Reebok Weight Vest Review: How It Improved My Fitness Routine
Disclamer
This is an independent review. Reebok is not involved in any way. The vest is bought with with my own money
Kay Tomas wearing the Rebook weight vest, 10 kg. One size fits all.
Photo by me and Benjamin Bøen.
Introduction
There might be several reasons why you are considering using a weighted vest.
Whether you’re looking to enhance your daily walks (maybe you have a dog that you walk), boost calorie burn, increase muscular strength, improve bone density, or enhance your posture and balance, a weighted vest can be a versatile addition to your fitness routine.
Personally, I wanted to increase the walking load and incorporate more resistance into my bodyweight training.
This review summarizes my experience with the Reebok Weight Vest, Strength Series, 10 kg, and shares my insights into its features, comfort, and overall performance.
Build & features
A simple weight vest in red and black, made of elastic fabric with only two adjustable straps to fit your body type. It’s unisex and one size fits all.
This vest is not weight adjustable. You cannot reduce or increase weight in this vest. However, what you lose in adjustability, you gain in flexibility, overall comfort and fit. The actual weights, which feel like small metal balls, are sewn into the fabric.
The Reebok strength series vests come in three different weights: 10, 5, and 3 kgs (equivalent to 22, 11, and 6.6 lbs for those using the imperial system).
Thoughts after two months.
Over the last few months, I have been using the 10 kg vest to increase the load while training, primarily during my 5 km (a little over 3 miles) walks to work. I have also used it for several running sessions of various lengths, adding extra weight and resistance.
This vest is very comfortable on. It has a soft and mushy fit that fits snug around your body and due to its weights, sort of melts to your body shape. It feels like a heavy, needy hug from someone you used to love.
Due to its shape and comfort, it is well-suited for bodyweight exercises like lunges, pushups, squats, pull-ups, dips and so on. Pushups, lunges and squats are typical exercises I do after a walking or running session with this vest.
It works very well for jogging and hiking, and does not hamper your movement in any way. While the vest has some flex and stays comfortably strapped on, it is best suited for lower intensity exercises, as it tends to bounce during high-impact vertical activities.
In my opinion, this vest excels in cardio and low-impact bodyweight exercises.
Simple design in black and red. Upper clip seen in the front.
Photo Kay Tomas F. Bertheussen / Benjamin Bøen.
Using it
When comparing heart rate in training sessions with and without the vest it is hard for me to conclude with something certain just because there are so many variables when measuring my heart rate, power output and overall form from day to day. I do know that my performance varies due to number of things, what I can say for certain though, is that my objective experience of wearing the vest is that it is harder. Its easier to increase your heart rate, and zone 4 and 5 is achieved faster. Is that better? Hard to say, look further down for some scientific findings on this very topic. my own body is needed.
Good for
The vest is very comfortable and good for a number of things, these are some of things I have tried during my time with the vest.
Hiking
Walking and hiking work very well with this vest. It is non-intrusive on your body and does not impact your movement in any particular way while in use.
Running
During fast running, some bouncing is experienced, which is expected. Is that a problem? No, I think not. When I run, I enter flow state and the vest integrates in my overall flow.
For me, however, 10 kg is at the upper limit of what I would run with due to the added impact on joints and bones. Having said that, I have not experienced any increased soreness after using it a few times a week for the past two months.
A short rest before running some more.
Photo Kay Tomas Fagervik Bertheussen / Benjamin Bøen.
Body weight strength training
Strength training works very well. It shines on exercises like pushups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, planks, dips, etc.
Farmers carry is another exercise that works very well. Just bring a few kettlebells and go for a walk with a tight core. Oh, you are already holding the kettlebells? Add in leg raises and squats. HUGE leg gains. Never skip leg day again!
Other everyday chores
Why not enter BEASTMODE and just increase your overall body weight while doing the normal stuff you do everyday? I am certain that the added weight on your upper body helps your joints and strengthens your core.
Mowing the lawn? Well, cut grass AND fat!
Walking your dog? Well, why not get more gains?
Making dinner? Well, shed before you eat!
Bad for
While it works, I've found that jumping or other high-impact vertical exercises is where it will bounce the most. Exercises like burpees, jumping jacks, and other explosive exercises.
These high impacts in the vertical plane are where this vest, and probably all other vests, struggle the most. But that is not a criticism of the vest itself, but the fact that we are doing exercises with a vest strapped to our bodies.
How to use
It’s very simple: you put it on like a (heavy) backpack. Click the clips into place and then adjust them to a comfortable level.
Congratulations! You are ready to start training with a weighted vest. Go get them, tiger!
Comfort
While you lose weight adjustability with this vest, you gain comfort and fit.
This vest is very comfortable in use. Despite some bouncing it remains comfortable overall.
The vest itself is stretchy and has some flex. The actual heavy parts, which feel like small metal balls, are sewn into the fabric, and you don’t feel them while using the vest.
Price and availability
Currently, it is sold out from most outlets. I’ve reached out to Reebok and will update this article if I get a response.
Price:
In the EU, all vests are more or less out of stock, but the historic price is shown to be around €110.
In Norway, I bought my 10 kg version for around 900 NOK.
One size "fits all"
Does it fit everyone? I am a medium-sized male, weighing 75 kg with a chest circumference of 101 cm. I have this adjusted to the minimum (or very close to the minimum) setting. This means that if you are petite, the vest might be too big and too bouncy.
The vest is unisex and comes in one size that “fits all”. However, we humans come in all sizes and shapes, and I have some trouble believing it fits all body types considering how it fits me.
Judging by the Reebok promo images, though, it does seem to fit people from petite to beast.
Considerations
Straps Get Loose
The straps have gotten loose while jogging. I will tape them to lock them into place. It’s not a big problem unless you share the vest with someone or are constantly adjusting the straps for some reason.
Hygiene
It gets sweaty (sort of the point, innit), but how do you wash it? You don’t, really.
Caution: do not put this thing into your washing machine. It’s too heavy.
Storage
When not in use, the only viable way I see to store it is just to drop it on the floor. It lies there as a heavy, sweaty, mushy pool. Not hygienic nor visually pleasing.
Breathing material of vest seen from behind. It is very comfortable.
Photo by Kay Tomas F. Bertheussen / Benjamin Bøen.
What is the measurable effect?
Is there a measurable effect of using a weighted vest? I found, the science is… inconclusive? Well, you can read for your self.
Jumping and Agility
Wearing weighted vests during daily activities showed slight improvements in agility-related performance but had no significant effect on jump power or running speed (Rantalainen et al., 2012).
Running Performance and Economy
Warm-ups with weighted vests improve peak running speed, leg stiffness, and running economy in well-trained distance runners (Barnes et al., 2015).
Soccer Performance
Both weighted and unweighted sprint training improved speed and repeated sprint ability in soccer players, with no significant differences between the two methods (Rey et al., 2017).
Strength and Aerobic Capacity in Older Adults
Weighted vests used during home exercises significantly improved strength, sit-to-stand performance, and aerobic capacity in older adults compared to exercise alone (Mierzwicki, 2019).
CrossFit Training
Weighted vests increased physiological stress during walking and running in CrossFit participants without altering gait parameters, indicating a higher metabolic load without increased injury risk (Gaffney et al., 2021).
Key points is that it does make everything harder, thus making you better!
So yeah, I like the vest! Get your weight up and get out there.