Quick Answer: Ekrin Athletics makes five massage guns, and the Ekrin B37 is the one to buy: a 56 lb stall force (more than double a Theragun Prime’s ~30 lb), a 12mm amplitude, 5 speeds from 1,400–3,200 RPM, and a 5–6 hour Samsung-cell battery for $229.99 — backed by a lifetime warranty, which no Theragun or Hypervolt offers at any price. Want deeper? The flagship Kestrel ($349.99) stretches to 13mm and 3,500 RPM. Traveling light? The 1.1 lb Bantam ($149.99, often ~$105 on sale) out-punches the Theragun Mini at half the cost. The main thing Ekrin doesn’t sell: a 16mm ultra-deep stroke or app connectivity.
Ekrin Athletics is the brand serious reviewers keep recommending over the household names. Founded by former college athletes, it sells direct plus through Amazon and Walmart, undercuts Theragun and Hyperice on price, and then does the one thing nobody else in the category does: warranties every gun for life. After working through the full five-model range, our verdict is that Ekrin is the value benchmark of mid-range percussion — you give up the deepest strokes and the apps, and you keep everything that actually treats muscle.
The Ekrin lineup at a glance
| Model | Best for | Amplitude | Stall force | Speeds | Battery | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ekrin B37 | Best overall | 12mm | 56 lb | 5 (1,400–3,200 RPM) | 5–6 hrs | ~1.6 lb | $229.99 |
| Ekrin Kestrel | Best premium / deep tissue | 13mm | 55+ lb | 6 (1,800–3,500 RPM) | Up to 6 hrs | ~1.6 lb | $349.99 |
| Ekrin B37S | Most low-speed power | 12mm | 56 lb | Variable (2,000–3,200 RPM) | Up to 8 hrs | ~1.7 lb | $329.99 |
| Ekrin 365 | Best everyday / entry | 12mm | 40 lb | 4 (2,000–3,200 RPM) | 5+ hrs, USB-C | 1.7 lb | $179.99 |
| Ekrin Bantam | Best travel / mini | 8mm | 35 lb | 3 (2,000–3,200 RPM) | 4–6 hrs, USB | 1.1 lb | $149.99 |
Check Ekrin massage gun prices on Amazon →
Ekrin B37 — the one to buy
The B37 is the gun that built Ekrin’s reputation, and three-plus years after launch it’s still the sweet spot of the range. The headline number is the 56 lb stall force — per Massage Gun Advice’s testing, the motor doesn’t noticeably slow when you lean into a dense quad or glute, which is exactly where most $200-class guns give up. That force drives a 12mm amplitude (the same stroke length as a $299 Theragun Prime) across five speeds from 1,400 to 3,200 RPM, so the low end is genuinely gentle enough for recovery days and the top end fast enough for pre-workout activation.
Two details separate it from the spec-sheet crowd. First, the 15-degree angled handle: reviewers at Treadmill Review Guru and Massage Gun Advice both single it out for cutting wrist strain versus straight T-handles, especially when reaching your own back and shoulders. Second, the battery: a Samsung lithium cell rated 5–6 hours per charge — Recovatech’s three-year follow-up review reported the same unit still holding up, which is the kind of longevity claim the lifetime warranty makes credible. What you don’t get: Bluetooth, an app, or a screen. Nothing on the B37 needs one.
Check Ekrin B37 price on Amazon →
Kestrel & B37S — the premium tier
The Kestrel ($349.99) is Ekrin’s 2024-era flagship and its deepest-reaching gun: a 13mm amplitude, over 55 lb of stall force, and six speeds from 1,800 to 3,500 RPM — the widest range in the lineup. The party trick is the “tower” grip: on top of the usual 15-degree angled handle, the body is shaped so you can hold the gun vertically like a column, which makes mid-back and hamstring work far less of a contortion. Massage Gun Advice called it a potential “massage gun unicorn” for combining near-Theragun-Pro output with USB-C charging and an up-to-6-hour battery. If you’re shopping the deep-tissue end of the market, cross-check it against our best deep tissue massage gun rankings.
The B37S ($329.99) is the B37’s big sibling: same 56 lb stall force and ergonomics, but a stronger brushless motor that Ekrin rates at up to 30% more power at lower speeds, a 2,000–3,200 RPM band, an 8-hour battery, and a larger attachment kit with a carry case. It’s built for the heavy user who works at slow speed and maximum pressure — think sports-massage-style sessions on athletes — but for everyone else the standard B37 does 90% of this for $100 less.
Check Ekrin Kestrel price on Amazon →
Bantam & 365 — travel and everyday picks
The Bantam ($149.99 list, and frequently around $105 in Ekrin’s regular sales) is the mini. At 1.1 lb and about six inches tall it disappears into a gym bag, yet still delivers 35 lb of stall force — Massage Gun Advice measured its stroke at 7.84mm and concluded it “topples” the Theragun Mini and Hypervolt Go on force-per-dollar, at roughly half the Theragun Mini’s price. Three speeds (2,000–3,200 RPM), a 4–6 hour battery, ~50dB noise, and 4 attachments round it out. It’s the strongest case in our best mini massage gun class for buyers who want real pressure tolerance in a pocket gun.
