Plastic Recreation & Sporting Goods Equipment Manufacturing

Plastic sporting good equipment is a growing market, and consumers expect plastic materials to be tough and lightweight for long term use. BD Custom Manufacturing specializes in custom plastic extrusions for sports, fitness, water and outdoor recreation equipment. We work with many different types of plastic materials, including HDPE, polycarbonate, polypropylene, and other specialty material formulations. We can help you find the right choice to meet your requirements for color consistency, tactile appeal, resistance to UV, water, or impact damage, and more. Keep reading to learn about our extrusion and manufacturing capabilities for sporting goods and recreation equipment OEMs.

OEM Applications

BD Custom produces custom plastic extrusions for sports and recreational products OEMs. We manufacture all extrusion tooling in-house and fabricate a variety of products from sleek, high-performance components to ruggedized camping goods and high-use fitness equipment parts.

Handles, Grips, Brackets, and Structural Parts

We work with different types of plastics with different levels of flexibility, rigidity, compression set, and other properties. As a result, we can manufacture products with features like soft-touch zones, color bands, and snip-fit joints for cost-effective assembly. Applications include:

Durable Materials for Recreational Use

Outdoor equipment in particular must be able to withstand impact and exposure to moisture and UV radiation, all of which can compromise the structural integrity of plastic parts. We can help you find materials that holds up to heavy use inside or out and still look and perform as intended. Some popular plastics for recreational goods are:

• High density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene. These materials are buoyant and resist damage from chemical and moisture exposure. OEMs often prefer them for marine components and watersports goods.
• Polycarbonate. This material offers excellent, long-lasting clarity for visual appeal. It also resists degradation due to UV and heat exposure.
• PVC. Structural profiles benefit from PVC’s rigidity and ability to weather the elements. It is also a lightweight and low-cost material.
• Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). These materials are abrasion-resistant, absorb impact forces, and remain flexible throughout manufacturing and use. Bumpers, grips, and components with high-touch surfaces are frequently made from TPU and TPE.

We can also create specialty formulations of these plastics to help them retain their colors, resist drying and cracking, and maintain mechanical strength. All of these properties help sporting goods and recreational products last longer and perform at their peak for higher consumer satisfaction.

Performance Meets Design

Consumers have a strong preference for recreational goods that deliver excellent performance and great aesthetics, and BD Custom focuses on achieving both objectives. We can color match plastics for consistent branding or color trends, and we can extrude or co-extrude plastic tubes and handles to improve ergonomics and grip on handheld items, safety bars, and handles. We also extrude profiles with detailed cross-sections for added strength, easy DIY assembly, and ergonomic handling.

Shape, Feel, and Color Flexibility

Extruded plastics offer nearly endless versatility for this market. From soft to rigid, smooth to textured, we can create a range of features and finishes to make your products stand out visually, perform reliably, and simply make recreation fun. Some examples of features we can incorporate include:

• Soft-touch zones for ergonomic gripping, carrying, and holding.
• Variable wall thicknesses for easier production of intricate forms.
• Multiple color bands within a single profile to provide better structural integrity and durability.
• Sections with blended materials or inserts to create transparent sections next to solid colors, which serve as visual cues or aesthetic details.
• Varied textures for better grip, hydraulic fittings, and long-lasting seals.

We offer prototypes and design refinements to help you develop and perfect products for your target market.

Partnering With OEMs

We understand that OEMs are looking for reliable, experienced manufacturing partners to produce high-quality aquatic gear, fitness, sports, and outdoor recreation products. Our capabilities range from experimental prototypes to large-scale orders of finished products, and everything in between. We also offer material samples, iterative testing, and rapid tooling, to facilitate product development and speed time to market once a design is finalized. We can also provide design and engineering support for things like improved structural integrity, grip comfort and ergonomics, and material selection.

Prototypes to Production Runs

BD Custom supports OEMs at every stage of production from iterative design refinement, to functional prototyping, to low- or mid-volume production cycles. We offer versatile testing services as well as precision extrusions, co-extrusion, and color-match that meets or exceeds Pantone standards. Inspection services include visual checks, and dimensional verification.

Reach Out for Custom Sporting Goods Extrusions Today

Your brand can produce high-quality plastic sporting goods equipment for your target markets with extrusion and manufacturing services from BD Custom. Whether you’re creating durable outdoor gear, performance fitness equipment, or highly aesthetic recreational products, our plastic extrusion experience and material options can bring your product to life. Contact us today to learn more about our extrusion services or request a quote to start your order.