The Osaki OS-PRO Ekon vs. the Bodyfriend Phantom II
When you’re pitting the Osaki OS-PRO Ekon and the Bodyfriend Phantom II against each other, understanding what sets them apart will be how you make your decision. Which of these massage chairs will give you the experience you want? You’ll find an L-Track in both chairs, but their additional features, as well as the track itself, do have some differences.
Let’s look at the important features- the rollers and the track.
3D Massage Rollers
A 3D massage system is a step up from the initial 2D roller system. It’s found in the Luraco chair we’ll be discussing below. The reason for the draw toward 3D rollers is that they can work deeper into the muscles of your shoulders and back for a more intense, more effective massage. 3D rollers are essentially an upgrade to the 2D.
Because these rollers can also protrude further out from the track, they can attend to areas that the average chair can’t, such as the upper neck and between the shoulder blades.
The rollers can move up and down, left and right, and in and out. This helps them to simulate the massage human hands can offer. With 3D massage chairs, you can also adjust the intensity of the massage to as intense or gentle as you like with some limitations based on the chair itself. If more than one person is going to be sitting in the chair it’s a useful feature.
4D Massage Rollers
For the greatest penetration and precision, 4D rollers present users with a deep tissue massage that no other rollers can replicate. These 4D rollers can turn and hit different angles that others can’t.
The 4D massage chair frequently causes the most confusion for consumers. What possible change could there have been from a 3D chair? Is there really much of a difference? When it comes to adjustable intensity, the answer is yes. In a 4D massage, the rollers can do what a 3D roller can in addition to being able to speed up or slow down automatically to concentrate on tense muscles.
The goal was to make the rollers even more responsive so that it feels like an actual person responding to the needs of your muscles. Many of these chairs merge this feature with an L-Track which means they can attend to your hamstrings, glutes, and go all the way up to your neck.
The 4D chair can do some things a 3D chair can’t, but they are also quite similar. Most agree that the determining factor is how often you’ll use the chair and what you can afford.
If you have the budget for a 4D chair and will use it regularly to tend to sore muscles and after workouts, they can be worth the investment. However, if your budget is smaller, you’ll still get an excellent massage from a 3D chair.
Now, let’s discuss what each chair offers and give you a better idea of which one will be right for your needs.
Osaki OS-PRO Ekon
The Osaki OS-Pro Ekon offers an SL-Track paired with wonderful 3D technology and body scanning. Soothing heat, airbag compression massage, and more are featured in this chair. Check out all it has to offer below.
Features
SL-Track Technology
The Ekon combines both S and L-Track technology for the best possible massage experience. As you know, the S part of the track curves with your spine and the L part of the track extends the rollers reach to your glutes and hamstrings.
Body Scanning
The Ekon scans your body to create a map of your size and shape to provide a tailored massage each and every session. You’ll receive consistent pressure appropriate for your size and you can always recalibrate it if needed.
3D Massage
This 3D massage chair can massage in a wider sweep and much deeper than a conventional chair. The massage heads extend out to create a deep massage with five levels of adjustability. Reaching acupuncture points is effortless, and you’ll get extremely accurate precision and depth.
Zero Gravity
Zero gravity is the perfect position for your massage for a few reasons. Reclining back in this way takes the stress of gravity off of your spine and joints, allowing them to decompress and naturally relax the surrounding muscles. This also puts your full weight on the back of the chair and the rollers, increasing the deep tissue effect of your massage.
Air Compression Massage
This chair has multiple airbags with dual airbags on each shoulder. The upper body airbag will push you into the seat massaging your shoulders and increasing the effectiveness of the rollers. The airbag system also inflates certain sections independently providing a twisting stretch to the lower back, hips, and thighs. Airbags in the arm and leg rests provide a compression massage.
Foot & Calf Rollers
Spinning reflexology massagers in the calves and footrest provide a soothing kneading massage that stimulates acupressure points. Your feet will love you.
Space-Saving
As the chair reclines back, the base slides forward so that when not in use, your massage chair takes up as little space in your home as possible. The Ekon also only needs five inches to fully recline.
Bluetooth Speakers
Pair your mobile device and enjoy your massage while listening to your favorite music through the high-quality built-in speakers.
Recline & Leg Extension
The Ekon features a full recline and leg extension that makes every movement in the chair effortless. Using the convenient easy to use remote you can control the foot extension, leg rest, recline, and zero gravity to effortlessly get into the ideal positioning for your massage.
Heating System
Heat therapy is the perfect complement to any massage. In the lumbar area are heating elements that help loosen tense muscles in the mid and lower back. Your massage will be even more effective with heat in the mix.
Adjustable Head Cushion
The cushion in the headrest can be adjusted to suit your desires. There are three different positions possible.
Remote Control
The slim LCD remote is extremely user-friendly. You can set the timer for 10, 20, or 30 minutes. You’ll also see active programs and be able to navigate to different options quickly.
