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 A couple of months ago, I was contacted by RecoverFun asking if I’d be interested in reviewing one of their massage guns. I had never heard of Revcoverfun before. They didn’t have a recognizable name like Theragun or Hypervolt or LifePro Fitness. I did a little research online and based on the reviews I saw, I decided that it was worth giving it a look. I responded to let them know that I’d be happy to review their gun with the understanding that I would give it a fair and honest review. Frankly, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. RecoverFun only has a couple of different models. I saw that one of them is a mini massage gun. As a traveler, I thought this would be a great opportunity to try something that I could take with me on the road and would hopefully be beneficial to all travelers. It has been a while since I had done a review on a massage gun and there’s been a number of mini massage guns introduced to the market since I last looked. So, I was really looking forward to seeing what I would receive. What I found when I received the gun was a pleasant surprise. This is a solid little gun that feels well-built and has excellent travelability qualities. Additionally, you can’t go wrong with the price tag. This gun retails for $79 and I’ve even seen a $5 online coupon. It comes in 3 colors – black, red and pink. I found this gun to be a really good value and, although it has a few small drawbacks, it more than does the job. Let’s break it down. Out of the Box
In the package, you’ll find the massage gun, a drawstring bag, a USB cable for charging and a user manual. It comes with 4 attachments; a flat (more convex) head, a round ball, a bullet and a fork attachment. Everything appeared to be well-packaged. When opening the box, nothing appeared to be out of it’s designated spot. There’s a foam insert that holds everything in place. The gun itself was in a foam bag for additional protection. That bag for my unit had a small hole in it but did not affect the protection of the gun at all. Most other guns I’ve seen come with a rigid case instead of a drawstring bag. To me, it’s really a matter of personal taste. The bag is a space saver. A case is more protective. The USBC charging cable is 18”. It doesn’t come with a plug. It’s meant to plug into a computer or a USB charger. I’m sure that’s a way to keep costs low. I really don’t miss having the plug, as I have many options to plug into for charging. The user manual is printed with a very small font. I had difficulty reading it with my reading glasses, but I was able to read it in good light. It appears this manual was written by several people because the level grammatical correctness varied from section to section. For the most part, I was able to follow the messaging, but it wasn’t always 100% clear. Effectiveness and Functionality This is a mini gun, so it stands to reason that it’s not going to be as powerful as a larger size gun. If you compare the settings level-for-level on the RecoverFun to a larger gun, you’ll find it’s not quite as strong. That doesn’t mean it’s not effective. But if you want a massage gun for deep tissue, this may not be the gun for you. That said, I took this gun to both my chiropractor and physical therapist, and they were both impressed. They both recognized that the power was a little lower but saw that it could get the job done. They liked the build (which we’ll get to in a moment) and thought it would do a good job, certainly for the average user. So, unless you’re built like a tank and need deep tissue massage, the RecoverFun Mini should suit most needs. They really like (and so do I) the flat head, which is kind of rounded. It’s made of metal instead of plastic and glides across muscles really nicely. Additionally, this gun is nice and quiet. It’s one of the quietest guns I’ve worked with. If you try some other guns they can remind you of a jack hammer. Not here. This may not be a big deal to some but it’s a definite nice-to-have. Ergonomics and Build
This gun has a metal casing, rather than plastic and it’s got a surprising amount of heft to it. To me, it feels substantive. I think a plastic gun in that size would feel toy-like and cheap, so I really like it. It’s compact size really does classify it as “mini”. It’s not just a slightly smaller gun that has mini printed on the side, which I’ve seen on a couple of other guns. When I gave it to a couple of people to try they took a minute to find the power button, which is on the bottom of the gun. Most people are expecting to find it on the top or the back, but I wanted to get an uninfluenced first impression. Of course, everyone found it. Holding the power button for a couple of seconds turns it on. It starts at the lowest power setting. The power indicators are clear. There are four blue LED’s to indicate the power level. They’re easy to see. Changing the power setting is a quick press of the power button. Once it gets to the highest setting, the next press drops it down to the lowest setting. Pressing and holding the power button will power it off. RPM’s are comparable with other guns. The settings are as follows:
