11 trending sports goods to sell online (2023)

The sports niche is set to stay profitable as health and fitness continues to be a top priority for a large portion of the global population.

Statista predicts that the health and fitness segment will have a total revenue of USD 4.13 billion in 2023 and USD 5.77 billion by 2027. Key regions that are the most interested in this niche include the USA, Germany, the UK, China, and Australia.

What products do consumers in this niche want to purchase? Here's our top 11 sports products that we predict will be in-demand.

Kayaking is a recreational sport that is practised on lakes, in rivers, and on the sea coastline. It's a water sport that can be relaxing on flat water or vigorous exercise in whitewater river rapids.

An inflatable kayak is a piece of sporting equipment that has a lot of attention with online shoppers. The water sport has seen holidaymakers and adventurers get more into kayaking when on a coastal trip or as a daring social activity. Families, adults, and children enjoy inflatable kayaks because of their comfort, ease of transporting, and quick set up with an air pump.

Intex Inflatable Kayak Challenger (EAN: 8721012055063)

Types of inflatable kayak:

• Two-seater kayak
• One-seater kayak
• Inflatable kayak set with oars and pump

Key selling points of an inflatable kayak:

• Packable and easy to transport
• A useful way to visit islands and coves
• Cheaper than hiring kayaks frequently

The padel sport is a game played in pairs on a small boxed court. It resembles tennis with a similar-looking net, court, balls, racquets, format of the game and scoring system. The difference is that padel racquets are rounder, thicker, and don't have strings. There are also certain rules regarding the walls surrounding the court as rebounding the ball off the walls is permitted.

An article in Euro News, 2023, cites that padel is the fastest-growing racquet sport worldwide. It is predominantly popular in Spain, Argentina, Uruguay, France, Italy, and Sweden.

XQ Max Padel Racquet Thunder (EAN: 8719407091161)

Types of padel racquets:

• Teardrop shape
• Round shape
• Diamond shape
• Men's, women's, and junior racquets

Key selling points for a padel racquet:

• Quality fibreglass and EVA foam for optimal performance
• Safety wrist strap to prevent injuries
• Choose the shape depending on your preference for ball-control
• Heavy padel racquets for power
• Lighter padel racquets for comfortability

Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) is now everywhere. It is a water sport that involves standing on a surf-style board and paddling with an oar. Although it started way back in the 1940s in Waikiki, it has recently exploded as the latest trend, especially since Covid finished.

SkyQuest Technology and Consulting reported that the SUP market was valued at USD 1.44 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 2.39 billion by 2030. They mention that SUP is in-demand as it is an accessible sport, quick to learn, and doesn't require hours of practice and lessons.

With the invention of inflatable SUP boards, the sport has become even easier to get into. Now it's possible to have the convenience of transporting and inflating your own SUP board without expensive hire at a local surf shop.

vidaXL Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board Set (EAN: 8720286087985)

Types of stand up paddle board equipment:

• Inflatable SUP boards
• Solid SUP boards
• Touring SUP boards
• Whitewater SUP boards
• SUP oars or paddles
• SUP leash
• SUP kits (with board, pump, fin, and oar)

Key selling points of stand up paddle board equipment:

• Inflatable SUP board is easy to pack and transport
• A SUP kit includes everything needed
• Elastic cords on the front of the SUP board to hold a wet bag

Camping is a trending outdoor activity, especially in the warmer months. PR Newswire reported that in a US 2022 survey, 80% of all leisure travellers chose camping for some of their trips. It's not just Americans enjoying excursions in nature. Statista predicts that the worldwide camping market will be worth USD 62 billion by 2027.

A tunnel tent is a sporting product with high sales online as camping enthusiasts prepare their next adventure. Tunnel tents are spacious outdoor shelters with separate living and sleeping quarters.

Easy Camp 4-Person Tunnel Tent (EAN: 5709388120380)

Key selling points of a tunnel tent:

• Separate living and sleeping areas
• Awning to create a sheltered porch
• Spacious design for comfortable camping

Rowing machines train the whole body including the arms, legs, and are an excellent form of cardio. The rowing technique is not difficult to pick up, which makes the rowing machine a preferred piece of workout equipment. People with all levels of fitness can benefit from rowing without excessive time to learn the correct form.

vidaXL Folding Rowing Machine (EAN: 8719883807553)

Key selling points for a foldable rowing machine:

• Folds for compact storage
• Achieve a full body workout
• Ideal for exercise in small spaces

Another piece of workout gear is the curl bar. This barbell has a W shape for ergonomic use, which is useful for tricep extensions, skull crushers, and preacher curls.

