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Nowadays, gyms have their pick of high-quality equipment. Â
As the fitness industry continues to expand, so do the number of companies supplying equipment. Â
But in a marketplace that has become pretty saturated how do you know what the best commercial gym equipment brands are.Â
Stick around to discover our pick of top 10 best gym equipment brands to help you choose the right kit for your gym. Â
Top 10 Best Gym Equipment Brands Across The Globe
Whether you’re looking for strength training machines or cardio equipment, below are some of the best brands that you can choose from.
Rogue Fitness, USA
Rogue Fitness was founded back in 2007 by Bill Henniger, owner of a Crossfit gym.
To begin with they offered their customers different brands of Crossfit equipment.
However, he soon began manufacturing a small range of equipment which included power racks, barbells, and other strength training equipment.
Since it’s formation, they’ve quickly expanded their range to offer both commercial and home gym equipment and are the primary supplier to the Crossfit Games.
Aside from equipment they’ve also branched out to offer clothing and accessory items such as resistance bands.
And, more bizarrely, things like bottle openers.
Most of their equipment is manufactured in the United States and is usually flat packed for easy shipping.
They hold stock rather than custom make to order so if you need something quickly, they could be a great option.
The design of their equipment is quite simple which reflects their mid-range price point.
The range available to any country outside of the States is much more limited so if you’re based in somewhere like Europe and want a Rogue leg press, you’ll need to import this from America.
They have a limited offering when it comes to customization with most of their kit only being available in two colors; red or black.
So, if you keen on equipment that can match the brand colors of your gym and include your logo, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
Gym 80, Germany
Gym 80 have been making fitness equipment since 1980 and the German’s have a solid reputation when it comes to manufacturing and engineering high quality products.
They use very high-quality materials, and their oval tubing is made using a machine designed by them which carries a patent.
This tubing gives their equipment a very distinctive look.
Their range includes both plate loaded, selectorized and free weights.
They also offer customization so you have a range of frame colours to choose from and can add your gym logo on to the upholstery pads.
There are no prices stated on their website nor lead times.
As most products are manufactured to order it’s worth finding out the lead times as they can run to an excess of four months.
Exigo, UK
Established in 1995, Exigo are a British manufacturer of gym equipment with a wide range of products including plate loaded and weight stack machines for commercial use.
They also offer cardio machines and boxing equipment.
They’re one of the more reputable brands in the UK with ISO accreditation EN 957 and ISO 20957 for quality and safety standards.
They supply exercise equipment to many independent gyms and sports clubs across the world.
They also offer customisation where you can choose the frame and upholstery colours along with adding the logo of your gym, they can even color match RAL numbers to match any existing equipment you already have in your fitness facility.
As most items are manufactured to order their equipment will carry longer lead times than suppliers who hold stock.
Hammer Strength
Hammer Strength was founded back in 1989 by Gary Jones.
The aim of the company was to design and manufacture weight machines that focused on ergonomic designs where the movement of the machines matched that to human movement.
The range they offer is all plate loaded with most machines being iso-lateral.
This means you can work each limb independently.
They gained a solid reputation worldwide for providing high quality and durable equipment that became very popular with the bodybuilding community.
The complexity of the designs of some of their equipment is reflected in the price and they’re certainly one of the more expensive gym equipment brands out there.
Even their most basic designs, like the squat rack or flat bench carry a high price tag.
In terms of customization, they do offer several different frame and upholstery colors but they are limited when compared to other strength equipment brands.
They can colour match to your requirements but according to their website, additional costs will be incurred.
The company was bought out by Life Fitness back in 1997 but they continue to offer the full range of equipment.
Sorinex, USA
Sorinex Gym Equipment was established in 1980 by Richard Sorin.
Richard was a keen weightlifter who became frustrated with the lack of heavy duty equipment available at the time, so he decided to design and make his own.
At first, he began selling to local gyms and schools alongside developing his own gym.
As time went on, his range grew bigger and better, and his current customer base includes elite sports team, colleges and military bases which is a testament to the high quality designs available.
All their equipment is made to order and manufactured in the USA so expect to have a lead time.
However, they offer a large range of colours for both frames and upholstery.
They specialize in racks and benches but also offer a number of machines along with plenty of accessory items and free weights.
For what you get and the quality, in our opinion, the equipment is excellent value for money and worth the investment.
Power Lift, USA
Power Lift are another notable gym equipment supplier who manufacture in the States.
Their range includes plate loaded and stack machines with some of the more unique designs, such as their 4-way neck machine, carrying a United States Patent.
They focus on heavy duty equipment and a lot of their kit is very large so you won’t find anything with a compact design here.
So, before purchasing anything, double check your available space and make sure what you want will fit.
You won’t find any prices on their website and if you’re interested in anything, you’ll be prompted to input your details whereby a sales rep will make contact.
They do offer custom options where you can choose your frame and upholstery colors but this does mean the kit will carry a lead time.
They have an impressive array of customers ranging from colleges, elite level sports teams, through to tactical facilities.
You can be confident that what you order, will be very good quality and built to last.
Panatta, Italy
Panatta Fitness Equipment was founded back in the 1960’s by Rudy Panatta, who was a former professional bodybuilder having competed in the 60’s and 70’s.