 Let’s look at the attachments. Flat Head: This is by far my favorite attachment. I mentioned it’s got a slight curve to it and it’s metal, not plastic. The combination of shape and material allow it to glide smoothly as it moves across muscles. It’s also a little wider than some other flat head attachments I’ve seen. Ball: The ball is like many others I’ve seen. A foam material so it has a little give. It’ gives a more concentrated contact than the flat head. There’s nothing in particular that stands out about this attachment but, when comparing it to ball attachments from other guns, it’s quite comparable. Fork: The fork attachment is made of plastic and it’s a little cheaper plastic than some other fork attachments I’ve seen. I don’t use this attachment often and I don’t think it makes too much of a difference. The fork on my other gun is a little more rounded and might glide a little more smoothly. Bullet: The bullet is similar to other bullet attachments I’ve seen. The bullet attachment I have on my other gun is made of a little better-quality plastic and has a more rounded tip. Depending on your need at a given time, a narrower tip may be more useful. Battery Life and Charging  RecoverFun advertises a 5-hour battery life and my rough guess is that’s about right. The battery status indicator isn’t my favorite. According to the user guide, to read the level of charge the small green LED on the bottom of the gun just below the charging port will blink once when the battery level is 0-30% charged, twice when it’s between 30-70% and three times when it’s 70% or above. However, what actually happens is when you turn it on is it will blink green once, presumably to indicate that it’s powered on. That kind of threw me off because I first thought that the gun’s charge level was below 30%. After that first blink, it will then blink every 5 seconds based on the power remaining. I’ve charged the unit twice. Once after I first got it and used it a few times. It took several hours to charge and I don’t believe it charged completely because the charging LED was still red. The battery had completely run down before I charged it, which I’m sure contributed to the lengthy charging time. The second time, I charged it after quite a bit of use. The charge indicator suggested the battery was below 30% (but based on the above I’m not completely sure). It took about 2 hours to charge this time. The charge indicator turned from red to green. I will continue to test the charging time and amend this post if needed. My other gun has a power indicator and a separate charge indicator that always indicates the power level, which makes it much easier to know when charging is necessary. It would be nice to have something like that here. Warranty The RecoverFun Mini comes with a 12-month warranty. Given the price tag, I wouldn’t expect much more. If you want a better warranty, go with a product from LifePro Fitness. They’ve got lifetime warranties on just about all of their products. You’ll pay a little more for them and I can’t speak to how their mini gun performs, as I haven’t tried it. If you’re comfortable with a 12-month warranty, the RecoverFun Mini is a great option. Travelability I mentioned earlier that this gun has a little heft. It’s about a pound so, for it’s size it’s pretty significant. But it’s still only a pound. Its size is perfect for travel. The upside to it only coming with a drawstring bag is it’s easier to pack. However, the downside without a more traditional rigid case is it lacks protection. The user guide specifies keeping it protected. That’s a given. In most cases, you’re going to pack it in a suitcase or a bag with clothes or other items that can protect it. So, with all that considered I think it’s great for travel. I’ve travelled with it and it takes up very little space. I can fit it in lots of places in a bag or suitcase and I really don’t notice an extra pound. In Summary I’m really glad RecoverFun approached me to try their mini massage gun. It was a very good experience. I love the size. It’s great for travel and well built.
The power is more than sufficient. I’ve not tried other mini guns so I don’t know how it compares within its class. The true test is does it bring the muscle relief that I want when using it? Based on my experience, absolutely. There’s a couple of small downsides. I wish the charge indicator was a little more intuitive. Also, the user guide leaves some things to be desired. However overall, this is an excellent value. It’s important to note I was not paid by RecoverFun or anyone else to write this review. I’m always happy to share more details on my experience with this or any product. Please feel free to ask any questions by commenting on this post, over social media or email me at [email protected]. For details on RecoverFun products, go to https://recoverfun.com/.
