Whether you spend your workout time running, climbing, or lifting hard iron, using a weighted vest is a great way to add more depth to your training. Not only is it a great way to add a degree of difficulty to routines that are feeling stale, it can deliver benefits in both conditioning and general strength, as well.
When you use a weighted vest, every move becomes harder, adding a new challenge to your exercises every step of the way. More than athletic training, they can also be beneficial during physical rehab, posture correction, and balance improvement, as the added weight can help challenge many functional movements you would otherwise take for granted. After training with a weighted vest, the same movements just feel easier, allowing you to perform at a much more optimal level. The best part? You get all that without drastically changing your training.
These are some of the best weighted vests you can get today.
JBM Weighted Vest
If you want a vest strictly for running, then you probably don’t want something with too much weight. You want to be challenged, not turn your one-mile morning runs into an uncomfortable time. This vest is ideal for the job, with its 12-pound weight offering just enough resistance to keep it challenging for the entirety of your run, without having to feel like a beast of burden carrying the weight of an entire expedition on your back.
From the front, it looks like you’re wearing not but a pair of backpack straps, so it’s completely out of the way, regardless of what kind of running you do. The sand filling, which it uses for the weight, feels evenly distributed, too, so the extra heft actually feels very natural. They even threw in a mesh pocket in the back, in case you want to carry anything there (we prefer to leave it empty). Again, we recommend this strictly for running and similar exercises. If you want a vest that can challenge you during strength training or CrossFit, you might be better off trying out something else.
Cross101 Weighted Vest
Want an affordable option that just does the job with no frills? Get this model from Cross101, which can be fitted with up to 80 pounds of weight, allowing it to be useful even for more advanced athletes. Do note, the kind of weight they include depends on how much weight you order, so you’ll get lighter 2.5-pound weights with the 20-pound, but you’ll get heavier 4-pound weights with the 40-pound vest, so you’ll have to adjust in larger increments.
It’s full-length, by the way, with a lot of the bulk located from the mid-chest area down to the bottom. As such, it will get in the way of some movements, so you may want to consider that if you need a vest that won’t interfere with your moves during training. The padding is also sparse, so it can be uncomfortable on the shoulders once you’re carrying a good amount of weight. With that said, it offers arguably the best balance of price and function, making it a good purchase for most folks.
GoRuck Ruck Plate Carrier
Want the front of your torso completely free from any bulk, so you can do your exercises as freely as possible? This unique vest is, basically, a backpack that’s designed to wear flush on your body, with enough room in the main compartment to accommodate a standard weight plate up to 30 pounds. It has a streamlined design that can be worn really high on your back, so the weight’s position promotes natural stability, while a sternum strap keeps it steady the whole time you wear it during every movement.
Construction is durable Cordura all around, with EVA foam padding providing the necessary lumbar support. It comes in three sizes, by the way, so make sure you get one that’s the right size for your body type.
MiR Super Slim Air Flow
If you’re not a fan of the bulky look of weighted vests, you’ll appreciate the slim lines of this stylish vest from miR. Yes, they really did manage to make it look that slim, despite carrying actual weights on various pockets around the garment. It can handle a maximum 32 pounds of weight, which, admittedly, is less than the maximum that many other vests can accommodate. Considering most people train with just 10- or 20-pound vests, though, that maximum weight capacity should be more than enough for most individuals.
Designed to keep you cool (hence, the Air Flow name), it’s made using a cotton blend that wicks sweat and promotes air circulation, while using a front zipper, adjustable D-rings, and three straps to maintain a snug and secure fit for all sizes of users. It’s machine washable, too – just take off the weights and dump it in the washer with the rest of your laundry.
MiR Short Weighted Vest
Want a vest that’s as out of the way as possible? Try this short 11-inch long model, which only covers from the shoulders down to halfway around the torso, where the chest and abdominal muscles meet. You know, like a crop-top that can make your workouts more grueling. It has 20 individual pockets scattered around the front and back of the vest, allowing you to put on evenly-distributed weight to promote balance during your exercises, while straps across the torso and the shoulders make it easy to tighten for a secure fit. The included weights are three pounds apiece, allowing you to fill this with up to 60 pounds if you can handle that much heft.
TRX XD Kevlar
It’s not the most affordable weighted vest in this list, as you can imagine with a premium brand like TRX making it. For the price, however, you get arguably one of the most comfortable vests you can wear for any kind of training, as it’s well-padded at strategic sections, ensuring you’re challenged by the weight not by any kind of discomfort. It has a cross-strap design that stays put through the most rigorous moves, while the Kevlar construction should hold up through the nastiest training environments.
You can get the vest pre-loaded with weights in your choice of 10 pounds, 20 pounds, or 40 pounds. They come with removable weights (two-pound increments for the 40-pound and one-pound increments for the others), allowing you to adjust the amount of weight you’re carrying with each exercise.