The 18 Best Weighted Vests for Any Type of Workout
Bodyweight workouts are popular for a reason. They're as simple as physical training gets—all you need is yourself and the will to move, and you're ready to build muscle and strength, hone your balance and stability, or improve your cardiovascular health (or all of those at once). But when you want to level up your workouts and progress beyond the minimalist mindset, you'll need a little something extra. One of the simplest ways to add a new element to your workout (and keep the same movements as your other bodyweight sessions without picking up a dumbbell or barbell) is to strap some poundage onto your torso and give yourself additional resistance by wearing a weighted vest.
Weighted vests come in a wide range of varieties, from minimal-coverage harnesses that provide a few pounds of extra load to large rigs designed to mimic the body armor worn by military groups that hold iron plates. Most weighted vests are as versatile as bodyweight workouts themselves, with removable weights that allow the wearer to adjust the load to make the training easier or harder. The tools have been made especially popular by proponents of 'functional fitness' in recent years—particularly among the CrossFit community—as the weighted vest is an essential component in one of the most popular (and infamous) WODs, the Murph, performed annually on Memorial Day to commemorate a fallen U.S. service member.
Whether you're a beginner looking for a simple way to challenge yourself or a seasoned CrossFitter upgrading your Memorial Day Murph kit, we've selected some of the best weighted vests available. Check out these 18 options and get ready to bear the load.
Great for Most Workouts: TRX XD Kevlar Weight Vest
Material: DuPont™ Kevlar® fiber
Weights: 10 to 40 pounds (three weights available)
You might see the name "Kevlar" and think this vest has a different purpose than adding weight to your training—but this formidable piece of gear is only meant to help you 'bulletproof' your body through rigorous workouts. Coming in 20 and 40 pound variants, the vest uses a unique cross-strap design to keep your movements locked down.
Great for Beginners: Henkelion Weighted Vests
Material: Neoprene
Weights: 4 to 12 pounds (two weights available)
Available in a number of weights from four to 20 pounds, Henkelion offers light weights for beginners at a decent price. The vest comes in a variety of colors including black, gray, and blue.
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Great Weighted Vest Alternative: Goruck Weighted Rucking Backpack
Material: 1000D Cordura
Sizes: Small to Large (three sizes available)
It's not exactly a vest, but it serves the same role: adding a load to your bodyweight workouts. Plus, GORUCK's gear is made with non-abrasive fabrics, so it won't dig into your skin while working out. We found this backpack is comfortable even when exercising shirtless. Available in five styles, you can even have training plates added if you're feeling particularly masochistic.
Aduro Sport Weighted Vest
Minimalism is key with this vest from Aduro. You won't be able to pack on the load you can with some of the other options (this maxes out at 20 pounds), but what you give up in weight, you'll gain in mobility.
SPRI Weighted Vest
Another solid budget option, this 20-pound vest comes with some welcome features that punch above its price point. Adjustable straps add for personlized comfort, and weights come in 2lb increments to customize your resistance.
ZFO Sports Weighted Vest
Are you a stickler for hydration? Stow your water bottle in the specialized pocket before you strap on the belt mechanism that keeps the vest snug.
5.11 TacTec Trainer Weight Vest
You can add your own plates to this vest from 5.11, which boasts a streamlined design to keep your workout from getting too bulky. Don't worry about getting too sweaty—it's also covered in a water-resistant coating.
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Hyper Vest PRO Adjustable Vest
We like this vest so much, we named it the best of 2017 on our Gear of the Year list. Each size comes pre-loaded with 10 pounds, and you can add to up to 32 pounds. to that in the largest version.
Omorpho G-Vest
This luxe vest isn't cheap, but it's designed to be a comfortable, minimalist means to add some extra load to your training. Unlike some other vests, which hold removable plates that make the weight concentrated to only one part of your torso, the Omorpho vest is designed for equal weight distribution.
Read more: Omorpho Reivew
RunMax Pro Weighted Vest
If you're looking to go basic, this Amazon best-seller from RunMax is a great no-frills choice. The 20 pound. version is all you need for the Murph, one of CrossFit's toughest WODs.
Cross101 Camo Weighted Vest
This adjustable vest maxes out at 60 pounds, and it's available in multiple camo patterns. For long rucks, there's a water bottle holder attachment.
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CAP Barbell Adjustable Weighted Vest - 50 LB
Ramp up the weight on your hikes and runs with the 50 pound version of this padded mesh vest from CAP. You won't get bored, either—there's an integrated pocket for youR phone to stream music while you work out.
MiR Adjustable Weighted Vest - 60 LB
This compact vest proves that looks can be deceiving—it can hold up to 60 pounds of weight. Your bodyweight workouts will feel like you have an extra person strapped to your back, and your gains will only grow.
Powerhandz Powersuit
Powerhandz' Powersuit is a patented weighted suit, not just a vest. It's made of neoprene and has six flexible rubber weights, ranging from 1.25 pounds on the upper body to 2.5 pounds on each thigh for a total of 10 pounds sewn into it.
Prodigen Running Weight Vest
Prodigen's neoprene weighted vest was designed with running in mind. It has elastic on the waist as well as elastic on the edges for more flexibility. It also has reflective strips on both sides of the vest to keep you visible in all weather conditions. away from traffic accidents in all weather conditions(rain, fog, dark) at day or night. It comes in weights: 8, 12, 16 and 20 pounds.
BOX Weighted Vest
This top-rated bodyweight comes with plenty of convenience specs like a buckle system that's easy to put on and take off, and hand washable and wipe-able liner that comes especially clutch during grueling sweat sessions.
Goplus Weighted Vest
Goplus's neoprene weighted vest is filled with iron sand and river sand and comes in weights: 12, 16, 20 and 30 pounds. It has adjustable straps marked with reflective stripes, and also has a convenient mesh pocket in the back to store your phone, gels or keys.
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MOVSTAR Weighted Vest
This 10-pound neoprene weighted vest has removable weights so you can adjust how much you want for every workout. It has a super-thick Velcro belt around the waist to keep it in place and offer extra support throughout your workout.
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