The popularity of massage guns has exploded recently and with this, we’ve seen a huge influx of new products hitting the aisles.
I’m guessing this is at least partly due to us seeing professional athletes use ’em on the sidelines during televised games, but it’s probably due to the fact that these things actually work as well.
Yup, when it comes to reducing muscle tightness and improving recovery, a quality massage gun can be a helpful tool.
Speaking of quality massage guns, I was recently lucky enough to get my hands on Bob and Brad’s D6 Pro and I have to say, this thing doesn’t disappoint.
From the convenient carrying case to the sleek, multi-grip design of the massager itself, it’s evident these guys paid attention to every detail when designing this thing.
And in terms of function, I found the D6 to be powerful and easy to use and I really like that it comes with a few pre-programmed modes that automatically change the speed during use.
It also has a high-capacity battery that’ll give you upwards of 3 hours of massage time between charges, which is awesome.
The only real downside I’ve noticed so far is that it’s a little heavy, so it could be difficult to self-massage harder to reach areas of your body.
If you’re looking for a reasonably priced massage gun, I think the D6 Pro is a great choice, but before you buy, you need to know what this massager is all about.
And this is where I can help.
In this hands-on review, I’ll go over everything this massager does and doesn’t have going for it; I’ll also share my personal experience with it and discuss how I like to use it.
After reading, you’ll know whether or not the D6 Pro is worth investing in for yourself.
Disclaimer: the good folks at Bob and Brad were kind enough to send me a D6 Pro to try out for this review, but I haven’t been compensated in any other way. This review is based solely on my personal experience with this product.
Bob and Brad D6 Pro Massage Gun
I didn’t know this, but as I was doing a little research in preparation for this article, I learned that a chiropractor designed the first massage gun.
As a physical therapist, I have a natural rivalry with chiropractors and as such, hate to give chiropractors any credit whatsoever…
But in this case, I’m forced to admit that at least one chiropractor, Jason Wersland, had a brilliant idea.
His original invention became so popular with his patients that he ultimately ended up creating the Theragun, the first massage gun to hit the commercial market.
It was a huge hit, so numerous brands have been creating their own massage guns ever since.
Massage guns come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, but one thing all true massage “guns” have in common is that they use percussion to deliver the massage.
This means the massage head actually moves up and down in a vertical motion, which is opposed to a massage vibrator, which simply vibrates.
Percussion massage guns are designed to reach deeper tissues, making them better at targeting trigger points and other tight muscles, where vibrating massagers tend to act more superficially.
Anyway, Bob and Brad are physical therapists (yes!) who’ve designed a whole lineup of massage guns and other therapeutic tools for home recovery.
They also have a popular YouTube channel where they go over all kinds of great exercises and therapy related tips to help self-treat a wide range of common issues.
As a physical therapist myself, I’d like to formally congratulate Bob and Brad for their online presence and give them a standing ovation for a job exceptionally well-done.
As a duo, they’re playfully nerdy, but their videos are informative and easy to follow and they offer some great advice – I highly recommend checking ’em out if you’ve got any PT related questions.
But back to the D6 Pro.
As I mentioned, Bob & Brad have a large lineup of products, but the D6 Pro is their highest-end massage gun to date.
As I’m writing this, it’s selling for $249 through Amazon.
Pros
- 6 speeds ranging from 1500 – 2500 RPM
- 85 lb stall force allowing for deeper pressure
- 7 included massage heads
- 6 adjustable head angles
- 4 modes
- Long lasting battery
- Easy to use
- Sleek frame
- Convenient carrying case
- Storage bag for heads
- Awesome rehab guide included with purchase
- 1 year warranty
- Reasonable price
Cons
- At 2.8 lb, a bit heavy for a massage gun
- Metal massage head not included
Features
The D6 Pro is a true massage gun, so it looks a bit like a power drill or a handheld blender.
It’s a single piece unit, so it doesn’t require any assembly other than swapping out massage heads, and I find the all black color scheme to be sleek and attractive.
The open rectangular frame offers different hand grip options and the tapered shape of the frame makes for a comfortable grip.
In general, I find the D6 Pro to be comfortable to hold and manipulate, but I will say it’s pretty heavy.