Auto Programs
The Ekon has six auto massage programs to choose from:
- Sports Refresh: best used after exercise or a workout, this deep tissue massage uses a combination of tapping and kneading.
- Extension: a Thai-style massage that uses a strong kneading and stretching.
- Rest and Sleep: designed for relaxation of your entire body and mind, this utilizes several intensities and styles.
- Working Relief: focuses more on the neck and shoulders to help relieve tension from your workday.
- Neck and Shoulder: a therapy-based program that targets your neck and shoulders.
- Waist and Spine: helps to relieve tension and pain in your lower back.
Now let’s look at the Bodyfriend Phantom.
Bodyfriend Phantom
The Bodyfriend Phantom II features an SL-Track that massages from your neck down to your glutes to the back of your thighs. The massage roller has 4D capabilities with a rotating head to provide a four-ball or a two-ball massage when needed that is highly adjustable. The new exclusive brain massage brings new meaning to a peaceful evening.
Features
4D XD Massage
The 4D massage can change from a quad-style roller to a dual-head whenever you need. This functionality provides deep kneading for your back and improved concentration on your shoulders. Plus, you can adjust the intensity through five levels in two settings from very intense to more gentle.
SL-Track
The SL-Track gives you the benefits of the S-Track that contours your spine, and those of an L-Track that allows the rollers to travel from your neck down to your glutes to the back of your thighs.
Heating & Cooling System
Cool in summer and warm in winter. You can easily adjust the temperature of the Phantom II by selecting the heating or cooling mode, enabling the best massage experience for all seasons. You’ll be able to control the chair through three levels of heat and cooling.
Auto Body Scanning
Whenever you choose a program or a technique, the chair will perform a body scan. The sensors on the back rollers accurately map your back and shoulders to provide a customized massage, and you can manually adjust the position as needed.
Zero Gravity
The zero gravity position of the Bodyfriend Phantom II massage chair distributes your gravitational pressure evenly minimizing the effects of gravity on your body. Recline angles can be further adjusted to optimize the massage experience.
Calf & Foot Massage
The calf roller is designed to reduce swelling while the air compression massage kneads both sides of the calves and feet. The reflexology roller addresses acupressure points on the soles of your feet. You can adjust the roller intensity of the calf and foot rollers through three levels.
Auto Programs
The Phantom II has 16 automatic programs to soothe any aches and pains you may have.
- Waist-Focused
- Neck/Shoulder
- Recovery
- Stretch
- Rest
- Refresh
- Auto Upper
- Auto Lower
- Office
- Hip-Up
- Athlete
- Adolescent
- Rejuvenate
- Lymphatic
- Low Lymphatic
- Digestive
Brain Massage
The Bodyfriend has exclusive massage modes that combine massage and binaural beat music to improve brain activity. A binaural beat is a third sound that’s created in the brain when two sounds with varying frequencies enter each ear. This third sound aligns with brainwaves helps you experience deeper relaxation and heightened concentration.
Massage Techniques
The Phantom II can perform kneading, tapping, chopping, combination, acupressure, and rhythmic.
Air Massage
The airbags apply a compression massage to the Shoulders, Waist, Arms, Hips, Calves, and Feet. You can independently adjust each one through five intensity levels.
Auto Leg Extension
The leg extension is fully powered and automatically adjusts up to eight inches to accommodate taller users.
Space-Saving
The Zero-Wall feature automatically slides the chair forward when reclined. This saves you the trouble of allocating extra space and only needs four inches behind it to fully recline.
Bluetooth
You can sync your mobile device with Bluetooth to play music during your massage.
Slim LCD Remote
The remote is a slim LCD remote that displays the functions of the massage chair and gives you access to the menu for more features and functions in both English and Korean.
Deciding Factors
Both of these chairs can provide excellent massage experiences and have similar features. They both provide L-Tracks, body scanning, and heat. They will also both provide you with a zero-gravity experience and offer space-saving, though the Phantom will save you one more inch than the Ekon.
The Phantom also has a few supplementary features that the Ekon does not and is a new chair. Additionally, the upgraded cooling and 4D rollers have been a huge customer favorite. When you want the latest in tech and a few more customizations, you’ll likely prefer the Phantom. However, if you’re looking for something more streamlined with fewer bells and whistles, you’ll likely appreciate the Ekon.\
What it all comes down to, as it does with most purchases, is your personal preference. If you have any questions about these massage chairs or any others on our site, you can contact us over the phone or through email at info@massagechairplanet.com. We can also offer you financing options that can make taking home either of these chairs easier.
And remember, if you see a chair somewhere that you like but you want to order from us, we’ll gladly price match it as long as you show us proof of price. We’ll beat the competitor’s price by 10% on top of that match too. We’ll even 110% price match with Costco.