Bob and Brad D5 Pro Review – An Affordable Massage Gun Great For Muscle Soreness And Fatigue (DOMs)

Welcome to our latest review of one of the leading muscle massager brands – Bob and Brad Massage Guns. In this article, we’ll provide an in-depth and unbiased opinion on their latest release, the Bob and Brad D5 Pro massage gun.

Bob and Brad Massage Guns released their new D5 Pro sports massager in May 2024, and we couldn’t wait to get our hands on it to take it for a spin.

This article details our findings, including verifying the claimed muscle massager specifications and how we tested its effectiveness in treating muscle soreness after workout and tension in neck and shoulders.

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Our Overall Verdict and Rating for the Bob and Brad D5 Pro Massage Gun

We like it! The Bob and Brad D5 Pro is one of the best affordable massage gun retailing for under USD 170 – save a further $30 off with our discount code (below).

But don’t let the lower price point fool you into thinking the quality is sub-par. The Bob and Brad D5 Pro offers excellent quality and performance without burdening your pocket. 

It is also among the quietest percussion massagers we have tested, even at high RPMs! You will surely enjoy a quiet massage.

No doubt about it, the D5 Pro is an impressive muscle massager at a great price point.

Below are some of the features which are a standout in comparison to some other sports massagers in the same price range:

Bob and Brad D5 Pro vs Theragun Relief vs Theragun Sense vs Hypervolt 2: Side-by-Side Specs Comparison

	Bob and Brad D5 Pro	Theragun  Relief	Theragun  Sense	Hypervolt 2
Stall Force	55 lbs.	20 lbs.	40 lbs.	40 lbs.
Stroke Length (Amplitude)	12.8 mm	10 mm	12 mm	12 mm
Battery Life	4 hours	2 hours	2 hours	2 – 3 hours
Speed Options	5	3	5	3
Speed Range	1500 – 2500	1750 – 2400	1750 – 2400	2000 – 2700
Noise	40 – 51 dB (our test)	~65 dB	~65 dB	56-66 dB (our test)
Weight	2.18 lbs	1.37 lbs	1.6 lbs	1.8 lbs
Size (inches) [cm]	10.2 x 7.4 x 3 [25.9 x 18.8 x 7.6]	9.66 x 2.6 x 1.37 [24.5x 6.5 x 3.5]	8.9 x 6.3 x 2.7 [22.6 x 16 x 6.8]	7.5 x 2.5 x 9.5 [19 x 6.3 x 24]
Display	OLED	None	OLED	None
Bluetooth & App Control	No	No	Yes	No
Number of Attachments	5	3	4	5
Our Rating (1-5)	4.5 this review	N/A	N/A	3.5 full review
Warranty	2 years	1 year	1 year	1 year
Regular Price	$139	$149	$299	$199
Promo Code	MGAD5PRO use at checkout
Current Price	Bob and Brad massage guns – Amazon	Therabody.com	Therabody.com	Hyperice.com

Comprehensive Bob and Brad D5 Pro Massage Gun Review

Feature	Specifications
Stall Force	~55 lbs (as advertised)
Stroke Length	12.2 mm measured by us / Advertised: 12.8mm
Speeds	5 Adjustable speeds: 1500, 1750, 2000, 2250 & 2500 RPM
Percussion range	1500 – 2445 RPM measured / Advertised: 1500 – 2500 RPM
Weight	2.18 lbs (measured without an attachment)
Dimensions	10.2″ x 7.4″ x 3″
Massage Gun Attachments	5 included
Noise (decibel)	~51.2 dB (when operating at top speed)
Battery	2500 mAh 3 – 4 hours depending on the setting / Advertised: 4 hours
Pros	Very quiet device for a quiet massage Excellent quality at an affordable price Fast USB-C charger with cable Good variety of massage gun attachments Ergonomic design with improved grip
Cons	To some with small hands, this sports massager may feel large
Warranty	1-year default 2-year for our readers!
Base Price & Discount	$169.99, or get it for $139.99 when you apply the MGAD5PRO code*
Where to Buy	Check at Amazon

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What’s Included with the Bob and Brad D5 Pro Sports Massager?

This muscle massager comes with a user manual, USB-C cable, power adapter, and five massage gun attachments, neatly packaged together in a nice semi-rigid carry case. 

Conveniently, the massage gun attachments also have their own zippable soft pouch. It keeps things nice and tidy, and we love that! 

Bob and Brad Massage Gun brand has hit the mark with this sports massager, offering exceptional quality inclusions. 

Moving on, let’s have a look at the muscle massager.

Design Features of the Bob and Brad D5 Pro

Aesthetics, Frame, and Handle

One of the first things we noticed immediately was the aesthetics – it looks nice, but the similarities to the Theragun still exist. We won’t rehash all comparisons, as we wrote about when comparing the Bob and Brad D6 Pro to the Theragun Pro.

