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Whether you feel pain or tense muscles [1] after a workout or sitting at a desk all day, finding the right hand-held massager is no longer impossible. Two of the top manufacturers of high-quality massagers today are Pure Wave vs Theragun. These versatile, highly advanced massagers provide access to a deep tissue massage for anyone anytime, from die-hard athletes to the occasional exerciser.
Pado is the self-healing promoter and advocate in the massage device market and the company behind Pure Wave products. Chosen by a variety of professionals from physical therapists to trainers, they are continually innovating to meet the needs of every type of body and every kind of muscle strain with its range of massage devices like CM-07+, CM-05 and the latest Purewave Gen II and their unique attachments.
Therabody, the brand responsible for Theragun, excels in the tech wellness area, working with scientists, engineers, physical therapists, and trainers to create the best natural solution tools for day-to-day wellness. Founded by a chiropractor, Theragun already enjoys an advantage over other products, garnering trust from individuals, athletes, and various healthcare professionals.
Both companies are innovators, constantly seeking better, more powerful solutions to wellness and recovery. While there may be distinct differences in their approach to massager design, both strive to constantly perfect muscle treatment devices to restore mobility and function.
However, each device offers benefits for different conditions. If tense muscles provide discomfort daily, selecting a handheld massager for gentle muscle tension relief will be most beneficial for you.
Competitive athletes and those who enjoy intense workouts [2] benefit from a deeper, more varied massage. Those massagers with high-speeds or percussive vibration provide not only relief but also muscle recovery more quickly.
If it is time to invest in your own massager, comparing the Pure Wave Gen II and Theragun Pro can help you make the best decision for your body’s needs.
Massager of Your Dreams?
Firstly, before you can make this decision, let’s understand what each of these massagers has to offer. It is important to understand your needs and which one is a better fit for you. We adore each of these companies since they come up with great innovative products that always have great quality. Now lets look into what these models have to offer.
Pure Wave Gen 2
The Pure Wave Gen 2 massager is a dynamic dual motor model that packs in that extra power to provide a deep massage. It allows for full customization of pressure which is amazing and also has a wide variety of attachments that can together create a great custom massage for you. It works great to relax muscles after workouts or any exertion, helps to improve blood flow in the body which aids in recovering from injuries too.
Theragun Pro
The Theragun Pro is an amazing device with a lot of high-end functionalities to help you get a great massage. It has a commercial-grade deep tissue massager that can take care of painful knots and sore muscles easily. It can also be controlled using Bluetooth and have apps to guide you through massages that are customized for your needs. This massager works great for alleviating sore muscles, and can also be very helpful to reduce stiffness and increase mobility.
Even after a lot of research of these 2 massagers, we found that it was really hard to pick a clear winner. We know that this can be a hard call to make for you too. To make life a little easy, we have provided a side-by-side comparison of the 2 products to compare exactly what you can expect from each of them. Although, we have picked our favorite, we think this is the easiest way to hash out what you think are the most important qualities between the 2 to make your call.
Pure Wave Gen II | Theragun Pro | |
|---|---|---|
Why Should You Buy This One? | Allowing for full customization in both pressure and attachments, this dynamic dual motor model meets a wide variety of needs. | Sporting a commercial-grade deep muscle massager, Bluetooth capabilities, and guided apps for personalization, this massager is the tool of choice for a professional and novice. |
Ideal Usage | Muscle relaxation, injury recovery, improve blood circulation | Muscle soreness, mobility improvement, circulation stimulation |
Massage Heads | 3D Pivot Tip | SuperSoft |
Speed Modes | 12-speeds on each dual motor | Customizable speed range of 1750-2400 percussions per minute (PPM) |
Power/Intensity Modes | Percussion Mode and Micro-Vibration Mode | Up to 60 lbs. of no stall force |
Noise | Quiet operation technology | Patented QuietForce Technology |
Portability/Weight | 1.7 lbs. | 3.10 lbs. |
Battery life/Charging | Battery runs up to 120 minutes with one hour charging time | 2 external lithium-ion batteries with 150-minute battery life; wireless charging capability |
Heating | No | No |
Durability/ Make/ Design | Protective case; advanced dual-mode | Hard casing with a pouch for accessories; proprietary brushless motor |
Other Accessories | Extended Grip | Bluetooth Connectivity |
Cost | $ | $$ |
Product Differences
Choosing between the Pure Wave Gen II or Theragun Pro proves to be a challenge. Both of these top-of-the-line massagers come with advanced technology coupled with personalized accessories to provide a truly customizable massage experience. However, focusing on a few crucial features can help make the decision for you.
