Reference · Glossary
Recovery gear glossary: the spec terms we score on
Plain definitions of the terms that decide our scores. Each one is a spec, a measurement rule, or a regulatory distinction that recurs across red light panels, infrared saunas, PEMF devices, and cold plunges. When a brand quotes a number, these are the terms that tell you whether it can be checked.
Cross-category
Terms that apply to every rubric.
- Composite score
- Our 0 to 10 opinion of a device under a versioned, category-specific rubric, computed by a deterministic engine from measured specs. It is our judgment under a published method, not an objective fact or medical advice.
- Band (Excellent / Strong / Mixed / Limited)
- The label attached to a composite score: Excellent at 8.5 and above, Strong at 7.5, Mixed at 6.5, Limited below 6.5. A Limited score is often a flag that a key claim is unverified, not a verdict that a device is bad.
- Confidence (Partial / Verified)
- How solid the underlying data is. Partial means web-sourced and not yet independently re-measured; Verified means the price, spec, and regulatory facts were confirmed against a primary source such as a manufacturer page, an independent tester, or the openFDA database.
- Measured vs claimed
- A brand's advertised number shown against an independent measurement, with a live, dated source link. The gap between the two is the story we score. See the measured vs claimed report.
- FDA registered / listed
- Paperwork: an establishment registration or a device listing. It is not a clearance or an approval, though it is frequently marketed as if it were one.
- 510(k) cleared
- A real FDA clearance, meaning the FDA agreed a device is substantially equivalent to an existing one for a stated use. It is rare in this gear and we verify it against the openFDA 510(k) database, never from marketing wording. It is a regulatory step, not a promise of a result.
- Source-or-pull rule
- Our editorial rule that any measured brand figure must carry a live source link and date or be pulled. If we have no independent measurement, we say so rather than asserting that a device underperforms.
Red light
The panel specs, led by irradiance at a usable distance.
- Irradiance (mW/cm²)
- The power density of light hitting a surface, the headline red light spec. It is only meaningful with a stated distance, because it falls off sharply as you move away from the panel.
- Effective irradiance
- The only irradiance we credit: a figure independently measured at 6 inches, or a manufacturer number explicitly stated at 6 inches or more. A number with no stated distance, or one read at the panel surface, returns nothing and is capped and flagged. See why distance is the whole game.
- Surface reading
- An irradiance figure measured at the panel face (0 inches), where it is highest and not usable for treatment. We do not credit it.
- Wavelength (nm)
- The color of the light in nanometers. The studied bands are visible red around 660 nm and near-infrared around 850 nm; some panels add 480, 630, 810, 830, or 1060 nm. See wavelengths explained.
- EMF (panel)
- Electromagnetic field from a panel's driver and electronics. It falls off with distance, so the honest way to state it is low EMF at a normal treatment distance. See EMF and flicker.
- Flicker / flicker-free
- Ripple in an LED driver's output. A flicker-free or low-modulation driver is preferable; the honest disclosure is a percent-modulation figure, not a marketing word.
- Cost per treatment area
- Our value metric: price divided by emitting area in square centimeters, scored against the format-class median. It lets a large full-body panel and a small targeted one be compared fairly.
Infrared sauna
EMF verified at the seat and an honest spectrum claim.
- EMF at the seat (verified EMF, mG)
- The only sauna EMF figure we credit: milligauss measured at the seated body position by a named third party. A number read at the heater or floor, a brand-stated figure with no report, or a bare low-EMF label earns nothing. See why the number means nothing without a position.
- Far infrared / near infrared
- Far infrared warms you with longer wavelengths from carbon or ceramic panels; near infrared is a shorter wavelength, usually from LEDs or incandescent bulbs. Most cabins are far-infrared.
- Full spectrum
- A claim to deliver near, mid, and far infrared. We treat it as honest only when there is a separate near-infrared emitter (named LED wavelengths or incandescent lamps), not a relabeled far-infrared panel. See what full spectrum should mean.
- NIR emitter
- A distinct near-infrared source: a dedicated LED array with named wavelengths, or incandescent lamps hot enough to emit near-infrared. Its presence is the test of a real full-spectrum claim.
- ETL / UL listing
- An electrical-safety listing from a testing lab (Intertek's ETL or UL). It is a safety mark, not an FDA clearance, and it is what our Safety dimension looks for alongside a clean recall record.
PEMF
A field strength you can read at a stated frequency.
- Verified field spec
- The only PEMF field figure we credit: a magnetic flux density in real units (normalized to microtesla) published with a stated frequency in Hz. A unit-less level, a bare peak, or a surface-only figure is capped. See why up to X gauss is not a spec.
- Microtesla / gauss
- Units of magnetic flux density (1 gauss is 100 microtesla). A real field spec is stated in these units; we normalize to microtesla to compare devices.
- Peak gauss
- A momentary pulse maximum, often marketed as up to X gauss. It is not a sustained field at a stated frequency, so we do not treat it as a usable spec on its own.
- Frequency (Hz) and waveform
- The pulse rate in hertz and the shape of the pulse (sine, square, trapezoidal). A published frequency range and a named waveform are signs of disclosure; we credit a field figure only when a frequency is stated.
Cold plunge
A real chiller, the running cost, and water care.
- Built-in chiller vs ice-only
- The line that splits the category: a chiller holds a set temperature without ice; an insulated tub you fill with ice does not. We score the two as different products. See what a chiller actually buys you.
- Running cost
- The chiller's estimated annual electricity, the cost most brands leave off the box. It varies with chiller power, insulation, climate, and rates. See running costs.
- Water care (ozone / UV / filtration)
- Systems that let you reuse the same water: ozone and UV sanitize, filtration removes debris. They matter because a plunge holds standing water you sit in repeatedly.
For the full scoring method, see the methodology. Browse the guides for a deeper explainer on any term above.