However, to make just one comparison, the Bob and Brad D5 Pro sports massager is quite a bit longer (handle shown in the image above); for some people, this may make a difference in ergonomics. Particularly for people with small hands, you might feel the length makes it a little awkward to hold comfortably for any period of time. In that respect, the ergonomics of the Theragun are superior in our opinion.

What is nice is the smooth finish of the handle, giving the device a premium feel. The top of the grip features an anti-slip texture for better control even when you’re a sweaty mess having a trigger point massage.

The shape of the handle on this sports massager is oval, which feels comfortable enough, and the joint edges are smooth and don’t feel obvious when holding it. For smaller hands, the top handle’s girth is an appropriate size that won’t leave your hand aching after a lengthy massage.

Sticking with its D-shape design, this sports massager is versatile and can reach different areas of the body with relative ease, like when treating glute muscle pain.

The design lets you grip the muscle massager’s frame at the top, end, and bottom, giving you leverage to reach those hard-to-get places, such as when you have pain in your lower back and buttocks. 

Evaluating the Noise Level of the Bob and Brad D5 Pro

Something we love about Bob and Brad massage guns is how quiet they are, and the D5 Pro sports massager is no exception. It provides a quiet massage that other percussion massagers such as Theragun Prime, Thearagun Pro 5th generation, or Toloco massage gun can’t provide.

This has been achieved using a brushless motor and Bob and Brad massage gun’s proprietary sound insulation. Compared to the Theragun Elite, for example, where the decibels range from 60 dB to 67 dB, the Bob and Brad D5 Pro massage gun is whisper quiet at 42 dB to 51 dB.  

When pressed against the skin, there is a slight rattle, which becomes audible but not as much as other brands. 

The lower button when pressed quickly, decreases the speed. A long press of the same button changes the massage mode. More on massage modes later. 

Massage Gun Attachments Included

It comes with 5 different massage gun attachments made of silicone and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). The large ball head also comprises Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA). 

Testing the variety of massage gun attachments in a succession of each other, you can certainly feel how each provides a different massage experience to help with natural pain relief.

At 12.8 mm, the amplitude (more below) is still not as long as we would like to provide a deep tissue massage using the standard attachment. As expected, there is a noticeable difference in the feel of the Bob and Brad D6 Pro sports massager with 16 mm of amplitude.

Despite this, we felt the D5 Pro provided a satisfactory deep tissue massage with the large ball head massage gun attachment.

For those who prefer a gentler massage or if you’re experiencing DOMs, then we found the air cushion massage gun attachment to be an excellent choice. This head provides a much softer percussive therapy while relieving the aching muscles.  In addition to the large ball head and the air cushion head, the other massage gun attachments included are:

• Standard ball head: This one looks and feels almost the same as Theragun’s dampener, making it ideal for overall use. It didn’t deliver a deep massage like the large ball head and was also not as soft as the air cushion.
• Bullet head: Perfect for trigger point massage^​1​ and felt particularly nice on the feet. 
• Spade head: great for use as a shoulder reliever, on the shoulder blades or right in the crease of your neck (to treat tension in neck and shoulders). Also, the best attachment to use on your IT bands for natural pain relief.

All massage gun attachments are easy to clean and designed not to absorb sweat or lotions. 

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Massage Modes

The Bob and Brad D5 Pro massage gun has 4 pre-set massage modes. Each mode delivers a different cycle of RPMs, and the mode selected is displayed on the LCD panel at the top of the device.

• Mode M1 – standard manual mode – you are in control.
• Mode M2 – starts at a lower speed and incrementally increases.
  This mode is suitable for muscle relaxation and soreness after workouts.
• Mode M3 – starts at a higher speed and incrementally decreases.
  This mode is recommended for muscle activation (e.i., massage before workouts).
• Mode M4 – RPMs change incrementally in a pyramid pattern, starting at a lower speed before reaching a top 2250 RPM, then reducing speed again.
  This mode suits all applications (e.i., general vibration therapy benefits).

Note: The sports massager has an inbuilt auto-off timer that stops the device after 10 minutes of use. With a press of the button, you can power it back on again immediately.

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Performance Review of the Bob and Brad D5 Pro Massage Gun

Following our in-house standards for assessing all muscle massagers equally, we have measured noise levels, RPM, and amplitude to verify the Bob and Brad D5 Pro massage gun specifications.

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RPM and Noise Levels

When we started the percussion massager, we noticed it was decently quiet, with no obvious rattles or shakes. So, how did it fair up in our tests? 

We measured the noise at the lowest and the highest RPMs. Our test indicated that the noise levels range from 40 dB at 1500 RPM to 51 dB at 2500 RPM, which makes it one of the quietest full-sized massage guns we have tested. Here is where we said you will enjoy a quiet massage!

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Amplitude

We were curious about a 12.8 mm amplitude—why not stretch it to 13 mm? Nonetheless, 0.2mm isn’t much of a difference, is it? Well, there wouldn’t be if the amplitude was, in fact, 12.8 mm, as stated by the manufacturer; however, when it came time to do our testing, it seemed it didn’t quite live up to this claim. 

