Massages are commonplace for professional athletes like runners, cyclists and basketball players, but for the rest of us, they’re still kind of a luxury. The good news is, there are tools you can buy to mimic a massage — and they’re easy to use. Now, you don’t have to book an appointment to get the sweet, relaxing taps similar to a Swedish massage parlor. All you have to do is grab your (charged) massage gun, select your head attachment and paint away your aches and pains.
While there are plenty of massage guns on the market targeting DOMS and daily muscle aches, two of the most recognizable silhouettes are the Hypervolt 2 Pro from Hyperice and the Theragun Pro from Therabody. Both these devices have brought premium massage therapy to the masses for years, but which machine reigns supreme?
To find out, we turned to these two pro-grade massagers for our daily recovery sessions. Whether coming home from the gym or relaxing our muscles in-between daily tasks and chores, we worked out our knots and soreness, highlighting features and perks to determine which gun should be kept in the holster — and which should be placed back on the shelf.
The Contenders for Best Pro-Grade Massage Gun
Therabody Theragun PRO
Pros
- Ergonomic, triangle handle is easy to maneuver
- New motor technology significantly cuts down the noise from previous iterations
Cons
- Comes with just one interchangeable battery
- Soft-shell case saves space but feels less durable than past models
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$599 (42% off)
At first glance, the Theragun Pro may seem like the same old massage gun, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find that Therabody definitely went gangbusters with the improvements vs the previous generation. For one, the OLED screen at the top of the handle provides a more detailed overview of settings and routines. This all-new interface even supports visually-guided sessions built into the device itself, as well as those offered and controlled through Therabody’s companion app. Additionally, the new EQ-150 motor is far quieter than previous generations, cutting the decibel output by 20%. There’s still a noticeable hum, but nowhere near as ear-rattling as the power-tool like sound of older Theragun Pros.