Rugs, Carpets and Carpeting - Help me select carpet for a new workout (gym) area in my garage

I am going to use a 12x20 area in my garage as a home gym and will be putting workout equipment there. I have two main questions / concerns.

What type of carpet will best hold up to a workout environment?

What type of carpet will suit a damp garage concrete floor the best? (no pad)

As for carpet types I am looking at berber type carpets and low pile commerical carpet tiles (squares).

The carpet will go over a concrete floor. I have a crappy carpet there now that I will be replacing (no pad) and although it's always dry and no signs of mold or mildew, it smells musty at times so I wonder if I have a moisture problem. Is an indoor outdoor carpet best for this application or will the rubber backing seal in the moisture? What options do I have?

anyone?..................

Indoor/outdoor is the only thing I'd consider in this case. What about a decking product meant for locker room floors - designed with moisture in mind.

I've seen a lot of those inch or so thick, interlocking, rubber mats in weight rooms. Some of them have holes in them about the size of quarters. Nothing gets damaged if weights are dropped and no moisture can collect under them because of the holes. No clue what the stuff is called or where to get it.

I've seen the rubber interlocking mats at a few stores. Not sure I want that they are a pain to keep clean and if the room isn't that big the rubber smell overwhelms.

I will look at an indoor outdoor decking carpet that resists mold and mildew....only thing is that hte ones I have found are really thin and cheap (50 cents a square foot). I wanted something a bit nicer. I will shop around

Given where you're putting it, I don't think a nice carpet is going to hold up. How about a combination of the decking material with an indoor/outdoor carpet on top?

I was thinking a berber type carpet would hold up fine. I do light workouts only a few times a week. I guess I have to keep looking into what is out there. Thanks.

Your worried about having to clean rubber?? And you want carpet??? Let me tell you, carpet is going to be much harder to keep clean!!!!

The rubber flooring is speced for childerens day care environments all the time, because of the ability to keep it clean, and because it has already off gassed the smell associated with rubber.

Yes, my friend has the rubber snap together flooring available at the sports authority......it shows every footprint and every bit of dust and dirt. I have a carpet in the room now that has not been cleaned in 5 yrs and doens't look bad at all. Once the new carpet comes in and I start working out I will only use clean workout sneakers dedicated for use in that room. I don't think I will have a problem keeping the carpet clean, I just want to find one suitable for the environment. Also rubber will seal the cement surface and moisture and could cause mold and mildew problems......I need something that breathes......any recommendations?

No recommendations. You appear to have already made up your mind and the "once the new carpet comes in" statement leads me to believe you've already ordered carpet. It's your workout room, do as you please.

No recommendations. You appear to have already made up your mind and the "once the new carpet comes in" statement leads me to believe you've already ordered carpet. It's your workout room, do as you please.

No need to be rude. I have not ordered carpet yet. I am not a carpet expert and don't know what is available out there for this application. I'm sorry if you are offended because I feel that the rubber mats won't work. I have never seen the ones you mentioned with holes in them......do you have a link? That would definately help with the breathing but getting dirt / debris,etc out of those holes could turn into a headache.

I actually found rubber mats with ribbed and studded bottoms that facilitate airflow underneath. I will most likely be ordering these pending review of a sample that has been dispatched to me.

Sounds like the stuff we used to have in the locker room.