We measured Bob and Brad D5 Pro’s arm without massage gun attachments using a digital caliper. As you can see from the pictures above, the amplitude measured doesn’t quite reach 12.8 mm, as the manufacturer stated. In our test, we measured the Bob and Brad D5 Pro amplitude at 12.2 mm.

Perhaps it was just the one device – who knows, but seeing such a deviation from their claim of almost 13 mm was a little disappointing.  

Related: Highest amplitude massage gun recommendations (Punchy sports massager like Theragun Prime or the Bob and Brad D6 Pro massage gun for best deep tissue massage).

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Stall Force

Boasting an impressive 55 lbs stall force – almost as much as the Theragun Pro (60 lbs) – we were keen to see if we could, in fact, stall this sports massager. 

We tested the D5 Pro’s stall force with a full charge on the quads. Jade could not apply enough pressure to stall the device at 1500 RPM. The additional pressure, however, provided a deep tissue massage – but at the expense of a tired arm. But who is going to apply that much pressure for a long period of time anyway? 

Likewise, when Mario attempted to stall the muscle massager on his quads, he was unable to. The only time we were able to stall the D5 Pro was when Mario applied pressure on Jade’s leg, but even that took some effort. 

When applying pressure (read about the Pressure Sensor below), the LCD indicates the pressure level with 7 or 8 horizontal lines (because of the vibrations, it couldn’t be seen properly). The more pressure is applied, the more lines appear on the display – until it stalls. 

It’s safe to say the stall force on the Bob and Brad D5 Pro massage gun is impressive and great for those who want to get a deeper muscle massage.

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Pressure Sensor

Bob and Brad massage guns have integrated a pressure sensor into the Bob and Brad D5 Pro percussion massager, similar to the Bob and Brad D6 Pro sports massager.

On the OLED display, the number of bars below the “Mode-M4” increases as more pressure is exerted on the massage gun head.

The sensor doesn’t register additional pressure immediately but only when the applied pressure is constant or increasing (like on back pressure points).

As more pressure is applied to the muscle massager, it bounces erratically, making it difficult to see what is on the display. Furthermore, the stall force is considerable, and you couldn’t apply that much pressure, let’s say, when treating lower back pain and neck tension (you wouldn’t use a Theragun for neck pain). As with our D6 Pro review, we feel the indicator is redundant.

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Battery Performance

What is impressive about this battery powered muscle massager is that the manufacturer claims an extended battery life of up to 4 hours! It has a non-removable 2500 mAh battery, the same as those in the Bob and Brad massage guns D6 Pro, Q2 mini, and X6 Pro.

We followed the battery use recommendations to maximize its run-life. With a fully charged device, we use the muscle massager once per day for 20 minutes. We confirm a new battery will operate between 3 to 4 hours (depending on the settings). 

Don’t worry, though. With the USB-C fast charger, your battery will be fully charged after only 2 hours and 15 minutes, or the equivalent of 135 minutes (our tested charge time).

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Price and Warranty Details for the Bob and Brad D5 Pro

Its price tag makes it one of the best affordable massage guns of great quality compared to other well-known brands that offer less for a slightly more expensive hand-held massage gun.

Its introductory price is $169.99, but you get a massive discount when using our coupon.
It means you can have it for $139.99 instead. How?
Buy it on Amazon, tick the coupon box, then apply our MGAD5PRO code at the checkout to get the discount.

On the other hand, the Ekrin Kestrel is the stand-out and continues to offer a lifetime warranty!

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Final Thoughts on the Bob and Brad D5 Pro Massage Gun

We really like Bob and Brad’s D5 Pro Sport massager. It is a quality device that delivers effective percussive therapy. We love that it offers a quiet massage and the premium feel of the product. 

The ergonomics are good for most, with the D-shape frame and the anti-slip oval handle making massaging hard-to-reach muscles a cinch. We do feel smaller hands might struggle to find that snug and comfortable grip, given the overall size of the massager.

In saying that, if you’ve not used a sports massager before, you may not ‘feel’ its size as much as someone who has used other percussive devices – in particular, a Theragun Prime. Combined with the large ball massage gun attachment, we felt the amplitude was sufficient for everyday users but lacked the punch we hoped for (as seen on 16 mm muscle massagers).

While some other massage gun attachments provide a more relaxing massage experience and are still suitable for trigger point massage, those looking for deep tissue massage relief need a harder massager. The best option is to look at other products with a longer amplitude, such as the Bob and Brad D6 Pro, the Theragun Elite, the Theragun Prime, or the Theragun Pro.

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References

1. 1.

   Lavelle ED, Lavelle W, Smith HS. Myofascial Trigger Points. Anesthesiology Clinics. Published online December 2007:841-851. doi:10.1016/j.anclin.2007.07.003