If you’re as passionate about heat therapy as I am, mark your calendar: Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Biohacking Conference lands in Austin, Texas, from May 27–29, 2026, and it’s shaping up to be the most important event of the year for sauna enthusiasts. I’ve been attending biohacking conferences since the early days, and this one — now in its 14th year and freshly rebranded from the original Biohacking Conference — consistently delivers the most cutting-edge heat therapy science, hands-on sauna demos, and contrast therapy protocols you’ll find anywhere.
Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of BEYOND 2026 as a sauna lover.
Event Overview: What Is the BEYOND Biohacking Conference?
Dave Asprey, the father of biohacking and four-time New York Times bestselling author, created this conference to push the boundaries of human performance, longevity, and consciousness. For 2026, the event has been reimagined under the new name BEYOND — reflecting its expansion into longevity science, consciousness exploration, and next-generation recovery protocols.
The conference takes place at The Fairmont Austin, a stunning downtown venue with easy access to Austin’s vibrant wellness scene. Over three days, you’ll get access to 100+ world-class speakers, the massive Tech Playground with 150+ interactive exhibitors, and immersive “Hacktivations” — live biohacking sessions designed to optimize your health in real time.
Key details at a glance:
- Dates: May 27–29, 2026
- Location: The Fairmont Austin, Austin, TX
- Speakers: Dave Asprey, Jay Shetty, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Jim Kwik, Dr. Dave Rabin, Naveen Jain, and 90+ more
- Exhibitors: 150+ brands in the Tech Playground
- Registration: beyondconference.com
Why Sauna Enthusiasts Should Attend BEYOND 2026
Let me be direct: if you care about the science of heat therapy, this is the single best conference to attend in 2026. Here’s why.
The Tech Playground is a sauna lover’s dream. With over 150 exhibitors showcasing breakthrough wellness technologies, the Tech Playground is where you’ll find infrared sauna brands demoing their latest models, cold plunge companies offering hands-on immersion sessions, and contrast therapy setups that let you experience the powerful combination of heat and cold under expert guidance. Past biohacking conferences have featured major infrared sauna brands like Sunlighten and Clearlight — both of which are staples in the biohacking community — along with emerging brands pushing the envelope on full-spectrum infrared, low-EMF construction, and smart sauna technology.
Heat therapy talks from world-class researchers. The speaker lineup at BEYOND consistently features physicians and researchers who are advancing our understanding of heat stress, heat shock proteins, cardiovascular adaptation, and the molecular mechanisms behind sauna’s longevity benefits. Whether it’s a deep-dive into the Finnish sauna studies linking regular sauna use to reduced cardiovascular mortality, or a clinical protocol for using infrared heat to support detoxification, you’ll hear presentations that go far deeper than anything you’ll find on YouTube.
Contrast therapy demos you can actually try. One of the most popular experiences at BEYOND is hands-on contrast therapy — alternating between a sauna session and cold plunge immersion. The Tech Playground includes dedicated cold plunge stations, and many exhibitors pair them with infrared heat to demonstrate proper contrast therapy protocols. If you’ve been curious about optimizing your hot-cold cycling for recovery, inflammation management, or cardiovascular training, this is where you learn by doing.
Ticket Tiers and What’s Included
BEYOND 2026 offers three ticket tiers. All of them include Tech Playground access, which is the main draw for sauna enthusiasts:
- Explorer Pass ($1,999): Main stage seating, daily Dave Asprey-approved lunches, Danger Coffee starting at 7 AM, the official dance party, conference swag, and full Tech Playground access.
- Visionary Pass ($2,999): Everything in Explorer plus health testing and screenings, injection protocols, CME credits for healthcare professionals, and preferred seating.
- Luminary VIP ($5,499): The full experience — everything in Visionary plus a VIP dinner with Dave Asprey, exclusive lounge access, and priority registration for all Hacktivation sessions.
