Hypervolt 2 Review – An Improved Hypervolt Or A Different Proposition?

The new generation of entry-level massager from Hyperice, the Hypervolt 2, has arrived with some changes on board. Are they significant? Is it a revolution or just an evolution?

Our Hypervolt 2 review will share our findings and observations from using this massager. What do we like about it? And what would we change (if Hyperice allowed us)?

In the end, we’ll address whether it’s worth the price now, or if there are better options available for similar price.

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Hyperice Hypervolt 2 – The Second Generation

In early September 2021, Hyperice announced that they were morphing into a “holistic high-performance wellness brand.” At this occasion, they also decided to changed the logo, now the slanted “H” letter (which, by the way, looks very similar to the new Formula 1 logo, and it so happens that F1 is sponsored by the archrival Therabody. A fun coincidence, no?).

They are finally going the Therabody (Theragun) route. The event was marked by unveiling their latest massage guns – Hypervolt 2 as the successor to the original silver Hypervolt, and Hypervolt 2 Pro as the successor to Hypervolt Plus.

This is probably good timing for us here because we recently (around June) did a review of the original Hypervolt. In that review, we concluded that Hypervolt hadn’t done much to upgrade their original device. We noted the outdated hardware that Hypervolt was still insisting on even as other brands were doing something new.

So in this post, we’ll take a look at their new Hypervolt 2 massage gun and find out whether it’s simply a face-lift or a more serious upgrade. We’ll also compare it to the original and see which one has better performance aspects.

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Hypervolt 2 Review

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Feature	Hypervolt 2 Specs
Stall Force	~25 lbs (our estimation)
Stroke Length	12 mm *
Percussion range	2000, 2350, 2700 rpm *
Speeds	3
Attachments	5 included
Weight	1.8 lbs
Dimensions	7.5 x 2.5 x 9.5 inches
Noise (decibel)	53-64 dB *
Battery Life / Capacity	up to 3 hours
Bluetooth	Yes
Pros	Overall quality Ergonomic handle Low noise Varied attachments
Cons	Low stall force Non-removable battery So-so time on battery No carrying case No USB-C charging
Warranty	1 year
Price	$199
Where to buy?	Buy at Hyperice.com Buy at Amazon.com

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First Impressions and Build Quality

It looks different (at least in color). You get the sense that Hyperice was trying to distinguish it from the old device – which is still on sale.

The control panel has also been redesigned to include a control button, the 3 speed LEDs, 3 more LEDs just below the main button for the pressure sensor, and a Bluetooth connection indicator. There is also a new logo on the side (a slanted “H”) perhaps an indication of the different approach taken by the company.

When you hold the device for the first time, it feels lighter than the original (and perhaps smaller). The handle is the same (90 degrees, T-shape), but there are some changes.

Fortunately for us and many others who had asked for a different handle configuration, our concerns have somewhat been addressed here. We’ll talk more about the handle in the ergonomics section. For now we’ll mention that we like that it’s rubberized, even though the rest of the body is plastic. It’s top-quality plastic as well.

As we have already said, there’s only one button to control everything from turning the device on to changing the speed gears. The back panel is redesigned – it’s now rounded, looks simple and yet sleeker than before. There isn’t a main switch at the bottom of the handle anymore.

Other notable things that haven’t changed much include the LED ring at the base of the handle. It works the same way as on the previous device – red means the battery’s low, while green means the battery is fully charged.

The pressure sensor is also here, indicated by the 3 LEDs that glow up when you press the device on your body (more on that later).

Did we mention there is no carrying case still? There’s a pouch to store the attachments and that’s it.

There is a wall charger with different international plugs included. Hyperice kept their tradition of including a bunch of cards with all their devices. Some of them include: a quick-start guide, attachments tips, app information, customer service tips, and an instructional manual.

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Attachments

There are 5 attachments included with this new device – great variety as always with Hypervolts. Apart from being the same color as the device, there’s nothing new to them.

• The Flat head: Used to massage large muscle groups, great for a full body massage.
• The Ball head: The universal massage head used to massage large muscles as well and great for a full body massage as well. If the flat head is too aggressive, the ball head is the go-to attachment.
• The Fork head: Used mainly on the spine and neck area but athletes love using it on their calves and Achilles.
• The Cushion head: This one is a flat head variation with a softer touch. It’s used on tender and bony areas.
• The Bullet head: Used on trigger point areas. It’s a great attachment to treat plantar fasciitis. You can also use it if you want an intensive massage.

Hypervolt attachments have always been on the “hard material” side compared to Theragun’s soft heads.

In this one, the Flat, Bullet, and Fork attachments are all hard plastic except the Ball head, which has a slight give to it, and the Cushion head, which is reasonably soft.

The mechanism for inserting and removing the attachments is “Push and Pull” except for the Fork attachment which has to be aligned before inserting to prevent it from spinning around.

