Our website is supported by our readers. We sometimes earn a commission when you click through the affiliate links on our website at no extra cost to you.
I first purchased and reviewed my Ekrin B37 massage gun back in late 2019. At the time, it was a completely unknown brand, but I wanted a cheaper alternative to the Theragun for our busy rehab clinic.
Fast forward 3+ years and there’s not a website out there that isn’t recommending it as one of their top picks.
And why is everyone still buzzing about it? Because it’s really that good of a massage gun. After all these years, my original B37 is still plugging along and works wonderfully.
So yes, you’ve likely heard of the top names like Theragun and Hypervolt and might assume they’re the only massage guns worth buying. While it’s true, they are great options, I’m writing this long-term review to perhaps get you to reconsider.
Quick Specifications Run-down:
- Up to 56lbs of stall force pressure
- 12mm massage head amplitude
- Ultra quiet 35-55 dB brushless motor
- Ergonomic 15 degree handle
- Samsung lithium battery with up to 8 hour runtime
What’s included in the box?
- Ekrin B37 Percussion Massage Gun
- 4 massage head attachments (flat, ball, bullet, and fork)
- AC charger
- Sturdy molded travel case
- Quick start instruction guide
Ekrin Athletics: Company Profile
Before we go into the specifics of what makes the Ekrin B37 percussion massager great, we wanted to first highlight Ekrin Athletics the company.
Based in Austin, Texas, Ekrin Athletics was cofounded by Dan Kozak and Elise Williams. Both collegiate athletes, Dan and Elise started the company in 2019 to satisfy the need for a quality, yet affordable massage gun.
Currently, their line of massage guns includes the original Ekrin B37 massage gun, the upgraded B37S, a mini version appropriately named the BANTAM, and the all-new Ekrin 365.
We’ve tried them all, and they’re all fantastic! That’s likely because the good folks at Ekrin Athletics are not only proactively dedicated to their product development, but customer satisfaction too.
One of the most common complaints most people have with buying a massage gun besides sub-par performance, is a lack of customer support.
Check the online reviews of most massage guns and you’ll find scores of people complaining that their unit prematurely died and the company that they bought it from is non-existent.
That’s an all too common pain point to buying a no-name massage gun on Amazon or elsewhere.
So while you may not have heard of Ekrin Athletics (yet), we’re here to assure you that when you purchase an Ekrin B37, they’ve got you covered–for life.
Is Ekrin A Good Brand?
Ekrin Athletics is perhaps one of the most product centric, responsive and friendliest massage gun companies we have ever had the pleasure of dealing with. And don’t just take our word for it, check their reviews too. People all agree that they’re prompt to rectify any issues…the few that there are.
If you’ve never heard of Ekrin Athletics and you’re wondering if they produce buy-worthy products, they sure do. Ekrin goes to great lengths to assure they sell the best massage guns on the market. Research and development is one of their highest priorities and so far, they seem to always exceed consumer expectations.
Still not convinced? Remember this: when you’re about to pull the trigger on a massage gun, particularly a cheap one, will they honor their warranty?
With Ekrin Athletics and their lifetime warranty, it is an affirmative YES.
Ekrin B37 Performance
Now let’s dig into the details of the Ekrin B37 and why you should buy it over the competition.
When buying a massage gun, you want something that is going to deliver enough percussive power to soothe those sore, achy muscles, right?
Here’s the deal, the Ekrin B37 is not going to disappoint you. We’ve compared it to the pricier Hypervolt and there’s little to no distinguishable difference in the amount of power produced. The Ekrin B37 easily holds its own and then some. That’s a huge plus for a device that costs about $150 less.
Amplitude
Amplitude is one of those techie terms that very few people know, but probably notice when using a massage gun. In simple terms, it’s the amount of punch a percussion device has or how deep it penetrates into the body.
The overall travel length of the massage head will ultimately dictate how deep of a massage you feel. So the higher the amplitude (usually measured in millimeters) the harder it hits.
The Ekrin B37 offers an amplitude of 12mm, which in our opinion, is the sweet spot. It’s not too shallow that you won’t feel it, but not too high that it feels like you’re getting assaulted by a jackhammer.
Stall Force
Stall force is another off your radar term, but it’s an important one when it comes to selecting a massage gun. It is defined as the amount of pressure required to completely stop or stall the motor. Again, to break that down, that means how hard you have to press the massage head down on your body to make the percussion head stop.
