4 best 3PLs for home gym equipment [2025 comparison]

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Home gym equipment fulfillment presents unique challenges that standard 3PLs aren’t equipped to handle.

Between heavy equipment weighing 100+ pounds, larger pieces like power racks and treadmills requiring LTL fulfillment, dimensional weight surcharges ratcheting up the cost of each shipment, and the need to protect high-value inventory from damage, you need a fulfillment partner who understands the fitness industry’s operational complexities.

The right home gym equipment 3PL can save you thousands in carrier surcharges, protect high-value inventory from damage, and deliver the white-glove experience customers expect when purchasing premium fitness equipment online.

Here are the top 3PL providers specializing in home gym equipment fulfillment.

3PL Provider Specialty Key Features Notes
Red Stag Fulfillment Heavy, bulky, oversized items (Parcel, LTL, & FTL); High-value products Zero shrinkage guarantee; Negotiated heavy-item carrier rates; 99.99% accuracy; Same-day shipping; Multiple delivery options Selective client acceptance
Buske Logistics Oversized products; Multi-channel distribution 37 warehouse locations; Climate-controlled storage; White-glove partnerships Better for LTL equipment fulfillment vs. parcel
ShipBots Multi-channel fulfillment; Heavy items Vision AI packing verification; LA port proximity; No long-term contracts Has worked with major brands like Sony and Wrangler
Speed Commerce Large, bulky products; Furniture & bedding Integrated contact center; White-glove delivery; Specialized returns processing Generalist across industries and sizes

Red Stag Fulfillment

Red Stag Fulfillment specializes in heavy, bulky, and oversized products. We offer industry-leading accuracy guarantees backed by financial compensation and negotiated carrier discounts that reduce the handling surcharges that typically hurt home gym equipment shipping economics.

While big products are our specialty, we are also equipped to efficiently fulfill common fitness accessories like resistance bands, yoga mats, and other smaller products.

Strengths:

Zero shrinkage guarantee. Unlike typical 3PLs with shrinkage allowances, Red Stag reimburses you for your cost for damaged or lost equipment. This eliminates the risk of absorbing total losses on high-value inventory that can’t be resold once damaged.

Negotiated carrier rates for heavy items. Because of our focus on big, heavy, and bulky items, we have secured industry-leading discounts on Additional Handling Surcharges, Large Package Surcharges, and dimensional weight charges.

Purpose-built facilities with equipment-specific infrastructure. Both of our warehouses feature high ceilings for larger equipment storage, specialized configurations for equipment boxes, and wide aisles that prevent package damage. Staff receive training in proper handling to prevent scratching or structural damage.

99.99% pick accuracy with financial guarantees. We analyzed our 2025 accuracy and found only 9 errors per 100,000 items picked. We also pay clients financial compensation per order error plus cover shipping costs for corrections. This creates incentive alignment that protects customer satisfaction and brand reputation.

Same-day shipping with strategic warehouse positioning. Our clients have the option to ship same day from our facilities in Tennessee and Utah. These locations reach 96% of the U.S. population within two business days via ground shipping, matching the speed and reach of many-warehouse networks at lower costs.

Flexible delivery options including white-glove service. We can handle a variety of delivery options including curbside, threshold, and white-glove delivery, allowing fitness equipment brands to offer the customer experience that matches their brand positioning.

Key considerations:

Selective client acceptance process. Red Stag screens potential clients for mutual fit and works with less than 5% of businesses that initially inquire. This means you can’t assume automatic acceptance and should have alternative options during evaluation. However, home gym equipment brands have a higher chance of being accepted than other types of products because they fit our big, heavy, bulky specialty.

Parcel, LTL, and FTL shipments are all supported. We can ship parcels and pallets to retailers, marketplaces, and direct-to-consumer.

Best for: Home gym equipment companies that prioritize operational reliability and customer satisfaction. Particularly suited for fitness equipment brands requiring careful handling of heavy items and negotiated carrier rates to offset heavy-item shipping surcharges.

Buske Logistics

Buske Logistics is a family-owned 3PL operating since 1923 with 37 warehouse locations across the U.S. and Canada. They specialize in oversized product fulfillment with climate-controlled storage facilities and white-glove delivery partnerships specifically designed for home gym equipment companies.

Strengths:

Geographic distribution with 7.5+ million square feet. Their 37 strategically positioned facilities enable regional fulfillment strategies that reduce shipping costs and accelerate delivery timelines for fitness equipment shipped nationwide.

