RENPHO Active Massage Gun Deep Tissue Muscle, 2022 Upgrade Powerful Portable Gun Massage Percussion Massager Gun for Athletes, Electric Back Massagers,Handheld Body Massager Gun Christmas Gifts

***just got the renpho heated handheld massager (december 2020) so i am updating my review of the renpho massage gun (from june 2020). I will indicate where updated.***

i have been working out my entire life and never really bought into the whole idea of foam rollers and post-workout massage and all that nonsense. To me, you worked out, you stumbled home on sore legs and the soreness was an indication of how effective your workout was. However, now that i am in my 40s, soreness tends to linger a little longer and gains are a little harder. Not fun. Someone at my gym a few years back was telling me about the wonders of ‘massage guns’ and it sounded too good to be true (less soreness, faster recovery, faster gains in the gym). Anyway, i tried one in a store back then and was not impressed. It just felt like a powerful massage that, for the $600+ price, was not worth it. As time passed, i read a lot about the great physiological benefits but never invested in one because they still cost hundreds of dollars. Fast forward a few years, trickle-down economics has kicked in and this year i happened to be looking at massage guns again and the prices were very enticing. There seemed to be a lot of good options for about $200 (less than half the price of what good ones used to be) and this particular renpho unit for less than $200.

I heard about renpho a few years back when i was looking for one of those scales that measures weight, bmi, bone mass, etc. And all the reviews i read online pointed to them as the best value. As a shopper i am all about value. I am willing to forego one or two bells and whistles if the reviews are solid and the price is considerably less. Anyway, i bought that scale and it was (and still is) awesome and ever since then if i see renpho is selling something i am looking for, i get it. I have never been let down by the company and this massage gun is no different.

First, you should know that this is not the type of thing you are going to use for a relaxing backrub. This can hurt. But not in a ‘stop, stop, stop’ kind of way, more like a ‘wow, it’s really effective’ kind of way. Massage guns are for breaking up scar tissue, releasing lymphatic fluid back into your bloodstream, increasing bloodflow to the muscle and interrupting the pain cycle in the brain. At most you will use them for 2 minutes per muscle group, not 15-30 minutes like you might with a ‘relaxing’ massager. (update: i just bought one of their heated massagers which is a better alternative for a light, relaxing, unknotting of your muscles. I will upload a pic and describe it at the end in case that’s what you are looking for.)

ok, second thing you should know is that this massager *really* is for people who are personal trainers and physical therapists to use on others. It even comes with a handy little carrying case (pictured) so that you can take it from appointment-to-appointment. The reason i say it’s not for ‘solo’ use is because even though you can probably target your own chest, quads and calves, you would have to be stretch armstrong or plastic man or mr. Fantastic (these are all people with really stretchy arms) to be able to use it on your own upper back, lower back, triceps, glutes, rear delts and hams. So keep in mind you will need a husband, wife, significant other or a really good friend who is willing to help you with your doms for a few minutes a week. Tell them you only need them for a minute or two per muscle group and they might help you out. Other wise, bribe them by offering to use it on them. Anyway, it’s a tool you need but you also need someone else to do it for you (unless you are doing muscle groups on the front of your body. (update again: something like the renpho handheld massager that i just got is perfect for reaching your own back, butt, neck, etc. But please understand that a personal massager is not going to do the same type of thing that a massage gun does)

so, with all that said, how does it work? Lots of videos out there online but make sure to know your gun tips: flat head is for pretty much any body part, bullet is for severe areas as well as trigger points and the thick soles of the feet, the bullet is also perfect for getting inbetween muscles such as running it down the side of you leg where the quads and hams meet, keep in mind if you use the bullet attachment–or any to be honest–and you hit bone, it might hurt so start with a low speed and be careful, the round head is for large muscle groups and the ridge head for going up and down the spine and getting the muscles around it without hitting the actual spine. I haven’t used the air cushion head but it is supposed to be for sensitive muscles. Supposedly different speeds are for different therapeutic effects but i just go with what is tolerable.

