Try it before you buy it seems like a no brainer especially when it comes to home gym equipment. But in today’s online shopping environment, where returns are easier than ever, too many of us purchase expensive home gym equipment sight unseen. That is a mistake.
Why You Should Try It Before You Buy It
At first glance, buying home gym equipment online seems like a win win. Who doesn’t like shopping for something that’s going to be delivered right to your door? And that thing you’re eyeballing looks GOOD online! You see the videos on social media, you see the images on their website or on Amazon and everything looks great! Maybe you even checked to see if there’s a warranty (if you do, great job! Too many people skip that step!) but that’s where the due diligence stops. We hit that purchase button and go wait by the mailbox. but then it shows up and after you put it together, you realize that it just doesn’t feel right in your hands. Or it’s actually a little flimsier than you thought it would be when you watched the smiling paid fitness influencers using it in their video. And unfortunately, because there aren’t any product defects, you can’t return it to the company even though it’s still under warranty.
How To Avoid Getting Stuck With Home Gym Equipment That’s Not Right For You
My number one recommendation for anyone who’s looking to set up a home gym for the first time is to try it before you buy it. And there are a TON of ways to do that. The most convenient and inexpensive way to test out home gym equipment is to find a local store that has some. My favorite is Play It Again Sports because unlike Dick’s Sporting Goods, they have brand deals with some of the best brands in the business, brands with an established track record like Body Solid. I also like that they have locations throughout the continental United States, making it fairly easy to find one near you. But there are other options.
Best Places to Find Home Gym Equipment Near You
- Find an authorized dealer that stocks the brand that you’re interested in. Body Solid, who I mentioned earlier, has a list of authorized dealer locations on their website and those dealers are able to help you with picking out the pieces of equipment that make the most sense for you according to your body type, goals and available space. Many of those dealers also have delivery and installation services so after you’ve tested out the products in store, they can deliver it to your home and set it up for you.
- Find a brand that has try it before you buy it locations near you. My favorites for this are REP Fitness which has showrooms in California and Pennsylvania, Fringe Sport which has an awesome setup in Austin, TX where customers can walk in and put their hands on equipment. I’ve visited the Fringe Sport location myself and it was great to test out their equipment and find out why their bumper plates are head and shoulders above the rest! Bells of Steel also has a showroom in Indianapolis and you can find that at the bottom of their website contact page.
- Go to a fitness trade show. My hands down favorite for this is HomeGymCon because while it’s only in it’s second year as I write this, it’s the only equipment expo that’s tailored specifically to home gym owners! Other fitness trade shows like the IDEA World Convention, the Fit Expo series including Los Angeles and Miami Fit Expos and of course the Arnold Sports Festival, are more well established, but at events like those, home gym equipment is an afterthought. Equipment brands in those locations are mainly looking to establish relationships with large commercial gym chains, not individual home gym owners. At HomeGymCon, not only is attendance restricted to a set number of home gym owners to prevent the massive overcrowding typical at the Arnold, but you can also choose from a package that includes a dinner with vendors who are more than happy to sit and talk shop with potential customers as well as taking the time to demonstrate their products to you. And yes, you can purchase there and have them ship the product to your home! That is a win win!