Much like some auto makers produce more than one line of cars -- Ford and Lincoln, for example -- some large fitness equipment manufacturers put out more than one brand. These companies, the 800-lb. gorillas lurking behind the scenes, often coordinate their product lines to appeal to the widest swath of market share possible. Other fitness brands may operate independently by securing a hold in a particular niche of the fitness equipment market.
ICON Health & Fitness
ICON Health & Fitness is the parent company behind many fitness brands. They include home-equipment manufacturers NordicTrack, Weider and ProForm; budget-conscious Weslo; commercial brands Epic and FreeMotion; plus Reebok, Gold's Gym, Image and HealthRider. ICON is also the company behind iFit, which produces workout memory cards and allows streaming workout downloads to add new personal-trainer-designed workouts to your ProForm, NordicTrack, Image, Reebok or HealthRider cardio machines.
Nautilus
Another so-called 800-lb. gorilla in the fitness industry, Nautilus is well-known for its eponymous line of commercial-use strength-training machines. Nautilus also produces functional trainers, home gym equipment and both home-use and commercial-use cardio equipment, including the unusual TreadClimber, a treadmill-stair climber hybrid. Other Nautilus brands include Schwiinn, Bowflex and Universal.
Johnson Fitness
Johnson Fitness, part of the Johnson Group, is another major player in the fitness equipment market. Johnson produces Horizon, Vision, Matrix, AFG and Livestrong cardio machines, including treadmills and elliptical trainers.
Keys Fitness
Keys Fitness was sold out of bankruptcy court in 2008 but continues to produce strength-training equipment. You might see Keys Fitness cardio equipment sold under the brand names CardioMax, Alliance, Discovery, Ironman and Healthtrainer.
Dyaco
This Taiwan-based fitness equipment manufacturer supplies equipment for sale through the Sole brand. Dyaco also manufactures cardio equipment for Spirit Fitness, Xterra Fitness and Fuel Fitness and produces a home-exercise product called the Shake Weight.
Landice
Landice is a high-end treadmill manufacturer with a reputation for building sturdy, durable equipment. You may find Landice equipment in gyms and clinical settings. The company also produces a line of treadmills and elliptical trainers for home use, but they don't come cheap.
Smooth Fitness
Smooth Fitness sells elliptical trainers and treadmills for home use. Smooth helped pioneer online sales of fitness equipment and also produced cardio equipment under the EVO brand name.
Cybex
Cybex produces a line of high-priced, high-quality commercial exercise equipment, including cardio and strength-training machines. The Cybex and Trotter companies merged so products previously branded as Trotter are now sold under the Cybex logo.
Brunswick
Brunswick produces Life Fitness, a line of highly dominant commercial- and home-use cardio machines. Brunswick also manufactures commercial-use Hammer Strength strength-training equipment.
Precor
Precor dominated the early commercial-use elliptical trainer market, with numerous patents on its pioneering rear-drive technology. Precor also produces elliptical trainers, bikes, treadmills and strength-training equipment for home use.
True Fitness
Another major player in both the home- and commercial-use markets. True Fitness manufactures high-end bikes, elliptical trainers and treadmills, which come with a correspondingly high price tag.
Core Fitness
Although not as well-known as other major fitness equipment manufacturers, Core Fitness deals with two major, well-known brands. It acquired almost all rights to both Schwinn and StairMaster from Nautilus.
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