Home gym gear got cheaper for two years straight. The Bureau of Labor Statistics sports equipment index, one line of the Consumer Price Index, drifted down from 86.939 in January 2023 to 82.778 in April 2025. Then it turned. By August 2026 it stood at 86.510, close to where it started in early 2023.
The turn lines up with an unusually messy run of tariff decisions, several of which hit steel-heavy fitness equipment directly. Some of that pressure has since been lifted, so the fair question for anyone pricing a rack, a bench or a set of kettlebells is whether prices are about to ease or keep climbing.
Trend Signal
58/100 Steady momentum
- Emerging
- Rising
- Mainstream
- Peaking
- Cooling
Prices rising again after two years of declines
By our calculation from BLS data, the consumer price index for sports equipment rose 3.5% from August 2025 to August 2026, after falling about 4.8% between January 2023 and its April 2025 low.
Our editorial reading of the cited data, not a forecast. How it is scored
By the numbers
- +3.5%Change in the US CPI for sports equipment, Aug 2025 to Aug 2026 (our calculation)Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 4.8%Decline in the same index from January 2023 to its April 2025 low (our calculation)Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 30.2%US sports and fitness participants reporting higher costs, 12 months to June 2026SFIA
- 50%Section 232 tariff on metal content that fitness gear left on April 6, 2026, per PelotonPeloton 10-K (SEC)
What the price index shows
BLS splits sporting goods into two lines: sports vehicles including bicycles, and sports equipment. By our calculation from the published index levels, the sports equipment line fell year over year in both August 2024 and August 2025, then rose 3.5% in the year to August 2026. Over the same 12 months the all-items CPI rose 3.4%, so sports equipment went from a deflating category to one moving with overall inflation.
Most of the jump came early in 2026. The index went from 83.069 in December 2025 to 86.463 in February 2026, a 4.1% rise in two months by our arithmetic, and has held between about 85.9 and 86.8 since. Factory prices point the same way: the BLS producer price index for US sporting and athletic goods manufacturing rose from 178.716 in August 2025 to a preliminary 182.697 in August 2026, about 2.2% by our calculation.
| August of | Sports equipment CPI | Change vs prior August | All-items CPI change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 84.245 | -1.4% | +2.5% |
| 2025 | 83.611 | -0.8% | +2.9% |
| 2026 | 86.510 | +3.5% | +3.4% |
After two years of falling prices, sports equipment now rises about as fast as everything else.
The tariff timeline behind the turn
Peloton, which imports from China, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam according to Athletech News, lays out how the rules changed in its annual report. The sequence below combines that filing with the proclamation text and trade press coverage.
Refunds are now flowing, but to companies. Peloton says it filed refund claims in June 2026 through the process Customs opened for importers and began receiving payments after June 30, and Garmin booked about $21 million in refunds of previously paid tariffs in its April to June 2026 quarter. Those refunds go to the businesses that paid the duties at the border, not to shoppers who paid higher shelf prices.
- February and April 2025: tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), including a 10% baseline on most imports
- January 7, 2026: Peloton and Precor sue at the US Court of International Trade for refunds, joining iFIT and Reebok
- February 20, 2026: the Supreme Court invalidates IEEPA tariffs; Section 122 tariffs of 10% apply until July 23, 2026
- April 6, 2026: under Proclamation 11021, signed April 2, products on its Annex II leave the Section 232 steel and aluminum duties; Peloton says fitness equipment was removed from their scope
- July 24, 2026: Section 301 tariffs of 10% to 12.5% take effect on goods from about 60 economies, including China and Taiwan
Why shoppers are still paying more
Shoppers feel it. In mid-year data covering the 12 months to June 2026, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association found 30.2% of participants reported higher participation costs than a year before, and one in four of those pointed to tariffs on sports equipment. More than a quarter, 26.9%, said out-of-pocket costs had affected how they participate.
Makers were worried before the relief arrived. In its 2026 State of the Industry report, released May 19, 2026 and based on a survey of manufacturers fielded in January 2026, SFIA said tariffs ranked as the top concern across companies regardless of how their business performed, and a majority of respondents reported no shift in sourcing. With Section 301 duties arriving in July, costs on imports from China and Taiwan did not go to zero.
Demand gives sellers little reason to cut, either. Garmin’s 2025 Connect data report showed strength training activities up 29%, the fourth straight year of growth above 20%, and SFIA counted a record 250 million Americans taking part in at least one sport, fitness or leisure activity in 2025.