Stall force is generally the leading factor in determining how “strong” a massage gun is. If you’re someone that prefers a very hard, deep massage, a higher stall force would be important to you.
If you need convincing that the Ekrin B37 will be powerful enough for your needs, consider this: The B37 has a max stall force of 56 lbs, that’s only 4lbs less than the ultra-high performing Theragun Pro (which costs $599 FYI)! Believe us when we say this, you will never need that much force.
Motor
Inside the Ekrin B37 you will find a powerful yet very quiet 5 speed brushless motor. With that many settings, you can adjust the intensity of the massage to your liking. From 1400-3200PRM, each speed progressively increases the number of percussions per minute. That’s a pretty broad spectrum for a massage gun which makes it much more flexible for those that don’t tolerate faster speeds well.
The Ekrin B37 is quiet too!
You get a lot of power with the Ekrin B37 without sacrificing your hearing. Even set on high, the Ekrin only produces 55dB of noise. To put that in context, that’s slightly more noise than a running refrigerator. That means you can still very well carry on a conversation all while blasting those overworked hammies.
Design
The pros of the Ekrin B37 massage gun don’t stop at performance either. The design and build quality are also top notch.
Starting with the design, the exterior shell of the Ekrin B37 comes in a stylish green soft touch finish. It’s velvety smooth yet super grippy thanks to the silicon wrapped handle. In person, we think you’re going to love the way it looks and feels. Plus, the color is a nice change from all the other bland silver and black massage guns available.
Aesthetics aside, the standout feature has to be the 15 degree handle of the Ekrin B37. That slight angle of the handle and the fact that it only weighs 2.2 lbs, really makes a difference when it comes to ease of operation.
Whether you’re using it on yourself or on someone else, it feels much more natural to grip. With extended usage, we noticed that it also cut down on the amount of muscle fatigue that can result from holding it for more than a couple minutes at a time.
Battery Life
With any high powered device, battery life is always a primary concern. If you’re worried that the Ekrin B37 is going to be stuck on a wall charger, put those worries to rest.
Surprisingly, despite the high level of performance, the Ekrin B37 has excellent battery life. During our extensive week of testing, we never managed to completely drain the battery to zero. That’s all thanks to the non-removable, ultra reliable 2550 mAh Samsung lithuim ion battery.
Ekrin claims the B37 should offer up to 8 hours of industry leading battery life and we feel that is more than accurate. If you consider the fact that you shouldn’t use a massage gun on any one muscle group for more than 2 minutes, that’s quite a bit of worry-free massaging.
For your convenience, Ekrin Athletics designed the B37 with 4 LED lights on the top that serve as a battery life indicator.
Ekrin B37 vs Theragun Prime
There’s a lot to love about the Ekrin B37 and any “flaw” would be subjective. Relative to its much more expensive counterparts, the Theragun and Hypervolt, the Ekrin B37 delivers identical performance, if not better, in more ways than one.
Naturally, even if you’re new to massage guns, you’re likely already familiar with the two big players, Theragun and Hypervolt. For a number of years those two were frequently thought of as the “Gold Standard” percussion devices, but a lot has changed since their introduction. Namely, the “generic” competitors, like Ekrin Athletics, caught up and are now undercutting them with better performance at a much better price.
That said, let’s break down how they compare.
Ekrin B37 vs Theragun Prime Specs
Starting with Theragun, there are now a total of 4 different models in their lineup: Pro, Elite, Prime, and the Mini. Based on price alone, the Mini ($199) is the closest competitor to the Ekrin B37. However, the specs don’t even come close, so the next logical comparison would be to the Prime ($299), which is about $70 more than the B37. Price aside, how do the specs match up? Let’s have a look.
| Ekrin B37 vs Theragun | Ekrin B37 | Theragun Prime |
|---|---|---|
| Total Speeds | 5 (1400-3200 RPM) | 5 (1750-2400 RPM) |
| Attachments | 4 | 4 |
| Stall Force | 56 lbs | 30 lbs |
| Battery Life | 5-6 hours | 2 hours |
| Warranty | Lifetime | 1 year |
| Amplitude | 12mm | 16mm |
| Price | $229.99 | $299 |
Looking at the table, it quickly becomes apparent that the Prime’s specs in many regards comes up short to the B37. Now you could move up to the Elite model ($399) which includes a plethora of technological advancements, but the performance is still outdone by the Ekrin B37 in most areas.
