Outdoor gyms are becoming more popular in parks, schools, and correctional facilities, giving more people access to exercise equipment. If you want to bring your community together and encourage everyone to stay healthy, outdoor fitness equipment is ideal.
Over time, exercise equipment experiences wear and tear — especially when it’s left outside. Choosing weatherproof exercise machines and keeping up with maintenance can help you extend the life of your gym equipment. Check out these outdoor gym care tips to keep your TriActive USA fitness equipment pristine.
Can Weather Damage Outdoor Fitness Equipment?
Weather can damage outdoor fitness equipment if it’s not protected property — and we’re not just talking about rain or hail. Let’s take a closer look at how weather can cause damage to exercise equipment.
Cold weather
Cold weather is common in many parts of the world, from the rainy Pacific Northwest to the frigid mountains of Montana. No matter what kind of cold weather you’re dealing with, it can damage your outdoor fitness equipment.
Wind, snow and rain lead to constant wear and tear on your exercise equipment, which is why a durable powder coating is so important. A thick powder coating protects bare metal parts from corrosion caused by wind and rain. If the powder coating gets damaged or starts to wear down, you can apply a fresh coat to protect equipment.
Cold, windy weather can be especially problematic in coastal climates where the air has a higher salt content.
Hot weather
You might think fitness equipment maintenance isn’t a priority during the summer, but it definitely should be. Warm, sunny weather can damage your outdoor fitness equipment just as much as cold weather.
UV exposure can cause certain metals to corrode faster, which is why it’s important to choose outdoor fitness equipment with a durable powder coating. However, even the powder coating can be damaged by UV exposure over an extended period of time.
Safety is especially important in gyms in correctional facilities, which is why free weights aren’t as common in prison. That’s why all our equipment — from our Eight-Person Modular Series to our Elliptical Cross Trainer — features no exposed cables and is designed to use your body weight to create resistance.
Tips for Protecting Outdoor Fitness Equipment in Harsh Weather
Choosing the right equipment can make outdoor gym care easier, but it helps to keep up with fitness equipment maintenance. It’s also important to make sure your equipment is properly installed. Check out some of these tips to protect weatherproof exercise machines and simplify maintenance.
Cover your outdoor fitness area
Covering your outdoor fitness area is one of the best ways to protect your exercise equipment from harsh weather. If you have a covered area where you can install outdoor fitness equipment, make sure you keep as much equipment in that space as you can.
Investing in a covered outdoor gym protects your equipment from wind, rain, snow and UV exposure. Installing a roof above your outdoor gym also gives you a spot where you can install lights and cameras for security.
Use tarps or equipment covers
While outdoor fitness equipment is designed to stand up to harsh weather, it’s best to protect your equipment as much as possible. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and make sure you’re prepared for any inclement weather that’s coming your way. If it’s supposed to rain, snow or hail in the coming days, you can cover your weatherproof exercise machines. Tarps are an affordable solution that you might already have lying around, but you can also find covers that are specifically designed to cover and protect outdoor exercise equipment.
Clean equipment regularly
Fitness equipment maintenance is an essential part of extending the life of your outdoor fitness equipment. If you want your outdoor fitness equipment to last as long as possible, clean it regularly to keep the powder coating intact. You can wipe each machine with a microfiber cloth to remove excess dirt and moisture. If your exercise equipment is particularly dirty, you can mix a gentle soap with water to clean your equipment. Make sure you’re cleaning every part of your equipment, including the grips and any other parts people frequently touch.
Touch up damaged paint
Quality outdoor fitness equipment typically has a powder coating that’s designed to protect against corrosion caused by UV exposure, wind and rain. While these powder coatings are usually tested to ensure they can stand up to thousands of hours of inclement weather, the coating can wear down and get damaged with time. After a while, you may notice the powder coating on your exercise equipment starting to crack or peel.
If you notice any spots where the powder coating appears to be wearing down, you should touch that spot up as soon as possible. The powder coating on our weatherproof exercise equipment creates a barrier that protects the bare metal underneath, and even a small crack can let moisture seep in and cause corrosion.
If your outdoor fitness equipment lasts several years, you may want to hire a professional to apply a fresh powder coating on all of your equipment.
Consider placement
Protecting your outdoor fitness equipment isn’t as simple as choosing the right equipment and maintaining it. If you want to minimize outdoor fitness equipment maintenance, make sure you choose the right spot to install your equipment. The southern side of a building typically gets the most sun exposure, which results in increased UV exposure that can speed up corrosion.
If there are any trees or bushes in the area, that’s also something to consider. Large trees can provide shade for your equipment, but they can also drop leaves and pine needles that make a mess of your outdoor gym. If you’re installing exercise equipment in an area surrounded by trees, those trees should be at least 25 feet from your outdoor gym.
You don’t have to be as particular when it comes to balance beams and other equipment with no moving parts, but you should try to keep everything in a semi-covered, dry area.
How Is TriActive USA Outdoor Fitness Equipment Protected?
Choosing the right weatherproof exercise equipment is a key part of simplifying outdoor gym care. TriActive USA outdoor fitness equipment is designed to stand up to inclement weather, from our Squat Press to our Elliptical Cross Trainer.
TriActive USA outdoor fitness equipment is protected with a 6 – 8 mil powder coating that features four different layers: iron phosphate, zinc powder, functional powder and a final TGIC powder coat. This powder coat is tested for 1,000 hours of salt spray resistance, which means it can stand up to inclement weather even in harsh coastal climates.
Our equipment is also designed with no exposed cables or hydraulics, and no plastic seats. You still have to maintain our weatherproof exercise machines, but you can count on them to stand to the test of time with routine maintenance.
Can You Repair Outdoor Fitness Equipment?
Since we offer a warranty on all TriActive USA outdoor fitness equipment, you can get your equipment repaired if it’s damaged at some point. The warranty terms depend on the specific part that needs to be replaced. For example, non-moving parts like steel bars and posts are covered by our 10-year warranty.
If your equipment is damaged while it’s still under warranty, you can contact us at (855) 814-4302 for service. You can touch up minor paint damage on your own as long as you’re using paint that’s designed to withstand harsh weather.
With proper maintenance, you won’t need to repair or replace your outdoor fitness equipment very often.
Make Maintenance Easy With TriActive USA Weatherproof Exercise Equipment
Whether you’re upgrading your outdoor gym or building a new outdoor gym, choosing the right equipment can make your life a lot easier. You still have to keep up with outdoor gym care when you purchase TriActive USA equipment, but you can spend less time worrying about rust and corrosion.
At TriActive USA, we’ve got a wide selection of weatherproof exercise machines — from plyo boxes to exercise bikes. Check out our catalog online or contact us to find the perfect equipment for your outdoor gym.
