Comparison of massage guns: this trio is a good Quartett
15.5.2020
Translation: machine translated
Powerful motors, sleek looks and impressive speed; the world of massage guns reminds me of my Autoquartett, a card game I used to love to play. Hypervolt Plus, Compex Fixx and Youlisn: in what categories do each of these models stand out from the others?
"With regulated worm catalytic converter" This sentence, read at the end of the 80s on the rear window of an Audi, is engraved in my memory. A good thirty years later, I'm sitting at home in my office, armed to the teeth, and thinking about my old set of car cards, the Ferrari F40 and the worm catalyst. Whose fault is that? The three massage guns sitting in front of me, bragging about their power, high-torque motors and "pretty smooth noise suppression". In case you're wondering whether it's smart to abuse your muscles with up to 3200 beats per minute: I asked an expert if there was any sense in using these trendy guns.
The short version: massage guns can be good tools. It remains to be seen who has them in their hands. That's more important than the product itself. Nevertheless, before buying a gun, it's best to compare several models.
In the ring today: the Hypervolt Plus from the top-end segment. In my Quartett, that would be the Ferrari F40. Even more powerful and more expensive than the Hypervolt. The upper-middle-class Youlisn Gun. The Lexus of my trio. Not as exciting, not as expensive, but fully equipped. And finally, the Compex Fixx, a sort of Ford pick-up. Fewer revs, rougher and noisier, but flexible.
Guns mostly arrive on the European market from America. Of course, all of them are marked 'made in China' or 'assembled in China'. While I was already familiar with the Hyperice and Compex models, I have to admit that I underestimated the Youlisn. The logo, the name: subconsciously, I immediately filed the brand away in the cheap copy drawer, even though it's not exactly cheap. Now there are an infinite number of massage guns to suit all budgets, because the demand is there.
Power
In this category, the Hypervolt Plus stands out from the competition. It has a power output of 90 watts and, compared to the "normal"Hypervolt, its power is 50% higher. Both reach 34, 44 and 54 strokes per second over three levels. The Plus simply hammers a little harder on muscle tissue. But in the end, you're the one who's holding it in your hand. Three LEDs on the device tell you how much pressure you're applying. You don't really need them. You vary the pressure automatically, your body giving you constant feedback. And either you know where and why you're applying more pressure in certain places, or you don't. You only need this power if you have the mountains of muscle to match. Buyers of the Hypervolt Plus are probably like many Ferrari owners: they'll never use all its power. Although the special edition with a few extra horses did cost a significant premium...
To be able to compare the power of each of the three devices, I used a bathroom scale. The Compex Fixx stops at 5.4kg, the Youlisn 7.2kg and the Hypervolt Plus 16.9kg. This test is certainly not representative, but it gives us an idea of the power of each of the guns. In terms of frequency, the Youlisn Gun is just behind the Hypervolt Plus with 30, 40 and 53 beats per second. And the performance is more than good enough for normal people. What I like most about the Hypervolt is its smooth start-up: it approaches full power slowly and also stops gradually.
The Compex, on the other hand, is a pick-up that moves at a lower frequency of 25, 33 and 46 beats per second. At 14 millimetres, it has the greatest amplitude. With it, at level one, you can clearly feel the individual shots. Next come the Hypervolt Plus with 13 millimetres and the Youlisn with 12 millimetres of amplitude. With their higher frequencies, they provide a sensation of vibratory massage. Compex wins the demolition derby.
Volume
Manufacturers loudly advertise that they are particularly quiet. Even the Ferrari F40, the Hypervolt Plus, doesn't want to roar, but boasts Quiet Glide technology. And the Youlisn is "super silent" with its "fluid noise reduction". Only the Compex Fixx has nothing special to say on the subject. Except that it's not very noisy thanks to its brushless electric motor. Are they really that quiet? I measure the following values at a distance of 35 centimetres with the appli dB at levels 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
- Compex: 47 / 52 / 56 dB
- Youlisn: 34 / 44 / 48 dB
- Hypervolt Plus : 39 / 45 / 49 dB
The Hypervolt Plus, despite its power, is actually really quite quiet. It makes just a little more noise than the Youlisn pistol, which is balanced and quiet. The Compex Fixx tops the list for decibels. This confirms my impression.
Battery autonomy
The Compex has the smallest battery installed. Its modest 26.4 Wh is enough for an hour to an hour and a half of massage. The Hypervolt Plus contains 51.84 Wh, powering it for around two and a half hours. And the frugal Youlisn would offer five hours of massage with its 56 Wh. Its battery is indeed good, but unfortunately it's the only one that's fixed: the other two can easily be replaced.
While the Compex battery has to be placed in a separate charging cradle, the Hypervolt Plus has a connection on the bottom of the battery. So you have a choice. The Compex Fixx discreetly signals the time remaining with four small blue LEDs, while competing models use large luminous rings. Almost xenon headlights with bend lighting among the charge indicators.
Accessories
A glance at the scope of the service can put the price into perspective. For the pistols, which are based on the Hypervolt, competitors have agreed on a complete package. The fork, the plate, the bullet and a pointed attachment are standard. The Youlisn also has a triangular tip, and the whole thing fits in a carrying case. The Compex has this too, but the Fixx has no accessories other than the ball. These are available separately.
Getting started
This is where the Compex Pick-up stands out, as its massage arm can lock to give three different angles. The device isn't as stylish as the guns from Hypervolt and Youlisn, but if you want to massage your back or the back of your thighs, the flexibility is welcome. The O-shaped handle offers plenty of options for holding the device with one or two hands. However, it's mainly made of hard plastic, whereas the posh models from the competition have a rubber coating.
I find the weight distribution more comfortable with the Hypervolt and Youlisn. All three models weigh a good kilo once the ball end is attached. While the top of the Compex is slightly heavier, the pistol's battery handle keeps the centre of gravity in the hand. To do this, you sometimes twist like a 73-year-old man painfully trying to get out of the Alcantara sports seat of his far too low racing car.
Balance
Roughly speaking, you have to choose between two forms of model. There's the swivel arm a la Compex and Theragun, combined with greater amplitude and a harder low-frequency massage. Gun-grip devices according to the Hypervolt model are more suitable for the masses, as they are a little softer to the touch thanks to higher frequencies and lower amplitude.
As far as the effect is concerned, a lot of promises are made. These include relieving muscle pain and stiffness, shortening regeneration time, improving range of movement and speeding up the healing process after muscle injuries. This is often unproven, as physiotherapy professor Dr Rogan told me in his interview. What he thinks of massage guns: "If the manufacturers were a bit more serious and just said they could be used to relieve muscle strain pain and improve blood flow to that area, I'd think that was OK."
They serve that purpose well. Of the three devices I tried, the Youlisn gun is the one that convinced me the most. It's quite powerful, quiet, durable and comes with plenty of accessories. Normal sportsmen don't need as much power as the Hypervolt Plus provides. At the end of the day, it's like cars. At the top end of the market, you pay a lot more. But, if you know the road, even the cheapest models can get you to your destination quickly and safely.
Sports scientist, high-performance dad and remote worker in the service of Her Majesty the Turtle.