While most of us hate to admit it, something we all likely have in common are the little aches and pains in our muscles and joints we seem to live with. Maybe it’s a sign of getting on in years or perhaps it’s a nagging injury that never quite seems to heal. For those days where we need a little massage or pain relief therapy perhaps the SKG F5 Mini Body Percussion Massager Gun is the answer.
The beauty of this sleek little gadget is that unlike meds and other ointments, you don’t need a doctor’s prescription to get one. The name suggests it’s shaped like a pistol. However, at first glance it’s somewhat reminiscent of a phaser, a weapon used on the original Star Trek series. But unlike a phaser which could be set to stun or vaporize, the F5 can be set for a therapeutic massage or muscle and joint relaxing heat.
There are three removeable massage heads for different parts of the body and varying needs. The first two resemble mini tennis balls. The green head is soft and offers a gentle and soothing massage and more sensitive areas. The grey head is a harder for a deep relaxing experience where more skin penetration is required and the third, flatter in nature for the areas like your hands offering a more stimulating massage. Three levels of motion outputs 1,800, 2,500 or an impressive 3,200 pulses per minute of therapeutic massage.
3 High Speed Modes
At the base of the handle is a first-ever three-level heating compress. A compress helps increase blood flow and reduce your pain as it’s pressed against the skin and heat is applied to the body. You can choose from three heat settings you’re best comfortable with: 40°C, 48°C or 53°C (104°F, 188°F or 127°F). The base itself doesn’t vibrate. However, the massage mode turns off when the heating mode is engaged. Its ergonomic design also makes it perfect for rubbing into stiff joints and to loosen sore muscles..
The metal gun trigger has a two-in-one rocker switch design for quick access. The upper portion activates massage mode and the lower, the heating mode. A long press easily powers the unit on and off.
The F5 has a cleverly designed series of LED indicator lights that flash and glow around the upper portion of the unit so at a glance you know what its power status or the mode you’re in. During the power state, the two lights flash with a red light staying solid when the battery is below 10%. In massage mode, dual-coloured lights will spin around the unit depending on the level of intensity and one of three solid colour lights will stay illuminated. The quick-start guide explains the various combinations.
It has a built-in rechargeable 1800mAh lithium-ion battery. With about 10 minutes of use per day on the lowest setting a charge could last up to two weeks with a recharge time of about three to four hours. Of course, results will vary with use.
The SKG F5 is impressive for its size. It measures 157mm x 99mm x 47mm (6.2 x 3.9 x 1.6 inches) and weighs a mere 300 grams (0.66 lb.), but don’t let the size fool you. Other units of its size are under powered and crash to a halt when pressure is applied. Larger units may have significantly more power but can also be cumbersome and heavy and much harder to manoeuver. With F5’s impressive 3200 penetrating pulses per minute of deep penetrating relief and pressure depth of up to 5mm, you really feel it and get a workout. With its small but ergonomic size and non-slip handle, you can easily operate it with one hand and get to those sometimes hard to reach places. Furthermore, housed inside is a brushless 5V motor, so quiet, less than the sounds of a typical conversation, you can use it almost anywhere without causing any disturbance.
Built-In Safety Features
Built-in safety features protect for both the F5 and the user. In the event of a blockage, i.e., something preventing head movement or if it reaches a certain temperature, to prevent overheating, the unit will stop and power itself off. Once cleared or the temperature drops the unit can be powered back on.
Overall, the SKG F5 Body Massager is a great solution little gadget for a little soothing pain relief. It also makes a great gift for the upcoming holiday season.
It’s also perfect for those who travel – if we’re able to get away.
It fits nicely in your carry-on luggage. However, I might suggest that when going through airport security, you might want to remove it from your carry-on and place it in the bin alongside your laptop. I guarantee it will certainly attract attention going through the scanners as I learned from first-hand experience. And when asked what is, call it a handheld massage gadget and not a massager g-u-n.
The SKG F5 comes with a drawstring carry pouch, three massage heads, USB-C charging cable and instruction manual. It retails for $179.99 and available from Amazon or directly from SKG Canada.com.
The syndicated edition of the article is published at Troy Media and 32 affiliated syndicated sites. First published in print Active-Life Magazine, and online by NextHome Publishing Group, November, 2021.
Greg Gazin, also known as the Gadget Guy and Gadget Greg, is a syndicated veteran tech columnist, communication, leadership and technology speaker, facilitator, blogger, podcaster and author. Reach him @gadgetgreg or at GadgetGuy.ca.
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