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 Not too long ago, I posted a review on the LifePro Sonic X massage gun. (You can see that review at https://www.dropindiary.com/blog/gear-review-lifepros-sonic-x-massage-gun.) When I was doing my research to make my decision on the massage gun, I noticed some of LifePro’s other products, including a vibrating foam roller and a few different massage balls. They particularly caught my attention because of their portability. I love great products that travel well. So, I kind of filed it in the back of my mind at the time.  To my surprise, when I received my massage gun, I got a card with it that offered me one of these massage balls for free in exchange for my product review on the gun. How could I resist? The price was certainly right. So, I followed the instructions and received a confirmation. It was at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic so, it said it may be a little while before it shipped. No problem. I wasn’t going anywhere. And, I already had a really good massage gun from them. A couple of months later, I received the massage ball in the mail. Honestly, I had kind of forgotten about it, so I was excited when it arrived. Here’s how it stacks up.  What It Comes With It came with the ball, a charging cord and a similar card I got with the gun that said to give them a call or send them an email if anything goes wrong with the product. It’s one of the reasons I decided on LifePro’s massage gun. A company that stands behind their products scores big points in my view. On the web site, it also says it comes with a user guide. However, I didn’t get one with mine. I don’t see this as a big deal, as the guide is on their web site and it’s not terribly extensive. It really doesn’t need to be.  Effectiveness and Functionality The LifePro Agility vibrating massage ball is a little more than twice the size of a lacrosse ball (a staple of my travel arsenal), which means it will hit a greater surface area than a lacrosse ball but it may not work as well if you want to hit a very concentrated area. The massage ball is also textured, which helps to dig into an affected area. It’s not going to have as much power as a massage gun, so it may not hit your muscles as deeply as a gun. However, I found it to be effective at the highest speed. It’s also a little less versatile than a massage gun (but it comes at a far lower cost). I find it works well on hip flexors, calves, hamstrings, glutes, upper shoulders and neck area. Although I would always go to the gun first on many of these things, when travelling, it will do nicely. I haven’t brought this to a hotel yet. One thing I’m a little concerned about is the vibration against the floor. It’s not loud at all but if you put pressure on it, that vibration radiates across the floor. I wouldn’t want my downstairs neighbor to think I was drilling through their ceiling. I’ll post an update once I put it to that test. Warranty Like all of their other products I’ve looked it, the LifePro Agility massage ball comes with a 100% lifetime guarantee. You really can’t beat that. Ergonomics and Build It’s light weight; less than 11 ounces. It’s less dense than it looks but solidly built. Like their Sonic X massage gun, it doesn’t feel cheap or “toy-ish”. It’s quiet, but as I mention just above, you will hear more vibration when pressing it against a floor. It’s not a hard plastic so, it doesn’t feel uncomfortable. It’s got a silicone surface so it’s forgiving while having the proper amount of firmness. This massage ball has four speeds; low, medium, high and alternating speed. Changing the speed is just a matter of hitting the only button it has, much like the massage gun. So, it’s simple to use. There’s an LED indicator for each speed as well as a 3-LED battery life indicator on the ball. I have found that sometimes the button can accidently be hit when rolling across it. Although the button is slightly recessed, I’ve unintentionally changed the speed a couple of times. Battery Life LifePro claims a 2-4 hour battery life on their Agility massage ball and all of the evidence supports that. I’ve not had to charge it yet and there’s probably about half the battery left. I’m sure I’ve used it for more than an hour in total. Unless you’re going on a long trip and plan to use it a lot, you can probably charge it up and leave the cord at home. Travel-ability The LifePro Agility massage ball was made for portability. It’s lightweight and small. It’s less than 4” in diameter. This is an easy choice for taking with you if you don’t want to spend the money or bag space on a massage gun. In Summary
The LifePro Agility 4-speed massage ball is a very nice complement to my travel arsenal. It’s not as effective or versatile as a massage gun. However, its portability factor is hard to argue with. It retails for $49.99. I’ve seen many of LifePro’s products on sale on Amazon. I’ve also seen them offering discount codes on their site so I don’t think it’s too difficult to get a deal if you keep an eye out. It’s a pretty good buy at their retail price but I think it would be a little more attractive at a slightly lower price. If you do happen to buy one of their massage guns and get that nice little promo card, by all means take advantage of it. LifePro also has several other interesting products at https://lifeprofitness.com/ if you want to check them out. I’m always happy to share more details on my experience with this or any product. Please feel free to ask me any questions by commenting on this post, on social media or email me at [email protected]. Wishing you safe, healthy and successful travels.
