I’m not a fan of my massage therapist. Something about him just rubs me the wrong way.

Bad joke!

But the sentiment remains; as an active traveler I’m constantly pulling muscles, carrying far too heavy packs on my back, and dealing with stiffness from failed attempts to sleep on a plane. 

And if I haven’t got sore feet from exploring, it hasn’t been a successful day!

So I’m now a big fan of massage guns, which saves a ton of money on spa treatments while traveling, especially since physical therapists like Bob & Brad have an excellent compact, portable range.

While the smallest massage gun I’ve found to date is the Bob & Brad Q2 Mini Massage Gun, which ranks as a personal favorite, their next massage gun up is the C2.

With more power than the Q2, and a bigger body, though still incredibly compact and lightweight, the C2 massage gun is also a fabulous choice. Here is our review. 

The Best Value Percussive Massage Gun You Can Travel With

Quick Overview of C2 Features (vs the Q2)

Features of the Q2	Features of the C2
Speed up to 3000 RPM	Speed up to 3200 RPM
Vibration amplitude 7mm	Vibration amplitude 8mm
Stall force 32 lbs	Stall force 35 lbs
5 Speeds, 5 Attachments	5 Speeds, 5 Attachments
Ultra quiet: 50 – 55 dB	Very quiet: 60 – 66 dB
4 Hour Battery Life & USB-C Charging	8 Hour Battery Life & USB-C Charging
5.7” x 3.4” x 1.8” (size of a bottled water)	6.8” x 5.1” x 2.4”
Weighs 0.95lb	Weighs 1.5lb
Travel Case Included	Travel Case Included
4.7 stars from 5,100 Amazon Reviews	4.8 stars from 6,600 Amazon Reviews

Why Bob & Brad?

Bob Schrupp and Brad Heineck are the most famous physical therapists on the Internet, trusted by 4.27 million followers. 

They’re massage gun experts, and between them have over 60 years of experience and knowledge as physical therapists. 

As part of their mission to help the world get fit and stay healthy, pain-free, they develop great quality affordable products which can be used at home, and in the case of the C2, are compact enough to travel with. 

They’ve been intentionally built to improve patient and athlete recovery, and even though ‘traveler’ hasn’t been recognized as an athletic field (yet!), the sprinting we do to make it to our gate on time, and gymnastics we pull to sleep in economy seats – you better believe we suffer from muscle pain too!

Should You Buy the C2?

Your first question is probably ‘Should I buy a massage gun’, though my answer is an obvious yes. 

Massage guns have been around since the 1880’s. They’re a natural approach to improving physical well-being, and percussive devices like the C2 increase blood flow by sending rapid pulses of pressure to your muscles, triggering a faster recovery. 

Massage guns are incredibly easy to use, especially in the case of the C2, where you simply attach your chosen massage head (5 to choose from), and click the on button.

Use them to recover from back pain, for muscle relief, spasms and stiffness, for sore feet, and for stress relief. And if you don’t have any of the above, use it just because it feels great!

With so many massage guns on the market though, the question now becomes, Should you buy the C2?

The C2 is Bob & Brad’s flagship model, and while the Q2 is our favorite pocket sized device, the C2 is larger, though still compact enough to travel with, and packs more power. 

It has excellent power with 35lbs stall force, is lightweight at just 1.5lbs, includes 5 massage attachments and 5 speeds, comes with 8 hours of battery life and USB-C Charging, and is affordable at $79.99. 

Let’s dive deeper!

C2 Build

Like all Bob & Brad products, the C2 Massage Gun is an incredibly solid, quality product, and even though it’s larger than the Q2, it’s still very compact and small.

It’s about half the size of a regular massage gun, and weighs in at 1.5 lbs (very lightweight!). This makes it super easy to hold, even for long periods of time, and it has the signature Bob & Brad soft rubber casing around the hold grip for comfort.

There are no creaks in the build, no rattling when you hold it, and it doesn’t wobble as some other brands do; it’s a very tight, high quality build. And it retains its structural integrity over time.

