Accessories

Small tools. Big impact—a report from Lore

Image Courtesy of @deanliaw

The sauna doesn’t ask for much.

Patience and time and it works every time.

But over generations, certain objects have emerged—not as extras, but as quiet allies. Tools shaped by practice. By repetition. By people who spend their lives inside heat and steam, listening carefully to how the body responds.

Two of those tools: the sauna hat and the Aufguss towel.

Simple. Essential. Often misunderstood.

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Why wear a hat in the sauna?

A sauna hat isn’t about style.

It’s about balance.

In intense heat, the head heats faster than the rest of the body. Blood rushes upward. Ears burn. Focus fades. For some, dizziness comes before the body has truly settled into the experience.

A proper sauna hat acts as a buffer.

It protects the head and ears from extreme heat, allowing the body to stay longer, calmer, and more present.

It slows the spike—so the nervous system doesn’t have to slam the brakes.

Additional benefit is that it protects hair from the high temps, which can cause dryness on the scalp.

The result isn’t endurance.

It’s more joy.

You stay inside the feeling longer.

You listen more closely.

You activate all the benefits with the time well spent.

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What makes a sauna hat great?

We look for the same things we value everywhere at Lore:

craft, intention, and lived experience.

We found our hats through a sauna master in Norway—Kirsti—who works at a large sauna club outside Oslo called The Well.

She makes them by hand. Not in a factory. Not as merch. But as tools she herself uses in real heat, real ceremonies, real work. Her manufacturing output is 1 per day.

She comes to New York monthly and brings a small number of these hats with her—each one slightly different. Very human.

They’re made from Norwegian wool:

lightweight, breathable, insulating without suffocating. Wool regulates temperature naturally, protecting the head while still allowing the body to sweat and cool in its own rhythm.

One detail matters more than people realize when it comes to aufgus:

no loop on top.

During Aufguss, when towels are swung with speed and intention, loops catch. They interrupt flow. These hats stay clean, minimal, and out of the way—so movement stays fluid.

And yes—the unique colors and patterns matter too.

They remind us that utility and beauty don’t have to be separate. Even in heat. Especially in heat.

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What makes a towel good for Aufguss?

An Aufguss towel isn’t just a towel.

It’s an instrument.

Its job is to move air—hot, scented, living air—through space and across bodies with precision and care. A bad towel fights you. A good one disappears in your hands.

What we look for:

• 100% cotton – natural fibers breathe, absorb water properly, and release steam cleanly.

• Correct size – large enough to move air effectively, but not so large that control is lost.

• Balanced weight – heavy enough to carry steam, light enough to move quickly without strain.

• Strong stitching – essential. A towel that twists, stretches, or warps breaks rhythm and flow.

When all of this is right, the towel becomes an extension of the body.

Steam moves evenly. Heat balances. The room settles.

The best Aufguss doesn’t feel aggressive.

It feels intentional.

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The point of accessories

None of this is about gear for gear’s sake.

It’s about removing friction—so the body can go deeper into sensation without distraction. So the mind can soften. So the ritual holds.

In sauna, small details matter because the environment is honest. Heat reveals everything. Poor design shows itself immediately. Good tools disappear and let the experience speak.

At Lore, we choose accessories the same way we choose everything else:

by listening to people who live inside the practice.

Simple tools.

Earned wisdom.

Used with care

-Adam from Lore

Lore is a new bathing club located at 676 Broadway