That said, we have no concerns here. We would’ve loved a Supersoft attachment like in Theragun, but we know that Theragun has it patented. Something similar wouldn’t hurt though, would it?

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Size and Weight

The Hypervolt 2 is smaller than the previous full-sized Hypervolts (Silver Hypervolt and Hypervolt Plus). It measures 7.5 x 2.5 x 9.5 (inches). It’s noticeably smaller than the new Hypervolt Pro which has a slightly larger motor housing and an even longer handle.

We love that the weight has gone down from what we were used to with the previous device. From 2.5lbs with the previous silver gun, this one now only weighs 1.8lbs.

The device feels well balanced since most of the weight is in the handle.

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Ergonomics

The most noticeable change, and one we couldn’t wait to talk about, is in the handle. It’s now slimmer and has an all new shape. Instead of round, it’s now oval or what Hyperice calls the “Pill shaped grip.”

But we’ve seen a handle like this before from devices such as Bob and Brad C2, Naipo massage gun, and Renpho R3.

The handle is rubberized and holds really well. Those who have smaller hands (especially female customers) will appreciate this modification.

We’re just disappointed that the vertical handle remains the same even in this new device. We were hoping for something else other than the generic T-shape configuration. This puts a strain on the wrist, especially during a long massage session.

When they made Hypervolt Go with a slanted handle, we were hoping that meant a new direction taken for future iterations of their devices. A tilted handle offers a more natural grip.

We also think the handle should’ve been made a little longer for an extended reach (when you want to massage the lower back). The same thing Ekrin did with their new 365 massage gun.

Overall we’re happy that Hypervolt at least addressed some concerns over the ergonomics of their guns. This new gun is lighter, slimmer, and stable. However, we wish they would’ve done even more. We’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds.

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Performance

In performance, we focus on 3 key areas: amplitude, stall force, and percussions. In our review of the previous Hypervolt we noted how the amplitude was low and how it felt like a vibrational device.

But what about this new device? Has the amplitude been improved?

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Amplitude

Also known as the stroke length, the amplitude is the distance the massage gun head travels as it percusses. It determines how deep a massage you can get.

We have always never seen Hyperice clearly state out the amplitude of any of their devices. We’ve always had to do the measuring ourselves. That hasn’t changed yet.

Our measurement gave us 12mm on this device. That is a slight improvement from the previous device (it has a 10mm amplitude). This means that the new Hypervolt device is a proper percussive device.

From the first few sessions we had with it we can say it feels good on the skin, percusses well and you can definitely feel the punches – they’re harder than what we experienced with that first device.

They are not as strong as what you’d have with a 14 or 16mm amplitude gun, but 12mm is what we like to call a ‘sweet spot“; not too intensive, but not too vibrational either.

That said, from our experience, with a 12mm stroke length, deep tissue massage is possible even on large muscles. However, the device has to be paired with enough stall force. Let’s see how much stall force the Hypervolt 2 massage gun has.

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Stall Force

Stall force is the amount of pressure that a massage gun’s motor can withstand without stalling.

Hyperice isn’t known for making massage guns with solid motors. In fact, their first device had a mere 35lbs. of stall force. They did make the Hypervolt Plus a bit stronger (about 45lbs.) but incredibly weakened their Hypervolt Go device.

But what about this new Hypervolt 2 device?

Well, same old, same old. In fact, this is the biggest bummer thus far in our review. They don’t disclose how much pressure this device can withstand, but it wasn’t hard to guess how much stall force this device has after testing against other devices.

In our opinion, and by comparison with other devices, Hypervolt 2 doesn’t seem to have more than 25lbs. of stall force – which is incredibly low if the market standards are anything to go by. Even at the highest speed, this device stalls rather easily – almost instantaneously when pressure is applied, especially on the first two speeds.

We can’t tell for sure whether the motor information (60 Watt same as the old device) isn’t correct or whether this new device has been compromised somehow. However, we expected this new device to offer a bit more power.

With an amplitude that we would consider a “sweet spot,” we hoped for a bit more stall force to make this a proper percussive device. Unfortunately that is not the case.

But do you really need a lot of stall force?

Well, it depends on what you are looking for in a massage gun. This gun can still be useful if you don’t apply a lot of pressure as you float it over your muscles. It will do a good job if you just want a quick warm-up (like before your running unit) or when you are treating your neck at your desk, or just to get the blood flowing into the muscles. It can work on smaller muscle groups like the neck area, shoulders, feet, and forearms.

However, you might not be able to get a deep massage with this device. It may also not be good enough for you if you have a lot of muscles. You may not get a deep penetrative massage on your quads, glutes, or pecs.

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Percussions and Speed Levels

It’s the same 3 speed levels as the previous Hypervolt, but there are changes to the percussion range and maximum hits per minute. The 3 speed levels are 2000rpm, 2350rpm, and 2700rpm.