Travelling or not, a good massage gun is a great weapon to have in your arsenal. (Pun somewhat intended.) When I decided I wanted a massage gun I must admit it was difficult knowing where to start. If you look on Amazon, there’s literally hundreds of them. How would I find one that would do the job as advertised, was well built, from a reputable company, had a decent warranty, preferably travelled well and wasn’t too expensive? The first mission was to narrow down to my criteria. Customer reviews are important, so I looked for 4 stars and up. Then I wanted to narrow it down to something that was around $200 or less. There are plenty of pretty well-rated guns for even less than that but I wanted to stick with a company that had some credibility and there are so many I’ve never heard of. I researched quite a bit and tried several at stores. The TheraGun is very nice but a lot more than I wanted to pay. My chiropractor uses the Hypervolt and it works really well but that was a little out of my desired price range as well at around $300. There’s also many products that maybe aren’t as well rated but cost closer to $100. However, I wanted something that I was confident would hold up. I decided on the Sonic X from LifePro Fitness. It lists for $299 but I always see it marked down to $215 on their site. It’s regularly $215 on Amazon as well and I’ve always seen it with a $15 coupon. When I purchased it (in March, 2020) I happened to catch it on sale for just under $180. This seemed like the good value I was looking for. It was rated well on Amazon. Over 700 reviews, 98% of which was 4 stars or better. 90% was 5 stars. LifePro has a large selection of products so, it’s not an overnight company. There’s lots of models and options beyond massage guns. They’ve got a vibrating foam roller, a vibrating massage ball and several other products. What It Comes With: The Sonic X comes with a case, the gun itself, a charging chord and 4 heads; flat, ball, bullet and spinal. I see other guns come with several more but, to date, I haven’t had a need for anything this doesn’t have. Effectiveness and Functionality: Does it do the job? It certainly does. I’ve been able to use it on my quads, traps, lower back, arms and hamstrings. It’s definitely helped. One of the other reasons I selected this particular gun is because of it’s RPM range. It has 5 speeds and goes up to 3200 RPM. At first, I was a little concerned that this particular gun didn’t have a digital display. It’s got little LEDs to indicate power level and battery life. It’s a one-button unit so, it’s very simple. After some use I found a display isn’t really necessary. I don’t miss it. Warranty One of the big selling points is the lifetime warranty. The language on their web site and in their videos is pretty clear that if you have a problem with one of their products, they’ll stand behind it. Ergonomics and Build The Sonic X feels well-constructed. It doesn’t have a cheap plastic or toy-ish feel. Another positive of this gun is the shape. It’s got a long handle, which allows me to reach my back on my own. I can also move my hand higher up on the unit for easier to reach areas. It’s easy for my wife to grip with her smaller hands. It’s also pretty quiet. At 2.2 lbs, it does have a little heft but not enough to really tire your hand.
Battery Life It’s been more than 2 months since I’ve received it and we only charged it when it originally arrived. My wife and I use it on average about every other day. I’m sure I can take it on the road on a full charge without the charging chord and not have to worry about the battery running out. Travel-ability Although it has a nice little case, it’s shape will allow you to wrap it in some clothes without the case and not be too obtrusive. However, that 2.2 lbs will add a little weight to your travel bag. Overall, the LifePro Sonic X was a good choice for me. It’s well constructed and very easy to operate. It works great on sore muscles and the lifetime warranty is excellent piece of mind. I would love it if it were maybe just a little smaller and lighter but I would rather have quality over size and weight in this equation. There’s several other options from LifePro if you like the warranty but want something a little different. I’m quite happy with my purchase and hope this helps you with your decision-making process.
