A growing trend in fitness is the utilization of weighted vests to increase the intensity of what would be typical exercise routines. Just imagine what 20-30 additional pounds would feel like while you’re walking, sprinting, doing chores, jogging, etc. The benefits are obvious but knowing what the best weighted vests of 2017 are is another thing altogether as there are more and more of these products being offered everyday it seems. Choosing the wrong vest can result in a vest that is very uncomfortable to wear and can even lead to injury if not made properly. Since we started getting some questions about these training tools we went ahead and reviewed the top ones on the market and narrowed all those down to the top 5 of 2017. Keep reading below to find out more about weighted vests and to see our top 5 review for each product.
History of Weighted Vests
The vest was made famous by Lieutenant Michael Murphy, a Navy Seal who was known for his intense and disciplined workout sessions. These workouts were named after him, and they are referred to as MURPH. During these drills, a person is expected to do 300 squats, at least a mile long run, 100 pulls and 200 push up while wearing a weight vest jacket of about 25 pounds. These workouts were very efficient; some athletes perform these workouts on Memorial Day as a way of honoring those that have served in the United States Armed Forces. The wearing of the best weight vests, however, remains optional during the workouts.
The Multiple Uses of Weight Vests
It is important to note the weight vest jacket is also known as a multipurpose training tool; this is simply because the vest can be used during various workouts. It is great to know that the vests are not specifically made for athletes only, but can be worn by anyone with the desire to burn down calories including the best weighted vests. Some of the ways in which one can put on the weight vest jacket and get the desired results includes the following:
Hiking and Walking
There is nothing as refreshing as taking part in outdoor activities. By putting on weight vest jackets when hiking or just taking a stole in the park, the vest will ensure that one has a full body workout. It is important to make sure that the weights you have on your vest are manageable until you gain the required fitness for the vest.
Cardio Workouts
These are great workouts since they work to boost the level of metabolic rate, increase the burning down of calories. If you chose to incorporate a weight vest, this will ensure that you burn more calories. You can try it on the trade mill and just experience how far you can go.
Circuit Workout
The best weighted vest can be worn during any circuit workout. This will ensure rapid burning down of calories. Some of the activities that you can carry out while putting on a weight vet include 25 Lunges, 25 Sit Ups, 25 Push-ups, 5 pull-ups, 25 sit ups and about a mile long run. This you cannot repeat if it is your first time, you will need to wait until your body develops enough endurance. For a beginner, a 10pound vets is ideal to start with.
Weight Lifting
Lifting weights is a great way to burn calories and at the same time has your body toned. By putting on the best weighted vests, one will experience more defined results within a shorter period.
Outdoor Chores
Did you know that carrying out the simple outdoor chores is an excellent way to burn a few calories especially with the weight vest on? These are just but a few ways to ensure that you make the most of your weight vest jacket!
It is not enough to have a weight vest, but one need to ensure that they have the best weighted vest. In this weighted vest review, we are going to give you the best that 2017 has to offer.
5. CAP Barbell Adjustable Weighted Vest
A product of CAP Barbell Manufacturers, the CAP Barbell Adjustable Weighted Vest is one of the s available on the market today. The pockets made on the jacket are tight thus preventing the weights from falling off. It also has a Velcro strap that is adjustable. This allows one to perform exercises such as pull-ups, squats and many more.
Special Features
- If comes in eight weight options
- It has adjustable weights of about 2.5 pounds, this will enable you make adjustments to the weight that you can manage
- The straps are thick ensuring that the vest has a great grip on your body while wearing it
- The weights are sand bags that can easily be removed or added depending on an individual’s preference
- It has one size that can fit anyone of any fitness level. All one needs to do is just make the necessary adjustment on the straps
4. Wodmaster Weight Vest
Designed by Clovis and Murph, this vest is great for running, pull-ups, squats and much more! This vest is also a great intro vest or one that is very versatile as it’s very comfortable and caps out at 20 lbs. We also liked the fact that it has nice reflective strips on the back so if you are one to run at night you can do so safely. We found this vest to be really comfortable and the weight felt distributed really well throughout the entire vest so it doesn’t feel too weighted in the front nor the back. With 4 points of adjustment this vest can be made to fit just about any body type comfortably.
Special Features
- Reflective straps great for lovers of night workouts
- Fixed weight of 20lbs
- Build to fit your body and has 4 points of adjustment
3. Titan Fitness Weight Vests
It is one of the s and is created for the purpose of building strength. The vests have been created to hold various weights; one can buy depending on their preference. The weights are evenly distributed both on the front and the back. The nice thing with these vests is there are multiple models that have various weight capacities so if you are looking for a lightweight vest or a heavy duty vest up to 50 lbs they have you covered on both fronts. This thing is really built to last as you can tell immediately the material and stitching is made to handle a beating for as just about as many workouts as you can throw at it.
Special Features
- The material used is of heavy duty and had great resistance
- It has weights that are made of cast steel which are solid and adjustable in 1lb weights
- The size of these vest can fit almost everyone
- Has a great strap/belt that is padded and offers great support to the body and during work outs
2. No Bounce Elite Weight Vests
If you are looking for comfort, No Bounce Elite Weight Vests will ensure that you perform your entire workout including thrusters, pull-ups, burpees and so on. The nice part about this vest is that it is really simple and has the bulk of the weight in the front and the back of the vest and is highly adjustable so that you can get a nice and snug fit. We liked the adjustability of this vest with the weights and the straps as well. As versatile as this vest is it is really built well and it feels like it can last for years due to the strong materials and simple design that helps.
Special Feature
- Has adjustable straps
- The weights on the weight vest are evenly distributed and are adjustable
- They come in 10 and 20 kg weight vests with the weight evenly distributed
2. Hyper Wear Hyper Vest PRO Weighted Vest
A product of Hyper Vest, the Hyper Wear Hyper Vest PRO Weighted Vest was voted as the best weighted vest by Men’s Health Magazine along with us here at The Muscle Review. This vest is most comfortable vest and distributes the weights evenly throughout the entire vest which helps to make it even more comfortable. The thing that sets this vest apart from the rest of the crowd is the fact that this vest doesn’t use typical bulky weights but instead uses tiny metals plats distributed all over the vest for the weight. This also means that this vest is not bulky at all and is made to be as comfortable as any vest that has ever been created. Simply put this is the best weighted vest on the market in 2017.
Special Features
- High density Steel weights with a thickness of ¼
- It is small in size. While wearing a large T-shirt, one cannot tell you are wearing one.
- It comes in 5 different sizes with each size having a maximum loading capacity
- The fabric is of great quality and at the same time washable. The fabric wicks moisture from the body. It has great ventilation hence one will not experience any odor.
Conclusion
Some of these designs have been created in a very unique way in the sense that one cannot tell if you are putting on a vest or not. These are great training tools since they increase agility during a workout. A lot of athletes who use the vests have increased muscle fiber which is responsible for their increased agility. The heavier it is, the more the body develops muscle fiber.
If you enjoyed this article then you should check out our very popular guide to finding the best wrist wraps on the market today. We think you’ll love it so go check it out.