With 2700rpm as the maximum hits per minute the intensity has gone down by at least 500rpm (the previous gun had up to 3200rpm). But this modification may be due to the slightly increased amplitude – we see this with a lot of other guns from different brands; Theragun is a good example.

But we have also seen massage gun brands that make long amplitudes but still keep the intensity high. Ekrin is a good example. Despite their full-sized devices (B37 and B37s) having 12mm amplitude (sweet spot), the intensity is always at 3200rpm (highest speed). Achedaway Pro is another good example of a device with a long amplitude but with more than enough hits per minute (2800rpm).

That said, we are not bashing the 2700rpm maximum; we’re just noting that it’s nothing special. You’ll still enjoy the massage.

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Our Take on Performance

We had hoped for improved performance with this new Hypervolt device, but unfortunately, that is not the case, at least not in all aspects.

Yes, we love that the amplitude has gone up by about 20% but without proper stall force, it just doesn’t feel like it’s used to its fullest potential. Sad to say but performance wise, it feels like some of those cheap no-name devices from Amazon that are underpowered.

Hypervolt may get away with the fact that it doesn’t really have to be strong because it’s an entry-level device. But even so, those who pay attention to power have the right to be a bit disappointed with this, well, downgrade.

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Pressure Sensor

The pressure sensor is still here, indicated by the 3-level LEDs below the main control button. It’s a good thing to have on any device because you can monitor how much pressure you apply to any muscle.

But here, it’s not really a big deal because the pressure sensor is pretty much obsolete without enough stall force. But we guess it is better to have one than not have one, so we’ll take it.

Another thing is that the pressure sensor is the same as the one in the old device. We have seen pressure sensors done better by other brands – Theragun Elite or Pro and Ekrin 365 or B37S.

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Noise

Hyperice has always kept its devices hushed and we have noted this in many of our posts. The Hypervolt 2 is still a quiet device. It’s just a tad louder than the previous generation of guns.

We’re guessing it’s because of the increased amplitude – tends to increase the rattling. You should expect 53-54dB on lower speed levels and at least 63-64dB at the highest speed. These are similar figures as other 12mm amplitude massage guns.

In practice, it doesn’t disturb the normal conversation, and there may be no need to increase the TV volume when using the device.

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Battery

It’s a rechargeable lithium-ion 23V battery. They say it can go for at least 3 hours before you have to charge it again. Realistically, however, if you apply pressure and use it at higher speeds, it should last for about 2 hours.

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Bluetooth

This new Hypervolt 2 is Bluetooth enabled – they kept this feature, and we love it! You can connect your device to the Hyperice app for guided workouts where the app can take control of the device.

We did an in-depth description of the app in our earlier generation Hypervolt reviews. But it suffices to say that the Hyperice app is a convenient way to learn how to operate the device and see how professional athletes use Hypervolts on themselves.

Related Further reading: How to Use a Massage Gun Safely and Effectively.

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Is Hypervolt 2 Worth it? And Who is it Best for?

So far, what we can tell from our interaction with the new Hypervolt 2 massage gun is that it was meant to be an introductory device.

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But is it Worth a Buy?

Well, we know for sure that it is a high-quality product from a premium brand that knows everything about sports and recovery.

But is it really worth the money?

The initial price tag of $299 was hefty and we are sure it wasn’t worth it then – primarily due to its weak performance. But things have changed and now, with a price drop of about 30% (check current price here), it’s more accessible.

Yet still, if you prefer an aggressive massage or desire better performance aspects, the Hypervolt 2 may not offer the best value for your money. There are better alternatives available for this amount, some even come with a lifetime warranty (like Ekrin, more on that in a second).

Also, because it doesn’t have a removable battery like the older Hypervolt, or the new Hypervolt 2 Pro, it may not be a good choice for physiotherapists and chiropractors.

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Hypervolt 2 vs. Hypervolt 1 – Summary

We have talked about most of the Hypervolt 2 vs Hypervolt 1 differences in different sections above, so here let’s list them altogether:

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If not Hypervolt 2 then What?

This Hypervolt 2 review would not be complete without exploring of what we think are viable alternatives for those who look for something more affordable, want more power but don’t necessarily need the Bluetooth connectivity.

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Hypervolt 2 Review – Bottom Line

As we end our Hypervolt 2 review, we hope you have been well educated about Hyperice’s new device.

We believe it’s a decent entry-level massage gun that is best for personal use. It’s designed with women and people with small hands in mind. We like the improved ergonomics from what the previous Hypervolt had, the reduced weight, and, the slightly improved amplitude.

However, we have our reservations about the low stall force. Even though the non-removable battery isn’t much of an issue, we still believe the older device was more versatile with this feature.

Overall, we are not complaining too much, but we expected much more from what is supposed to be the successor of the previous massage gun.

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