Massage chair brands like Panasonic, Inada, and Fujiiryoki have been designing and developing massage chairs for over 50 years. With advances in massage technology the introduction of 3D massage chairs, S-track rollers, L-track rollers, and SuperTrac rollers have changed the way people get massage. Many changes have happened over the years, and trends have come and gone. In this Massage Roller Comparison we’re going to explore the different types of roller tracks. Read below to explore the different technology and see what might be best for you.

S-Track
An S-track massage roller is designed to follow the curvature of a person’s spine. This helps provide an accurate massage from the neck to the tailbone. This does vary from chair to chair and not all chairs are created equal. An S-track roller length can range from 29 to 32 inches. An S-track also has one built in intensity and is not adjustable, unless it has a 3D roller mechanism.

Ogawa Refresh Massage Chair

Pros

  • Accurate Massage Roller

Cons

  • Not 3D – No strength Adjustments
  • Does Not Massage Glutes

L-track
An L-track massage roller is designed to massage from the neck to the glutes. This massage track will sweep underneath the seat in an L-shape. The intensity and length of the L-track roller will vary between L-track chairs and can range from 41 inches to 47 inches. An L-track roller is built on an S-track design as well, but can vary in the strength and accuracy of the massage. The L-track can provide more coverage than a standard S-Track.

Infinity Iyashi L-Track RollerPros

  • Glute Massage

Cons

  • Not 3D – No Strength Adjustment
  • Low Quality Neck Massage

SuperTrac
The SuperTrac massage roller is an exclusive technology designed by Ogawa and in their Active massage chair. The SuperTrac is 43 inches long and massages from the neck to the glutes in a completely flat Bed Position. The SuperTrac design was created to offer both extended massage coverage and the most accurate neck massage. The bed position helps use gravities natural forces to offer a strong massage. Based on the user manual there is also a Removable back pillow to change the massage from Strong to Deep.

Ogawa Active SuperTrac Bed Position

Pros

  • Accurate Neck Massage
  • Glute Massage
  • Removable back pad to change from Strong to Deep

Cons

  • Not 3D

3D Massage Roller
A 3D massage roller is a specific massage mechanism that allows a user to change the intensity of the massage. This technology was first pioneered by Fujiiryoki and Panasonic, and is considered the gold standard in massage technology. Many models have included this technology into their premium models because a 3D mechanism provides the most lifelike massage experience. Not all 3D massage rollers are created equal and they differ in quality and the depth of massage. The 3D massage roller allows the user to change the intensity of the massage roller from light to very deep. For example the Ogawa Smart 3D has 6 levels of intensity, the Panasonic EP-MA73 has 5 levels of intensity, the Osaki JP Premium has 12 the Luraco 7 has , and the It-8500 X3 has levels 5 levels, and . Another important note about a 3D massage mechanism is the smoothness and depth of the massage roller. Currently 3D massage roller depth will range from 3-5 inches.

Ogawa 3D Body Scan Ogawa 3D Neck Massage Ogawa 3D Massage RemoteOgawa 3D Strength Adjustment

Pros

  • Strength Adjustments
  • Smoother More Lifelike Massage Methods

Cons

  • No Massage Roller Glute Massage

Final Thoughts
Shoppers will have a lot of questions to ask themselves when deciding which massage roller will work best for them. A major question will be how accurate of a neck massage they need, how much coverage they need, and how strong of a massage they need.

We invite shoppers to check out some of the most exciting 3D massage chairs, and L-track massage chairs. If you have a question, please leave it in the comments!.

~Steph
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