The Best Weighted Vest for 2024, Tested by Athletes: Plate Carriers and More to Add Weight to Your Workouts

The Rogue Plate Carrier is our best-rated weighted vest largely due to its value proposition. In a nutshell, you get a made-in-the-USA vest designed specifically for its ability to reach up to 40 pounds, is extremely comfortable and priced very competitively. For most people, this is the best option for those reasons alone.

Believe it or not, most weight vest designs you see were intended for military and law enforcement use. It just so happens that the ballistic plates originally intended for the plate carriers can be subbed for cast iron or steel plates and used for working out.

Many fitness weight vests still embody the traditional tactical design, but Rogue dwindled down all of the unnecessary “tacti-cool” elements (although I do think vests like the 5.11 Weight Vest look cooler) for their plate carrier and kept the features that matter most. This allows for a Rogue weight vest that is extremely compact, streamlined, and useful. It has everything you want and nothing you don’t (including no chafing).

Most people use weight vests for running, bodyweight exercises, and general CrossFit-style workouts. This is why we recommend the Rogue Weight Vest Plate Carrier. It excels at these things and offers extreme durability thanks to the Cordura fabric and reinforced stitching. Strategically placed padding and stretch-woven fabric keep you comfortable for long and intense workouts. It also manages to have a relaxed fit without compromising security.

Over time, many weight vests fade and lose their stiffness or edge. Being that this vest is made using 500D/1000D Cordura fabric (medium and heavyweight nylons sporting polyurethane and urethane coatings), tear strength and abrasion resistance should make trainees feel at ease knowing they should stand the test of time and use. These fabrics also have resistance to rot and mildew, which is good because you’ll definitely be getting sweaty in this thing. That’s why we gave this a near-perfect 4.75 out of 5 stars for durability.

This weighted vest can be used by both men and women, like all fitness equipment, but we’re calling this the best weighted vest for men because there are vests out there specifically designed for women (we’ll get back to that later).

Read my full and in-depth Rogue Plate Carrier review.

The specific weight vest design you see in the Fringe Sport WODMaster Weight Vest is ideal for walking and hiking long distances because it largely leaves the torso unobstructed, which makes for a much more breathable fit. Yes, the name is “WODMaster,” suggesting the vest is made for CrossFitters, but we like this design a lot for walking. 

Instead of covering the chest, abdomen, and entire back, this vest features a minimal profile that covers just the mid-back and traps, with two weighted straps that wrap from the front of the shoulders, across the pecs, and to the lats. The result is a comfortable, open-fit that stays snug during long endurance workouts. 

Made primarily with neoprene, this isn’t the most durable weighted vest available. But if you’re only using it for walking, that shouldn’t matter. The outer neoprene casing holds a tightly packed steel shot that’s held in place with double stitching. Unfortunately, you can’t remove or add any sand or steel shot, so this weight vest is fixed at 20 pounds. 

I like that Fringe Sport had the forethought to add reflective strips to this weight vest, knowing that many people go on their walks in the early morning before the sun comes up, or in the evening after it’s set. Safety first! 

This vest only comes in two sizes (M/L and L/XL), but it has six adjustment points, so you shouldn’t have any problem adjusting the vest to get a good fit. 

We’re not sure how long the buckles and velcro closures will last on this vest, but as a general rule, velcro starts to suck after a while if it’s not of the highest quality. Just try to keep dirt and sweat out of the velcro and you should be able to enjoy this weighted vest for years. 

Speaking of sweat, I worry about the long-term odor resistance of the WODMaster weighted vest because of the neoprene construction. This is the stuff of wetsuits and anyone who’s left a wetsuit without a wash for too long knows they can start to smell pretty funky. My advice is to make sure you hang up your WODMaster vest after each walk or hike to air dry it and occasionally rinse the entire thing in a tub of cold water. 

The Omorpho G-Vest isn’t something we’d recommend for everyone, especially because of its high price point, but it’s a great option for people who aren’t concerned with budget and are looking for high-performance weighted clothing. Not only does it look better than most weighted vests, it also has a tag that can be scanned to access workout sessions you can do with the vest.

It has a ventilated design with adjustable shoulder straps and side cords with lock, so it will feel comfortable on you no matter how sweaty you get and can be fitted to your exact measurements. The micro weights have stayed on our vests, even after hours of sweat-inducing workouts, so we rated the durability a 4.5 out of 5.