As a bonus, a card came with this gun offering a free vibrating massage ball (lists for $49) for filling out an online form. A staple of my travel is a lacrosse ball. If this is a good cross between a lacrosse ball and a massage gun, it will be a fantastic addition. It has the advantage of being light and portable. I just received it so look for my feedback soon. BTW - I can’t guarantee this isn’t a temporary offer so look at it as a nice-to-have if you receive the offer when you order this massage gun. I’m always happy to share more details on my experience with this or any product. Please feel free to ask me any questions by commenting on this post, on social media or email me at [email protected]. Please stay safe, stay healthy and stay strong in mind, body and spirit.  The best gear, from a traveller’s point of view, should be quite portable while being a beneficial tool for our workouts. VersaLifts wedges hit the mark on both points. Shoes are one of the biggest space-takers in our travels so a product like this, which eliminates the need to bring an extra pair of shoes, is great. Being portable is only half the solution. If gear is portable but not a useful tool, it’s still a waste of space. Not the case here. The VersaLift V2 is a pair of wedges that slip into any shoe and raise your heal ½”. They work like lifters and keep your feet well planted for squat movements and allow you to better drive through your heals. The first time I used them I PR’d my back squat by 15 lbs. That doesn’t mean it’s going to turn you into uber lifter but it does help over wearing just a pair of Nanos, for instance.  They don’t slip around in your shoes. Once I got them in place they were like a natural extension of my shoe. There wasn’t much getting used to them at all. You can either wear them over or under your shoe inserts. I’ve worn them over because it’s simple and quick. VirsaLift’s web site says the V2’s will last indefinitely. I haven’t had them quite that long so I’m taking their word for it. Lace up well, as your foot will be a little higher in a shoe that wasn’t originally designed for it. However the VersaLift V2’s are unobtrusive enough that they wont have a negative impact. Because they’re half-wedges instead of the entire length of your shoe you still have a lot of mobility in your shoes.  The box claims that they don’t interfere with box jumps, running, double unders or “anything else”. I’m not so sure I’d want to heavy deadlift in them but, as I mentioned, they’re pretty unobtrusive. I did a 12 days of Christmas workout and they were great for the front squats, wall balls and thrusters and didn’t get in the way of the box jumps or dead lift movements (granted, the dead lifts were light).
How do they compare to lifters? I honestly can’t say, as I don’t own a pair of lifters. However, I’ve spoken with several people (all far more advanced than me) that have both, including a L3 CrossFit coach and they say that unless you’re working on advanced lifting, they really like the result from the VersaLifts. One has said that he prefers the V2’s to his lifters. And they’re ideal for travelers. They take up almost no room in your bag. A pair of VirsaLift V2’s come in a box that’s just under 6”x 3.5” x .75”. Pretty darn compact. They’re reasonably priced at $28.00, which is a heck of a lot less than a pair of lifters. So, high marks for portability, usefulness and price. This is a weapon that’s literally a no-brainer to add to your bag. Wishing you safe, healthy and successful travels.  It’s only natural to think about what gear to bring with you on the road.
Knowing you’re going to drop in, you want to be prepared but there’s a balance of not wanting to bring too much. So, the simple answer to the question is, it depends. Part of it is personal taste. What are your must-haves? If you must have your Nanos, for instance, then by all means bring them. What you’re comfortable with is going to dictate your priorities. I would not want to dictate it for you. Rather, I’d like to discuss your options and let you prioritize from there. I personally place a priority on portability. So, I’m going to make that a foundation for my packing decisions. The other factor is a little research. In the piece I wrote about finding the best places to drop-in, I discuss finding out what the workout(s) will be ahead of travelling if at all possible. Part of it is because it will help you in your packing decisions. For instance, if I don’t need my jump rope you can bet I’m leaving it at home. Fortunately, there’s lots of useful gear that’s compact and easy to travel with. Let’s examine the possibilities. Keep in mind, you’re getting my perspective and these are tips based on my approach. You should make your decisions based on what’s best for you.
So, there’s lots to think about when preparing to drop in for your next trip. Hopefully, this will help you to consider some of your options. From there, it’s up to you to decide what’s important to have with you. My final suggestion here is to think about bringing what will help facilitate a successful workout. Wishing you safe, healthy and successful travels. |
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