What else? As with all things that have a rechargeable battery, make sure to charge fully before your first use. All subsequent uses will be limited by how much charge you gave it the first time so don’t be tempted to charge it for 15 minutes, then try it. Your future standby and use-time will be limited. It’s really sturdy, and heavy and strong. The case (not that it matters to me) is handsome-looking but more importantly, a way to keep all your stuff together.

So…final conclusion? If you workout or have chronic pain issues like sciatica, you need this. These things used to cost $600 and now you can get this awesome little portable, cordless, rechargeable, handheld massage gun for less than $200. You’ll probably need a friend or loved one for your back areas but use it on them as ‘payback’ and they won’t complain. It is not a relaxing back massager that you’re going to use for long, relaxing massage sessions but it is an important and surprisingly effective tool for chronic pain as well as post-workout recovery.

***update dec 2020*** okay, so as much as i love this, i was looking for something this week for general muscle relaxation. Post-workout recovery is one thing but sometimes you get home and you have a sore neck from watching your co-workers do nothing or your back hurts from carrying the company on your back. These types of aches require something that can give you a soothing massage, not something that is like a pocket jackhammer. I picked up a renpho back massager with heat. I’m not gonna’ write a review here but i will say that if you are looking at this massage gun and considering it as an option for your day-to-day pains, that might be a better option. It’s great to come home and be able to use it to reach your own back and it’s got heat so it’s better at relieving tension. Find my review here on amazon if you want more info. But for massage that is related to sports, workouts and chronic pain needs, i can still say six months later that i whip out the renpho massage gun at least 3x a week. It’s a totally different feeling. Like i said in my original review it is *almost* painful if used right but what it does is apply pressure to a sore area, intensifies the pain for a minute and then, makes it go away. Magic. I am really sold on massage guns and i am definitely sold on this particular one. It’s got all the power you need, all the heads, a lot of charge time, it is solid and it works.

I’m an aging athlete in his 60s. Lots of aches and pains from old injuries and the general wear-and-tear that comes with getting older. My wife and i bought this massage gun after trying a different, much more expensive one at a vendor booth at our county fair. We are delighted with our purchase.

It works wonders on sore necks and backs, massaging thighs, calves, and muscles of the rotator cuff, and it gets regular use by both my wife and myself. Having a handle makes it easier to reach spots on our backs and my wife is happy i can give her regular back and neck massages, something i used to do almost daily, without wearing my hands out. The massager has a nice, big battery that can handle two weeks of daily use before needing to be recharged.

The reason i’m happy with this purchase, though, is how it has helped me recover from my rotator cuff surgery 2-1/2 years ago. It was an extensive and successful surgery but, despite religiously doing my physical therapy exercises twice a day for well over a year, my shoulder had noticeably less flexibility and mobility than it used to.

Using this massage gun every other day to dig into the muscles and tendons of the rotator cuff to break up stubborn adhesions has helped increase my range of motion. I’m not quite there yet but, after getting stuck for a few months with little to no progress toward my goal, i think i’ll recover enough range of motion that this old gymnast will be able to do handstands again. That’s something i want to be able to do again and it’s finally coming into reach.

There are a few other things i’d like to mention.

The first is we appreciate being able to charge this massager via a usb-c charger instead of having a dedicated power brick and cable. We had a clutter of chargers and cables around the house, and have been looking for devices that use a common household usb to cut down on clutter and the hassle of matching different bricks and cables for this and that device. We nixed several other massage gun choices because they did not support usb charging.

Like most massage guns, this massager comes with a good and versatile set of massage attachments. The bullet-shaped one is great for digging into a knot, the broad cushioned head is for areas where there’s not a lot of flesh before hitting bone, and for people who want a softer massage. The head between the bullet and the cushion head is our go-to for the upper shoulders, low back, and either side of the spine, quadriceps, and other thick muscle masses. The two-tine fork head pulls on muscle, tendons, and connective tissue to stretch adhesions.

