The budget-friendly Bob And Brad C2 Mini Massager is a five-speed percussive therapy gun that pummels well above its price tag.
If you’ve decided that your recovery sessions should consist of more than a few hip stretches or moves on one of the best foam rollers for workout recovery, the small but mighty Bob And Brad C2 Mini Massager could be well worth a look.
Men’s Fitness verdict
This solidly built and affordable massage gun takes care of the basics well. If you want portability at a lower price and don’t mind a lighter massage, it’s well worth a look.- Comparatively quiet even at top speed
- Gym-bag portability
- Great value
- No Bluetooth app
- Lower amplitude, less massage depth
- Not adjustable
How we tested the best massage guns
Our testers used every massage gun over a period of at least a month. They would use their full range of accessories as part of a recovery protocol after strength sessions, cardio work, bodyweight and extended mobility sessions. They judged each massage gun on ease of use, features and restorative power, taking force, percussive speed, battery life, charging time and variety of accessories into account to come up with a final score.
What is the Bob And Brad C2 Mini Massager?
Designed by physiotherapy YouTube duo Bob and Brad, this five-speed percussive therapy gun packs a whole lot of pummelling power for under £100. On paper it packs the power and versatility of much pricier and less portable massagers.
The gun itself is about 22 x 18.5cm and, at 680g, it’s nice and light (about a protein bar heavier than the Theragun Mini at 650g). The carry case is fairly compact, but the gun itself is much more gym-bag friendly out of the case. In fact, it’s ideal for gym bags or race-day treatments.
In the hand, it’s a little top-heavy and you can’t adjust the C2’s head, but the silicone handle offers a secure and comfortable grip and the compact size makes it easy to get to most major muscles and tight spots.
Bob And Brad C2 Mini Massager features
The Bob And Brad C2 Mini Massager is equipped with a brushless motor with five speeds, and a competitive range from 2,000 to 3,200 RPM. It can also handle forces up to 40lbs without stalling. Only a few – much more expensive – massage guns like the Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro offer higher and lower speeds.
It does offer only 8mm of amplitude. The amplitude determines the depth and intensity of the massage and the Bob And Brad C2 Mini Massager is at the lower end. Top-end massage guns commonly deliver amplitudes up to 16mm and some even up to 26mm. In practice, this means the massage doesn’t quite hit the spot with as much depth as bigger guns and that makes for a lighter-touch relief.
If you’re after real power, you might need to look elsewhere, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing for treating more sensitive spots. And when it comes to how much bang your muscles get for your bucks, the C2 holds its own nicely. Just make sure you’re getting those stretching exercises in, too.
It’s a quiet operator, too. The listed loudness ranges from 35 decibels (DB) at low speed and hits 65 DB at max speed. So it’s quiet enough to get away with using on the sofa while watching TV.
The Bob And Brad C2 Mini Massager comes with a selection of five easy-to-swap interchangeable heads. That’s more than most mini-guns offer. It includes one larger, padded air cushion head; one foam ball head; a bullet head for trigger points; a fork head that’s good for delivering twice as much pinpoint force to your quads, hamstrings and glutes; and a smaller, firmer round head.
Bob And Brad C2 Mini Massager battery life
Battery life is listed as four hours and in our tests that pretty much lived up to that billing – stretching to a couple of weeks’ regular usage before we had to recharge. Among its other smarts, there’s a ten-minute automatic shutdown, designed to help prevent overuse. There’s no Bluetooth connectivity or in-app smart guidance bells and whistles like you get with pricier guns, but for under £100 that’s no surprise.
Overall, the Bob And Brad C2 Mini Massager is solidly built, affordable massage gun that takes care of the basics well. If you want portability at a lower price and don’t mind a lighter massage, it’s well worth a look.