I didn’t weigh it myself, but according to Bob and Brad, the D6 weighs just under 3 lb, which is pretty heavy for a massage gun.
This added weight gives it a durable, heavy-duty feel, but it also makes it harder to hold with one hand when trying to reach harder to get to areas.
Personally, I have issues with chronic lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) on both elbows and at times I find it challenging to hold the D6 with one hand while trying to massage the other elbow.
The weight isn’t an issue when treating other areas or when treating someone else, where both hands can be used at the same time.
But I could see the weight being a possible problem for older folks or folks dealing with hand/forearm related issues.
Otherwise, let’s take a look at everything the D6 Pro comes with:
Speeds
The D6 comes with 6 different speed options and they are as follows:
- 1500 RPM
- 1700 RPM
- 1900 RPM
- 2100 RPM
- 2300 RPM
- 2500 RPM
This is a pretty large range of speeds to choose from, making it likely that users of all preferences will be able to find a comfortable speed to work with.
The speeds themselves might not mean much to ya unless you have history with massage guns, but 2500 RPM is pretty darn fast.
There are massage guns out there that reach higher speeds (3200 RPM is the fastest I’ve seen), but I would bet 2500 RPM is intense enough for most folks.
Personally, I find the 2500 RPM setting to be quite intense, so I spend most of my time more in the 1900 – 2100 RPM range.
But theoretically, using a faster speed would reach down to hit deeper tissues, so if you’re dealing with a stubborn trigger point, I could see the faster settings being helpful.
The speeds are adjusted with a button on the handle and I like that the display actually shows you what speed you’re on (instead of simply showing a number to represent which level).
I also want to mention that this massage gun has a stall force of 85 lb, which is about as high as you’ll find on any elite massage gun.
The stall force refers to how hard you can press the massage gun into your tissue before it malfunctions (or stalls out) – so having a higher stall force means you can press harder while massaging.
I’m able to press as hard as I can tolerate and the D6 Pro hasn’t stalled out at all.
This makes it better suited for reaching deeper tissues and releasing trigger points, which usually respond better to higher pressures.
Overall, I like the large range of speeds the D6 Pro offers and I love that it can handle large pressures without stalling.
Modes
This massage gun comes with 4 different modes, depending on how you want to massage. These are as follows:
- M1 – manual mode
- M2- automatic incremental mode
- M3 – automatic decreasing mode
- M4 – triangle wave mode
M1 is manual mode and that’s the one I use the most. In this mode, you manually select the speed and it will stay at that speed until you change it.
In M2, you’ll start at 1500 RPM and go up in speed every 5 seconds until you reach 2500 RPM, and then it’ll start all over again (it will run through this cycle for 10 minutes and then shut off automatically).
M3 is the opposite of M2 – it starts at 2500 RPM and works its way down to 1500 RPM, again running for 5 seconds at each stage.
M4 is its own thing, where it goes from 1700 RPM up to 2300 RPM and then back down to 1800 RPM, by 100 RPM intervals, each for 2 seconds.
Personally, I like M1 and M2 the best, but it’s nice having the different automatic modes to choose from.
The modes are easily changed by holding the “M” button on the handle and then using the arrows to select.
Head Angles
The D6 Pro also comes with 6 head angles that are easily adjusted by pushing a little button at the top of the handle.
At the lowest head angle, you’ll have it at around a 90° with regards to the handle (this is where I usually use it) and at the highest setting, you’ll have it damn near vertical.
The head adjusts smoothly and clicks into place to let you know it’s locked.
You can also hold the button down to rapidly set the head where you want it without having to go through each position separately.
Overall, I appreciate how smoothly the head moves, making it easy to find a comfortable treatment position.
Massage Heads
The D6 Pro comes with 7 included massage heads designed to work best for different parts of the body.
Bob and Brad include a helpful chart in their user manual that describes which parts of the body the different massages heads are best used, but it really all boils down to personal preference.
In general, the larger ball heads are better suited at larger muscle groups (especially in the legs), where the smaller, harder heads are better at pin pointing specific trigger points.