The round ball . . . I think that’s more of a ‘personal massager’ attachment that doesn’t make sense on a device that is designed to beat sore muscles into submission. Maybe look for a mini-massager with a shorter stroke length, if that’s what you’re into. That said, it can work on necks, too.

Pros:
* a nice balance between the shallower stroke depth of higher-powered mini-massage guns and the longer, more aggressive stroke of the more expensive units used by physical therapists.
* great for massaging necks, backs, and any other achy muscles you might have.
* useful set of massage heads.
* quiet.
* long battery life between recharges.
* nice case.
* under $100.

Cons:
* its stroke length is closer to 10mm, not the 12mm stroke depth claimed in their listing. (all massage guns we tried seem to exaggerate their stroke depth by a couple mm or more.) so, not as advertised but it’s enough for us.
* not a great travel size, but we missed having it with us when we went on a 3-week trip without it. We bought a second ‘slimpal store mini massage gun’ for when we travel. It’s not as good as our full-size massager but, it is still a welcome thing to have in our travel gear.

I bought this as a christmas present for my partner after he intermittently complained about muscle soreness. He’s usually a cautious adopter of gift-gadgets, but picked it up and tried it out almost immediately. Since then, he has remembered its existence and uses it (success!), and has even used it on my shoulders when i was complaining of soreness – shocking, since this person is not a shoulder-rub guy.

Honestly, it’s really nice, and is worth the price tag. Rather than pay several hundred dollars for the name-brand one, i think this is a really good entry-level massage gun. I chose this specific one after reading a handful of positive reviews on non-amazon sites, and i am happy with the purchase – it has lived up to its reviews. If it broke, i’d buy this same one again. But it’s pretty sturdy and has a very nice protective case, so i don’t anticipate that happening anytime soon.

Ok, i bought this because i’ve been having issues with my legs and feet, so i thought, why not give it a try, if it don’t work i can send it back. I started using this every day after work, (10-12 hrs a day, 7 days a week), let me tell you, purchasing this was the best decision of my life. At first it hurt like a mother, but after a few days of using this, my legs and feet didn’t hurt so bad and now they barely hurt at all. My dr wanted to put me on pain meds, i didn’t want that, i’m not one to take pills, so being diagnosed with heel spurs and one growing into my archiles tendon, i can honestly say i am pretty much pain free and only use this now every few days. I love this little machine!!

This little precursor is truly unbelievable. On the lowest setting, this thing is powerful. I use to do cpt on patients with copd. We had electric or sometimes pneumatic precursors. They were very powerful. This little device is on par with some of these devices i used in the past. I can press extremely hard and this little machine doesn’t stop. In my opinion, it’s truly incredible.

The only con i would say is that it’s battery powered and it doesn’t appear as the battery is replaceable. Therefore, the life span of the product is limited. This i believe is a major flaw. Basically, design obsolescence.

The true test will be how long it last.

I was very very hesitant to get this. I pulled a quad playing pickleball a few weeks ago, which was ‘a bit’ annoying but not ‘painful’ – then i pulled a glute right before christmas. I didn’t have time to do much about it. I took ‘some’ advil and aleve, stretched, and suffered through. Well a week an a half and a lot of stretching later it still hurt. Nothing was helping. I broke down and ordered this…
One time… And the pain went from 8 to 2! I even went ice skating after using it on my glute.
My quad fells 100% after using it.

So if you are on the fence get it.

I did try it on my shoulders and i may have moaned in joy a little bit.

I saw a few reviews that mentioned it wouldn’t charge after the battery wore down the first time. Same thing happened to me…until i got the right plug. If you look at the small print on the bottom it needs a specific input voltage and amperage. Most usb devices, in my experience, don’t seem to care…but this one does. So after trying a few chargers i found one whose output matched the input of the massager (the old/small iphone charger works if you have a usb-to-usb-c cord).

Edit: changing my review from a 1 star to 5 star based mostly on customer service. The wonderful people of renpho are doing it right! They reached out quickly and were very efficient and kind when helping me resolve this issue! Thank you, karie from the customer service team!!

