04-10-21 05:06 PM - Post#909572    

Are weighted vests a good investment? What weight is recommended if using for rucking (male, weight is 100 kg )Apart from rucking does anyone use them for other exercises?
Thanks

04-10-21 05:46 PM - Post#909573    

Glad I bought the one I've got now, only ten kg but much more comfortable for adding weight to dips and chins than messing about with big plates dangling from your waist. . I've got an adjustable one as well (sandbags up to 10kg) which is just frustrating to load, never sat right and fell apart. .

04-10-21 05:46 PM - Post#909574    

Try a simple backpack first with load. I would, if I could do it all again, use a backpack a few times before buying it.

One of mine cuts off my blood supply and I get weird and bitchy quickly. Another...the weights fall out easily.

So...I love them but it seems like borrowing is better for a bit.

Daniel John Just handing down what I was handed down... Make a Difference. Live. Love. Laugh. Balance work, rest, play and pray (enjoy beauty and solitude) Sleep soundly. Drink Water. Eat veggies and protein. Walk. Wear your seat belt. Don’t smoke. Floss your teeth. Put weights overhead. Pick weights off the floor. Carry weights. Reread great books. Say thank you

04-10-21 07:43 PM - Post#909575    

I got an ALCE pack I was issued when I was in the military. If you can find one they are made to ruck with

04-10-21 08:35 PM - Post#909576    

I have one from weightvest.com that was expensive but is very good quality. I got one with a narrower shoulder width, which I think is great for my build. They've rebranded things, so I'm not sure which one it is, or even if they still make it.

I like it for things where balance is important, as it doesn't shift center of gravity like a pack or dangling weights would.

04-11-21 08:25 AM - Post#909579    

If you want something for rucking and additional exercises (pull-ups, push-ups, dips, etc.), then GORUCK's Ruck Plate Carrier is a great option. More expensive than a floppy weight vest, but the weight stays tight to your body and allows for free range of motion.

https://www.goruck.com/products/ruck-plate-c arrier-2-0

I like using additional weight (big fan of Wendler's WALRUS training - https://www.jimwendler.com/blogs/jimwendler-com/ 15-ideas-on-walrus-traini ng), but I'm with Dan in that most weight vests I've used can get pretty annoying pretty quickly.

#TrainWithConviction

04-11-21 10:42 AM - Post#909580    

Thanks everyone for the advice!

04-11-21 05:45 PM - Post#909584    

+1 on the GoRuck; I love mine.

I also have a Tactical Tailor Rucksack that is excellent; very sturdy and built to carry a load. I stuff some towels in this rucksack’s bottom to carry the weight higher. I weight this rucksack with sandbags made by filling gallon ziplocks, stuffed into a small burlap sack, then completely wrapped in duct tape. They’re 13~14.5 lbs and stay put, whereas round plates can shift. I also made some smaller sandbags with quart ziplocks. If you want a specific weight, you can add a 1 lb sack or three of dry beans.

Just my 2¢

04-11-21 08:50 PM - Post#909585    

I'm just getting into weighted vest work myself. Also from Jim Wendlers walrus style training. I really like it so far. Been using a backpack so far, but on pullups it really digs into my shoulders and pecs and on pushups it tends to flop around.

I just got a plate carrier off amazon for 52 bucks. Barbarians Molle Tactical Vest:

https://www.amazon.ca/Barbarians-Tactical-Tr aining-Adjustable-Lightwe ight/dp/B07H2TD88P/ref=sr _1_5?d...

It hasn't got here yet, but reviews are good and it's way cheaper than any fitness weight vest I've seen. I'll either shove some 10 pound weights in the front and back plate carrier pocket or if I'm feeling frisky I'll head to a local steel shop and have them cut me 5/16 or 3/8 steel plate in the right shape. At 10x12.5 dimensions they'll weigh about 5 or 6kg each at that size. Don't worry, I'm not stupid, I know mild steel at that thickness has no chance at stopping bullets ha ha.

As a bonus it also has lots of velcro pouches if you ever do any hunting or like to play paintball or something.

I'll update on comfort level once I get it.

