Comfort 5/5
Fit 5/5
Style 5/5
Structure 5/5
I am not an expert, just a consumer. I purchased this vest and I am extremely glad I did. Actually, I purchased 2 others until I found this. One of those 2 being very overpriced in my opinion. I have the ZFO 40lb weighted vest, which I like but is a bit bulky and the sand can be messy, so that annoys me. There are 16 weight packets in the ZFO vest for the 40lb and each weight packet is much bigger than the Altus and Ironwear vests weights. I guess that's the reason it is bulky. I believe it looks better on my husband than on me. The vest is well made but I do not like the design. I do not leave the house with this vest. I use it for home exercises because I don't think it fits me right, like I said it is a bit bulky.
I also have the ironwear 30lb. It uses flex-metal weights which feels very good and is easy to remove or add. It is of very good taste in style and I love the flex-metal weights more than the steel and sand weights. However, I do not think the vest itself is as sturdy as the Altus or ZFO vests. It is one of the higher priced vests and the style/idea is great, but in my opinion the structure of the vest is not as strong as the other 2 vests. After a few washes and wearing, it starts to frill around the edges so I now have my needle and thread close by. Also, one of the zippers broke and another is on its way. Can be easily replace/repair. Other than that it is a nice vest that could have cost less. I would really love it if the vest was made stronger because I love the flex-metal weights and the Ironwear style is very fancy. I is a breathable vest.
MY FAVORITE: ALTUS WEIGHTED VEST
Altus is my favorite and my husband's too. Out of my 3 vests the only one I would buy again is the Altus. I have even ordered their ankle weights, and I will let you know how they fit when I get them. The Altus vest fits like a glove and my husband and I wear this more than the other 2 vests. The weights are evenly distributed. It uses steel weights, neatly placed in pockets covered with velcro flaps. It is a breathable vest and is very beautifully made to last. The removable weights are evenly placed at the front and back of the jacket. As you can see there is a pocket for you ipod. I love the wide shoulders on this vest. I have never had any shoulder discomfort using this vest. I sometimes keep it on most of the day on the weekends as I exercise more, and can't wait to use it for my exercises after work. I have done pushups in this vest withought a problem. I have done a lot of walking, jogging...etc. with this vest on. However, like everything else I believe you should look at all the other options and see what's best for you and your pocket. After explaining to a friend that I purchased the other 2 vests, she suggested I try this and I tried it in the store and bought it that day. It is better to fit it in the store due to differnt shapes and sizes of each individual. I really love my Altus vest and this is my review of it so I hope it helps.
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This is a great vest, feels like very nice quality, no defects in my vest. Ipod holder is VERY nice and a great addition.
HOWEVER, I'm 5'11, and would not, personally, recommend this product to anyone under about 6' maybe 6'1 if you plan on using this for jogging unless you think you can withstand it.
As a male at my height, the vest seems a little to big for me, height wise. I jog 5 miles a night, and this vest is VERY sack tap happy. The straps seem to hold the top and mid portions of the vest in place well, but, the bottom part flaps and if you're male, it will continuously slap your family jewels throughout your run. It's not the end of the world but it does get a little annoying and hurts the longer you run.
Although it has this negative feature, I do still love this vest and will continue to use it. I've currently lost 23 pounds in 6 weeks using this vest when I do my nightly 5 mile jog, and eating healthier.
Best of luck,
Alan of Tx.
Best Deals for 40-Pound Conditioning Vest
This vest is a good deal bigger than it seems from the picture. I wouldn't recommend it for anything that requires much moving around; it's way too bulky and hangs down almost a foot below the waist (I'm about 5'-11). Also, the straps for tightening it don't allow for a tight and secure fit. I wouldn't get it for any training activity besides standing in one place with weight on. Spend a little more for a vest that sits higher and has a more snug fit.
Honest reviews on 40-Pound Conditioning Vest
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I am currently training for an intense endurance obstacle course, so I was really excited to get this weighted vest. Unfortunately, I can't see myself really getting as much use out of this product as I had hoped. Here is why:
-I'm 5'7 and 145lbs-pretty average female. This vest is way too big and bulky. It hangs several inches past my hips and the bottom flaps a bit, which makes running uncomfortable. I have tightened it as much as I can, but it is still too loose.
-The material is rough, which during an intense workout, leads to pretty nasty chafing-especially around the neck and inner arms wearing short sleeves and swinging your arms will lead to the rubbing. Sweating makes it worse.
-The velcro strips that keep the weights secured don't stay shut when there are weights inside (at least on the bottom pockets).
However, I really like the fact that you can control the amount of weight in the vest. Putting the sand-filled weights in the pockets takes time, but they fit snugly and you don't have to worry about them falling out even when the velcro doesn't stay securely shut. I also appreciate the reflective stripes on the vest, which make the early morning/late evening exerciser visible. The vest also has a pocket for your MP3 player/phone which is useful and the pockets are strategically placed in the front and back for an even positioning of the weights. I might wear this with a long-sleeved shirt underneath (to prevent the chafing) while I walk the dog or while I do push ups/sit ups/core work, etc. It is amazing how a few extra pounds can make such big difference in the perceived rate of exertion.
Unfortunately, I had visions of myself running up hills with this vest on, but that isn't going to happen. It just is too big and the rubbing around the neck and arms cause too much pain and pretty nasty chafing to make that viable. Perhaps a larger male would be able to run around with this vest on, but I'd tell most women and smaller men to skip this vest.
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I was disappointed with the quality of the vest. The stitching was poorly done and used thin thread to hold the buckles together. After less than 1 month and about 5 workouts using only 20 of the possible 40#'s available, the straps were torn apart at the stiching. The Velcro really never held even at the first use. I am in the process of returning this to amazon.
