Roll Recovery R1 Percussion

Initial Impressions

Erin Trail

Roll Recovery is known for smart, well thought out recovery tools and the R1 Percussion is no exception.  This massage gun ticks all my boxes as a busy on-the-go endurance athlete.

The Roll Recovery R1 Percussion tool with its accessories

Detailed Review

I’ve been using hand-held percussion massage guns regularly for around 8 years, basically when they became a popular thing for endurance athletes to have as part of their recovery routine.  I’ve got ALL the recovery gizmos, but massage guns are used the most in my household. For the price of a single in-person massage therapy session, you can have a hand-held, portable massage tool that you can use whenever the need arises. I use massage guns mostly in the evenings, as part of my pre-bed recovery routine.  Depending on my training, I’ll use it 3-7 nights per week, and usually for 10-20 minutes at a time. I also usually pack a massage gun on my travels.  When I go on big weekend mountain bike vanlife camping trips, the massage gun comes along.  When I’ve flown to races, the massage gun gets to travel with me. Massage guns have become an important part of keeping my aging body going.   

As much as I love massage guns, there are some things that I also don’t love about them.  My original massage gun was so loud that I’d have to use it in a different room because it was so loud that my husband couldn’t hear the television when I was using it. I upgraded to a different brand, and while it was quieter, it was also a bit heavy and the grip felt really big for my small hands. It also was a bit big and had a proprietary charging cord, which meant I needed to leave room for the tool and it’s cords when I traveled with it. 

caption: Engearment reviewer Erin Trail using the Roll Recovery R1 tool

I’ve actually been eyeing the Roll Recovery R1 Percussion tool for a year and was really excited when I was offered the opportunity to review it.  Yes, it still functions as a standard massage gun, but the enhanced features just make it that much nicer to use.  Here’s what I love about it:

• Color – The R1 comes in 4 different colors (black, red, mint green, and gold).  I have a bin for my recovery tools and the bin becomes a black hole.  All the gear is dark colored and I have to pull everything out to find smaller items.  Having the option to get a brightly colored massage gun means I can find it easily in my bin.
• Size – The base of the R1 is smaller overall and has a narrower cylinder, making it easier to hold with my smaller hands. It’s also light (1 lb, 4 oz, easily half the weight of my other massage gun), making it easy to hold and use.  Because the base is compact, I have found that I can use the gun in a variety of positions.  My old, larger gun, I’d have to sit on a chair and make sure there was ample room to hold and angle the tool.  The R1 is so compact, I’ve been using it while lying down on the couch or in my car as my husband drives us home from our adventures. 
• Noise – The R1 is super quiet.  I can use this while watching TV and my husband doesn’t have to touch the volume button on the remote.  
• Travel – The R1 uses a USB-C charger cable instead of a proprietary charging cable, which simplifies things for travel.  It’s small, compact size also means it takes up less space in my suitcase. The R1 also comes with a nice travel bag, making it easy to store the massage gun and the various heads, keeping things from getting lost or scattered.
• Battery life – The battery life is fantastic.  I’ve been using it for the past month, around 4 times a week on level 2 or 3, and the battery indicator still shows a full charge. 

caption: The Roll Recovery R1 Percussion tool easily fits into smaller hands

Overall Impression

I am so happy with the Roll Recovery R1 Percussion tool that I’m gifting my other massage gun to a friend.  Roll Recovery has really elevated this tool to make it easy to use, store, and travel with.  This would make a great gift for any endurance athlete, but especially for those with smaller hands or those that travel.

Erin Trail