There are two sizes, small to medium and large to extra-large, and the weight for both is on the lighter side—8 pounds 12 ounces and 9 pounds 14 ounces, respectively. Yes, that’s not as heavy as some of our other options but it will still provide a challenge if worn during bodyweight or calisthenic workouts.

The biggest difference between this and other options on this list is the look. It’s more sleek and modern looking than most other weight vests, and as we note in our Omorpho Weighted Clothing review there are other options available as well.

The 5.11 Tactical TacTec Plate Carrier is our previous top pick and is still a vest we’d recommend. The 5.11 TacTec Plate Carrier was, at one time, the best and pretty much only option if you wanted a high-quality weighted vest. To be honest, it became a popular kind of by happenstance.

Like I mentioned before, the TacTec Plate Carrier is one of those vests that wasn’t initially meant for use as a fitness tool. It was designed as a flak jacket to hold ballistic plates for operators in the military, and 5.11 realized those ballistic plates could easily be replaced with steel plates for improving fitness.

Soon after its release, the TacTec Plate Carrier was repurposed by CrossFit athletes and has been used in countless CrossFit games events, including the infamous Murph. The TacTec Plate Carrier is definitely one of the most tacti-cool looking weighted vests, however, that style means it has some unnecessary features that add to overall bulk. 

If you like the look, want a vest that’s extremely durable, and don’t mind paying for it, the 5.11 Tactical Weight Vest is still a great option; it’s just not our favorite option anymore. The 5.11 Weighted Vest has been copied hundreds of times over, but that’s exactly why it’s no longer our pick for the best weighted vest overall. The Rogue Plate Carrier is the perfect example of how many companies took the best of the TacTec Plate Carrier and got rid of unnecessary features. 

We do think the 5.11 weighted vest is a good option for CrossFit specifically because of its sheer durability. This vest will last for years no matter how many insane CrossFit workouts you put it through. It’s also a great weighted vest for obstacle course races, such as Tough Mudders and Spartan Races, where your vest is sure to get beat up. That’s why it also gets the distinction of being the best weighted vest for workouts.

One specific feature of the 5.11 vest I really like is the yoke. The shoulder straps feature thick, foam-filled pads with mesh backing to allow breathability. I prefer the minimalist design of the Rogue Plate Carrier, but for extremely long rucking and training, the shoulders on the 5.11 Vest will prove to be a bit more comfortable. 

Finally, the price is a bit high. The cost of just the vest is $210, and that doesn’t include shipping or the cost of the weight plates. For comparison, the Rogue Plate Carrier is made in the U.S. and is $85 cheaper for just the vest.  

RELATED: Best CrossFit Equipment for Home Gym

If you tend to avoid weighted vests because you haven’t found one with a secure fit that doesn’t bounce or jostle around while training, you need to check out the Hyperwear Hyper Vest Elite Weighted Vest. In fact, this received one of our highest scores ever for movement freedom, coming in at 4.5 out of 5 stars from our product testers. 

Thanks to the lack of side panels, an elastic adjustment system, and tightly pocketed weight bars, this vest provides an ultra-contoured fit that hugs your body even during high-impact movements. The fabric is a thin Cordura and, in combination with the open sides, makes for a super breathable weighted vest. 

My favorite thing about this vest is that it feels more like a weighted T-shirt than an actual vest. I can foresee some problems with durability due to the fabric thickness and single-stitching, but after using it for about a year, it’s still holding up pretty well. It also has great weight distribution thanks to the small steel removable weights (as opposed to a larger steel plate in front and back). 

At a price point near $300, I would definitely make sure this is the type of weight vest you want before committing. The Hyperwear Hyper Vest Elite is unique, but not everyone will enjoy the tight fit and contour. For me, however, it’s a big bonus to not have to deal with weight shifting or shuffling during runs, box jumps, burpees, and the like. 

Overall, I feel like the Hypervest Elite allows for more range of motion than most weight vests, which is ideal for anyone who regularly wears a weighted vest for running or high-intensity workouts with a lot of impacts.

Read my in-depth Hypervest Elite Weighted Vest review for more details. Plus, check out our best fitness gifts list (this Hypervest made the cut!).

