Jun 30, 2022 Are Weighted Vests Right for You?
Weighted vests are popular training tools for a variety of fitness enthusiasts. They can be great for conditioning, general strength training, and adding additional difficulty to many different workouts. You can transport them nearly anywhere, strap them on, and add more depth to your workouts, whether they’re focused on the upper body, lower body, full-body, or even just an extension of bodyweight.
A recent story from Barbend.com shares the best options for all the weighted vests available on the open market. Below is an excerpt from that story.
Best Weighted Vest
You might already be familiar with Exo’s knee sleeves, but the company also makes a high-quality weighted vest that’s ready to wear, and adds a challenge to even your toughest workouts.
Exo Sleeve Weighted Vest —This vest is made from the same stuff that makes wetsuits — neoprene. That means that it’s protective, durable, and very resistant to abrasion and erosion from chemicals (like sweat). It’s also lightweight, which means that you’ll be able to know with precision how much weight you’re loading up with at any given time.
The vest is designed with a front-facing strap that can be adjusted to your body’s needs. It’s short, so it won’t chafe above your hips while you’re running. And, it’s meant to be breathable and ergonomic, with shoulder straps that dip below your underarms to avoid sensitive spots whether you’re lifting overhead or jogging.
The Exo Sleeve Weighted Vest can hold more than 20 pounds — and you won’t have to worry about purchasing vest-specific plates to load with. It can accommodate most small barbell plates, so you’ll be able to load however you need to give your workout a weighted boost.
Best Back-Loaded Weighted Vest
One advantage of many weighted vests is the even distribution of weight across your torso. But sometimes, you want a back-loaded vest to make your training even more specific — and make it easier to breathe. Enter the GORUCK Ruck Plate Carrier.
GORUCK Ruck Plate Carrier —This weighted vest is designed to be worn high and tight on the torso and can support a 20 or 30 pound Ruck Plate® — which are sold separately. Due to the back-loading design, it puts less pressure on the chest when fully loaded and, therefore, may allow for easier breathing. The backpack design may also provide more accessibility for athletes with a broader variety of body types.
This vest, available in two color options — black or coyote brown — is made from 1000D Cordura with an EVA foam padding for added lower-back support. With no added mesh, zippers, or straps, it is potentially easier to spray clean (with a hose) and hang dry.
Best Fitting Weighted Vest
When all you want in the world is a snug-fitting weighted vest to accompany you on everything from your runs to bodyweight WODs, the Exo Sleeve Weighted Vest might just be the droid you’re looking for.
Exo Sleeve Weighted Vest —The Exo Sleeve Weighted Vest isn’t a backpack. It fits snugly around your entire upper torso, meaning that you’ll be able to move more freely without restricting your range of motion. Because it’s made of durable neoprene, you won’t have to worry about putting it through its paces. When you get the fit right, it should be able to stay snugly on your body no matter which direction your movement is taking you.
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You can add over 20 pounds of weight to your workout without worrying about unevenly distributed weight bouncing — and chafing — on your back. And if you do wind up wanting a looser or tighter fit, you can adjust the fit of the Exo Sleeve Weighted Vest to give you more of what you need.
To read the full story from BarBend.com on weighted vests, click here.
