Opening a CrossFit affiliate is one of the most rewarding business projects in fitness — and one of the most intricate. Between the licensing, the lease negotiation, the build-out, the insurance, and the membership marketing, the equipment list often gets pushed to the end of the planning. Then suddenly opening day is six weeks out and you need to spec, order, ship, and install $40,000+ in gear with delivery dates that don’t conflict.
We’ve helped over fifty affiliates set up. Here’s the complete equipment checklist, with brand recommendations and pricing.
The space we’re spec’ing for
This guide assumes a typical CrossFit affiliate build:
- 3,000 square feet of usable floor area (typical mid-size affiliate)
- 20-foot ceilings (or close to it — necessary for rope climbs and double-unders)
- 30 max members per class (so capacity for 30 athletes simultaneously)
- 2 large training zones: a rig area and an open conditioning floor
- Storage room for plates, bars, and accessories
If your space differs, scale the equipment counts up or down — the per-station ratios stay the same.
Zone 1: The rig
The rig is the centerpiece. It serves as your squat racks, pull-up bars, dip stations, and rope climb anchor.
Custom rig configuration
For a 30-athlete class, you need 6–8 squat stations + adequate pull-up bar real estate. The standard configuration:
- 6-station 12-foot rig with 6 squat stations, 12 pull-up bar positions (multi-grip), 2 muscle-up rings stations, 2 dip stations
- Built around 3″×3″ 11-gauge uprights
- Bolted to concrete floor
Brand recommendation: Rogue Monster Rig configuration (custom-spec) or REP Athlete Rig.
Pricing: $9,000–$15,000 depending on configuration and brand.
Squat stations within the rig
Each squat station needs:
- 1 pair of j-cups
- 1 pair of safety arms or strap safeties
- 1 pull-up bar position (typically integrated with rig)
Cost per station: $300–$500 in hardware on top of the rig itself.
Plate storage on the rig
Most rigs include weight horns on the back uprights for plate storage. This is critical — without it, plates pile up on the floor and trip athletes during workouts.
Plates per station storage: 3 pairs of 45 lb plates, 1 pair of 25 lb plates, 1 pair of 10 lb plates, 1 pair of 5 lb plates. About 230 lb of plates per station.
Zone 2: Bars
For a 30-class affiliate:
- 20 men’s bars (20 kg) at $300 each = $6,000
- 10 women’s bars (15 kg) at $300 each = $3,000
Brand recommendation: Rogue Bella Bar (women’s) and Ohio Bar (men’s), or Eleiko Öppen (slightly higher cost, better long-term feel).
These should be general-purpose bars with passive-to-moderate knurl and bushing-or-bushing-plus-bearing rotation. Aggressive knurl will tear up athletes’ hands during high-volume snatch and clean work. Stick to passive knurl for affiliate use.
Total bars budget: $9,000.
Zone 3: Plates
For a 30-class affiliate, plate inventory should be sized for everyone to load 95–225 lb simultaneously, with capacity for heavier strength sessions:
| Plate weight | Pairs needed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 45 lb bumper | 30 pairs | Most common load. The workhorse plate. |
| 35 lb bumper | 16 pairs | Common warmup and women’s working weight. |
| 25 lb bumper | 16 pairs | Warmups and lighter sessions. |
| 15 lb bumper | 16 pairs | Warmups and starter weights. |
| 10 lb bumper | 16 pairs | Half-step weight increments. |
| 5 lb iron change plate | 16 pairs | For fine-tuning load (women’s bar warmups). |
| 2.5 lb iron change plate | 16 pairs | Smaller increments. |
| 1.25 lb iron change plate | 8 pairs | Optional but useful. |
Brand recommendation: Rogue Echo Bumpers (workhorse choice) or Hi-Temp bumpers (more affordable, slightly lower bounce). Iron change plates from Rogue, REP, or Bells of Steel.
Total plates budget: $14,000–$18,000.
Zone 4: Conditioning
For a 30-class affiliate, you want to be able to run a full circuit-style conditioning workout where multiple stations are running simultaneously.
Rowers
Concept2 Model D rowers: 8 units at $1,000 each = $8,000.