The 365 ($179.99) is the newest and most “daily wellness” of the five: a 12mm amplitude and 40 lb stall force at just 1.7 lb, with 4 locking attachments (they click in rather than friction-fit — a small thing you miss when it’s gone), a Reactive Force Sensor that shows how hard you’re pressing, USB-C charging, and a 5+ hour battery. Recovatech called it “the massage gun, perfected” for everyday users; it’s the pick if the B37’s full-size body feels like more gun than your routine needs.
How Ekrin compares to Theragun and Hypervolt
| Massage gun | Amplitude | Stall force | Battery | Warranty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ekrin B37 | 12mm | 56 lb | 5–6 hrs | Lifetime | $229.99 |
| Ekrin Kestrel | 13mm | 55+ lb | Up to 6 hrs | Lifetime | $349.99 |
| Theragun Prime (Gen 5) | 12mm | ~30 lb | ~2 hrs | 1 yr | ~$299 |
| Theragun Pro (Gen 5) | 16mm | ~60 lb | ~2.5 hrs | 1 yr | $529.99 |
| Hypervolt 2 Pro | 14mm | ~45 lb | ~3 hrs | 1 yr | ~$329 |
| Ekrin Bantam | 8mm | 35 lb | 4–6 hrs | Lifetime | $149.99 |
The honest summary: Ekrin wins on stall force per dollar, battery life, and warranty; Theragun wins on maximum stroke depth and ecosystem. A B37 gives you nearly Theragun Pro-class pressure tolerance for $300 less — but if you specifically want the Pro’s 16mm stroke or app-guided routines, Ekrin has no answer. We’ve broken down both match-ups in detail in Theragun vs Ekrin and Hypervolt vs Ekrin, and Ekrin’s B37 also headlines our best Theragun alternatives.
The lifetime warranty, explained
This is Ekrin’s genuine moat. Every gun in the lineup — B37, B37S, Kestrel, Bantam, 365 — carries a lifetime limited warranty for registered customers: buy from an authorized seller (ekrin.com, Amazon, Walmart), register on Ekrin’s site within 30 days, and the device is covered for life, alongside a 30-day money-back guarantee. Theragun and Hyperice both warranty their guns for one year. Massage guns are motors plus batteries — the two components most likely to die at year two or three — so coverage that outlives the battery is worth real money. Recovatech’s three-year B37 follow-up (same unit, still going) suggests the hardware backs the promise up.
Does the therapy itself work? Yes — a 2020 systematic review in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found percussive therapy meaningfully reduces delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and improves short-term range of motion, regardless of brand. A 12mm/56 lb gun like the B37 simply lets you apply that stimulus deeper and longer than budget hardware. New to percussion? Start with our guide on how to use a massage gun.
Ekrin by the numbers
| Spec | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| B37 stall force | 56 lb | Ekrin published specs; Massage Gun Advice testing |
| B37 amplitude / speeds | 12mm, 1,400–3,200 RPM | Ekrin published specs, 2026 |
| B37 battery | 5–6 hrs (Samsung cell) | Massage Gun Advice; Recovatech 3-year update |
| Kestrel amplitude / speeds | 13mm, 1,800–3,500 RPM | Ekrin published specs; Massage Gun Advice |
| B37S motor | Up to 30% more low-speed power, 8-hr battery | Ekrin published specs, 2026 |
| Bantam measured amplitude | 7.84mm at 35 lb stall, 1.1 lb | Massage Gun Advice testing |
| 365 spec | 12mm, 40 lb, 1.7 lb, 5+ hr USB-C | Recovatech review, 2026 |
| Warranty | Lifetime (register within 30 days) + 30-day returns | Ekrin Athletics warranty policy |
| Effect of percussion on soreness & ROM | Significant ↓ DOMS, ↑ ROM | J. Clinical Medicine systematic review, 2020 |
In short: 56 lb of stall force, a 12mm stroke, a 5–6 hour battery, and a lifetime warranty for $229.99 is a combination neither Theragun nor Hyperice sells at any price point — and Ekrin’s frequent 20–25% direct discounts routinely push the real cost lower still.
Who should buy an Ekrin massage gun?
Buy it if: you want maximum stall force and battery life per dollar, a warranty that outlasts the battery, or a travel mini with real pressure tolerance. The B37 is the default recommendation; the Kestrel is for deep-tissue devotees; the Bantam is the gym-bag pick.
Skip it if: you want the absolute deepest stroke on the market — the 16mm Theragun Pro still owns that crown — or you value app-guided routines and Bluetooth, which Ekrin deliberately leaves out. And if your budget stops under $100, our best budget massage gun picks cover the Toloco/Renpho tier.
The bottom line
Ekrin Athletics is the best answer in 2026 to the question “what do I buy instead of a Theragun?” The B37 delivers 56 lb of stall force, a 12mm stroke, and a 5–6 hour battery for $229.99 with a lifetime warranty; the Kestrel, B37S, 365, and Bantam extend the same formula up, sideways, and down the price ladder. You trade away 16mm strokes and apps — and keep more force, more battery, and permanent coverage for less money. See where the B37 ranks in our overall best massage gun field, or dive into the head-to-heads: Theragun vs Ekrin and Hypervolt vs Ekrin.