My recommendation? For most sauna enthusiasts, the Explorer Pass gives you everything you need. The Tech Playground access is identical across all tiers, and that’s where you’ll spend the bulk of your time testing infrared saunas, trying cold plunges, and talking to brand reps about the technology behind their products. If you’re a healthcare practitioner interested in prescribing heat therapy protocols, the Visionary Pass with CME credits is worth the upgrade.
Tickets are non-refundable but transferable to another attendee. Register at beyondconference.com.
What to Bring: Gear Essentials for Sauna Enthusiasts
Austin in late May is already hot — add sauna demos to the mix, and you’ll want to come prepared. Here’s my packing list for heat-focused conference-goers:
- A quality towel: You’ll want your own quick-dry towel for sauna and cold plunge demos on the expo floor. I always travel with a lightweight microfiber towel that packs small and dries fast.
- Swimwear or compression shorts: Several Tech Playground stations will invite you to try cold plunges and infrared sessions. Bring something you can change into quickly.
- A reusable water bottle with electrolytes: Heat exposure plus the Austin climate equals serious fluid loss. I recommend bringing a insulated water bottle and a quality electrolyte mix like LMNT electrolyte packets to stay properly hydrated between sessions.
- A notebook or tablet: You’ll want to capture product specs, protocol details, and speaker insights. I’ve found that the sheer volume of information at BEYOND can be overwhelming — having a system to record what matters to you is essential.
- Comfortable shoes: The expo floor is massive. You’ll be on your feet for hours moving between exhibitor booths and Hacktivation sessions.
My Top Tips for Getting the Most Out of BEYOND 2026
After years of attending biohacking conferences, here are the strategies that consistently help me extract the most value:
1. Prioritize the Tech Playground over keynotes. I know this is controversial, but hear me out. The keynote presentations will likely be recorded and available afterward. The opportunity to physically sit inside a new infrared sauna model, ask the engineers about EMF levels, test a cold plunge at a specific temperature, or have a brand rep walk you through their heating element technology — that only happens in person. Block at least half of each day for the expo floor.
2. Hit the floor early. The Tech Playground is least crowded in the morning. Get your Danger Coffee at 7 AM and head straight for the sauna and contrast therapy exhibitors. By mid-afternoon, the popular demo stations will have long wait times.
3. Ask about clinical protocols. Don’t just ask exhibitors about product specs — ask them what protocols their medical advisors recommend. What temperatures, session durations, and frequencies are they seeing the best outcomes with? The best exhibitors at BEYOND have clinical data backing their products, and they’re usually excited to share it.
4. Try the Hacktivations. These live, immersive sessions include sound baths, HRV training, guided breathwork, and meditation. For sauna enthusiasts, the breathwork sessions are particularly relevant — combining deliberate heat exposure with structured breathing patterns is one of the most powerful biohacking stacks I’ve encountered in my clinical practice.
5. Network intentionally. The BEYOND community includes physicians, researchers, product developers, and passionate self-experimenters. If you’re considering a sauna purchase, want to refine your heat therapy protocol, or are curious about integrating contrast therapy into your recovery routine, the conversations you’ll have in the hallways and at the VIP events are worth the price of admission alone.
The Bottom Line
The BEYOND Biohacking Conference 2026 is the premier event for anyone serious about heat therapy, infrared sauna technology, and contrast therapy protocols. With 150+ exhibitors in the Tech Playground, hands-on sauna and cold plunge demos, and a speaker lineup that includes some of the brightest minds in longevity science, this three-day event in Austin is an investment in your knowledge and your health.
Whether you’re shopping for your first infrared sauna, dialing in an advanced contrast therapy protocol, or simply want to experience the cutting edge of heat therapy science, BEYOND 2026 deserves a spot on your calendar. I’ll be there — and I hope to see you in the Tech Playground.
Registration is open now at beyondconference.com. The event runs May 27–29, 2026, at The Fairmont Austin in Austin, Texas.