This story is part of our end-of-year series This Year in Gear, rounding up the most notable releases of 2023. For more stories like this, click here.
Recovery is every bit as important as exercise — at least, if you want to do the latter right. Building strength and endurance requires pushing your body, but it also requires letting your body relax and rebuild afterwards. Too many of us forget that part, or at least let it languish in comparison.
After all, setting new PRs, hefting mighty weights and achieving great speeds brings feelings of glory; settling in for a massage afterwards feels indulgent, even weak. Perhaps that’s why so many recovery products seem angled to be aggressive: we don’t use massage devices; we use massage guns; we don’t take a cold bath; we do a cold plunge.
There’s no need to beat ourselves up about recovery, though. And with these fascinating, revolutionary or just plain cool products we came across this year, you’ll find recovery can be even more seamless and easy — no aggression required.
Therabody Theragun Pro Plus
With this latest generation of the Theragun Pro, Therabody appears to have made one massage gun with an arsenal’s worth of recovery. The all-new Pro Plus features percussive therapy, near infrared light therapy, vibration therapy, heat therapy and breathwork in one single device.
Learn more about the Therabody Theragun Pro Plus here.
Kineon Move+ Pro
This innovative wearable harnesses the power of both LED and laser technology to more effectively penetrate your cells. The banded silhouette is designed to be worn across your knee and other joints, delivering inflammation-relieving light via three Bluetooth-connected modules. It’s simple, intuitive and great for at-home recovery.
Learn more about the Kineon Move+ Pro here.
HydraGun Heat Pulse
Trudging through snow or hitting the slopes can be tough on your joints — as can your normal training regimen — so it’s pivotal to recover with the right tools. This impressive, comfortable sleeve from Hydragun combines heat and vibration therapy for the sake of helping alleviate tightness, soreness, stiffness and pain.
Learn more about the HydraGun HeatPulse here.
Bed of Nails Original Acupressure Mat
Boasting a slew of more than 8,800 nails spread across 29 inches of vertical height for approachable treatment, this mat is designed to deliver exceptional benefits for new and experienced athletes alike. It’s a great treatment for both post-workout pains and anxierty treatment,
Learn more about the Bed of Nails Original Acupressure Mat here.
Ice Barrel 400
The Ice Barrel is a solid way to dive into cold immersion therapy. While it lacks the bells and whistles found on more advanced models, such as a chiller pump, its space-saving upright design and affordability make it a good pick for any athlete.
Learn more about the Ice Barrel here.
Xtend x Airheads Candy BCAA Powder
In 2023, our favorite budget BCAA powder unveiled a new collaboration with Airheads to bring the candy flavors of your millennial youth to your workouts and recovery of today. While you can enjoy the three new flashback flavors anytime, we find the lack of stimulants in the powder lends it best to intra- and post-workout use.
Learn more about Xtend x Airheads Candy BCAA powder here.
Therabody SmartGoggles
This new recovery device is designed to target the eyes and head to help alleviate facial tension, relieve eye strain, decrease headache intensity and relax the mind for improved sleep by utilizing heat, vibration and massage modalities. It’s a niche product, but one that’s offering up a great way to escape the trials of daily stress; comfort is apparent, and the added benefit of the companion app makes choosing the right use case a breeze.
Learn more about the Therabody SmartGoggles here.
Firefly Recovery Device
This innovative new wearable forgoes the typical wires and bulky equipment found with electrical stimulation therapy while still delivering the desired result, even enabling users to wear it while conducting other activities. It’s not quite a proper substitute for larger, wired alternatives, but it’s a great fit for when you’re on the go or routinely partake in competitive athletics.
Learn more about the Firefly here.
Symbodi Vertigun
Let your walls act as a second set of hands with this innovative release from Symbodi. As the world’s first wall-mounted massage gun, the Vertigun keeps the percussive head in one location as you move your body across its path for more efficient relief and tension release. Plus, the industry-strength airlock mount is portable and can easily hold onto any smooth, non-porous surface for smooth recovery wherever you roam.
Learn more about the Symbodi Vertigun here.
Therabody RecoveryTherm Cube
Therabody’s no stranger to innovation in the recovery space, and this hot, cold and contrast therapy device promises to alleviate any post-workout woes. Using the brand’s proprietary Cryothermal Technology, the RecoveryTherm Cube utilizes optimal temperatures and time limits for consistent, effective results. Choose from the three preset modes and put those aches on ice (or heat, or both).
Learn more about the Therabody RecoveryTherm Cube here.
Hyperice X Shoulder
Your shoulders need love too, and this innovative Hyperice silhouette can help you regain shoulder mobility, relieve pain and restore your quality of life through its use of contrast therapy. By combining the effects of hot and cold treatment, the Hyperice X Shoulder is designed to reduce swelling and increase blood flow to this pivotal joint.
