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While there’s no shortage of massage mats and cushions on the market, if you’re looking for something a little more luxurious, you might want to check out a new stretching massager that incorporates yoga into your relaxation.
Baloom’s stretching massager features 22 air chambers that are designed to provide a full body yoga session. The mat offers pre-programmed stretches that improve blood circulation while releasing muscle tension and relieving sore muscles.
To use, simply plug it in, lie down, and choose your program: either “energize” for a full body massage, “stretch” for gentle motion, “twist” for a little more motion on each side, and “flow” to loosen. gently and relax your body.
Along with these four options, you also have the option to choose between three intensity levels. You can also turn on the heat as well as a timer and you can focus on specific areas if you’re not looking to work your entire body.
The Baloom Stretching Massager Mat is currently priced at $297 on Amazon, but you can save $60 by applying a coupon at checkout, bringing the price down to $237.
Baloom sent me the stretching massager to test and compare the stretch it provides to an actual yoga practice.
The stretching massager was ready to use right out of the box, with the only setup being to unzip, unroll, and plug it in. The cable is a bit short, so you will need to install it close to a wall. or grab an extension cord.
I must start my review by saying that I have been practicing yoga for over a decade, so by no means did I expect the massager to give the same stretch as an entire yoga class. That being said, I was impressed with how much did really stretch me, and for the parts of my body that he was able to reach.
Stretching your back is a bit difficult, even for a yogi, unless you have a yoga wheel. However, the massager was able to lift me up, giving me a quality stretch with no effort. It felt great on my back and was the best stretch I’ve had there in a long time.
In fact, I found I liked the “flow” setting better, and when it came time to stretch my neck, it felt almost exactly like an actual masseur turning my head from side to side.
My favorite feature though is that it pauses briefly between inflating each section. This is great, because if you find that a certain position is too much for you, you can quickly turn it off or hit pause if you want to stay there longer. When the air moves to a different part of your body, it feels like you are letting out a big breath and it is quite relaxing.
If you exercise regularly, settings like “twist” won’t twist you as much as you can twist yourself. However, for those who don’t do spinal twists often, or are just looking for a relaxing way to work their muscles, it may exceed your expectations.
I am also prone to hyper-flexibility issues and sometimes accidentally push my body more than I should. However, because the mat has limited movement, it didn’t push me too far and I found it soft and relaxing.
The only cons I found were the length of the cord and that the head area is not comfortable until filled with air. When I was working other parts of my body, my head was completely flat on the floor, which made my neck a bit sore. Unfortunately, this is an inconvenience that probably cannot be fixed, because if this part had a pillow, it would not be able to fill with air. While not something I think could be improved upon, it’s worth mentioning for anyone with neck issues.
As a bonus, it also rolls up and zips shut so you can store it or take it on the go.
While I couldn’t find another massager that’s quite like it, Amazon has a few that are similar, like this Comrelax Full Body Massage Pad that also offers some twists and stretches. Priced at $169.99, it’s currently on sale for $109.99, plus you can save another $10 by clipping a coupon at checkout. While it is significantly cheaper than Baloom, it has a variety of positive and not-so-good reviews that you might want to consider.
Other massagers on Amazon include this Jimugor Electric Lumbar Traction Device Massager, which offers both a massage and a stretch for your lower back. Priced at $100.97, the Jimugor Electric Lumbar Traction Massage Device is primarily for lumbar traction, although it does have a massage element. However, if you’re just looking for a massager, you might want to buy something else, like this HoMedics Total Reclining Massage Cushion that I also had a chance to review.