As you can see from the above, it’s lightweight enough that even my 8 month old can hold it (though we recommend keeping it out of little hands as much as they may want a foot massage!)

Performance

Performance wise, this is where the C2 is a step up from the Q2. 

It’s built so that you can push it hard into your muscles without the gun stalling, and with a stall force of 35lbs (vs 32 lbs on the Q2), you’d probably hurt yourself before you could get it to stall!

With a 2,000 – 3,200 RPM (how fast the head is traveling), this is surprisingly powerful for its size, and even at full speed, it’s also incredibly quiet (you won’t disturb anybody)!

The Q2 in comparison has a top speed of 3,000 RPM. 

Despite the power, it doesn’t get hot to hold; there is a heat sink with an air vent on the top of the C2 to improve heat dissipation. This means you can use the device for a while without feeling the heat on your hand.

Easy to Use

On the back of the massage gun is a single button, with 5 LEDs. It’s very straightforward and intuitive; once charged (you do need to charge it out of the box), you hit the on button to start. 

Once the massage gun is on, continuing to hit the on button will act as your speed selector; move through the 5 different intensity levels / speeds, and you’ll know which speed you’re in as this corresponds with the 5 LEDs. 

There’s really no need to consult the user manual, there’s no learning curve, it’s simply charge and hit on!

Accessories & Attachments

I typically just stick with the ball attachment, but as part of the kit you also have a total of 5 massage head options, and the user manual recommends which attachment to use when targeting different muscle groups. 

All attachments fit within the compact travel case it comes with (which is a definite pro, as other brands don’t include travel cases), so you don’t have to leave any at home. You would use the:

• Ball Head for medium pressure intensity to target larger muscle groups like hamstrings, glutes, and quadriceps.
• Bullet Head for high intensity deep tissue impact. It could target areas in joints, palms, and soles.
• Fork Head for medium intensity on areas like your neck, spine, and Achilles tendon.
• Flat Head, which is wide and circular, and a good general attachment, for all parts of your body.
• Air Cushion Head as a gentle attachment with air in the middle, for sensitive muscle groups.

All of the attachments have a rubber gasket around the end of them, which prevents vibration when it’s in the actual massage gun. Bob & Brad include extra gaskets in case you need to replace one. 

Battery Life & Charging

The C2 has a sizable 2500 mAh lithium ion internal battery, which means you get up to 8 hours use on a single charge (the full battery charge takes about three and a half hours).

This is a huge battery life, and you’re not going to be constantly recharging it (despite how easy it is via USB-C!). 

Most large massage guns come with a barrel connector, but the C2 charges via a USB-C cable, which is included with the box (though you’ll need your own charging block). 

Charging via USB-C is ultra convenient, because it means you can charge it with your phone charger, laptop charger etc, and not have to travel with multiple wires (vs massage guns that will only work with their own proprietary charger). 

There are 4 LEDs on the base of the massage gun which allows you to keep track of your battery life. When it gets low, simply recharge. 

Decision Time!

The C2 is the big brother to the Q2. It’s a portable handheld device, that in our opinion is the best value percussive massage gun you’ll find. 

While larger than the Q2, the C2 is highly compact for the amount of power you get, and much smaller than your typical full sized massage gun, despite delivering the same level of massage.

It delivers a full sports massage of much higher-priced guns, and is much more compact and portable (way easier to travel with than other full size guns).

The battery is the most long lasting of any other massage gun I’ve tried, and at $130, the C2 is a top product at a fantastic price. 

Can’t decide between Q2 and C2? The C2 is a great gun to complement the Q2, so if you’re truly having difficulty deciding, buy the Q2 as a mini gun you can travel with, and the C2 as one for more power you can use at home. 

Why not use them both!

Where to Buy

Bob & Brad’s website is bobandbrad.com.

You can buy the C2 mini massage gun here for $130.

But don’t just take my word for it – if you’ve got the time, you can read through Amazon’s 6,000 5 star reviews!