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Introduction
Over the past year or so, we’ve seen many gym equipment product knockoffs.
However, only a few seem to get the attention of the public. We saw much public outrage with Rogue’s release of the Velocidor (which seems to be remedied after creating the UDA with Mutant Metals) and the AbMat knockoffs from Eleiko.
The rest of these knockoffs are not on most people’s radars and do not seem to change buying patterns. For example, you see “Mag Grips from Amazon” in many home gyms and cardio options similar to Concept2, but really no complaints.
*I personally bought “Mag Grip Knockoffs” before I had any idea there was another company that initially created them.
This is not rocket science, but I feel like I’ve identified the number one reason for this.
With the rest of this blog post, I’ll identify the group that makes this a public issue and who they choose to support vs. ignore.
Who Gets Upset?
Let’s start with identifying who is making this a public issue.
When we see these gym equipment knockoffs, you won’t see specific “strength sports groups” like powerlifters, CrossFitters, Oly Lifters, etc. get upset.
It is the home gym community where forums typically discuss equipment reviews, purchases, and gym build-outs rather than programming, athletes, and supplements.
Many home gym owners appreciate the innovation and craftsmanship that allow us to solve problems and own better tools in our home gyms.
In addition to admiring athletes, we also appreciate these companies and the brands they are building.
It’s a Small but Mighty Group
This group of the most passionate home gym owners only makes up a small proportion of those interested in the fitness industry. Still, it’s certainly enough to cause a stir if something upsets them enough.
If we see something we don’t like, hundreds of comments will flood Instagram, Facebook groups, Reddit, and Discord.
It is enough to catch the attention of even those who don’t initially care, hurt the brand’s reputation, and ultimately affect the company’s bottom line.
While most companies will likely be given a second chance, there are certain people who will refuse to buy from them if they are seen as a company without ethics.
The Difference In What Upsets Home Gym Owners
Now that we have identified the most passionate home gym owners as those who cause the “ruckus,” it’s also important to note that we still care about building out our home gyms efficiently and in a price-effective way.
Therefore, it does take something quite specific to get the attention of this community.
In addition, it must be directed at someone who has already poured much of their energy into the home gym community.
If a company hasn’t supported the community or given their attention to them, I wouldn’t expect much “ruckus” in return if one of their products gets knocked off.
For example, while Concept2 has undoubtedly done much for the CrossFit world, I don’t think supporting home gym owners has been incredibly high on their radar. Those going to a CrossFit Gym are not the type to keep tabs on what other companies are bringing to the market either. Therefore, there isn’t too much attention given to other companies producing products nearly identical to what Concept2 is best known for.
On the other hand, AbMat has preached collaboration and even partnered with “home gym owners” when they have product ideas.
Therefore, when someone knocks off an AbMat product, they are much more likely to get the support of the community.
While there are certainly a lot of other factors, I do think this is the #1 reason we saw such uproar when the Eleiko Ab Mat and a similar dip attachment to the UDA was released.
This is a Relatively New Phenomenon
When I started Garage Gym Experiment about seven years ago, this community mindset did not exist.
Therefore, I think this is a recent phenomenon. The Mutant Metals incident was the first really large example of this happening.
While I’ve heard stories and rumors of this in the past, I don’t think many people ever actually found out about it.
Conclusion
In the end, I’m not trying to say that these companies HAVE TO support the community, but there is a much better chance they’ll have your back when you’ve been knocked off.
Getting involved on social media, Discord/Reddit, and supporting the Garage Gym Competition are all great ways to show your support to the community.
Oh yeah, attending HomeGymCon should help, too…
Maybe it’s a bit hypocritical, but that is what I see right now, and it makes sense.
Most people are likely to support those who support them.
If you have thoughts, I’d love to hear them in the comments section below.