Ever use a heat pack for a headache or a warm bath to soothe a sore muscle? Hot compresses are a simple and easy way to self-treat a variety of problems. That’s why companies are now incorporating these benefits directly into restorative products like the Gravity Relax Handheld Deep Tissue Massager.
Because heat massage guns are so new on the market, it’s nearly impossible to find solid research on them. But we do know that sustained, low-intensity heat therapy can relieve pain, build muscle strength, and increase flexibility, according to a 2021 study published in the journal LIFE. Localized hyperthermia has also been shown to increase blood flow—supplying tissues with fresh blood and oxygen while expelling waste products to aid recovery.
Combining heat therapy with percussion therapy — which is just as effective at reducing muscle soreness as massage therapy and foam rolling, according to a 2021 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health — and you get a feel-good recovery or two.
I tested the Gravity Relax the week after running the New York City Marathon and took it on my first ski trip of the season the following week. This is my idea.
Combining heat and massage, this portable heated massage gun is the perfect companion for long runs or the gym, days on the slopes, or even deep relaxation in your office chair.
One of the standard measurements for massage guns is revolutions per minute, or the number of times the head can hit your muscles in one minute. The higher the speed, the stronger the strike. Gravity Relaxation has a range of 1400 to 3200 RPM and 30 individual intensity levels (you can increase or decrease the intensity via the touch screen on the device).
I honestly don’t think so many levels are needed – but I love how easy it is to change the intensity (with one hand!) Works great for my more sensitive calves. In the end, I didn’t find much difference between levels 15 and 16 or 29 and 30; I’d add/subtract about 5 at a time to get a noticeable effect.
The Gravity Relax comes with six attachments: Ball, Flat, D, U, Air Cushion and Thermal Massage.Most of these are standard on modern massage guns, but isn’t it The standard – heated head – is the one I’m most interested in (and the one I use the most). It’s made of metal and has three temperature levels: 96.8°F to 105.8°F, 109.4°F to 114°F, and 116°F to 125°F. Without the knocking, I could feel the heat almost immediately, but it took a few minutes to reach maximum temperature; the stronger the knocking, the less heat felt. While it’s hard to know if the heat is doing anything other than a placebo effect during post-marathon recovery, but goodness do my tired, cold muscles feel good after a long day of skiing?
With so many powerful “mini” massagers on the market – see: Roll Recovery R1, Hyperice Hypervolt Go 2 and Theragun Mini – I found the Gravity Relax to be a bit bulky. It’s about the size of a hair dryer, which isn’t a big deal for at-home use, but I did have to rearrange my carry-on to accommodate it. It also has an attractive storage box that holds all the accessories and chargers, but that’s too much to carry when traveling, so I opted to just carry the gun and the heated attachment.
related: I will never travel again without the Roll Recovery R1 Massage Gun
I have a whole drawer full of chargers for every technology, from massage guns to fitness trackers to vibrating foam rollers, and I wish the company would agree to a universal charger. Gravity Relax request doesn’t help two Charger: 17V power adapter for gun itself and Type-C charger for heating accessories. Luckily, I almost always travel with a Type-C charger, and the gun has enough charge for five hours of use, but it’s still frustrating to have to have multiple chargers for a single device.
The most famous trigger gun brands, Theragun and Hyperice, do not offer heated attachments. Also, the Gravity Relax offers a wider RPM range than both (Theragun Pro, $599, ranges from 1750 to 2400 RPM, while the Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro, $399, ranges from 1700 to 2700 RPM), and is indeed more affordable . However, the Gravity Relax’s 8mm amplitude, or how deep the gun can penetrate muscle, is significantly less powerful than other guns with amplitudes of around 16mm and 14mm respectively.
There are a few other heated massage guns to choose from: The $169.99 Urikar Pro 2 heats to 113 degrees Fahrenheit with a speed range of 1200 to 3600 RPM and a 15mm amplitude, while the $229.99 Lifepro Fusion FX heats to 131 degrees Fahrenheit and has a range of 1600 to 3200 RPM and a 10mm amplitude. Both are more powerful (and more expensive) but not as hot as the Gravity Relax.
What I love most about Gravity Relax is the soothing effect of the heat.Overall, it’s more like a Relax Experience more than the standard jackhammer you might expect from a massage gun.You won’t get the same level of penetration as more powerful equipment, but if you’re not totally beating your body in the gym (or on the slopes) and looking for a tiny performance edge, this equipment is similar enough to everyone else on the market – to more affordable prices and Additional benefit of heat therapy.