At first glance, the GORUCK Plate Carrier 3.0 entirely defeats the purpose of a weighted vest. Weight vests intend to evenly distribute a load around your entire torso, preventing the weight from centering on your back. The GORUCK Plate Carrier purposely centers the entire load on your back and leaves the chest and abdomen open in this backpack-style vest. When you consider the activity of rucking and all of GORUCK’s other gear, this makes perfect sense. 

Rucking is simply walking with a weighted pack or weighted vest. A great way to get in your low-intensity cardio workouts, rucking is rooted in Special Forces training, but anyone can do it, with any weight and for any distance. GORUCK made this plate carrier specifically for rucking, with features that keep the weight secure and close to your back to promote good posture. This is the ultimate weighted vest for anyone who just can’t stand closing up their chest and abdomen inside a vest. 

The benefits of this backpack-style weighted vest include breathability and optimized mobility. Centering the weight in your mid-back also promotes good posture by pulling the shoulder blades back and down. If you struggle to keep your chest up while wearing a regular weighted vest, the GORUCK Plate Carrier 3.0 would be a good option for you. 

As far as construction goes, GORUCK clearly prioritized durability and longevity with the Plate Carrier 3.0, as well as comfort. The vest features thick, padded shoulder straps and a wide sternum strap to keep the weight secure. I wish the carrier also came with a hip strap to help the weight distribute more evenly and minimize bouncing. It looks like you can buy those separately for the Rucksacks, so maybe GORUCK will create a hip strap for the Plate Carrier in the future. 

The Plate Carrier 3.0 is made primarily of heavy-duty Cordura fabric and has EVA foam padding in the lumbar region for extra support. The shoulder straps also contain EVA foam padding for comfort. One nice touch is the extra padding on the top lip of the back panel, which provides a cushion for your upper back when doing bear crawls, burpees, or other movements where the weight may shift. Adjustable straps allow for fit customization.

This weighted vest comes in two sizes—standard and long—and you do have to buy the plates separately. This is pretty standard when it comes to weighted vests, and with the Plate Carrier 3.0 listed at $115 (for the standard size), it’s a pretty good bargain even when you factor in the cost of the plates.   

I generally recommend GORUCK products based on their durability and versatility (I love the GORUCK Sandbags), and the GORUCK Plate Carrier 3.0 has my full recommendation based on those qualities. 

The cheapest adjustable weighted vest we recommend is the CAP Barbell Adjustable Weighted Vest, and we are somewhat wary of doing so. For the price, it’s a good value as it weighs in at 20 pounds and is shipped to your door for under $50. 

However, in our experience, you will eventually want to upgrade and we don’t suggest using the adjustable weight feature unless you want grains of sand to fall out on your floor (this is the weight that’s used). It’s cheap, it’s (close to) 20 pounds, and it has a snug fit thanks to its neoprene material. Understand though, you get what you pay for with this vest. It doesn’t have shoulder pads, though. It’s also unisex and one-size-fits-all, so beware if you have a very petite frame, as you might find yourself swimming in this vest. 

I want to make this clear: The CAP Adjustable Weight Vest is not great. It won’t last for years like the other options I recommend, but if you’re on a budget and understand that you’ll likely have to upgrade eventually, it’s your best option.

I’ve used many of the cheaper weight vests and the problem is most either don’t get heavy enough or are too uncomfortable to really even be useful.

At 20 pounds, this weighted vest is perfect for typical CrossFit Hero WODs like Murph) and feels very much like a weighted shirt. The side wraps are made of a flexible neoprene fabric that isn’t very breathable but allows the weighted vest to sit close to the body.

Instead of plates, the CAP Weighted Vest uses little bags of iron sand, which consists of leftover flakes of iron after manufacturing processes. This is one of the reasons they can sell it for as cheap as they do as sand is extremely cheap. (CAP calls the product steel shot in product descriptions because it sounds better, and while it’s somewhat similar—small particles of steel—it’s not technically the same.)

It’s nice that the bags can be removed and therefore the vest is adjustable in weight, but the material used is so thin, cheap, and badly stitched that I’ve had the bags break, leaving iron sand all over my gym floor. It’s annoying and it’s a prime example of trying to make a product as cheaply as possible.