The rowing machines are the most-used cardio piece in any CrossFit affiliate. Eight units lets you run a full Concept2-rowing-WOD where every athlete has their own machine.
Air bikes
Rogue Echo Bikes: 6 units at $795 each = $4,770.
The Echo Bike has been featured in multiple CrossFit Open workouts since 2017. Six units accommodates rotation through high-intensity bike intervals.
SkiErgs
Concept2 SkiErgs: 4 units at $900 each = $3,600.
Less-used than the rower but fundamentally different muscle pattern (overhead pulling motion). 4 units is enough for rotation.
BikeErgs
Concept2 BikeErgs: 4 units at $1,000 each = $4,000.
Newer to CrossFit programming but increasingly common. Pedaling motion + Concept2 ecosystem.
Total conditioning budget: $20,370.
Zone 5: Specialty equipment
These pieces don’t require multiples per athlete but are essential for varied programming.
Atlas stones (4 sizes)
Stones for stone-lifting workouts and strongman variety:
- 70 lb stone — $200
- 100 lb stone — $250
- 130 lb stone — $300
- 175 lb stone — $400
Total: $1,150
Tires for tire flips
Two large tractor tires (650 lb and 950 lb) — usually free from local farm-equipment dealers, $0–$300.
Sandbags
Set of 5 sandbags (25, 50, 75, 100, 150 lb) — $400–$600 from Iron Bull or Rogue.
Jumping equipment
- Plyo boxes: 4 wood boxes (12″, 18″, 24″, 30″ heights) at $80–$150 each = $400
- Jump ropes: 30 cable jump ropes for muscle-up and double-under work at $30 each = $900
Sled
Push sled: 1 unit at $250–$500 from Rogue, REP, or Spud Inc.
Wallballs
20 wallballs (2x at 14 lb, 6 at 20 lb, 6 at 25 lb, 6 at 30 lb) at $35 each = $700.
Total specialty equipment: $4,000–$6,000.
Zone 6: Pull-up and gymnastics
Rope climb apparatus
If your rig doesn’t include rope climb anchors, add a separate rope climb stand: $1,000–$1,500.
You’ll also need 2–3 climbing ropes (1.5″ diameter, 15′ length) at $80 each = $240.
Rings
If your rig doesn’t include muscle-up rings, add 4 sets of wooden gymnastic rings + straps at $80 per set = $320.
Handstand walks and gymnastic skill area
A 8’×16′ wall pad area for handstand walking and gymnastic skill work: $400–$800.
Total pull-up and gymnastics budget: $1,800–$3,000.
Zone 7: Dumbbells and kettlebells
Dumbbells
For a 30-class affiliate, fixed-weight rubber-coated hex dumbbells in pairs:
- 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60, 70 lb — 1 pair of each
- 35, 50 lb — 4 pairs of each (most-used weights for thrusters and snatches)
About 14 pairs total. Budget: $2,500–$3,500 plus a sturdy 3-tier dumbbell rack ($500).
Kettlebells
Standard CrossFit kettlebell loadout:
- 12 kg / 26 lb — 4 pairs (women’s standard)
- 16 kg / 35 lb — 4 pairs
- 20 kg / 44 lb — 6 pairs (men’s standard)
- 24 kg / 53 lb — 4 pairs
- 32 kg / 70 lb — 2 pairs
Plus a kettlebell storage rack.
Budget: $1,500–$2,500.
Total dumbbells and kettlebells: $4,500–$6,500.
Zone 8: Flooring
For a 3,000 sq ft affiliate, you’ll need:
- Heavy 3/4″ rubber tiles or rolls in the lifting area (about 2,000 sq ft)
- 3/8″ rubber in the conditioning and pass-through areas (about 1,000 sq ft)
Budget: $8,000–$15,000 depending on whether you DIY install or hire installers.
Zone 9: Storage and organization
Plate storage
Beyond the rig-mounted storage, you’ll want:
- 4 floor-standing plate trees ($150–$250 each = $600–$1,000)
- 2 bar holders (wall-mount or freestanding) for storing 10+ bars ($300–$500)
Accessory storage
- 2 jump rope racks ($150 each = $300)
- 1 wallball storage cart ($200)
- 1 medicine ball/sandbag rack ($200–$400)
- Small parts storage (collars, bands, small accessories): $200
Total storage and organization: $2,000–$3,000.
