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Have you ever wondered why massage guns come with a variety of different head attachments? How crucial are they, and do these attachments vary across other brands?
In this guide, we’ll explore the world of massage gun heads and explain their vital role in maximizing the benefits of your device. We’ll also analyze the diversity and construction of these attachments and highlight what you can expect from leading brands in the market.
TIP: If you are looking for tips on massage gun attachment uses, check out this post.
- Understanding the Different Parts of Massage Gun Heads
- Why Do Massage Guns Have Different Heads?
- Choosing the Right Massage Gun Head: How Build Quality and Materials Affect Performance
- How Many Attachments Do You Need?
- Most Popular Types of Massage Gun Heads
- Theragun Attachments Guide
- Hypervolt Attachments Guide
- Compatibility Across Brands
- Caring for Massage Gun Head Attachments: Cleaning and Maintenance Tips
- Conclusion
Understanding the Different Parts of Massage Gun Heads
A typical massage gun attachment head is a detachable component designed to interface directly with the muscles during a massage session. These heads are usually made from various materials (more on that in a minute) and crafted to provide various types of pressure and massage techniques suited to different muscle groups.
Let’s take a quick look at the parts involved in the construction of a typical massage gun head:
- Attachment Base:
This part connects the head to the massage gun. It often features a simple mechanism for easy attachment and detachment, like a push-and-pull or push-and-twist. - Attachment Body:
The main section is shaped according to the specific purpose of the attachment (round, flat, etc.). This part makes contact with the muscles. - Material Layer:
On some heads, an additional material layer, like foam, rubber, or silicone, covers the body. This layer determines the firmness or softness of the massage and can provide additional benefits like heat therapy or vibration dampening.
Some heads may include additional features such as metallic elements for heat or cold therapy, textured surfaces for a different massage feel, or aerated designs for a softer impact. We will discuss this later.
Why Do Massage Guns Have Different Heads?
To ensure a full massage experience, massage gun heads, also known as attachments, are specifically designed to cater to various body parts. This variety allows for targeted treatment of different muscle groups.
For instance, some can care for smaller and tender muscles, providing relief without overwhelming pressure on sensitive areas. Others are built to tackle larger muscle groups, offering robust intensity and penetration.
This versatility is key to achieving a full-spectrum massage that can adapt to your body’s diverse needs.
Choosing the Right Massage Gun Head: How Build Quality and Materials Affect Performance
The attachment body and its head can be made from any of the following materials:
- Plastic:
This is the most commonly used material for its affordability and ease of manufacturing. Plastic heads are durable and offer a more intense massage due to their hardness. While they are most frequently found in inexpensive massage guns, they also appear in higher-end models. - Silicon and Rubber:
This is when the manufacturer decides to make a soft point of contact. Silicon is gentle and suits many people who want a gentle massage. - Foam (EVA):
Foam is a firmer material with very little give. The point of contact is hard, and the manufacturer wants the user to feel the aggressiveness of the massage. Eva Foam is pretty common with many attachments but tends to be harder to clean than others. If you like to massage over clothes, the foam could leave an unwanted mark on your favorite shirt. - Closed-Cell Polyurethane Foam:
Therabody uses this material in most of their Theragun attachments. It’s quite soft and gives a nice, smooth feeling. In contrast to classic EVA Foam, it’s also easier to clean. - Metal:
Attachments made of metal may serve various purposes. Some are specifically designed for hot and cold therapy, as seen with the Bob and Brad X6 Pro. The metal can be heated or cooled in such cases to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. Others use metal to enhance the massage experience by adding a smooth, gliding sensation – Achedaway Pro attachments are an excellent example. - Heated Heads:
These heads are designed for heat therapy alongside massage and employ various innovative technologies. Some use a straightforward approach with an all-metallic head that can be heated in hot water—this is exactly what the previously mentioned X6 Pro does. Others, like the latest Hypervolt Heated Head Attachment, feature more advanced technology with self-heating heads that come with a built-in battery and an operating button.
