Heavy weighted vest suggestions?

Dela

Dela

Cathlete
Well, as we get closer to STS, I have to get something for the heavy leg weight workouts, and I've decided on the vest over the squat stands. I have the Cathe 10 pound vest, but will need at least a 40 pound vest for this, so anyone have any suggestions of vests they like or even just vests they have seen that look good?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, thanks!
 
I highly recommend Ironwear vests ( www.ironwearfitness.com ). I have both a regular one (the one that looks like you're a member of the SWAT team) and a Coolvest (the one that looks like you have explosives strapped to you), and I like them both. I wear the Coolvest with nothing on under it when I go walking in the middle of summer, and it does stay quite cool.

Both are machine washable (a MUST for a weighted vest, IMO) and adjustable (another MUST). They use heavy rubber weights that are also used in the ankleweigts/weight belt they sell.
 
kathryn said:
I highly recommend Ironwear vests ( www.ironwearfitness.com ). I have both a regular one (the one that looks like you're a member of the SWAT team) and a Coolvest (the one that looks like you have explosives strapped to you), and I like them both. I wear the Coolvest with nothing on under it when I go walking in the middle of summer, and it does stay quite cool.
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Nothing?!?!? I would worry about chaffing.....
 
kathryn said:
I have both a regular one (the one that looks like you're a member of the SWAT team) and a Coolvest (the one that looks like you have explosives strapped to you), and I like them both. I wear the Coolvest with nothing on under it when I go walking in the middle of summer, and it does stay quite cool.
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I can just see all the local cops following Kathryn during her walks, either because they think she's carrying explosives or they're hoping her vest will accidentally pop open. :eek:
 
xvest

While I have had it only a few weeks, not enough to speak to longevity, I really love my XVest (http://www.thexvest.com/). It has adjustable straps all over it, and it's easy to add/remove the weights in one pound increments, so there's quite a bit of control. It's also washable.

There's a variety of styles; I went with one that goes up to 20 pounds, as I'd heard it was best to limit weighted vests to about ten percent of total body mass. However, they have much heavier ones than this.
 
LaughingWater said:
I can just see all the local cops following Kathryn during her walks, either because they think she's carrying explosives or they're hoping her vest will accidentally pop open. :eek:
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LOL!

I just thought it looked like a plastic-explosive vest one day mid-walk. The Garmin strapped one wrist, the my MP3 player strapped above the opposite elbow, with wires leading to the vest, did make it feel a bit suspicious.

(No chance of accidental popping open, since it closes with a zipper. But the first time I went 'commando' underneath---to avoid having to wash TWO sweaty pieces of clothing post exercise--I had to remind myself not to unzip on the way home!)
 
arwenlong said:
Can I ask where you heard this?
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For walking, it is recommended to limit the weight of vest to 10% of body weight. I'm not sure where I've heard this, but it was in several different places (including fitness magazines and from Dr. Fuhrman). It is for knee and lower back safety.

For other purposes (ie: adding weights to squats and other non-impact moves), more weight can be used.
 
I have never heard the 10% rule about walking with weighted vests, but it makes complete sense.

I remember years ago, I had a friend in college (male) who walked our large, very hilly campus with ankle weights on. He thought he would get into great shape doing it. He might have been in great shape, but his knees were shot! :(
 
Wouldn't you know, I found the 10% sidenote on safety in several places when I was looking at how much weight I should expect the vest to handle, and can't find any of them this morning :(

I'll see if I can find the articles, and post a link. They were online, and it also seems to me there was something in one of the fitness books I'd been reading. Also, there was a discussion around the time that people were discussing backpacks for college students - that's been longer.

What I'm not sure of is whether the guideline of 10% was intended only for cardio, or both cardio and strength training. I originally bought the vest for hiking, and then started using it for Cathe's dvds when it became challenging to grip the heavier weights during squats and such. At an earlier time, I'd gone up to 29 pounds in a pack to prepare for a hiking trip, gradually working up from an empty pack - but that was more endurance, not the same intensity as doing step, plyometrics, and so on.
 
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I should have saved those original links to weighted vest safety ... One was Fuhrman, and another was an exercise specialist. I did locate three places that talked about maximums, but they are not the ones I read last December. Still, for what it is worth, here are three places talking about capping the weight you use with a vest:


10% recommendation
http://www.weightvest4osteoporosis.com/

20% recommendation
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/renegade8.htm

10% recommendation
http://www.nefitco.com/weightvestarticleuk.html
 
Wow those Iron Man vests are expensive! I have Cathe's 10# vest and it is fine, but I need more. I was doing my 1RMs yesterday and realized I can squat much more than I can lift. Drat (well, sort of). I do have a squat rack, but won't be using it for STS since DH and I are doing it together. Darn. I need to do a little searching and see if I can find a heavier vest for less $$$. :)
 
Kathryn,
Thanks for the suggestion on ironwear vests. I just bought one, a COOL Vest that goes up to 18 lbs and the shipping was free. They were supposedly on sale but who knows if that really isn't the really just the regular price. A little pricey though but I really like that it actually came with all 18 lb's supplied. You have to read carefully on the description though because they will indicate that they go up to X amount of pounds but not necessarily arrives with that poundage. My vest is the short one so hopfeully I will be using it during the summer when I am out walking my girls LuLU and Olive (poodle & chihuaha). Of course my true motivation was for STS work.
Booboo
 
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