Head Attachments
The Pure Wave Gen II takes its personal customization seriously by providing 7 different head attachments. Each is designed to address certain areas of the body or create a precise level of massage. From the 6-Head Tip for a deep massage targeting larger muscle groups to the Air Cushion Tip for an overall relaxing massage, the choices are extensive. We find that the Point Tip head attachment effectively targets tension points in the body while the more specialized micro-vibration Migraine tip soothes tension headaches successfully.
The Theragun Pro’s 6 head attachments are all made with closed-cell foam, providing an easy glide across your skin without absorbing any massage oils, lotions, or even your own sweat. Like the Pure Wave Gen II, the Theragun Pro creates their attachments to treat particular areas of the body. What we like about the Theragun Pro, however, is their new Supersoft head specially designed for more sensitive areas of this body, and tender injury sites.
Ultimately, for injury recovery the Theragun Pro’s soft head construction offers the best relief. While for relaxation and persistent muscular aches [3], the Pure Wave Gen II’s range of attachment heads alleviate discomfort in deep tissue.
Speed Modes
While we are impressed with Theragun Pro’s customizable speed range, the patented dual-motors offering 12-speeds each available on the Pure Wave Gen II are an innovative marvel. With calibrated control, you can adjust the massage pressure to more accurately meet your massaging needs.
However, you still can’t go wrong with the Theragun Pro’s speed overall, which allows it to reach 60% deeper than consumer-grade massages, and the targeted pressure does not allow the brain to acclimate, providing continual relief.
However, for a more intense experience at a lower price, we prefer to go with the Pure Wave Gen II and its dual-motor capability.
Design
When searching for the perfect handheld massager, overall design plays an important role. The goal is to find one that is designed in a way that makes it efficient, comfortable to use, and is lightweight.
Pado has improved the slimline shape of the Pure Wave Gen II, creating an angled design that positively affects the functionality of the massager. They also have strengthened and extended the ergonomic handle allowing for an extended grip so you can get to those harder to reach spots of the body, such as the mid-back.
The Theragun Pro, on the other hand, is a closed triangle shape with four protruding arms designed to angle in ways to reach any area of your body. This particular design allows you to hold the massager in different ways to alleviate excess strain on wrists, hands, or arms as you hold it in place for several minutes at a time.
The best design depends on how you respond to the grip and reach of each massager. The Theragun Pro is a more complicated design, requiring more time to get used to and determine the best angles. The more lightweight Pure Wave Gen II, however, is simple from the second you pull it out of the box.
Conclusion
It is a serious challenge to determine which one is the better option for the various recovery and relaxation needs. After a wide-range of hands-on use and heated debate among our staff, we choose the Power Wave Gen II as our go-to massager.
The Theragun Pro is an amazing product with several key advantages for professional trainers and athletes. With a team of scientists, engineers, and therapists contributing to their designs, it’s unquestionable you can count on it to excel at workout and injury recovery. However, with its dual-head technology, speeds, and variety of attachable heads, the Power Wave Gen II goes to the very top of our list for customization options, and we find it more appealing to a broader range of users.
The benefits of both hand-held massagers are numerous, and any competitive athlete, weekend warrior, or casual fitness enthusiast can enjoy these benefits. Knowing what you need in a massager is the first step to making the right choice, however, so take the time to consider your needs. Either of these models can provide the relief you seek. For us though, we believe your love the customization possibilities of the Pure Wave Gen II massager.
BEST OVERALL PICK
Pure Wave Gen II
