be trusted to make things right. Last we heard, they liquidated the remaining V1 Stokeyard tents and stoves and will be relaunching under a new brand.
Snowtrekker Sauna Tent Reviews
Dimensions: 73″x91x53″ (sidewall)
Snowtrekker is one of the world’s most respected backwoods winter camping companies. Based in Viroqua, Wisconsin, Snowtrekker released their Sauna Tents in 2022 to lukewarm reception in the sauna tent community. The tent is actually manufactured by Stormy Kromer in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (known for their Yooper Hats).
First, it’s important to note that the Snowtrekker sauna tent is in a different category than the new entrants. This is a larger, ‘basecamp’ style of sauna tent that may be better for events or long term deployments.
That said, the value proposition is confusing and it’s not portable. In fact, we’re not exactly sure what you’re buying with the $4,200 sauna tent. They recommend you build your own structure from a hardware store.
The Snowtrekker sauna stove is affordable at $590 but doesn’t seem portable. The door does not seem to be made for a public sauna’s constant coming and going.
So, essentially you are buying the fabric for $4,200 and building your own sauna structure. Or $4,500 with the frame. Or $5,100 with the stove. We love Snowtrekker but are afraid they will have a hard time in this price range for what they are offering.
We got to experience one at the Winter Carnival last week, but await more Snowtrekker Sauna Reviews…
Disappointing Turn With Backwoods Sauna Tent
We had high hopes for Backwoods Glamping based on its similar stove design to the highly respected North Shore Stove, and past customer experiences. Unfortunately, the company has recently taken a nosedive in terms of customer service and communication.
The Founder/Owner has been unresponsive to customer inquiries for weeks, with some speculating that the company may be facing bankruptcy. The lack of communication and transparency from the company is disheartening and frustrating.
Customers have reported that they were told to file claims with their credit card companies to recover their money after the company failed to deliver on their promises. This approach is highly unprofessional and disappointing coming from a once highly regarded company.
Although some customers had positive experiences with Backwoods Glamping in the past, the current situation seems dire. The company’s inability to obtain tents or stoves has led to speculation that they may be quitting the business altogether.
Additionally, there have been discussions about the quality and safety of their products, specifically regarding the rubber stove pipe jacks. Some customers have expressed concerns about their compatibility with single-walled pipes and the potential for leakage.
In conclusion, we can no longer recommend Backwoods Glamping based on their recent decline in customer service, communication, and product quality. It is a shame that a once-promising company has let down so many customers. I hope they can turn things around, but until then, I would advise others to seek alternative sauna tent options. North Shore is now shipping to Canada to help the situation.
Arctinar Sauna Tents
This highly-regarded Finnish company, Arctinar has been selling the best sauna tents in Europe for years. They are not a Morzh design, but a classic tent style. Great for larger public sauna events or winter camp. You may have also seen these tents as part of SaunaAid in Ukraine, where these sauna tents were sent to the troops and refugees.
Arctinar sauna tents from Finland are now in stock and available in North America. Buy them here.
Best Morzh Alternatives in the US
So where does that leave us? Morzh sauna tents are impossible to get, and many of the best sauna tents keep selling out. The best bet is to stick with reputible companies run by people who have proven they strive for quality and take care of customers.
Beware of companies liquidating their stock and going out of business. It appears half of them are.
The best option for a small sauna tent, based on reviews and our experience is the PRISM. North Shore also has the best sauna tent stove (there’s really no debate there), and the DOME is promissing for those looking for a larger tent.
We’ve had the PRISM set up at Sauna Marketplace HQ for 8 monthts and are happy to answer any questions. Please reach out if there’s anything we can help with.
