Hypervolt GO review

In this Hypervolt Go review, we’ll be taking a look at the design, features, and performance of this electric massage gun, so you’ll have everything you need before deciding to purchase.  

With a brushless high-torque 40W motor and a rate of up to 3200 percussions per minute (PPM), the Hypervolt Go by Hyperice aims to duplicate the success of other Hypervolt massage guns, with the added bonus of being portable.

Small enough to pack into a gym bag or take on a flight, and light enough to use for a long time without tiring out your arm, the Hypervolt Go still packs a punch performance-wise. A companion app introduces massage routines and targets specific areas, while three speed settings provide a range of intensity.

The Hypervolt Go is quick to charge and simple enough to use almost straight away. From its single power button that switches the device on and toggles through speed settings, to its click-on attachments, there’s nothing complicated about it. 

It also looks good, with a sleek, black, matte casing and ergonomic design.

And if you’re looking for something bigger and more sophisticated, our guide to the best massage guns has lots more options for the perfect fit.

Hypervolt GO review: size and design

The Hypervolt Go comes in a sleekly-designed, recyclable cardboard box. Inside is the massage gun and two attachments - a flat head and a bullet head - which can be attached to the massage gun. 

The flat head is designed for larger surface areas, such as quads, hamstrings, back, and chest. The bullet head is designed to target trigger points in the glutes, hips, traps, shoulders, and other complex muscle groups.

A user manual and 18v power supply is also included, along with a series of ‘quick start’ cards explaining how to download the companion Hyperice app, how to power up the Hypervolt Go, and caring for the massage gun. Users will need to charge the device for up to six hours before first use, although ours took just 1.5 hours for a full charge. 

Handily, the charger comes with a total of four plug adapters, so the massage gun can be used abroad.  A charging indicator ring glows yellow while the device is charging, changing to green when it is fully charged. 

The gun itself is around the same size as a travel hairdryer, weighing in at 1.5lbs. It’s ergonomically designed to be easy to grasp firmly with one hand and move around the body, targeting areas that need work. It has an expensive look and feel, with matte, black casing. 

The Hypervolt Go is small enough to take to the gym or pop into a case or bag when traveling. It’s also approved by the Transportation Security Administration for carry-on luggage, so you can use it on long-haul flights. However, no carry case for the gun or the attachments is provided, so it’s easy to lose an attachment if you’re not careful. 

Hypervolt GO review: functionality

The Hypervolt Go has three speed settings that users can toggle through, depending on their preference or the routine they are following on the companion Hyperice app. 

After installing the app, users are invited to select the sports they usually partake in. This helps the app to serve up specific massage routines. The app can also connect with other apps, such as Strava and Garmin, to get information on your fitness routine, though you can skip this step if you wish.

Routines are varied, from a short, ‘relieving desk tension’ routine, to a 28 minute ‘full body activate’ routine.  Users can also select muscle groups from a cartoon body within the app to find bespoke routines that target specific areas, such as a ‘lower back pinpoint’ routine. 

There are also plenty of videos within the app that feature expert advice on relieving pain, improving form in fitness, and general health and lifestyle tips.

Users can power on the Hypervolt Go by simply holding the power button down for a couple of seconds. This button also toggles between the three speed settings.

To change the head attachment, simply click it firmly into the opening. 

Hypervolt GO review: performance

First up, we tested how noisy the Hypervolt Go is during operation. The gun comes with three speed settings, each measured in percussions per minute (PPM). This measures how many times the device pulses in 60 seconds:

• Level 1: 2200
• Level 2: 2750
• Level 3: 3200 

At its lowest setting, using the flat head attachment, the gun clocked in at 48 decibels. The middle setting was 52 decibels and the highest setting was around 54 decibels. These are all around the same level as moderate rainfall, or the hum of a refrigerator. So during operation, the Hypervolt Go is fairly quiet, although it’s not the ‘near-silent operation’ the manufacturer promises. 

