Therabody, the maker of some of the best massage guns in the world, just released a second generation of their best-selling RecoveryAir pneumatic compression system, the RecoveryAir JetBoots — designed to offer a wireless, portable, improved recovery experience to everyone regardless of fitness level. I got a chance to try out the JetBoots before release, and I’m never traveling without them again.
I got a chance to try out Therabody’s RecoveryAir system in the spring of 2021 and was super impressed with the design, quality of the product and how much the machine really did aid in recovery. They also just released updated versions of their original RecoveryAir system, the RecoveryAir PRO and RecoveryAir Prime, a tiered naming system that may sound familiar if you’ve researched their massage guns. You can check out the entire line at the link below.
The problem? It wasn’t the most convenient system to travel with, let alone set up and take down in your apartment. The JetBoots are Therabody’s answer to that problem.
I know what you’re thinking, this fitness gadget looks intriguing, but do you really need it? Unless you play in the NBA or run ultramarathons for a living, two huge inflatable boots designed to help your legs recover from activity might not seem like a necessary purchase. I get it — but I’m here to change your mind.
This compression system from Therabody works so well, I’d recommend it to anyone who sits at a desk, travels on long plane rides or sits in a car for most of the day. Basically, anybody whose legs would benefit from an oxygenated refresh. So, most people.
The JetBoots are a pneumatic compression system, similar to Therabody’s other RecoveryAir products. They inflate and deflate with air, creating a regulated pressurized environment for your muscles that stimulates blood flow and jumpstarts recovery.
The JetBoots, unlike the RecoveryAir system, don’t have tubes that attach or a pump console where you make selections about pressure or time. Instead, smaller OLED consoles are on each leg, each of which only has four buttons for selecting the recovery program you want. Once you scroll through the pressure and time options and press play, you’re done. The consoles also display useful information like if the boots are synced to one another and how much battery life is left.
Courtesy of Therabody
RecoveryAir JetBoots Review: The Specs
The JetBoots are Therabody’s recovery solution for active individuals of all kinds, not just those who are regulars at the gym. Super active people tend to travel a lot, as well as the movement experts who keep them in tip top shape. A physical therapist who does house calls needs a system they can travel with, and a professional athlete on the road needs something that’s not going to take up a ton of space in their carry-on. The JetBoots answer both of those needs.
This pneumatic compression system has eliminated the external pump and tubes and put the motor right there in the boots themselves. They’re made with RecoveryAir’s TruGrade Technology that creates targeted pressure through inflation starting from your feet and moving towards your heart. This helps increase circulation and aids in recovery, as the system completes a full cycle in 60 seconds, faster than any competing system.
The JetBoots have four interlapping internal chambers for a design that’s not just effective, but more hygienic through making it harder for bacteria to get stuck in the folds. They’ve got 240 minutes of battery life, and come with three different self-guided treatment programs.
For this review, I decided to ask myself 5 questions the average consumer would ask if they were considering purchasing the JetBoots. Fitness professionals, athletes and all who use their body to make a living know the benefits of a product like this, and are probably already sold on buying it because it’s more portable and designed more effectively than any similar system on the market.
But the average gym-goer or home gym owner? Might not be as sold. I’m here to change that.
Here are the questions I asked myself:
Does this device actually help you recover faster, reduce soreness and take care of your body?
Is this device user-friendly?
Does it travel well?
Are the design improvements worthwhile?
Is the price justified?
Keep reading to find my answers to these questions, and who, I believe, the ideal candidate is for this system.
Recovery
I workout six days a week, sometimes five if I have a travel day. I’m a very active individual, who mostly cycles and weight lifts. This means my legs get sore AF after just a few days of training in a row. After a month plus of using this system multiple days a week, I can definitely say it works. I feel less sore the day after using it and my legs feel less stiff, heavy and fatigued.
I also recently used it after multiple long flights, and it definitely helped jumpstart my energy levels post-travel and gave my legs the boost they needed after being sedentary for hours at a time. You’re probably familiar with the icky, stuck feeling your body can have after a lack of activity, stretch or space to move. This system definitely helps combat that.
User-Friendly
A fitness device like this might seem intimidating to the average user, but it’s actually easier to use than a microwave. Each leg in the JetBoots has its own programming console on the top that includes a play/pause button, power button, time button and pressure level button. The boots automatically sync with each other even if you make a selection only on one side, and they turn on and off together as well. You power them up, make your selections in terms of pressure and time and you’re off. After that, all you have to do is sit back, breathe, relax and let your body recover.
Courtesy of Therabody
Travel and Portability
The biggest plus of this newly-designed release from Therabody is how travel-friendly it is. Don’t get me wrong, these boots are still heavy and a tad bulky, even when rolled up and placed into their travel sack, but they’re a large improvement from previous designs that included a pump, tubes and no carrying case.
I’ve traveled with my JetBoots on multiple flights and have had no issues. They’ve fit neatly into my carry-on, gone through security without a problem and fit in the overhead compartment. After travel, they’ve been great to use to give my legs a refresh and get the blood pumping again after sitting in a compact, confined space.
Design Improvements
In terms of how they stack up against the original RecoveryAir system, I was surprised when I immediately noticed a difference in the quality of treatment using them. The four overlapping chambers are very effective at stimulating blood flow throughout the entire leg, and my entire lower body feels more refreshed after using this system. The original RecoveryAir is great, but given the price difference I’d recommend users splurge on this, as it feels just as good, if not better, for less money.
Price
This is an expensive piece of recovery equipment, but not outlandishly so. It’s not over $1,000 like the other systems in this Therabody line, and you’re getting the same treatment in my book. It’s very easy to use, works super well and does help in not just recovery but overall physiological well being, in my experience. I’m no doctor and don’t have the clinical expertise to recommend this product to anyone, or tout that it will heal any particular injury. But, I do know it’s made me feel better every time I’ve used it, and is a worthwhile investment for anyone who wants to continue, or start, moving better.
Therabody RecoveryAir JetBoots: My Verdict
This is an impressive system that’s about as affordable as one of its kind can be, without sacrificing quality and safety, I assume. It works fast, effectively and can be used virtually anywhere do to its wireless, portable design. It’s great for active folks like me who train in the gym frequently and need to keep up with recovery in order to progress. It would also do many people who sit sedentary all day a lot of good, and help re-energize the body after a flight or long car ride. If you’re interested in optimal physical performance? You should definitely consider purchasing. If you’re a gym regular? You should already have this system? If you’re interested but are unsure of the investment, I urge you to try it out, no matter what your fitness level is you’ll have something to gain.
