The Chirp Wheel XR is for deeper tension in your neck and back.
Each of the 3 wheels features different textured foam to target your muscles and back differently.
Summary The Chirp Wheel XR Review: The Bottom Line
Like the original Chirp Wheel, the Chirp Wheel XR is meant to target the muscles surrounding the spine. The XR ramps up the pressure by featuring various thick foam textures on each of the 3 wheels that the 3-pack comes with.
The Chirp Wheel XR 3-Pack comes with 10”, 6”, and 4” wheels. The largest wheel features acupressure foam points. The medium wheel can be used on the back like the largest wheel. It is also meant for foam rolling your lower body. The 4” wheel is for your neck, specifically. The XR Wheels look different from the original Chirp Wheels and feel very different to use. The foam padding is textured to dig deeper into your muscles, while still featuring the spinal canal to keep pressure off your spine.
If you have a lot of tension and are looking for foam rollers for relief, then check out the Chirp Wheel XR.
- These are a better option for deeper tension than the original Chirp Wheel.
- There are different sizes for different areas of your body.
- The spinal canal helps to protect your spine while massaging the muscles along it.
- The 10” is designed to target trigger points and features an acupressure texture.
- The rounded texture on the 6” is good for knots and I like to place it behind my back when sitting in my office chair to encourage proper posture.
- The 4” allows you to relieve tension in your neck and control how much pressure is applied.
- Keep in mind that these are more severe to dig deeper into your muscles than the original Chirp Wheel.
- These are more expensive than the average foam roller.
- They’re not recommended for people with moderate to severe back and neck pain and certain back issues.
We’ve Chirped Before
We have the original Chirp Wheel Ultimate Back + Neck Bundle. In our office, we have a cabinet filled with recovery equipment. The Chirp Wheel is used regularly by many of our team members as a way to provide relief and to give us a moment away from our desks. The large 12” Chirp Wheel is probably used the most, with some of our team using it daily. From our experience using the Chirp Wheel along with several brands of massage guns, like Theragun, Hyperice, Bob and Brad, and Ekrin, we’ve compiled this Chirp Wheel XR review.
In-depth Chirp Wheel XR Review: Testing & Analysis
Build Quality
When testing the Chirp Wheel XR, we tried the 3-pack which includes the 10” acupressure wheel, 6” knot kneader wheel, and the 4” neck & headache wheel. Like the original Chirp Wheels, the XRs are 5” wide to focus on the muscles along the spine. The inner core of each wheel is made of ABS plastic. The foam on each wheel is much thicker than the 11 mm EVA foam padding on the original Chirp Wheels.
Chirp states that the name “XR” stands for extreme relief.
I think that sums up these three Chirp Wheels. They’re definitely not for beginners and those who are new to foam rolling.
At $129, at least at the time of writing this, the Chirp Wheel XR 3-pack is a lot pricier than your average foam roller. It’s a splurge, but considering how these wheels target your muscles and help your posture, they’re worth it if you have the budget.
Here is what you can expect from each of the Chirp Wheels.
Chirp Wheel XR 10” Acupressure
The largest Chirp Wheel in the XR 3-pack is the 10”. It features points that Chirp says target trigger points in the muscles on either side of your spine. This wheel is said to be like an acupressure massage.
It definitely feels more intense than the 12” and 10” Chirp Wheels.
It doesn’t require as much spinal flexion as the 12” regular Chirp, but it certainly digs deeper into your muscles and provides more pressure. You still get a similar stretch as the regular Chirp Wheels, because of its size.
The foam doesn’t have much give, so the points feel pretty firm. If you have a lot of tension all along your back, or even just between your shoulders or lower back, the 10” is a good option.
It can take some getting used to though, especially if you’re really sore or new to foam rolling.
Chirp Wheel XR 6” Knot Kneader
The XR 6” knot kneader Chirp Wheel is more intense than the 10”. The smaller the Chirp Wheel, the more pressure you get. This is true with the original Chirp Wheels, too. The circular foam texture is designed to help relieve muscle knots.
This Chirp Wheel XR is more versatile than the other two.
It is like the regular 6” Chirp Wheel. It can be used on your back for a very deep massage, as well as on your lower body. Even though it is only 5” wide, its depth makes it a little more similar to a regular foam roller. The circular-patterned foam makes it more severe than regular foam rollers, however, so keep this in mind.
