Percussion massagers have been all the rage in the last couple of years in the sports and exercise science space.
Today, I will be reviewing the Hydragun percussion massager. I was offered this gun as a review gun (I did not pay for it). However, it does not affect my opinion and the review will be unbiased.
Build
The gun is one of the sturdier builds I have come across. It weigh 2.5 pounds (1.13 kg) but feels quite a bit heavier than some others that weigh the same. 2.5 pounds is about the average weight of most high-quality massage guns.
Although both the Theragun G3Pro and the Hydragun both weigh around the same, holding the Hydragun definitely feels a bit heavier. This may be due to the weight distribution of the gun. Most of the weight of the Hydragun is with the handle, so holding does feel a bit heavier.
Everything about the gun feels very sturdy—I would say that it feels sturdier than some of the more expensive guns I’ve tried—like the TimTam Power Massager Pro. It arm glides smoothly and there is no part of the gun that feels like it could break any moment.
Speed and Power
The gun has six variable speeds, spanning from from 1200 to 3200 RPM.
In terms of stall force, there isn’t much information on it for this gun but it doesn’t stall when I try to push it against my chest as hard as possible. However, I am not very strong. So if Theragun’s G3Pro has a stall force of 60 pounds (27 kg), then I would say that this gun has around the same stall force.
The neat thing about this gun that I have not seen with any other gun is that it has a stall meter. There are three lights that light up to indicate when too much force is being applied to the massage head.
Ergonomics
The gun is pretty confortable to hold and is shaped like many other guns.
The handle is also long, measuring almost 6 inches (15 cm), ensuring that even the biggest hands don’t have a problem using it. The long handle also ensures that you don’t have a problem massaging your back side.
In terms of buttons and controls, the company did a fabulous job by putting all the controls in one area.
The buttons are also placed in a really good place, where you don’t accidentally press a button while massaging yourself. This was a problem I had with TimTam’s massager, but not the Hydragun.
In the image below, you see all the controls on the gun.
You have the power button, the six speeds, the power indicator, and the stall meter, all in one place. Working it is a little unintuitive but it comes with a manual that explains it fairly easily.
Battery Life
Battery life is pretty long, spanning between 3 to 6 hours of battery life depending on the speed you operate the gun at. These guns used to have pretty short battery life but customers have come to expect longer battery life in the later generations. But 3 to 6 hours is pretty long. You probably only have to charge the gun once a month.
Noise
For such a powerful and fast gun, it does an excellent job of keeping the noise down. The gun operates at 30 to 50 db, which is about the noise your fridge makes or ambient noise in the home.
I test the noise with a noise meter and the claimed noise decibels is pretty accurate—the gun is not much louder than ambient noise in my office.
Massage Heads
The massage heads of course can be changed out depending on which type of massage you want. The gun comes with six massage heads, two of which are stainless steel. There are massage heads if you want to attack large muscle groups like the glutes. There are also small massage heads for attacking the smaller groups. Then there are heads available for those painful trigger point massages that many love.
The stainless steel massage heads are definitely my favorite and give me the added pressure in the massage that I need for some of my tighter muscles.
Final Verdict
The Hydragun is a well-built product that gives a great massage and feels indestructible. The six variable speed ensures that the gun can be used by pretty much anyone. The battery life allows you to go for weeks or months on end without having to recharge.
The six massage heads provides ample choices when it comes to the type of massage you want.
It is one of the best massage guns I’ve tried. The only drawback is the cost. There are much cheaper options out there that will do the job just as well, like the Lifepro LX. But if you want to spend a little extra on the build quality, then the Hydragun is worth it.
So in conclusion, this is a great massage gun. The only drawback is the cost.
