Article by Jeff Valliere
Chirp Contour Decompression & Massage Table ($599.99)
Video Review HERE
As I age (born in 1971), I find my flexibility lacking and experience sporadic pain and discomfort in my back, neck and shoulders. This is further amplified by working a desk job, where, despite having a standing desk and high quality chair, I still find myself struggling with ergonomics, to the point where I find myself trying to self massage my shoulders and back.
I also run up/down steep mountains daily, ride my bike a few days per week and along with that fractured my T-5 and T-6 vertebrae this past March in a fall.
Basically, I feel like I have been struggling for years, to the point where the pain has become chronic and is interfering with daily life. When I recently learned of Chirp (there was a 20% off discount card in my race packet for the A-Basin Cirque Series race), I was quite interested in their products and immediately reached out.
Pros and Cons
Pros: Professional grade massage for back, neck and shoulders, variable modes/intensity levels, 3 different massage rollers included, easily stowable, heated, personalized presets, high quality build, attached remote
Cons: remote can be difficult to read (especially in low light), a higher level of adjustability of neck massager would be nice, an even lighter more gentle touch “warm up” setting would also be nice
Pro/Con: The Contour is so good, the whole family competes for it!
First impressions/Setup: The Contour arrives incredibly well packaged upon arrival in a sturdy box, wrapped in very industrial cylindrical bubble wrap.
Once I got the Contour extracted from the box/wrapping, I was impressed by the overall quality construction, high quality materials and sturdy build.
Setup was super easy, just plug it in, power it on and off you go! The remote is tethered to the table with its own pocket and is fairly easy to use, but will admit that at first, it can be a little difficult to see (small letters that are hard to read in low light, plus the small lights that indicate which mode is activated is bright and makes it even more difficult to read the small font). That said though, it did not take me long to memorize the function of each button and I no longer even have to look at the remote to make any adjustments. Taking a quick read through the manual helps too.
Features/Specs:
Spinal Decompression Mode - Stretches spine to relieve pinching and pressure on nerves to improve posture, circulation, relieve pain and promote long term spinal health.
Back, Neck & Shoulder Massage - Loosens muscles to ease tension, promote bloodflow and relieve pain
Heat Therapy - 2 settings warm and relaxes muscles, improving mobility
Personalized Presets
Customizable Treatments
Adjusts to a wide range of varied heights
Compact design: 22lbs (including accessories), 43” long x 22” wide x 7” deep
I find the remote to be a bit difficult to read unless the lighting is very good and even more so with the activation lights shining in your eyes as you try to read the buttons. That said, the layout of the buttons is intuitive and I had them memorized after a day or two, so in reality, I do not even have to look at the remote any longer and can operate it by feel.
The remote is tethered (power/data cable) and slips into its own little pocket so that it is always handy and cannot be lost.
Performance/Impressions: I will admit that the first time I laid down on the contour and turned it on, I had a moment of concern, wondering what I have gotten myself into and whether I would be able to see this review through to completion.
Let me explain though…. While I am not a person who gets massages regularly, I have had enough of them in the past to know that I am a bit squeamish, preferring no more than medium intensity. The whole point of a massage is to loosen up, relax and to relieve tension, which is something any masseuse who is working on me continually has to remind me of.
My habit of feeling tense and squeamish carried over here as well to the Contour table and even on the less intense settings, it felt fairly intense to me, at least the rollers along my spine felt like a lot, though the neck felt really good.
I kept at it though and found that it is critical to place your rear in exactly the correct spot so that your spine lines up fore/aft to best be in coordination with the rolling or decompression motions. It is also key to line up the neck massager (fore/aft using the adjust button). Once I got this figured out, then I was off to the races.
As mentioned above, the Contour table comes with 3 different rollers, soft, contour and deep tissue.
I have tried all 3, (though have attempted the deep tissue roller only once, as it is definitely more than I need or can handle) and have settled on the contour rollers for the majority of my use, or the soft roller depending on how I am feeling. It is super easy to swap out the rollers, simply press the change rollers button on the remote (which brings the rollers down to the lower end of the unit, lift the compartment hatch, select the roller and they just pop in/out.
