Test Protocol · Version 1.0 · Effective 2026-05-04

LV Test Protocol v1.0

The versioned scoring rubric every Lifespan Vault deep review is graded against. Per-category weights, measurement methods, and change log. This is the document our Editor’s Bench tests every product against.

Scores are calibrated within a category, not across the site. An 8.5 cold plunge is comparable to an 8.5 sauna in relative quality — not absolute spec. Each product receives a weighted sum across the category criteria below, normalized to a 1.0–10.0 scale.

For higher-level editorial principles (what disqualifies a product, pricing freshness, editorial firewall), see the methodology page. For testing artifacts and the working hardware library, see the Editor’s Bench.

Category rubric · Weights sum to 100%

Cold Plunge

Scored on real-world residential install. Chiller noise measured at 1m at full pull-down. Water clarity assessed with a Secchi-style read at 7 days of continuous use without intervention.

CriterionWeightMeasurement notes
Chiller noise (dB at 1m)20%Lower is better. Critical for indoor and bedroom-adjacent installs.
Water clarity at 7 days15%Filtration + ozone + UV stack effectiveness; no manual intervention.
Energy draw (kWh/day at 50°F ambient)15%Measured at standard ambient; published cost per year.
Build quality & materials15%Shell, lid, plumbing, fittings; corrosion resistance.
App integration & temperature control10%Schedule programming, away mode, push alerts, third-party export.
Footprint & install complexity10%Indoor/outdoor flexibility, drainage, electrical (110V vs 220V).
Warranty (cabin / chiller / labor)10%Reported separately; chiller warranty weighted heaviest.
Owner-reported reliability (12mo+)5%Aggregated from MyProtocolStack users + verified buyer surveys.
Category rubric · Weights sum to 100%

Sauna

Scored across infrared and traditional. EMF measured at the body-facing surface during operation. Heat-up time measured from cold start to operating temperature in a 70°F ambient room.

CriterionWeightMeasurement notes
Heat performance (max temp & heat-up time)20%Time to operating temp; sustained max temp under load.
EMF & ELF at body position15%Measured at chest height; lower is better. Critical for IR units.
Wood quality & joinery15%Species (cedar/hemlock/aspen), kiln-drying, joinery method, finish.
Heater design (IR spectrum or stove output)15%IR: full-spectrum balance. Traditional: BTU output and stone capacity.
Warranty (cabin / heater / electronics)10%Reported per component; lifetime cabin warranties weighted heaviest.
Footprint & install complexity10%Indoor/outdoor, electrical requirements, ventilation needs.
App integration & smart features10%Pre-heat scheduling, session tracking, third-party export.
Owner-reported reliability (24mo+)5%Heaters are the failure point; we track 24-month reliability specifically.
Category rubric · Weights sum to 100%

Red Light Therapy

Scored on irradiance, spectrum quality, and panel construction. Irradiance measured at 6 inches at panel center using a calibrated solar meter; spectrum verified with manufacturer-supplied spectrograph.

CriterionWeightMeasurement notes
Irradiance at 6 inches (mW/cm²)25%Center-of-panel reading; higher is better up to a point.
Spectrum coverage (660nm + 850nm balance)20%Verified spectrograph; even split or therapeutic targeting.
EMF at body position15%Measured at 6 inches from panel face during operation.
Build quality (heat dissipation, LED grade)15%LED bin quality, thermal management, panel rigidity.
Coverage area & treatment ergonomics10%Full-body vs targeted; stand/mount options included.
Warranty (panel / LEDs / driver)10%LED degradation curve; component-level coverage matters.
Owner-reported reliability (24mo+)5%LED degradation tracked; flicker/strobe issues flagged.
Category rubric · Weights sum to 100%

Sleep Tech

Scored on objective sleep-data accuracy versus a polysomnography reference, plus daily-use friction. Mattress and bed-cooling categories measured separately from wearables and bedside devices.

CriterionWeightMeasurement notes
Data accuracy (vs PSG reference where available)25%Sleep-stage classification, HRV, respiratory rate accuracy.
Temperature control range & response20%Cooling/heating range, response time, dual-zone capability.
Daily-use friction (setup, cleaning, durability)15%Hours of friction per month of use.
App quality & data export15%Data depth, export to Apple Health/Google Fit/CSV, third-party access.
Build quality & materials10%Mattress: foam grade. Wearables: sensor grade.
Warranty (full mattress / electronics)10%Mattress: 10-year baseline. Electronics: 2-year baseline.
Owner-reported reliability (12mo+)5%Sensor failures, pump failures, app abandonment tracked.
Category rubric · Weights sum to 100%

Hyperbaric

Scored on pressure capability, oxygen concentration capability, and safety certification. Soft and hard chambers scored on the same rubric but compared only within their pressure class.

CriterionWeightMeasurement notes
Pressure rating & stability (ATA)25%Max ATA, hold-time stability, pressure ramp control.
Oxygen concentrator integration & purity20%Bundled or BYO; purity at flow rate; backup capability.
Safety certifications (FDA / PVHO / ASME-PVHO)15%Class 1 device clearance, pressure-vessel certification.
Chamber comfort (volume, ergonomics, viewing)10%Internal volume, seating/lying options, window quality.
Build quality & materials10%Hull material, zipper/door system, valve grade.
Operational complexity (setup, time-to-pressure)10%Pre-flight checklist length, time to operating ATA.
Warranty (chamber / concentrator / labor)5%Component-level coverage; concentrator service network.
Owner-reported reliability (24mo+)5%Zipper/seal failures, concentrator service intervals.
Category rubric · Weights sum to 100%

Wearable

Scored on sensor accuracy, daily-use friction, app depth, and data portability. Sensor accuracy measured against reference devices (chest strap for HR, PSG for sleep, finger pulse-ox for SpO2).

CriterionWeightMeasurement notes
Sensor accuracy (HR, HRV, SpO2, sleep stages)25%Versus reference devices; published per-metric accuracy.
App depth & data export20%Raw data access, API/CSV export, third-party integrations.
Battery life & charge cadence15%Real-world hours per charge under continuous monitoring.
Daily-use friction (form factor, charging, cleaning)15%Hours of friction per month; bezels, scratches, skin reactions.
Subscription model & data ownership10%Hardware-only vs SaaS-required; what you keep if you cancel.
Build quality & durability10%Water rating, drop survival, long-term scratch resistance.
Owner-reported reliability (12mo+)5%Sensor drift, charging port failures, band wear tracked.

What’s coming in v1.1

We version this protocol publicly so changes to scoring weights are transparent and dated. Previous versions of any deep review carry the protocol version they were graded under in the review header.

  • EMS / NMES rubric. New category for electrical-muscle-stimulation hardware (Compex, Marc Pro, NEUFIT). Drafting now.
  • PEMF rubric. New category for pulsed electromagnetic-field devices. Pending field-strength measurement equipment acquisition.
  • Diagnostics & lab-testing rubric. Scoring framework for at-home diagnostics (DEXA-equivalent, blood biomarker panels, microbiome). Methodology working draft due Q3 2026.
  • Owner-reliability weight increase. Once we’ve accumulated 24 months of MyProtocolStack owner-reported reliability data, we’ll lift owner-reported reliability weight from 5% to 10% across most categories.
  • Independent third-party audit. Targeting an external review of the rubric and weights by category subject-matter editors before v1.1 ships.

Protocol changes? We log every weight change with a date, rationale, and the affected reviews. Email ryan@lifespanvault.com if you spot a measurement method we should refine.