His passion for fitness led him to venture into the design and manufacture of strength equipment.
Over the years, Panatta have gone on to become a world leader in the supply of equipment with emphasis on attention to biomechanics.
They focus on creating equipment that closely mimics natural body movements so that workouts are safe and effective.
While they’re known for supplying commercial gym equipment, their kit is also marketed as being suitable for home use.
Their equipment has unique features such as gas assisted adjustments making it very user friendly.
You have the option of choosing from a range of different frame and upholstery colors and they even have the choice of different styles of upholstery pads with some taking on a ‘racing car’ style.
Their equipment style verges more on the luxury side with a price point to match.
They have a number of high-profile ambassadors including Ronnie Coleman and Phil Health.
These fitness experts promote the brand and help to further raise the profile of Panatta (especially to the American market) allowing them to quickly reach one of the top spots as best fitness equipment brands.
Atlantis, Canada
Atlantis was formed by Raymond Sansoucy in 1982 in Montreal, Canada.
Throughout their history they’ve maintained a focus on creating strong and biomechanically sound strength training equipment for both commercial and residential use.
They pride themselves on offering a range of equipment that exceeds 250 products with more than 50 dealers located across the globe.
Their customer base ranges from independent gyms to sports clubs and colleges.
The kit, which is both plate loaded and selectorized, is customizable but it can carry long lead times of upwards 6 months so be sure to find out before you place an order with them.
While there are no prices stated on their website, looking at other suppliers of Atlantis machines, the equipment does carry a higher price tag compared to others.
Hoist Fitness, USA
Hoist Fitness Systems are a popular fitness brand based in California.
While everything is designed in the States, their manufacturing locations seem to vary based on the product lines being made.
They carry most of their range in stock and for this reason don’t offer any options for customization.
It’s also worth noting that they don’t ship anywhere outside of the USA.
They’re range isn’t particularly notable in terms of the design however, if you’re based in the States and need equipment relatively quickly, they could be a good higher quality option.
Prime Fitness, USA
Prime Fitness are owned by Specialty Fitness Systems who also manufacture the Prime range of equipment.
They’re equipment is a little more innovative in terms of its functionality with machines that allow you to change the distance between the weight and the pivot point.
This affects how challenging the movement is at different phases of the exercise.
This technology is called SmartStrength and is carries a US patent.
They have a further patented technology known as SmartCam which is applied to their selectorized range allowing you to alter the peak resistance throughout the range of motion.
While they have a smaller range than other suppliers, they certainly offer enough different machines to kit out a new gym.
Even though they custom make to order, they don’t offer any custom options for different colours, and you’ll be stuck with their own brand colors which are black and green.
Another important consideration is cost.
Prime are one of the more expensive options when it comes to commercial fitness equipment.
Does Quality Of Gym Equipment Matter
High quality gym equipment is important when you’re looking to kit out a new gym or fitness facility.
You want it to last and be safe for your members to use.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend more money.
You can purchase durable, commercial grade equipment without having to break the bank.
When you’re looking to buy something new for your gym, consider the following questions:
- Is the equipment locally made or imported from Far Eastern countries. Imports could use inferior materials (but not always).
- What grade steel is used when making the kit.
- Ask for the Martindale rub test rating for the upholstery – the higher the rating the more resistant to wear it is meaning it will last much longer.
- When they powder coat equipment, do they shot blast the steel prior to this. Shot blasting before coating with powder will make it stick better and, consequently, last longer.
- Check what the terms of their warranty is.
- Find out about their delivery terms. Most only offer sidewalk delivery meaning you’ll have to take responsibility for getting the kit into your gym.
- Does the equipment arrive fully assembled or flat pack. If fully assembled, can you take it apart to get it into place.
- What’s your access like. If you have double doors at ground floor level, getting new kit in should be straightforward. However, if you have a facility on a first or second floor, think about how you’re going to get new equipment upstairs.
Why Is Gym Equipment So Expensive
Gym equipment has to be designed, drawn up, prototyped (to make sure it functions properly) and then priced before offering it to customers.
Producing gym equipment is very labour intensive and the more advanced the product, the more expensive it’s likely to be.
The following costs can be associated with producing a piece of equipment adding to its cost before it’s launched:
- Cost to have it designed and modified.
- ​Creation of production drawings for manufacturing.
- The cost of manufacturing a prototype which is then tested with changes made if required.
These costs are attributed to the production and delivery of gym equipment.
- Cost of raw steel.
- Cost of component parts.
- Cost of welder / fabricator to make the item.
- Cost to produce upholstery pads (where applicable).
- Cost of shot blasting and powder coating.
- Cost of assembly and packing.
- Cost of shipping.
Final Thoughts
Navigating your way through the many different brands of gym equipment can be daunting and often, when searching on the internet, you’re met with the usual suppliers who don’t always offer exactly what you want.
With the right information you can make an informed choice, so you build the best gym that meets your needs and budget constraints.
Remember that investing in the best gym equipment brands you can be confident of the reliability and performance.
Before deciding, do plenty of research and ask the questions suggested in this article.
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