Uses of Rubber in the Leisure Industry

30th January, 2026

The leisure industry is not just a prominent feature in the UK. It is a global sector which drives significant GDP around the world. This means that rubber for leisure applications is implemented on a global scale.

At Aquaseal Rubber, we produce a range of rubber materials for several industries. This guide to the uses of rubber for leisure will explore sectors including camping and caravanning, sports and fitness and amusements and recreation, where rubber is used and why it is important, the typical rubber materials used in leisure and how to maintain these materials to ensure prolonged usage.

What is the leisure industry?

The leisure industry is an economic sector which focuses on providing goods and services for people in their free time and includes entertainment, relaxation and recreation, encompassing tourism – like camping and caravan holidays – sports and fitness – including gyms and workout spaces – and amusements – such as outdoor play areas and theme parks.

Since the industry focuses primarily on ways to provide entertainment, relaxation and recreation for people, certain materials must be used to ensure the safety of individuals, as well as the optimal performance and longevity of different applications. These applications range from camping equipment and caravans to gym equipment and theme parks.

In the UK, notable leisure brands include caravan and motorhome manufacturers like Swift and Elddis, health and fitness club operators including PureGym and David Lloyd Clubs, amusement operators such as Merlin Entertainments and theme park ride manufacturers, like Garmendale Engineering Solutions. Regardless of their sector, these companies all require rubber materials in some form to ensure the safe operation of their leisure applications.

Where is rubber used in the leisure industry?

Bespoke rubber for leisure can be found in several applications in the industry. In most cases, these rubber products are critical for the safe operation and ensured longevity of different applications.

Camping and caravanning

Camping and caravanning holidays are extremely popular in the UK. In 2024, the camping and holiday park sector contributed £12.2bn in visitor expenditure. Many different types of rubber materials are used in different applications to support these camping and caravan holidays for numerous reasons:

• Sealing and waterproofing: rubber seals are used primarily in caravan doors, windows, roof vents and awning attachment points to create watertight and airtight seals to prevent rain, wind, dust and draughts entering the van.
• Flooring and anti-slip surfaces: in both tent porch and awning mats and caravan flooring, rubber products are used to provide grip and reduce slipping, add comfort and cushioning and reduce noise and vibration.
• Tent and awning components: rubber is used in tent pegs and peg protectors, elasticated guy lines and awning connectors to provide flexibility under tension and absorb wind movement to prevent damage.
• Hoses and pipes: the safe handling of fluids is crucial in caravans, and rubber is used in fresh water and waste water hoses and seals, as well as fuel and gas system seals to allow flexible and leak-free transport of liquids whilst resisting chemicals, fuel and oils.
• Comfort and safety components: in both tents and caravans, rubber is used in door buffers and corner protectors, handle grips and step edge protectors to absorb impact, prevent injury and damage and ultimately, improve user comfort and safety.

Being able to recognise the signs your caravan seals need replacing is essential to ensure the longevity of your holiday home. Routine inspection of your tent and caravan rubber will help you understand if replacing rubber products is necessary, especially prior to a holiday or other trip.

At Aquaseal Rubber, we can help you choose the right rubber seal for your application and provide tips on how to expand the lifespan of your caravan.

Sports and fitness

In the sports and fitness sector of the wider leisure industry, rubber is a critical material in several applications, particularly in workout spaces, equipment and protective sportswear:

• Sports flooring and surfaces: gym floors, sports halls and running tracks all use rubber to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for participants, working to absorb impact and reduce injury risk, provide slip resistance and reduce noise and vibration.
• Sports equipment: certain types of equipment use rubber grip coatings to improve grip and control, whilst football, basketball, netball and rugby ball bladders include rubber to provide elasticity and rebound, and maintain air pressure.
• Strength and fitness equipment: gym equipment used in everyday workouts, like dumbbells, kettlebells and resistance bands, are made from rubber to protect floors and equipment, reduce impact noise, and allow controlled resistance.
• Protective sportswear: rubber is used in knee, ankle and elbow supports, shin pads, mouthguards and wrist supports to cushion impact and absorb shock to reduce injury, whilst providing support and compression to certain bones and joints.
• Footwear: trainer soles, studs and cleats, and indoor court shoes all consist rubber materials in some way to provide grip and traction, offer flexibility for natural movement and improve shock absorption during running and jumping.

