Reviewers love these lightweight massage balls for long walks and hikes

If you’re a hiker, you’re probably no stranger to muscle pain. Sore feet and legs are par for the course at the end of a hike, especially if you’re on long-distance trails, but you don’t have to grin and bear it, and in fact, you shouldn’t.

When your muscles are tight or stressed, they can form small painful knots called trigger points. According to WebMD, trigger point massage therapy can improve blood flow and muscle relaxation, as well as promote the release of contracted muscle fibers. The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to see a professional every time your muscles ache: you can manage your trigger points at home by massaging them with your hands or elbows, or using a tool like a massage ball .

Massage balls help increase blood flow and release muscle tension as you roll them over trigger points, and their small shape can help you reach areas of your body that you might not be able to massage as easily on your own with the hands, like the back muscles. Having one in your pack can be a godsend on a hike, and luckily, I’ve found one that reviewers swear by: the Rawlogy Cork Travel Massage Ball, available now on Amazon for under $15.

You can buy this massage ball in various diameters, depending on the areas you want to massage. The extra small 0.75 inch is great for hands and wrists, while the 1.4 or 1.9 inches are the perfect size for your feet. If you want to massage your back muscles, the larger 2.5 inch size will help you reach all those muscles.

Regardless of the sizes you choose, the ball can easily fit in your backpack so you don’t have to worry about carrying a big, bulky tool on your hike. Critics are also obsessed with how light the recycled cork ball is. Several reviewers have also noted that the Rawlogy ball has been helpful for their plantar fasciitis and chronic pain.

With 4.7 stars in over 1,200 reviews, why not try massaging your trigger points with this ball next time you’re out hiking? Pick it up in the reviews below, just like walking shoes and quick-drying pants, this ball is a hiker’s must-have.

Check out some informative reviews below or just scroll down to add this nifty little tool to your own Amazon cart.

Recommended for me to bring to use after long walks/hikes. Just the right size to carry around and very light. It feels good to roll under your feet and indeed through your legs and back for those tired muscles! alone

After seeing a post about how these RAW cork balls helped an AT hiker’s feet feel better on the trail, I instantly bought a pair. I have been struggling with foot pain related to posterior tibial tendinitis. After rolling my foot on these balls several times a day for a week, the pain has decreased tremendously. After long walks, my feet used to be incredibly painful to walk on. It would take ice and ibuprofen and elevation to make them feel better the next morning. The firm pressure provided by the raw cork balls hits the pressure points that help release tight tendons and make the recovery process much faster. Now I roll my feet for 15-20 minutes and ice them for 30 minutes and they feel better instantly. They are light which makes them a backpacker’s or hiker’s dream. I plan to take them with me on all my hikes and roll my feet at least once during the hike to see if that will help prevent the end-of-hike pain I’m experiencing now. I highly recommend them. Well worth the cost! km

I wish I bought this sooner! I took this on my recent 4 day trip to the white mountains. At the end of each day it was great to be able to roll out sore muscles. It made the soreness the next day so much better than any of my previous nights. I would highly recommend this to any backpacker doing multi-day hikes. It’s worth the minimal extra weight in my opinion. l0standw0nding

Perfect for camping after a long day of walking. You can rub it on sore muscles or use it on your feet. Ultralight and takes up almost no space in my backpack. Joe S

This little ball of cork was recommended by the hiking community. This is a very dense ball of cork. Much harder than the ones you use on wine bottles. I love using it on the bottoms of my feet. It is also small enough to roll between the soft tissues of the hand. It’s really light and amazing for the hiker or anyone with arthritis. I would recommend buying a larger Rawology to roll on the back. Nothing beats a long day of hiking. Take off your shoes and roll them all over. The reduction in lactic acid build-up will greatly improve the ability to walk further. I was also a college runner for a long time and wish I had years ago. Robert P