So you’re right in the middle of the battlefield—the gym equipment shop. Mission: inspect prospective purchases. As a companion to our primer on buying used equipment, Tumbl Trak’s Stacey Finnerty has got some useful advice on how to carry out an inspection:

**For steel products that may be welded, tap the welds with a rubber mallet. If the paint cracks after you tap it, there is a problem.

**For air products, ask the seller how long it stays inflated. If the answer is less than an hour, there’s probably a leak. If you suspect a leak, determine if there is a hole that can easily be fixed or if the leak is coming from the valve area where a fix may be more difficult.

**For mats, especially thicker mats (8” or more), beware of those that are lumpy. Foam breaks down over time and will need to be replaced soon if the mat appears lumpy or the vinyl seems loose.