Amusements and recreation

Many people may not realise the importance of rubber in the amusement and recreation sector of the leisure industry, but different materials are used in numerous applications:

• Playground and safety surfacing: from outdoor play areas to indoor soft play centres, rubber is used to ensure the safety of children by absorbing impact from falls and reducing serious injury, as well as providing slip resistance and withstanding outdoor weather conditions.
• Theme park rides: ride bumpers and buffers, vibration mounts and wheel tyres on ride systems are critical in theme parks because they absorb shock and vibration during rides, reduce noise during operation, protect ride structures and passengers and improves ride comfort and safety.
• Inflatable attractions: bouncy castles, inflatable slides and obstacle courses contain rubber, where the purpose of bespoke rubber materials are used to provide elasticity and air retention, absorb impact during use and create durable and flexible surfaces.
• Indoor leisure centres: anti-slip flooring, machine pads and protective edge trims are essential in indoor leisure centres, like swimming pools, because they prevent slips and falls, reduce vibration from machines, protect floor and equipment and improve user comfort.
• Barriers, bumpers and edge protection: rubber is used in queue barriers, ride safety padding and protective wall coverings to absorb impact, prevent injury and damage, improve durability of structures and enhance user safety.

What rubber materials are used in the leisure industry?

Different types of rubber materials are used across the leisure industry because each type of rubber for leisure boasts different properties, some of which are better suited to certain applications.

From durability and versatility to its impact on safety features, bespoke rubber materials are crucial for the leisure industry. These materials include:

• Natural rubber: used across all three sectors, natural rubber is a common choice because of its flexibility, elasticity, high resilience and grip. Natural rubber can also be mixed with synthetic rubber to create a more bespoke product.
• EPDM: a universal rubber material with excellent weather, UV and ozone resistance, EPDM dominates outdoor leisure applications because of its durability and ability to withstand a range of conditions.
• Neoprene: used in all three sectors, neoprene is water resistant and durable, as well as known for its shock absorption and insulation capabilities, meaning it is a suitable choice for applications requiring water resistance and appropriate cushioning.
• Silicone: found predominantly in camping and caravanning and amusements and recreation applications, silicone is heat and cold resistant, as well as being food-safe to be used with cooking seals or bakeware, and in ride seals and lighting protection.
• Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR): used in sports and fitness and amusements and recreation settings, SBR has high impact absorption, abrasion resistance and is a cost-effective material preferred for flooring and safety surfaces.

Other types of bespoke rubber products, made from materials including nitrile and polyurethane, are suitable for use in the leisure industry.

At Aquaseal Rubber, we are proud to work with clients in several industries worldwide to provide bespoke rubber for their projects and applications. A full list of rubber for leisure industry projects and applications can be found on our wider leisure page.

What are the best ways to maintain rubber in the leisure industry?

Maintaining rubber in the leisure industry, like caravan rubber, sports rubber and amusement rubber products, is essential because of its daily exposure to heavy use, weather conditions, sweat, water and chemicals.

Rubber for leisure can be maintained by:

• Cleaning rubber surfaces and components regularly using soft brushes or clothes, warm water and mild detergent, to help prevent dirt and sweat from breaking down the rubber.
• Protecting rubber from UV and weather damage by, where possible, storing items indoors when not in use and by using the correct type of rubber, like EPDM, for outdoor products.
• Controlling temperature and storage conditions to prevent cracking and loss of elasticity by storing rubber products in cool, dry conditions and avoiding prolonged exposure to extreme heat or cold.
• Conducting inspection, maintenance and replacement when necessary, since it is especially important to carry out regular visual inspections, look for cracks, splits, hardening or loss of grip and replace worn or damage rubber promptly.

Aquaseal Rubber can support your leisure industry applications

At Aquaseal Rubber, we understand the importance of finding the right rubber materials or rubber products for your leisure industry applications. Our operations ensure your safety requirements, aesthetics and functionality needs are met, regardless of the leisure application you require rubber products for.

We support clients globally with bespoke rubber solutions for the leisure industry. Contact us to see how our team can support your project.