Your best bet is to just use the vest as-is. Don’t adjust the weight, don’t take the little sandbags out of the vest, just use it as is and forget about the adjustability feature. Most of these downsides are lifted when you realize the vest is available for less than $50 with free shipping. Honestly, it’s insane how cheap it is for so much weight.

RELATED: Best Budget Home Gym Equipment

Another pick from Hyperwear, the Hyper Vest Fit was designed specifically for women. The vest consolidates all of the weight into the abdomen and back, leaving the chest panels free of added weight. 

This vest uses a steel shot enclosed in hard plastic casings, which I think is a phenomenal improvement over fabric-encased steel shots. There’s way less of a chance that you’ll experience spilled or leaked steel shot with the plastic weights. They weigh half a pound each. The slots for them in the vest begin just beneath the sternum area, and the vest can hold up to 10 pounds.  

I don’t love that this weighted vest only goes up to 10 pounds. The standard prescribed weight for CrossFit workouts is a 14-pound weighted vest for women, so this one won’t do for any RX CrossFit ladies. However, this is a solid choice for any woman looking to add a bit of weight to their walks, runs, hikes, or bodyweight workouts. 

Like the Hyper Vest Elite, the Hyper Vest Fit has open side panels with adjustable elastic closures. It’s made of Cordura fabric with one-way stretch to minimize bouncing and shifting. Hyperwear says this vest is safe to toss in the washing machine (without the weights), which is a major bonus. 

I don’t think the zipper on this vest is the most durable, but it should hold up for a few years at least. Hyperwear does specify that the Fit vest is intended for lighter-intensity activities, so I would choose something else if you plan to put your weighted vest through the wringer. 

Oh, you’re so strong that a 40-pound weighted vest just won’t do? Well, we have you covered. If you’re looking for a weighted vest to use for more strength training than conditioning (or you’re just an absolute unit that can do Murph with more than 40 pounds on your torso), we recommend the Kensui EZ-VEST Weight Vest. 

The Kensui EZ-VEST is the most unique weighted vest in our breakdown and likely one of the most unique in the world (except for that one vest called the Power-Pohl that looks like something out of a horror movie.) 

What separates this Kensui vest from every other weighted vest on the market is its method of resistance. Rather than using small steel plates made to fit into the sleeve of the vest, the Kensui EZ-VEST uses Olympic weight plates, increasing the max weight capacity compared to standard vests and earning this 4.75 out of 5 stars from our expert product testers. You could maybe try using bumper plates, but you wouldn’t have much room on the sleeve.

In addition to the benefit of a higher weight capacity, this also means that instead of buying new steel weight plates to fit your vest, you just use the weight plates you already have in your home gym. So not only can you use more weight, you don’t have to pay extra to do so. 

For this reason, the EZ-VEST from Kensui is the best weight vest for those that want to add weight to various bodyweight movements and aren’t looking exclusively for a vest for conditioning and metcons (like what our best-rated vest, the Rogue Plate Carrier, is best suited for).

I think most people are best off with a weight vest they can use for conditioning, which is why we place the Rogue Plate Carrier as our top pick. The Kensui EZ-Vest can certainly be used for dynamic movement, but it’s not as well suited for it as others.

However, where the EZ-VEST shines is in its ability to progressively overload pull-ups, dips, push-ups, and other calisthenic movements. This is very difficult to do with other vests or belts, but the EZ-VEST is great for just this purpose.

The ease of using the system is handy as well. The plate sleeves feature a locking nut that is easy to hand tighten and stays pretty tight. The sleeves are removable in case you’re doing push-ups and want weight on the back, but not the front sleeve to get in the way when going chest to deck. 

Kensui has multiple EZ-VEST models; the Max is the one that supports a load of 225 pounds.

I will say, although the weight capacity is high, that doesn’t mean it’s incredibly comfortable at those weight increments. Using 45-pound plates on the vest does feel a bit awkward as they can get in front of your chin and bounce a bit—this type of vest will just never have the same weight distribution as a plate carrier. 

All in all, I’m surprised how much I like the EZ-VEST. I was skeptical and I do think it could be improved in some minor ways (find out how in my in-depth Kensui EZ-VEST Weighted Vest review), but there really isn’t much not to like. It has my full recommendation.