As I mentioned above, I was initially a bit sensitive, even with the soft roller on the lowest pressure setting, but over time, as the Contour does its job loosening and decompressing the spine, I have progressively gotten to the point where I can increase the intensity and duration, such that it actually feels good and relaxing (relaxing enough that I have NEARLY fallen asleep on it).
The neck massage, or Pressuresoft Relief Mechanism rotates and oscillates between deep and light pressure and the rotation direction is reversible. You can slide the position of the mechanism fore/aft depending on your height and preference. Even after I set it for the optimal position based on my height, I still adjust it slightly fore/aft to get higher up my neck and lower on my shoulders (aiming for my often problematic trapezius).
I have been making a point to use the Contour several times per day, in the morning for 10 or so minutes before I run or bike, then again sometime in the middle of my work day and lastly in the evening before bed.
This routine has so far done a miraculous job of loosening up my back, neck and shoulders, greatly reducing the daily pain and discomfort that I had been experiencing previously. These improvements have been most evident on my bike rides, where I normally start feeling pain in my back, neck and shoulders (particularly my trapezius) sometimes as early as an hour into my ride, but certainly by 2 hours in.
Since I have been using the Contour on a regular basis however, I have not been feeling this pain at all, even after a recent 4 hour/50 mile ride, I did not think about my back/neck/shoulders once. This has inspired enough confidence that I am planning a 100 mile ride, a distance that I have not even considered in many years.
I also feel as though it is helping a lot for day to day comfort during my work hours at my desk, feeling much more relaxed and comfortable.
Conclusions:
At $599, the Contour Massage Table is a significant expenditure, but if you consider the cost of a single massage, you will quickly break even (though of course this only covers your back and neck, but not legs, arms or anywhere else, so it really depends on your focus).
I love that it has a wide range of massage settings, several rollers to choose from and is heated, which really helps to soothe and loosen my muscles. While the Contour is not a cure all, it has become an integral part of my daily routine to help keep me loose, limber and more flexible, greatly reducing the long term chronic pain I have feeling after long days at my desk or on my bike.
I have only been using the Contour for a few weeks, so I cannot confirm long term reliability/durability, but the construction of the unit feels very high quality and I expect it to provide years worth of therapeutic benefit.
The Chirp Contour is a worthwhile investment for anyone who has a stiff back, shoulders, neck and is looking for a home based solution to help loosen your muscles, joints and tendons to relieve chronic pain.
While even on the lower settings, it may feel a bit intense at first, especially at certain areas along my spine, but that only means that is an area where you really need that spot loosened up and after a few sessions, you will really notice a difference.
If you are suffering from more severe back issues, like a herniated disk, nerve compression or have had recent surgery, definitely consult with your doctor first as to not cause any further injury.
Jeff Valliere loves to run and explore the mountains of Colorado, the steeper and more technical the better. He has summited all of the 14ers in the state, many 13ers and other peaks in Colorado and beyond, plus, he has summited his local Green Mountain over 2,100 times in the past 20 years. He can be found on mountain trails daily, no matter the weather, season, conditions or whether there is daylight or not. On the side he loves to ski (all forms) bike and hike, often with his family, as he introduces his twin daughters to the outdoors. Jeff was born and raised in New Hampshire, but has called Colorado home for over 25 years. He is 5’9” and 145 lbs.
Jeff has also been around bikes his entire life, as a toddler following his dad to bike races and bike shops, BMX racing as a kid, working in bike shops as a mechanic for 14+ years (10 at U-Bikes in Boulder where he met John Tribbia fellow RoadTrailRide and RoadTrailRun contributor). Jeff also raced as a professional road cyclist for several years. Jeff no longer races, but still loves to ride as he introduces his daughters to the joys of cycling. In addition to being obsessed with cycling, he runs mountains daily and has been reviewing running shoes/gear/tech for RoadTrailRun since 2015 and for other publications/companies since 2005.
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