Which gear is most exposed
The Section 232 change matters most for products with a lot of metal. Peloton says that before April 6, 2026, the steel and aluminum content of its machines carried a 50% tariff, and that the April proclamation removed fitness equipment from the scope of those duties. In our read, if the change covers strength gear as broadly as Peloton describes, steel-heavy items such as racks, plates and kettlebells stand to gain the most, as importers restock at the lower duty.
Electronics-heavy gear is a different story. Connected treadmills, bikes and wearables still face the July 2026 Section 301 tariffs when they come from covered economies, and Peloton names Taiwan and China, where it has significant operations, among them. For connected machines, the steel relief is only part of the cost picture.
Buy now or wait
If you need the gear now, buy the basics and compare listings on price per pound for weights and on rated capacity for racks and benches, not on list price alone. The index has been roughly flat since February 2026, so in our read a few weeks of waiting is unlikely to change much by itself.
If you are planning a big connected machine, promotions are a likelier source of savings than tariff changes. Peloton warned in its annual report that it may introduce tariff surcharges or shipping and return fees, and the US Trade Representative was still running several Section 301 investigations when that report was filed in August 2026.
The signal to watch is the monthly CPI. If the sports equipment line starts falling while overall inflation holds steady, the April tariff relief is reaching shelves.
What to watch next
- The BLS sports equipment CPI in the September through December 2026 releases, for signs the April 2026 tariff relief reaches shelf prices
- The Section 301 investigations the US Trade Representative was running in August 2026, which could change rates on Chinese and Taiwanese goods
- SFIA’s next participation data, for signs that higher costs are pushing people out of activities
Where to start
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Steel-heavy home gym basics compared
| Product type | Good fit for | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Squat rack or power rack | Fits a garage gym | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Cast iron kettlebell | Fits small spaces | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Adjustable weight bench | Fits most strength setups | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
Product types that fit the trend described above, not tested models. Check the exact listing before you buy. How we pick them.
Squat rack or power rack
Where to look: Amazon
Compare weight ratings and upright size rather than list price alone, and check whether a bar and plates are included.
- Anchors squats, presses and pull-ups
- Steel-heavy item most exposed to tariff changes
- Needs ceiling height and floor space
- Heavy and costly to ship
Cast iron kettlebell
Where to look: Amazon
Divide the price by the weight in pounds to compare listings, and check whether shipping is included.
- One bell covers many movements
- Easy to compare on price per pound
- Fixed weight per bell
- Shipping heavy bells adds cost
Adjustable weight bench
Where to look: Amazon
Check the rated capacity against your body weight plus the load you lift.
- Flat and incline positions in one
- Pairs with dumbbells or a rack
- Pad gaps vary by design
- Cheaper frames can flex under load
More: Fitness and Training trends and how the Trend Signal is scored.
Sources
- CPI: Sports equipment in U.S. city average, all urban consumers — Bureau of Labor Statistics
- CPI-U: All items in U.S. city average — Bureau of Labor Statistics
- PPI: Sporting and athletic goods manufacturing — Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Peloton Interactive Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026 — SEC
- Proclamation 11021: Strengthening Actions Taken To Adjust Imports of Aluminum, Steel, and Copper — Federal Register via GovInfo
- Peloton Sues US Government Over Tariffs, Joining Other Companies — Athletech News
- U.S. Sports and Fitness Participation Reaches Record High, New SFIA Mid-Year Data Shows — SFIA
- SFIA’s 2026 State of the Industry Report Highlights Continued Growth Amid Rising Costs — SFIA
- SFIA 2026 Topline Participation Report release — SFIA
- Garmin second quarter 2026 results (PDF) — Garmin
- 2025 Garmin Connect Data Report — Garmin
Questions readers ask
Why is home gym equipment getting more expensive in 2026?
The BLS sports equipment index rose 3.5% from August 2025 to August 2026 after two years of declines, by our calculation from the published index. Tariffs are one reason: SFIA found a quarter of participants facing higher costs pointed to tariffs on sports equipment.
Are fitness equipment tariffs still in place?
Partly. Peloton’s annual report says the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs on February 20, 2026 and fitness equipment left the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs on April 6, 2026, but Section 301 tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on about 60 economies began July 24, 2026.
Will I get a refund for tariffs I paid on gym equipment?
The refund process Customs opened after the Supreme Court decision is for importers who paid the duties. Peloton and Garmin have both reported receiving refunds; shoppers who paid higher retail prices are not part of that process.
Should I wait to buy a squat rack or weights?
The index has held between about 85.9 and 86.8 since February 2026. In our read, steel-heavy gear has the most to gain if the April 2026 tariff change covers it as broadly as Peloton describes, but savings will come through restocking and promotions rather than an overnight price cut.