The D6 Pro comes with a mid-sized, flat head which works well for trigger points and the flat “spade” which works well for moving along the length of a muscle (I haven’t tried it yet, but I could see that one working well for the IT band).
One of the more unique heads is the “air cushion”, which looks like a little air pump.
It offers a dampened impact, making it nice for really sensitive areas – I can even use it right over my proximal radioulnar joint without any discomfort.
I noticed that their X6 Pro edition comes with a metal head that can be heated or cooled for therapeutic use, but it isn’t included with the D6 Pro, which is a little disappointing.
Overall though, I like all the heads Bob and Brad include with their D6 and the quality seems high.
Rechargeable Battery
This massage gun comes with an integrated battery that’s easily charged by plugging a USB-C cord directly into the bottom of the handle.
The USB-C cord and charger are included with purchase, which is always nice.
My D6 came with a 50% charged battery, so I was able to start playing with it immediately out of the box, but their manual recommends charging for 2.5 hours before the first use.
Charging time will obviously depend on battery level, but I feel like mine charged faster than that- I went from a 50% charge to full charge in an hour or so I think.
Regardless, the little LCD screen on the handle tells you your battery level on a 5 bar scale, so you can always keep an eye on where you’re at.
With a full battery, you should be able to get somewhere between 2.5 – 3 hours of use, depending on what level you use.
Carrying Case
The D6 massage gun is nice in itself, but I’m really impressed with the carrying case that comes with it too.
Not only is the case sleek too, but it comes with a handy pocket inside for holding the manuals and charger and it also comes with a convenient pocket for holding all the massage heads.
Oh, the massage heads also come with their only little zippered bag for easy storing – this is a huge advantage over some more affordable massagers I’ve used that simply threw ’em in the case.
Overall, the case looks great and does a great job of keeping everything organized.
User Manual/Training Guide
Bob and Brad include 2 manuals with the D6 Pro – the user manual and a rehabilitation training guide.
The user manual goes over all the basics of how to use the D6, troubleshooting, etc and everything else you’d expect from a user manual.
The rehab guide, though, consists of a rather extensive treatment plan for specific, common ailments (knee pain, back pain, plantar fasciitis, etc).
Not only does the guide go over suggestions on how to use the massage gun to treat these areas, but it also suggests stretches/exercises to try as well.
To me, this is going above and beyond.
These guys obviously put a lot of work into this rehab guide and it’s awesome that they include it with this massage gun.
This is an example of Bob and Brad paying attention to the small details and you know what they say – it’s the small details that make all the difference.
Warranty
Bob and Brad’s D6 Pro Massage Gun comes with the following warrant:
- 1 year
Yup, the D6 is covered with a 1 year warranty, so if anything stops working in that first year, you should be covered.
They also offer a free, 30-day return policy, so you can send it back and get a refund if you’re not happy for any reason in that first 30 days.
The D6 they sent me worked perfectly, so I don’t have any direct experience with their customer service, but according to other users on Amazon, it sounds like they offer great customer service.
With regards to the length of the warranty, it’s pretty average for massage guns.
A lot of brands offer a single year, some offer up to 2-3 years of coverage, depending on cost.
Considering some massage guns can easily cost $500 – $600, I think a year warranty for a $250 massager is pretty solid.
Final Thoughts
Ok, I think that about does it for the D6 Pro.
I want to thank the team at Bob and Brad again for sending me a massage gun to try out for this review, you’re very kind to do so.
I also want to say that I really like this massager.
The D6 is sleek, easy to use, and powerful and I love that it can handle strong pressure without crapping out.
I also like the selection of heads included and the organizational value that the convenient carrying case offers.
It’s not a huge issue for me, but the biggest downside I could see for some people would be the sheer weight of the D6 – at almost 3 lb, it’s pretty heavy.
This could make it tough to hold with one hand while working on harder to reach areas.
But this is a necessary tradeoff for getting the stronger motor and longer lasting battery – these nicer components weigh more.
All things considered, if you’re looking for a high-quality massage gun that won’t break the bank, I think Bob and Brad’s D6 Pro is a great choice.
I know I look forward to using it to calm my sore and achy muscles for the long run.
P.S. – you can save 10% with the discount code “BOBANDBRADD6”.
