Thermal Protocol — recovery equipment, picked methodically
The cold plunge and sauna
buyer's guide you actually wanted.
Independent reviews and methodology-first buyer's guides for cold plunges, saunas, and home recovery equipment.
Featured
See all guides →Buyer's guides, individual product reviews, and explainers across the cold and warm sides of the recovery setup.
Cold plunge · Buyer's guide
Best cold plunges under $7,500
Picks across four price tiers, from $1,150 DIY barrels to self-chilling flagships at the $7,500 ceiling.
Sauna · Buyer's guide
Best infrared saunas for home
Four picks from $500 portable booths to flagship 3-person cabins. Focused on EMF, heater coverage, wood quality.
Cold plunge · Review
Inergize Cold Plunge Elite Tub
The clearest example of "what would make me upgrade from ice?" in the mid-tier cold-plunge market.
Sauna · Review
Therasage Thera360 Plus
The strongest portable infrared sauna available right now. Full-spectrum heat in a stowable form factor.
Cold plunge · Comparison
Cold plunge vs ice bath
True cost over 12 months, maintenance burden, temperature consistency, and the honest case for each.
Sauna · Comparison
Infrared vs traditional sauna
Two products often shopped against each other that are actually different machines. Install reality, true cost, experience.
The site currently runs 5 pillar buyer's guides, 5 individual product reviews, 2 use-case guides, and an evergreen explainer library across cold and warm therapy.
Why this site
01
Methodology, not vibes
Every pick is justified against measurable criteria: price, dimensions, electrical requirements, build, warranty.
02
Independent
Affiliate-funded but editorially independent. We disclose every commercial relationship on every page.
03
No therapeutic claims
We describe reported benefits and cite the literature. We don't promise outcomes.