Ekrin Athletics is a newer massage gun company that is growing in popularity. After testing some of their massage guns, we can see why. They’re well-powered, effective, and quiet. In this review, we’re taking a look at the Ekrin Bantam Massage Gun. This is the smallest model in Ekrin’s lineup. It only weighs 1.1 lbs and is small enough to fit in your hand. This portable massage gun comes with a hardshell carrying case so you can easily take it with you traveling or to the gym. Wherever you workout you can bring the Ekrin Bantam along to help keep your muscles free from tension and tightness.
Why You Should Trust Our Review Of The Ekrin Bantam Massage Gun
Massage guns and percussive equipment come in various prices and sizes. There are massage guns that can be used in sports facilities all day long and others that are so small you can take them with you to the gym. We’ve tested all kinds and we’re here to help you find the best massage gun for you.
While testing the Ekrin Bantam, we pulled out other massage guns that we have on hand that are similar. Some of these models were the Theragun Mini, Hypervolt Go 2, Bob And Brad Q2 Mini, and C2, as well as the Ekrin B37.
- This is a very compact, travel-friendly massage gun.
- For its price and size, it is still pretty powerful and very effective.
- This is a quiet massage gun that can be used at home or on the go.
- There are 3 percussion speed settings to choose from depending on your level of tension.
- The handle is small and lightweight to fit well in your hands.
- This small and affordable massage gun is backed by a lifetime warranty.
- It isn’t as high-powered as larger massage guns.
- 3 Adjustable Speed Settings (2000, 2600, and 3200 RPMs)
- Travel-Friendly Size
- 4 Included Attachment Heads (Flat, Bullet, Round, and Fork)
- Hardshell Zipper Case Included
- 10 Minutes Intelligent Stop
- 6 Hours of Battery Life
- LED Lights for speed settings and battery life
- No Bluetooth Connectivity
- USB Type-C Charging Port and Charger
- Handle Size: 3” L
- Handle Circumference: 5.4”
- Weight: 1.1 lbs
- Level 1 Brushless Motor
- Amplitude: 10 mm
- Stall Force: 35 lbs
- Rechargeable Premium Lithium-ion Battery
- Warranty: Lifetime
In-depth Review of Ekrin Bantam Massage Gun
Construction
The Ekrin Bantam is really lightweight and compact. It isn’t the smallest portable massage gun we’ve tried, but it’s a great size to fit well in hand and to take with you on the go. It only weighs 1.1 lbs so it’s really light.
Even though this is a compact, portable massage gun, the Bantam is still powerful and good for relieving muscle tension.
Motor
The Ekrin Bantam has a level 1 brushless motor. The motor feels comparable to other massage guns in this price range and size. It is quiet enough to hold a conversation over, which is really nice. In comparison, it is quieter than the Theragun Mini and more comparable to Bob And Brad Massage Guns, and even the smallest and quietest model which is the Q2 Mini.
It actually feels more comparable to the Bob And Brad C2 and Hypervolt Go 2, which are a little larger in size. I think the motor’s stall force helps to make the Ekrin Bantam feel as strong as it is. It has a 35 lb stall force, which is pretty significant for a massage gun of its size. The Theragun Mini in comparison only has a 20 lb stall force.
The stall force is the amount of force or pressure that you can place on the massage gun while using it before the motor stalls. 35 lbs is a significant amount and more than you would ever need to place on the Bantam while using it. This force definitely helps indicate a well-constructed design.
Amplitude
In addition to the motor and stall force, the amplitude is a big factor that helps to determine how powerful and effective a massage gun is at delivering percussive therapy. The amplitude or stroke length, is the movement that the attachment travels back and forth while the massage gun is on. When holding it to the muscle, it is the amount of depth the massage gun can dig into your muscles.
We didn’t expect the Ekrin Bantam to have a very long stroke length, which it doesn’t, but it is still a great range to relieve tension throughout the body. The Bantam has a 10 mm amplitude which is around average for most massage guns. For a massage gun in this price range though, the Bantam’s amplitude is a little higher. The Bob And Brad C2 only has an 8 mm amplitude, so the Bantam massages deeper. It isn’t quite as strong as the Theragun Mini or the Ekrin B37, but considering it is smaller and cheaper, it has plenty of depth.