If advanced features like built in bluetooth with an accompanying smartphone App are important to you, by all means go for the Elite. While we do like the integration of a guided App, long-term it ends up being a forgotten novelty.
When the dust settles and you set aside all the hype, taking into consideration all the aforementioned information, the most effective massage gun between the Ekrin B37 vs Theragun Prime is clear. In almost every way, the Ekrin B37 is the stand out contender in a very crowded massage gun space.
Ekrin B37 vs B37S Massage Gun Comparison
So, which one should you choose? The B37 or the B37S?
To help you make that decision, we’re going to take a closer look at the Ekrin B37 and B37S massage guns and compare their specs. By the end of this section, you should have a good idea of which one is the better option for you.
First up, let’s take one more look at the Ekrin B37…
The Ekrin B37 is a powerful massage gun that offers a great value for the price. It features a brushless motor that delivers up to 3200 percussions per minute, comes with 4 attachments, offers 8 hours of battery life, and weighs a meager 2.2 pounds. All in, the Ekrin B37 retails for $229.
Now, let’s take a look at the Ekrin B37S…
The Ekrin B37S is very similar to the B37, however there are a few key differences you should know about. First, the B37S is slightly more powerful, with a brushless motor that delivers up to 30% more power on the lower speeds settings. It does this all while maintaining the same 8 hour battery life!
Another difference is that the B37S comes with the Force Reactive Sensor which indicates if you’re applying too much pressure. It’s very intuitive and prevents bruising.
Like the B37, the B37S is very quiet, with a noise level of just 35dB. It’s also lightweight and portable, weighing in at just 2.2 pounds. The Ekrin B37S retails for $329 (get 25% off with promo code RT25)
So, which one should you choose?
If you’re looking for a powerful massage gun that offers great value for the price, the Ekrin B37 is a great option. However, if you want a slightly more powerful massage gun with a few extra attachments and Force Sensor, the Ekrin B37S is the better choice.
Bottom Line: Is the Ekrin B37 Massage Gun Worth Buying in 2023?
TL;DR: If you’ve gotten this far, our verdict should be pretty clear. The Ekrin B37 offers an exceptional amount of value for a below average price. For those reasons we still consider it to be the best massage gun you can buy today.
If you’re still undecided and not sure the B37 is right for you, rest easy knowing that Ekrin Athletics offers a 30 day money back guarantee.
Try it and if you don’t like it, return it with no questions asked. Ok, they might ask why, but it’s only in an attempt to make their product better. We promise it will be hassle-free.
Get 20% Off Any Ekrin Massage Gun
Use promo code “RT20” at checkout
Ekrin B37 Review FAQs
If you’re new or unfamiliar with how to use the Ekrin massage guns, take a look at our in-depth guide. In summary:
1. Before touching the skin, turn on the massage first and then slowly contact the body. Start off on the lowest setting to assess your tolerance level.
2. Gradually increase pressure and speed as you become more familiar with the various settings.
3. To activate muscle before working out, percuss each muscle group for 30 seconds.
4. For post-workout recovery, target each muscle group for no more than 2 minutes
5. Always listen to your body and remember, more is not always better.
The Ekrin B37 massage gun weighs 2.2 lbs. That weight is on par with pretty much every other full-size massage gun on the market. The Hyperice Hypervolt and the Theragun Elite weight about the same.
The worth and value of the Ekrin B37 massage gun is largely dependent on the user. If you use it as intended, massage guns can provide a significant number of benefits including:
1. Less muscle fatigue and soreness
2. Increased recovery time
3. Facilitates lymphatic drainage
4. and many more benefits..
At $189 with our discount code (RT20), that’s a very reasonable price for a massage gun of this caliber. In many regards, it’s more powerful, has more attachments, and includes a better warranty than Theragun, for example.
Ekrin Athletics is a Boston, Massachusetts based small business that has seen exponential growth since their founding in 2019.
Editor-In-Chief at Recovatech. Dr. Ben is a board-certified Doctor of Chiropractic with over 10 years of clinical experience. He specializes in structural and neurological imbalances with an emphasis on functional movement patterns, exercise performance, and muscle recovery. He has been the team chiropractor for professional baseball and soccer organizations, as well as collegiate athletes. In his personal life, he’s always been driven when it comes to athletics and personal performance.