Are people still buying at home workout equipment? While the Covid pandemic has ended, home gyms are still popular thanks to their convenience. The home fitness gym market was worth USD 13,741 million in 2022, says data from Mordor Intelligence, and is set to increase steadily.

Interestingly, the fastest-growing market is the Asia Pacific, while the largest market is the USA. The same data suggests that the market concentration is low.

vidaXL Curl Bar with Weights (EAN: 8718475843719)

Key selling points for a curl bar:

• For a commercial or home gym
• Train the biceps and triceps
• Multiple grip options

For the most cost-efficient home gym option, a multi-station gym set is a top-seller online. These gym sets often include a bench, weight rack or power tower, dumbbells, and barbells. Online shoppers purchase this sports equipment when they are looking for a better workout than with just free weights alone.

vidaXL Power Tower with Barbell and Dumbbell Set (EAN: 8718475702498)

Key selling points for a home gym set:

• Multi-functional gym equipment
• Cost-effective way to set up a gym at home
• Power tower for pull-downs to train the back
• Barbell and dumbbells to train full body

Horse riding gear is another idea for dropshipping in the sporting goods niche. The horse riding market will be worth USD 3 billion by 2032, says data from Allied Market Research. Beginners, intermediate and advanced horse riders all need reliable and safe equipment to keep them and the horse safe.

Horse riding saddle sets are a horse riding product that could sell successfully. They usually include a leather saddle, blanket, stirrups, stirrup belts, and girth. Consumers that are shopping for a saddle could be tempted to buy a set that comes with multiple saddle accessories. Sets and bundles are top sellers as shoppers feel they are getting a good deal.

vidaXL Horse Riding Saddle Set 14cm (EAN: 8718475878360)

Key selling points for a horse riding saddle:

• 100% real leather to last
• Saddle blanket, stirrups, stirrup belts, and girth included
• Well-made to ensure you and the horse are safe during riding

The world's largest trade fair for sporting goods, the Internationale Fachmesse für Sportartikel und Sportmode (ISPO), reported that camping with a roof tent was a new outdoor trend in 2022. Their article "Camping with the Roof Tent: A Trend Explodes in Europe" highlighted how people were loving the freedom of camping with a car. At the ISPO Outdoor Show in 2022, roof tents saw a surge in interest.

Car touring canopies are tents that are installed on the roof of a vehicle to offer a flexible and affordable camping shelter. They are popular with campers that perhaps can't afford to purchase a camper van. Waterproof with a rigid, secure structure, and sometimes with a mattress included, they are seen as "mini rooftop hotels." Luxury touring canopies even feature a battery-powered auto-set-up capability.

Outwell Touring Canopy (EAN: 5709388119285)

Key selling points for a touring canopy:

• Convenient way to create a shelter anywhere
• Perfect for those that feel safer sleeping above ground
• Fits on any car
• Set up in minutes
• Cheaper than a camper van

We've already established that the camping market has had some time in the spotlight since Covid. With adventure trips becoming a more sought-after style of get away, camping gear is what's hot right now.

A camping cooking set is a product that every camper needs. Compact, easy to pack away, lightweight, and essential for meal times, camping cookware features on everyone's camping shopping list.

Sets vary slightly but often include a camping kettle, frying pan, saucepan, and cooking pot. Some camping cooking kits have a detachable handle to use on all pans to save space. This set could be bundled with a camping gas stove to upsell the orders.

Esschert Design 4-Piece Outdoor Cooking Set (EAN: 8714982103292)

Key selling points for a camping cooking set:

• Made of lightweight metal for hiking and camping
• Designed to be used on open fires
• Durable to last for years of use

As mentioned, convenient home fitness gear is of interest almost everywhere. Sandbells are an interesting sports product that is unique and practical. These are dumbbells with sand inside as the weight. The benefit of using sand is that it moves when used, acting as a "live active" weight - the body uses additional muscles to balance the shifting sand.

A soft neoprene casing makes it comfortable and easy to grip. It's especially attractive for those that don't enjoy using traditional dumbbells that have a stainless or iron steel handle that rubs against the skin.

Pure2Improve Sandbells 8kg (EAN: 8719407043283)

Key selling points for sandbells:

• Soft neoprene is comfortable to hold
• Sand shifts acting as an active moving weight
• Tough non-leak construction

Take our advice with these sporting goods recommendations. Create an account with dropshippingXL to set up your dropshipping store in the sports equipment niche in one of 34 countries worldwide.