It’s easy enough to simply use the Hypervolt Go as you wish, to target specific areas of tension or ache, but the app also helps users to look for routines to manage injuries, warm up muscles or cool down after exercise.

We tried out one of these routines, the 7-minute ‘All Day Desk Tension’ routine, using both the flat and bullet attachment. A video tutorial talks users through where to place the massage gun and how much pressure to apply. However, it can be difficult to understand just how much pressure is appropriate, and users will have to decide for themselves which speed setting to use. 

Some of the routines available also use head attachments that aren’t supplied with the Hypervolt Go, but are supplied with the Hypervolt 2, which may be frustrating for users, although you could simply follow the routine using the flat head attachment.

The battery is designed to last for up to 2.5 hours on a full charge. We didn’t have the time to put this to the test during our at-home testing, but we did use the Hypervolt Go for around an hour in total, with no loss of power or performance.

Using the Hypervolt Go is easy and fairly intuitive, though the app is helpful in directing a newcomer to massage techniques. It’s effective at relieving aches and pains in tight muscles around the back and shoulder blades, although like most massage guns it bounces around a little on bony areas such as the spine and the shins. The app routines are easy to follow, although some of them could do with more directions on how much pressure to apply.

Hypervolt GO review: what’s good about it?

The Hypervolt Go is small enough to be slipped into a gym bag or travel luggage, and used whenever or wherever you need it. Because it’s so small, it also feels less unwieldy than bigger devices, and its light weight means you can use it for longer without tiring. It charges quickly, and the 2.5-hour battery life means it can be used for a variety of routines and sessions before you need to recharge.

The matte black finish of the Hypervolt Go gives it an expensive look and feel, and the slightly different finish on the handle makes it easier to hold and operate, without losing your grip. 

Hypervolt GO review: what’s not so good about it?

One of the main drawbacks of the Hypervolt Go is its lack of Bluetooth connectivity. This means you can’t connect it to the app and get specific routines that guide you on what pressure to apply where, as you can with the Hypervolt 2. This can be incredibly useful if you’re just starting out and aren’t sure how to use your new massage gun most effectively, or how much pressure to apply. 

The lack of head attachments is also frustrating. Given how expensive these devices are to buy, an extra head or two shouldn’t cost the manufacturer much to include, and would increase the number of routines you can follow on the app, as well as how much value you get out of the device. However, extra heads can be purchased separately.

Hypervolt GO review: User reviews

The Hypervolt Go has an impressive 4.5 stars out of five on Amazon, with an astonishing 85% of users giving it the full five stars. Reviewers praise its simple design and comfortable grip, as well as its ability to give a good quality massage. Women in particular appreciate the smaller handle for a comfortable grip.

However, users do notice the lack of extra attachments and a few reviewers remarked on the lack of a carry case, which, given that it is marketed as a device for using on the go, seems like an obvious omission. 

Should you buy the Hypervolt GO?

If you’re new to massage guns, you want a lightweight gun that’s easy to use, or you want a device that you can slip into your gym bag or take travelling, the Hypervolt Go is the perfect massage gun. 

Relatively quiet, and small enough to travel with you to work or gym, or to take on a long-haul flight, the Hypervolt Go does everything a larger massage gun does, without the bulk or heft.

There’s no doubt that the Hypervolt Go is priced at the more expensive end of the market, but the companion app, ergonomic design and high performance make this massage gun worth investing in. 

If this product isn’t for you

If you like the sound of this massage gun, but you want one with a Bluetooth connection, then why not try the Hypervolt 2? It also comes with five attachments, and pressure sensor indicators, so you know when to add more power, and when to ease up.

If you’d like a more customizable massage gun, the Recovapro Lite comes in a range of different colors, including pink, silver, black and blue. Plus it has four attachments and a carry case.

For serious athletes looking for a professional piece of kit, the HoMedics Pro Physio comes with six massage heads and a heated head feature that delivers warmth straight to aching muscles.