Like the 6” regular Chirp Wheel, I find it a little hard to roll out my lower body. It can take some getting used to, to roll out your hamstrings, for instance. I personally like placing the 6” XR behind my back when I’m sitting at my office chair. I can rest it at the small of my back or mid back to help encourage me to sit up a little taller.
Chirp Wheel XR 4” Neck & Headache
Although I prefer the original Chirp Wheels overall for me personally, I like the XR 4” better than the regular 4” Chirp. The XR 4” is meant for your neck. It certainly looks intense because of the 4 points in the foam padding, but it isn’t as scary as it looks.
Chirp has designed this wheel to simply rest the back of your neck on.
When I first started using it, I thought it was meant to be rolled, like the other Chirp Wheels. Resting on it gives you control to focus exactly on tense areas in your neck.
The rounded foam points are meant to replicate “thumb pressure” and the other points replicate “two-finger pressure”. These are replicating the feeling you get when someone is massaging you. Although they probably won’t help with your migraine, if you have a lot of tension in your neck that causes headaches, this Chirp Wheel could help.
You can place either of these points or all of them along your neck. I like to utilize the untextured side of the wheel for tension, too. It is nice to be able to just rest your neck on it, that way you can control the amount of pressure that’s applied. The textured points align nicely on either side of your neck.
Overall, the Chirp Wheel XR 3-pack isn’t for everyone, but they’re great for deep tension and for those who want more than what the average foam roller has to offer.
Warranty
Chirp includes a 1-year warranty with the purchase of the Chirp Wheel XR.
Should You Buy The Chirp Wheel XR?
Is the Chirp Wheel XR for you? If you’ve used a regular foam roller before and found it to not dig deep enough into your muscles, then I would definitely consider the XR 3-pack. It’s also a great option if you’ve used the regular Chirp Wheels and want even more pressure. The Chirp Wheel XR is for people who have deep tension.
The textured foam makes for intense massage with the 10” and 6” Chirp Wheels. While the 10” is best to roll over your back on the ground, the 6” can be used on your back, legs, and I like to put it behind my back when I’m sitting in a chair to help correct my posture.
The 4” is for your neck. It is meant to be placed under the back of your neck to rest on. The different foam points can be used to help relieve tension in your neck. I think on days I have a headache, this could help me relieve it.
Chirp Wheel XR Review FAQs / Q&As
How many times per day can you use the Chirp Wheel?
Chirp recommends using the Chirp Wheels for a few minutes per day. They aren’t meant to be used for long periods of time, but you could use it for a few minutes a couple of times per day.
How do you use a Chirp Wheel XR?
The Chirp Wheel XR is meant to be used the same way as the original Chirp Wheels. You align the spinal canal to the middle of your back and lay on the Chirp Wheel XR and roll it along your back to relieve whatever areas of your back are tense. The 10” and 6” are used this way. The 6” can also be used as a regular foam roller to roll out your lower body, such as your glutes and hamstrings. The 4” is meant to be placed under the back of your neck to rest on. You then adjust your head and neck, as well as the 6” Chirp Wheel to target specific areas of your neck.
Is our Chirp Wheel XR review a paid review?
We were not paid to compile this Chirp Wheel XR review. We work with all kinds of brands for fitness and recovery equipment. We make money through our affiliate links. This is at no extra cost to you, if you purchase through them. This allows us to compile reviews and to keep testing all kinds of equipment so we can recommend the best on the market.
Sydney Kaiser, ISSA-CPT, ISSA Nutritionist Certification
Sydney is a certified fitness instructor, personal trainer, and sports nutritionist who combines her passion for fitness, health, and wellness with her passion for writing. After graduating from UC Riverside with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, she began teaching indoor cycling and Lagree Fitness group fitness classes to people of all ages and abilities. Raised in Central Michigan, Sydney grew up training and competing on the Arabian Horse Association circuit through both Regional and National levels in Dressage and Sport Horse classes. In college, Sydney went on to compete at the collegiate level as a Division 1 equestrian athlete. Here at TRG, Sydney relies on her extensive background in fitness when reviewing and recommending all kinds of fitness, recovery, and health-related products.
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