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It’s been a while since I’ve been excited about massage guns.
They took the world of wellness by storm way back in 2019, putting a sleek and sudden spotlight on recovery fitness, which, until then, had been too easily ignored, even by top athletes. The guns (priced up to $600 at the time!) appeared in the infield at championship track meets and courtside at the NBA Finals.
But in the years since, they’ve settled into a tempered-down ubiquity. Someone on your rec soccer team has one. Your local gym probably has a few. It doesn’t make the guns’ impression of Swedish massage’s “tapotement” any less impressive or effective — it just means we all know what they feel like now.
This week, at last, there was a true development in the space. After years of R&D, Hyperice officially dropped its Heated Head Attachment. I’ve spent the last month testing the hotshot product out, and…it absolutely slaps. Here’s what you need to know, and why I think it works so well.
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Perfect for a post-workout or lounging around the houseWhat It Feels Like
The Heated Head is a little more robust than a typical Hypervolt massage attachment. It’s the same shape — with a smooth, rounded end that can pummel a lot of muscle at once — but denser due to the tech inside. It charges on its own, via a USB-C cable.
When fully charged, the attachment can last for 75 minutes and reach a temperature of 120°F. It doesn’t take long for the head to heat up (maybe a minute or so), and once it’s there, I’m happy to report, it doesn’t feel too hot on the skin. Sometimes heated recovery products can overdo it a little bit, leaving bonafide burns on the body. But this attachment still lets the trademark, rat-a-tat massage do the talking, while the heat is more or less there to help you ease into the experience.
It’s a smart play. For one, it’s helped me relax my muscles while using the gun, which is instrumental for relieving tension and letting these things go to work. At the same time, the heat is so pleasant it’s got me setting aside time for daily sessions, again. I’d been slipping beforehand. (Good thing, too, as I’ve got a marathon coming up.)
Hyperice likes to wax poetic about flexible muscles and nutrient transfer and the like. And it’s true, heat is great for sore muscles. But using this attachment is a lovely release for the mind, too. I find this hot gadget as meditative as it is restorative.
What to Keep in Mind
As with most Hyperice products, the charge runs out quicker than you’d think on the heated attachment. If you have the attachment on the highest setting (the only way to do it, IMHO), it’ll lose juice fast. So make sure to plug it in before a big effort.
Also, take heed — this thing just came out. Supply is currently limited, and the brand got a fun quote from football superstar Erling Haaland on the release (“[It’s] transforming the way I prepare for matches…and reimagining my physical preparedness,” the Golden Boot winner said). All that to say, they’re going to go like hot cakes. If inclined, make moves now.
Meanwhile, if you already have a Hypervolt, rest assured: the attachment is compatible with all models. And if you were thinking of getting in the game anyway, we recommend bundling the Heated Head with the Hypervolt 2 (which we also have, and also love).
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