Specialized equipment handling infrastructure. This includes climate-controlled environments, expert packaging protocols, and secure loading techniques designed specifically to prevent damage and preserve product integrity throughout storage and fulfillment.

White-glove delivery partnerships. These enable in-home delivery, assembly, and old equipment removal services, allowing fitness equipment brands to offer premium customer experiences without managing complex final-mile logistics in-house.

Multi-channel fulfillment flexibility. Buske supports direct-to-consumer, retail store fulfillment, and wholesale distribution from the same facilities. This is ideal for home gym equipment companies testing different sales channels or operating hybrid business models.

Made4Net warehouse management system. This system provides real-time inventory tracking, automated storage and retrieval systems, and GPS-enabled shipment tracking. It gives you visibility throughout the fulfillment process from warehouse to customer doorstep.

Key considerations:

May not be suited for smaller fitness accessories that ship parcel. Buske specializes in freight and LTL shipments. If you ship your equipment parcel, they may not be the best partner.

Best for: Mid-market to enterprise home gym equipment manufacturers and direct-to-consumer brands with national distribution requirements who need specialized oversized product handling, multi-regional warehouse positioning, and white-glove delivery capabilities across DTC, retail, and wholesale channels.

ShipBots

ShipBots is a California-based 3PL founded in 2012 that operates three U.S. fulfillment centers. They offer heavy and bulky package handling with pick-pack-ship services, powered by ShipHero warehouse management software and dedicated in-warehouse account managers.

Strengths:

Specialized heavy item infrastructure. ShipBots uses dedicated equipment for handling large and oversized packages, plus negotiated reductions on carrier accessorial charges for the additional handling surcharges that home gym equipment shipments typically incur.

Vision AI packing verification. This system records the entire packing process for each order. Fitness equipment brands can review video footage to determine whether damage occurred during warehouse handling or carrier transit—critical for resolving customer complaints about equipment condition.

No long-term contracts with Master Service Agreement structure. This gives emerging fitness equipment brands the flexibility to scale up or down without penalty, particularly valuable during seasonal demand fluctuations or when testing new equipment lines.

Key considerations:

Generalist approach rather than fitness equipment-specific expertise. ShipBots lacks the category-focused optimization, specialized racking systems, and heavy-item carrier relationships that dedicated home gym equipment 3PLs have developed through volume concentration.

Best for: Small to mid-sized fitness equipment brands who import inventory through West Coast ports. Good fit if you value personalized account management and operational flexibility without long-term contracts, and need multi-channel inventory synchronization across Shopify, Amazon, and wholesale channels. Evaluate specialized heavy-goods 3PLs if planning aggressive growth or already processing higher volumes.

Speed Commerce

Speed Commerce is a 40-year-old Las Vegas-based 3PL that combines fulfillment, warehousing, and integrated contact center services. They are adept in handling large, bulky products like home gym equipment, with specific expertise in furniture and bedding categories.

Strengths:

Specialized big and bulky handling. Speed Commerce operates climate-controlled facilities with 24/7 security specifically equipped for storing and handling oversized products. Their proven experience fulfilling furniture, bedding sets, and other large items translates directly to understanding fitness equipment-specific packaging and storage requirements.

Integrated customer service operations. They run Premier U.S. call centers plus 24/7/365 contact center capabilities that coordinate directly with warehouse operations. This enables seamless resolution of delivery timing questions, assembly support, and return initiations common in home gym equipment sales.

Carrier optimization for dimensional weight. Speed Commerce maintains negotiated shipping relationships with FedEx, UPS, USPS, and regional freight carriers that deliver discounts on standard rates. This is specifically valuable for home gym equipment where dimensional weight charges can significantly increase shipping costs.

White-glove delivery coordination. Speed Commerce offers specialized handling and delivery services beyond standard parcel shipping, accommodating premium fitness equipment brands requiring in-home delivery, placement, and old equipment removal services.

Key considerations:

Canadian and US warehouses. If you need a presence beyond the United States, Speed Commerce might be a good bet.

Best for: Direct-to-consumer and omnichannel home gym equipment brands with high return rates, seasonal demand fluctuations, or complex fulfillment scenarios requiring specialized handling beyond basic pick-and-pack services.

Red Stag Fulfillment is a 3PL founded by ecommerce operators, and built for scaling businesses.

A team of fulfillment fanatics who care about our clients’ businesses like their own. We see things from our customers’ perspective, and have the guarantees to prove it.

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3PL founded by ecommerce operators, and built for scaling businesses
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