This is the Ekrin Bantam percussion massager, it’s a small compact lightweight at just 1.1 lb. It has three speeds with four interchangeable attachments: flat, bullet style, soft round, and a fork. It has a slim small handle that makes it easy to hold with a built-in lithium-ion battery that can last for up to 5 hours and is charged by a USB-C cable. It does not come with the charging brick just the charging cable. It also comes with a nice carrying case.
I have been using the Bantam percussion massager for the last couple of weeks. I’ve used a lot of other percussion massagers like the Hyperice and TimTam brands. The thing that stood out to me immediately was the size and weight. Using larger high price percussion massagers weighs a lot more and while the battery lasts a lot longer it’s less comfortable to hold on to long periods.
The Bantam has three variable speeds 2,000 rpm, 2600 rpm, and 3200 rpm. These are not adjustable like some percussion massagers are.
Reading the instruction book has some interesting recommendations. For example, “it’s forbidden for minors to use it’s forbidden for the injured to use.”, “It is forbidden to use on non-dry, uncovered skin surface.”
Aside from the prohibited rules, I was impressed with the tiny Bantam massage gun. It’s a lot quieter than other larger massagers. It can charge in as little as 4 hours but up to 12 hours depending on the USB charger and how depleted the battery was. There is a battery indicator button on the bottom when the massager is turned on it will shine blue when the light is between 80 and 100% power, it turns purple when the battery is between 60 and 80%, and turns red after 60% down to 20%. After 20% the red light will flash. It’s super easy to remove the tips just by pulling on them. My experience using the massager is that it lasts about 3-4 hours before needing a charge that’s with using medium pressure.
The bantam comes with a lifetime warranty. Some common issues with the Ekron Bantam are having the massage tip fallout the best way to avoid this is by ensuring that the massage tip is firmly pressed in. Another issue is that the device will not turn on. This is usually caused by not completely pressing and holding the power button or if the unit is dead and needs to be charged. If the massager suddenly stops after use there is a safety setting that turns off to prevent it from running in a suitcase when not in use, by pressing the power button you can turn the bantam back on (see our video)
After using percussion massagers that cost in the $400 to $500 range, I didn’t expect a lot from the tiny phantom with a cost of around $150 USD. I really found a spot for it in my collection. The number one thing I like the most about it is the size. It’s easy to throw in a back pocket or in a vehicle on the go. Even better is that it doesn’t require special charging cables as the Hyperice and TimTam do. That means I can charge it in a vehicle with just the USB cable. The stall force and travel aren’t as much as the larger percussion massagers but it still feels like it meets all of my needs in a smaller convenient package.