Zone 10: Sound, lighting, and atmosphere
Sound system
Commercial-grade Bluetooth speaker system: $300–$1,500. The cheapest option is one or two waterproof outdoor Bluetooth speakers ($150 each). The premium option is a wall-mounted commercial system with multiple zones.
Lighting
Most commercial spaces have adequate ceiling lighting, but consider supplemental lighting in performance zones:
- Spotlights or directional LEDs over the rig and platforms: $500–$2,000.
Atmosphere
- Wall mirrors where appropriate: $500–$1,500
- Branded gym signage and decor: $1,000–$3,000
- Whiteboard for posting workouts: $300
Total atmosphere budget: $2,500–$8,000.
Total budget summary
| Category | Budget range |
|---|---|
| Rig and squat stations | $9,000–$15,000 |
| Bars (30 total) | $9,000 |
| Plates | $14,000–$18,000 |
| Conditioning equipment | $20,370 |
| Specialty equipment | $4,000–$6,000 |
| Pull-up / gymnastics | $1,800–$3,000 |
| Dumbbells and kettlebells | $4,500–$6,500 |
| Flooring | $8,000–$15,000 |
| Storage and organization | $2,000–$3,000 |
| Sound, lighting, atmosphere | $2,500–$8,000 |
| **TOTAL EQUIPMENT BUDGET** | **$75,000–$104,000** |
This is the realistic full-spec budget for a 30-athlete-capacity affiliate. Cheaper builds are possible by reducing equipment counts, choosing value-tier brands, or buying used. We’ve helped affiliates open with as little as $45,000 in equipment by buying selective REP and Hi-Temp gear instead of Rogue, and by reducing initial inventory (e.g., starting with 4 rowers instead of 8 and adding more later).
Buying strategy
A few things we’ve learned about buying for affiliates:
Buy from one or two suppliers if possible. Consolidating orders saves on freight (often $1,000–$2,000 in savings on a full build) and simplifies warranty issues. We routinely handle full-affiliate orders and ship them as a coordinated package.
Don’t try to buy everything six weeks before opening. Some equipment ships quickly (consumables like wallballs, jump ropes, kettlebells) but rigs and large equipment have lead times of 4–10 weeks. Plan backwards from your opening date and stagger orders accordingly.
Phase 2 and 3 of expansion. Most affiliates open with 70% of their final equipment, then add as membership grows. We help affiliates build a “starter package” budget and then a “phase 2 expansion” budget covering the additional rowers, dumbbells, and specialty equipment they’ll add at month 6.
Don’t compromise on the rig. The rig will outlast every other piece of equipment. Spending an extra $2,000 on commercial-spec uprights vs the cheapest option is the highest-leverage decision in the build.
Where to skip the premium brands
For affiliate use, you can save significant money by going value-tier on:
- Wallballs. Generic from Iron Bull or REP at $35 each is fine. No need for $80 Rogue wallballs.
- Jump ropes. Cable ropes at $30 each from any reputable supplier. Don’t pay for branded ones.
- Kettlebells. Iron kettlebells from REP or Bells of Steel are 30% less than Rogue equivalents and functionally identical.
- Plyo boxes. Plywood boxes built locally are cheaper than premium gym brand options. Or buy Rogue’s “value” plywood line.
Where you should NOT skip premium:
- Rig and rack. The single piece that has to last 20 years.
- Olympic bars. Cheap bars get bent in affiliate use. Spend $300+ per bar.
- Rowers. Concept2 only. There’s no good substitute for the durability and data ecosystem.
Final word
A well-spec’d affiliate becomes the centerpiece of a community for years. Cutting corners early creates problems for years too. If you’re scoping an affiliate build, book a consultation with our commercial team — we’ll review your floor plan, programming style, and capacity goals, and put together a specific equipment list that fits the space and the budget. Most affiliate buyers save $3,000–$8,000 by going through a planned consultation vs assembling the order piecemeal.
Browse our complete catalog here, or get in touch directly at sales@ironforge.pro.