Handle
The Ekrin Bantam looks like a mini copy of the Ekrin B37. Its handle is much shorter and slimmer. This makes the Bantam more travel-friendly. It also fits a little better in smaller hands since the B37’s handle feels a little thick. I can wrap my hand around it better than the B37. It has the same 15-degree angle that other Ekrin Massage Guns have.
The texture on the handle is the same on the entire massage gun, although the handle consists of a large portion of the build. It feels soft and velvety without feeling slippery.
Percussion Settings
There are 3 adjustable speed settings for the percussions on the Ekrin Bantam. The percussions are a little faster than Therabody’s massage guns in comparison. 2000 RPMs is the slowest and then 2600, and the fastest is 3200 RPMs. I like this range because the lowest setting feels light enough for more sensitive areas, while the fastest setting can definitely help to target my more stubborn and deeper areas of tension like my lower back.
Once you turn the Bantam on, it will start in the lowest setting and then once you press the power button it will increase to the next setting each time you push the button.
Attachments
Even though this is Ekrin Athletics’ most affordable and smallest massage gun, the Bantam still comes with 4 different attachment heads. Having a different variety of attachments to choose from is great for different areas of tension and for using the massage gun all over your body. Considering the Theragun Mini only comes with 1 attachment, this is a nice feature.
Flat Head
I like the silicone covering because it doesn’t make the flat head feel quite as firm as other flat head attachments. Sometimes, these attachments can feel a little hard on certain areas of the body.
Bullet Head
It’s plastic, hard, and best for targeting deep tension and specific areas of the body like the hands and feet. It definitely provides the most amount of pressure out of all the attachments.
Round Head
I really like this round attachment. It has a silicone covering rather than hard foam covering like the Ekrin B37’s round attachment. The silicone is a little easier to wipe clean and your skin doesn’t rub off on it like the foam covering.
The round attachment provides a lower amount of pressure or impact than the other attachments, including the flat one, but I like using it for overall use, especially on large muscle groups.
Fork Head
It literally forks in two directions so you can use it on the muscles along the spine without actually applying pressure and percussive therapy on the spine. I like that the ends are a little flatter than other fork attachments because the pressure and impact don’t feel quite as high as others. This way, you can use it in a little more sensitive areas.
Functionality & Performance
For a small, portable massage gun the Ekrin Bantam is a really hearty little massage gun. It offers a great range of amplitude and percussion speed to work well for most people. Serious athletes might prefer something a little stronger, but to take it with you while traveling or even just to the gym, the Bantam is a great option.
It’s a zipper case that neatly fits the massage gun, attachments, and USB-C charger. Everything has a place and the case has a top handle so you can carry it easily. It’s also small enough to fit in your suitcase, duffle bag, or even a tote bag.
Of course, the Ekrin Bantam isn’t best for all-day use like commercial-rated massage guns like the Theragun Pro. We didn’t expect it to be in this price range. Compared to other massage guns in its class and price, the Ekrin is a great contender and option. I recommend it to those who need a travel-friendly massage gun, to beginners who are new to percussive therapy, as well as households who want a massage gun to use occasionally. The Bantam comes with a built-in 10-minute timer that shuts it off after 10 minutes of continuous use.
The battery is said to last up to 6 hours which is a long time. Considering you’ll probably only be using the massage gun for 5-20 minutes or so at a time, one charge could last you days if not weeks. For charging the battery, the Bantam comes with a USB-C compatible charger. You will need a USB wall adapter plug of your own to plug the Bantam into the wall though.
The blue light is 80-100% charged, the purple light is 60-80% charged, the red light is 20-60% charged, and if the red light flashes it is below 20% and needs to be charged.
There isn’t a light to show which percussive speed setting you’re at, but with only 3 settings you don’t really need it. They get slightly louder and faster as the setting increases.
Warranty
We love that the Ekrin Bantam is backed with a lifetime warranty. This helps instill confidence in the well-made construction.
Bottom Line Review: Ekrin Bantam Massage Gun
If you’re looking for a portable, compact massage gun then I recommend checking out the Ekrin Bantam. It has a small enough size and comes with a small carrying case so you can easily take this with you to the gym or on your travels. Even though this is the smallest and most lightweight massage gun in Ekrin Athletics’ lineup, we’re really impressed with how powerful and strong it is. It delivers a great amount of percussive therapy while offering a good range of speed depending on your level of tension. It comes with 4 different attachments so you can use this massage gun on muscles all over the body. The Ekrin Bantam is also really quiet so you can use it just about anywhere without disrupting others.
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