04-12-21 02:44 PM - Post#909595    

I like this very much.

https://kensuifitness.com/products/kensui-ez-ve st

"I think we often spend too much time focusing on max fitness and not nearly enough on maintaining our minimums. It seems we need to think sustainable rather than obtainable. Meaning whatever we do today, we can do it again tomorrow. Never taking so much from ourselves that we can't." Dan Martin

04-12-21 06:45 PM - Post#909598    

• JDII Said:

Second This!

04-13-21 02:38 PM - Post#909609    

• Jordan Derksen Said:

It would stop most pistol rounds, but rifle calibers will go through it like butter.

04-13-21 04:29 PM - Post#909612    

• Jim James Said:

I am intrigued - who is so pissed off at your workout habit that they shoot at you?

04-13-21 08:28 PM - Post#909615    

• Old Miler Said:

Just my 2¢

04-21-21 11:57 AM - Post#909781    

The amazon vest is meh. I might return it. Side buckles come loose easily, some stitching is coming loose right out of the box. I might return it for a different one with better reviews.

I got 2 10x12.5x3/8 steel plates that weigh 13.5 lb each. Combine that with the vest weight and it's 30 pounds of fun.

Immediate observation is that weight vest weight is not at all like just 'weighing more'. The weight is all localized in your torso, which holds about 50% of your total mass. So, the assumption would be that to simulate 30 pounds of mass added to your torso you would need 50-60 pounds of total body mass extra. That is for certain movements where hands and feet are anchored anyways. Anything with just hand or foot contact like pullups/dips/squats would only feel the 30 pounds although slightly differently. Hanging a 35 lb kettlebell from my waist during pullups is easier than doing pullups with the 30 lb weighted vest. Probably due to the counterbalancing effect from where the center of mass is shifted too.

The other observation is that all that weight is borne by the traps and crushes down on the chest. That makes for a different experience for sure. After one workout of pushups, pullups, abwheels, and goblet squats my shoulders and traps were relieved to have the vest removed.

I think I'll be having fun with this one for a while.

09-21-21 09:18 AM - Post#913471    

Question for those who ruck and hike as well -
I have a hiking pack with good design to carry load on the hips and I have "regular" backpacks that carry the load on the shoulders.

Which one to ruck with?

The regular pack smokes my shoulders/traps pretty well. I could go longer and heavier with the batter pack loaded. Thanks for insight.

Less Hercules, more Achilles.

Weighted vest
09-21-21 11:17 AM - Post#913476    

With the better pack it's real easy to put more load on the traps etc. - just loosen or remove the hip belt when you're hiking. True rucking (not just to work out) - you're going to want to be used to the good pack. You'll get the better overall body workout with the heavier weight

Edited by Chris Rice on 09-21-21 11:18 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

09-21-21 01:31 PM - Post#913486    

Thanks, Chris. I only asked b/c it looks like a lot of people are using packs that don't load the hips and I wondered if there is a good reason for that.

Less Hercules, more Achilles.

09-21-21 02:09 PM - Post#913487    

• ledfistaco Said:

I carry packs quite a bit with my climbing - some fairly light at 25# but some pretty heavy too. I've carried lots of cheap packs that only hit the shoulders - not enjoyable at all. I have a 25# weight vest for lighter carries that is a lot more comfortable than a poor pack. I'm not sure why anyone would want to only hit the shoulders rucking???

09-21-21 09:05 PM - Post#913490    

• Chris Rice Said:

Rock climbing? That’s impressive.

09-26-21 12:31 PM - Post#913565    

I've been limited to lots of walking recently, mostly without load.

When I do want to ruck, I've been using an old day-pack combined with old water bladders (water bags in Camelbak's or similar) for weight. My pro-tip is to freeze the water bladders. 2-3L of water makes nice incremental weights and the density spreads things out more nicely than using weight plates. Freezing gives a bit of temperature control but the real benefit is that you aren't fighting sloshing water. (Now, if you *want* to go full "slosh ruck", you are welcome too. And carry a slosh pipe overhead. :) )

Best,
Mark