Why the Material Matters?
Understanding the material is important for a few reasons.
- First, it’s the part that directly touches your skin, affecting how comfortable and enjoyable your massage feels.
- Second, the effectiveness of your massage can depend on the material’s quality and type, as different materials provide varying levels of firmness and pressure.
- Lastly, be aware that some materials could irritate your skin or cause allergic reactions, especially if you have sensitive skin.
In short, knowing about the materials helps you get the best and safest massage experience.
How Many Attachments Do You Need?
Ideally, you need as many as four different attachments.
You can have up to 8, depending on how well-varied they are. We have seen massage guns with eight attachments or more, but many of those are repeated variations or tiny tweaks that don’t make a difference.
But you should probably not go for anything below four attachments if you don’t want to miss the full experience of your massage gun.
What about the massage guns that come with 10-15 and even more attachments? Well, you probably don’t need that many, and it’s usually a marketing gimmick that some Chinese brands use. Toloco had that many attachments, which we used and found nearly half weren’t useful at all.
And know that pursuing more attachments is one of the most common mistakes people make when choosing their massage gun.
On the other hand, some reputable massage guns can be underwhelming regarding the number of attachments they offer. Hypervolt Go 2, for example, only comes with two attachments. That’s not enough, and considering the premium price of these devices, it may feel like a lot of money was spent on something unsatisfactory.
Our Take
For us, manufacturers should prioritize balancing the quantity with the quality and utility of each attachment to get the most out of the massage gun they offer.
Most Popular Types of Massage Gun Heads
Remember how we said that you need about 4 attachments? Well, these are the big kahunas of massage gun attachments.
- Ball or Round Head – Most common and versatile, ideal for large and medium muscle groups. Variations in design include:
- EVA foam is harder and has a slight give, so it is suitable for deep tissue massage. You can find one with Ekrin B37, D6 Pro, D5 Pro, Zarifa Health+, or Taotronics TT-PCA004.
- Silicon/Soft/Air Cushioned: Minimal pain, even on bones or painful areas, perfect for a relaxing massage. Models like the Ekrin Bantam, Opove M3 Pro, and Urikar AT1 feature this type.
- Flat Head
- Denser and harder than the ball, usually hard plastic.
- Smooth edges prevent pain and are best for relieving knots in large muscles like pecs and glutes.
- Fork/Spinal Head
- Usually hard plastic, sometimes with a silicone cover (e.g., Bob and Brad Air 2 Mini).
- Ideal for gliding over uneven body parts like the spine and Achilles.
- Bullet / Cylindrical Head
- Pointy attachments are typically made of hard materials like plastic or aluminum (as in Achedaway Pro).
- Targets trigger points and knots in hard-to-reach muscles, ideal for precise deep tissue massages.
- Caution: Most intense, may cause discomfort. Start with less pressure and increase only if comfortable.
Other Head Attachment Types You Can Find
Besides these four common attachments, manufacturers tend to be innovative, and new attachments appear every now and then. Here are some we have found interesting and useful:
- Cushion Head
The cushioned head is often a ball attachment decked with soft material. It comes with percussive massagers such as Hypervolt 2 Pro, Bob and Brad D6 Pro, D5 Pro, or the new Air 2 Mini. - Shovel / Wedge Head
This one is used for scraping (breaking muscle restrictions). It is found with Theraguns and Urikar AT1. - Cone Head
Shaped like a cone, this head was introduced by Theragun and picked up by others, including Addsfit. - Air-Cushioned Head
This can be a spherical or cylindrical attachment filled with air to ensure softness and gentleness. Brands like “Bob And Brad” and Ekrin use this in their massagers, and we’ve found it to be quite effective. - Triple Ball Head
This is one that came with our Urikar Pro 2 massage gun. It has three ball heads attached to one extension. This is an interesting concept, but from our uses, we’ve found it’s not as beneficial or useful as a standard ball attachment.