Received a used item. Charging cable was not in own packaging like other pictures show and was connected to an apple wall cube, white looking film/substance on one of the massage heads, and another one was covered in fuzz and hair

I’ve been drooling over the name brand massage gun for a while and was really considering spending the big bucks! Because i’ve been searching this deal came up for $70 and i pounced! I’m so glad i got this one, it works amazing, had 4 speeds, feels good in the hand, easy to use. Had it 2+ months now and mutiple members of the house use it mutiple times a week.
Charges with a universal usb c, which is what the android phones use so that makes it easy. Would reccomend this to anyone looking for a massage gun.

I was surprised at how good this product is for the cost. I didn’t expect it to be as good as it is for the price point, but overall, i am very happy with it. The case is great, the attachments provide quite a variety, and its power is surprising. The only drawback is keeping the instruction book to know which attachment is best for which area of the body. Although i have found that it can just be personal preference – there’s also space to keep the booklet in the case, so it’s not a huge drawback.

I haven’t used many percussion massagers, but the few that i have used have been very expensive/name brand/top of the line (at chiropractor’s office). I feel that this one is almost as strong, and seems to work just as well as those ‘expensive’ ones. I like the different attachments, and everything seems to be well made. The only ‘complaint/downside’ (and i have no idea if this is normal since i have never owned one) is the battery life could be better. Depending on the massage level, i think i am averaging 25-40mins/charge. Charging seems to take several hours, which again, i have no idea if this is normal for this type of massager, but i wish the battery lasted a little longer and charged a little quicker. Neither of these things are deal breakers, i still think this is a great device and would buy it again (if i needed another for some reason). Oh, i also kind of like the 10min auto-off feature. At first i thought it was a little annoying, but it has actually turned out to be a good thing (i think). It keeps me aware of how long i’ve been massaging a particular muscle or area, and keeps me from over-doing it, and it is not a hassle to press the button again if i want to go a little longer. I would definitely recommend.

I’ve never had a massage gun so i really didn’t know what to think. For all the research i did, seemed like the middle of the road, price wise. The battery lasts 10 minutes, then it shuts off. It starts back up in about 30 seconds. Can’t say it’s a bad purchase. So far, so good!

I purchased this for my wife. She was an athelete most of her life including a few decades of martial arts training. (yeah, she can be a little scary) she has been using this every other day to relieve tension and pain. It has been very helpful for my wife. Only complaint is the weight. Arm gets tired after a bit holding it up. Seems well constructed, nice finish. Shipping was fast, price was right.

As for the gun, it is a good product. The battery charges for a long time. Pain relief is pretty good. However one must be careful where you use it. The first day i used it mostly on my hips, they ache from arthritis. I found several videos online and one was from this company and very informative. I believe this works very well for athletes and people without past injuries. I broke my arm in 2006, and had a fracture on the upper bone of my arm, it was fractured into five pieces, that being said, i was confident that it was completely healed. The second day i used the massage gun for my bicep, carefully avoiding joint, but it ended up causing pain which has not gone away for over three weeks. The other thing, and it is on the video said that you should get someone to use it on your back, even though it is possible to use it yourself it takes a lot of effort, which i don’t have because of arthritis. I live alone and so far have not had anyone handy to help with back massage.

I got the one with the heat but you can’t barely feel the heat which is the only reason i gave it a 4 star, but it’s very powerful and good quality

This is a nice gun and perfect for after a workout but it does die rather quickly. The time it takes to charge vs the time you can use it isn’t amazing.

This item is awesome! I’ve have a bigger version but of this type of thing and it was more expensive. This one works 10x better. The battery life is great and the power it has is great! The only draw back is if you use the heated head or the flat head it sometimes slaps the skin and hurts. If you keep a shirt on when using those heads it fixes that issue.

Amazing. A gift for christmas. Ordered it that day at noon and it was delivered at 5 the same day! Amazing

Product functions as intended

Love the product and then after charging it it stopped working after 5 months- customer service is phenomenal and sent a new one within 5 days – excellent customer service – 4star – will revisit to 5star if this one lasts more than 6 months