Theragun Attachments Guide
Therabody tends to be innovative, and their Theragun heads are slightly non-conventional. Besides naming convention, here’s what you can expect:
- Supersoft (Impact Level: 1/10)
This one looks like a flat attachment but with a flat cushion attached to it. It’s good for bony and tender areas of the body. - Dampener (Impact Level: 3/10)
This one is a soft ball attachment that is also great for a relaxing soft massage. - Standard Ball (Impact Level: 5/10)
You couldn’t tell the difference between this and the dampener. However, you can feel the difference when you touch it. It’s slightly harder than the dampener. - Wedge (Impact Level: 5/10)
Also called the shovel. It works as a muscle scraper. - Thumb (Impact Level: 7/10)
This one can be used as the bullet head for targeted treatment. Good for trigger points and massaging the lower back (most intensive one!). - Micro-Point (Impact Level: 2/10)
This is a new attachment with silicon sticks at the fore. It’s good for maximizing circulation around large muscle groups. - Cone (Impact Level: 10/10)
Discontinued. This attachment was available with the 4th generation of Theraguns (the Pro, Prime, and Elite), but now, in the latest models, it has been replaced by the Micro-Point head for the Theragun Pro. We believe this change is due to its similarity to the Thumb head; we personally couldn’t discern a difference on our bodies during ‘blind tests’ with it.
Here is a comparison of each of these to the common names used by other brands in the industry:
Theragun Attachment Head | Common Name Used by Other Brands |
---|---|
The Supersoft™ * | Cushion / Air Cushion |
Dampener | Flat |
Standard Ball | Ball / Round |
Wedge | Scraper / Shovel |
Thumb | Bullet / Point |
Cone | Bullet / Point |
Micro-Point | Textured Attachment |
(*) For the Supersoft attachment, we haven’t seen any equivalent so far. That’s probably because Theragun has a patent for this one. Other brands typically use Cushion or Air Cushion solutions to create attachments for sensitive areas, but those offer different experiences.
Theragun Heads: Other Things to Know About
- Theragun Pro has all 6 attachments, including the new Micro-Point attachment. Theragun Elite has 5 heads but lacks the Micro-Point (you get the old Cone) and the Supersoft. Theragun Prime has 4 attachments but lacks the Wedge, Supersoft, and Micro-Point attachments. Theragun Mini has 3 attachments: Standard Ball, Dampener, and Thumb.
- Theraguns have a unique mounting system thanks to two metal ball bearings on the massage gun head that click into the attachment.
- The attachments are interchangeable across all devices.
- Since the mounting system is unique to Theraguns, the attachments don’t fit on massage guns from other brands. They are also patented; more on that here.
- The duo adapter (available separately here) allows you to mount two similar attachments simultaneously.
Theragun Model | Number of Attachments | Included Attachments |
---|---|---|
Theragun Pro 5TH GEN Our review | 6 | Supersoft, Dampener, Standard Ball, Wedge, Thumb, Micro-Point |
Theragun Elite Our review | 5 | Dampener, Standard Ball, Thumb, Wedge, Cone |
Theragun Prime Our review | 4 | Dampener, Standard Ball, Thumb, Cone |
Theragun Mini 2ND GEN Our review | 3 | Standard Ball, Dampener, Thumb |
Hypervolt Attachments Guide
Hypervolts all come with conventional massage gun attachment heads. By this, we mean that their names, shapes, and materials used are standard.
So, the first thing to note is that Hypervolt attachments tend to lean more on the hard-plastic side. Only Ball and Cushion heads are softer and offer some gentle touch.
The main method of fixing the attachment is push and pull – many other brands have adopted this design, emulating what Hypervolt introduced. A notable exception is the fork attachment here, which has markers that must be properly aligned to fit.
Here is their lineup:
- Cushion Attachment
This one is good for beginners who are looking for a gentle massage. It features the softest material plus air inside and has a large surface area. It has more give and is best for massaging tender spots or the neck area. - Foam Ball Attachment
This attachment has almost the same surface area but is firmer than the Cushion Head. Made of solid foam, it is a versatile all-around attachment that delivers the best results on large muscles such as quads, lats, and pecs. - Fork Attachment
This is a Y-shaped attachment with small hard plastic balls at each end. It’s used on the spine area, upper traps, forearms, and ankles or calves. - Flat Attachment
As simple as the name suggests, this attachment is designed to massage large muscle groups such as hamstrings, glutes, etc. - Bullet Attachment
It has the smallest surface area and is used for targeted treatment, i.e., trigger points. It is the most intense one from Hypervolt.
Hypervolt Head Attachments: Other Things to Know
- The two full-sized Hypervolt models have the same attachments (5 pieces). The exception is the Hypervolt Go 2 (mini version), which includes only the flat head and bullet head (no soft attachment; for us, it’s a deal breaker!).
- Hypervolt attachments are interchangeable across different models, with the same attachment base diameter.
- While Hypervolts feature a common attachment mounting system, their heads may also fit massage guns from other brands and vice versa. To be sure, you must check the head base diameter and its compatibility. Technically, there’s nothing non-standard about them.
Hypervolt Model | Number of Attachments | Included Attachments |
---|---|---|
Hypervolt 2 Pro Our review | 5 | Fork, Ball, Cushion, Flat, Bullet |
Hypervolt 2 Our review | 5 | Fork, Ball, Cushion, Flat, Bullet |
Hypervolt Go 2 Our review | 2 | Flat, Bullet |
Compatibility Across Brands
So what’s the deal – are massage gun attachments interchangeable between brands? Why even consider their compatibility?
There are several reasons. Perhaps you had a hand-held massager that no longer works, but its attachments are still good – it would be great to reuse them. Or maybe your massager came with several attachments, but it’s missing a specific one you need, prompting you to buy an additional one. Another scenario could be losing or wearing out your current attachments, with replacements from the original manufacturer being unavailable or too expensive (like in the case of Theragun).
Such situations are possible, and it’s valuable to know the options. To confirm compatibility, you only need to check the type of mounting system and the diameter of both the attachment’s base and the massage gun head.
Many massagers use a classic push-and-pull system, and finding a suitable substitute with the right diameter should be feasible. Yet, for some unique solutions (like Theragun, Ekrin B37S, and 365 with their push-and-twist system or the screw-on head of Bob and Brad X6 Pro), interchangeability might not be possible.
It’s also worth noting that third-party replacement kits available on Amazon (for example, this one here) usually specify their size, and their compatibility with specific brands and models is often listed. We suggest reading customer reviews to verify this information.
Caring for Massage Gun Head Attachments: Cleaning and Maintenance Tips
Keeping your massage gun attachments clean is crucial for hygiene and to ensure their longevity.
Fortunately, cleaning these attachments is usually a simple process due to their smooth surfaces. To effectively clean an attachment, gently wipe it down using a damp cloth or an antibacterial wipe. This will help remove any sweat, oil, or dirt accumulated during use.
For attachments made of foam, a bit more care is required due to their porous nature. Lightly spray them with alcohol or a sanitizing solution. It’s important not to soak the foam, as this can damage the material. After spraying, allow the attachment to air dry completely before using it again. This process will ensure that your foam attachments are clean and maintained in good condition.
Conclusion
We’ve covered all the essentials you need to know about massage gun heads, including their size, shape, materials, and specific applications.
We explained how many percussive therapy head attachments you need and not to be tricked by devices offering an abundance of useless attachments. In this case, more is less!
We’re curious about your preferences. Which attachment is your favorite? Which material works best for your skin? Are there any you don’t like or find problematic?
We’d love to hear about your favorites or any experiences you’d like to share. Feel free to comment or join the conversation in our Facebook discussion group, Massage Gun Talks. Cheers!
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