The 6 Best Weighted Vests for Women, Tested and Compared

Weighted vests are hugely popular with women, which is a big change from the days they were mainly only used for military training or heavy rucking. There are a ton of options on the market, but not quite as many weighted vests for women specifically.

I wore six different vests for my daily walks, strength training, errands, and workouts. Not all of them are specifically made for women, but they're sold as unisex, so I wanted to give them a shot to compare them all and see how each one fits on a woman's frame.

Of course, full disclosure, YVO makes one of the vests below, and we obviously think it's the best weighted vest you can get for women (it would be kinda weird if we didn't!), but that's for a good reason. It was made specifically for women's bodies in conjunction with physiologists, using the highest quality materials. We still judged our vest against the same criteria as all the others here.

Overview

• Best overall for women: YVO Warrior Vest
  
• Best for running: Omorpho Women's G-Vest Icon
• Best for short, intense sessions: GoRuck Spy Ruck
• Best value for beginners: Centr Weighted Vest
• Best for gym training: REP Strata
• Best for loading past 20 lb: Wolf Tactical Plate Carrier

How the Best Weighted Vests for Women Compare

Weight over the breasts is not automatically a problem. It depends on how the weight is spread, your breast size and shape, and how much load you're carrying.

How We Evaluated These Vests

I'm a certified strength and conditioning specialist and personal trainer, and I wore each one of these vests on walks, during strength training, and around the house over several months. For the record, I'm 5'4" and 34DD (this matters for getting a comfy fit!).

I judged each vest on eight things:

• Women-first fit, including bust accommodation and torso length
• Comfort over 30 minutes or more
• Ease of getting it on and off
• Weight capacity and room to progress
• Size of the weight increments
• Cleaning and care
• Materials and durability
• Availability and what comes with the purchase

YVO Warrior Vest: Best Overall for Women

$299 for the 20 lb set, $249 for the 10 lb set, $199 for the shell alone.

The Warrior Vest is built for women's bodies from the start rather than shrunk down from a men's design, which will be pretty obvious as soon as you strap it on. For one, the chest strap contours around your breasts rather than pressing across them. The load is also distributed closer to your hips rather than the collarbone, which is ideal for women's body shape.

Front and back pockets let you load up with eight modular 2.5 lb weights to carry anywhere from 2.5 lb up to 20 lb. The pouches are soft and flexible, and they mould to the body in a way that hard metal plates do not. From experience, if you're going on a long walk or doing any sort of bodyweight exercise in a vest, softer weights are crucial since the hard plates will smack into your hips, which isn't at all pleasant, as you can imagine.

I didn't have any problems with it shifting on me while doing bodyweight training, or while using it with my suspension trainer, or while jogging. I credit this to the shoulder sliders that adjust up and down and the front buckle that lets you adjust the height for a more custom fit. The vest also has four outside mesh pockets which can hold a phone and keys, and two hidden inside pockets for stashing cards or cash.

Every purchase includes a DEXA scan through BodySpec, a scan that measures bone density and body composition and typically runs about $150 on its own. You also get access to the YVO app for logging walks and a spot in the YVO Ruck Tribe community.

Although the vest only comes in one size, you can purchase vest extenders that give you up to an extra 12 inches of length. Even without the extenders, though, the vest accommodates a wide range of women due to the stretch panels and multiple adjustable straps. With the Warrior vest, 2.5 lb is the smallest weight jump available, but increments any smaller than that aren't going to be very noticeable for most people. Oh, and a big bonus: It's machine washable.

Choose this if you want a vest designed around a woman's body shape, room to build from 2.5 lb to 20 lb, and a bone density scan to track what your training is doing.

Omorpho Women's G-Vest Icon: Best for Running

$279. 6 lb, additional weight available.

Omorpho's G-Vest is super sleek with a shorter cut that sits high, which is what makes it ideal for running. Despite being shorter, it doesn't tug at your shirt or bunch up around the waist, and the material is breathable and flexible for sweaty runs.

It's filled with small steel ball bearings spread across the surface, so the load is distributed evenly. It only weighs 6 lb, which is great for running because it isn't heavy enough to change the way you move. It's not as ideal for progressive overloading your walks or strength training, unless you buy additional weights, which will run you another $109. The additional weights come in a pack of two 1.5 lb, and one 3 lb panels you can snap onto the vest to take it up to a maximum of 12 lb.

Although the vest doesn't pull or bunch, the back straps can rub on bare skin if you're wearing a tank on a longer run or during workouts, but you can fix this by wearing a t-shirt instead.

At $279 for 6 lb, it's an expensive vest for not a lot of weight or versatility. Most research uses heavier loads than this vest for bone and muscle benefits, but if you're on the lighter side, you can always shell out for the additional 6 lb weight pack.

Choose this if you run regularly and want light, well-distributed resistance that stays out of your way.

GoRuck Spy Ruck: Best for Short, Intense Sessions

$79, $99, $119. Comes in 8, 12 or 16 lb.

This is another lower profile vest you can wear under a hoodie or over a sports bra without it bunching up. It has two sternum straps that are adjustable, as well as padded shoulders which help a lot with chafing while doing things like burpees and box jumps. The weights are made from coated steel pellets that won't rust or get smelly, which is good because you can't toss this one in the washing machine (it does spot clean pretty nicely, though).

Wearing for longer periods is a bit of a struggle, though, because the weight rides up a bit on the shoulders and upper back. It starts to feel pretty heavy after about 30 or 40 minutes, unlike vests that distribute weight a bit better. On longer walks, it was more fatiguing than vests that spread the weight closer to the hips on the front and back.

You also can't change the weight on this vest since it's fixed, but they do come at a decent price, so you could technically get more than one, if you have the room for them.

Choose this if your training is short and intense, and you want something sleek at a reasonable price.

Centr Weighted Vest: Best Value for Beginners

$72. 1.25 to 20 lb.

You get a lot of bang for your buck with the Centr vest at just $72 (sometimes found for less, depending where you buy it). It comes with sixteen removeable 1.25 lb sandbags, so you can go from 2.5 lbs up to 20 lb, and anywhere in between as you progress. Despite the price, it still has double stitching and padded shoulders, plus Velcro straps that make it easy to take on and off.

There are eight front and back pockets to distribute the sand bag weights fairly evenly. I could do push-ups, squats, and lunges with the vest without a whole lot of shifting, which surprised me.

Since the weights are sandbags, the vest is bulkier than plate versions, which makes this one less ideal for running. It's also a one size fits all unisex design, so it's not exactly shaped for women's bodies and there's no accommodations made for breasts. It's also capped at 20 lb, though that's plenty of weight for most women.

Some versions bundle a three-month membership to the Centr training app, too, which is honestly a great platform for workouts, meal plans, and more (ahem, Chris Hemsworth).

Choose this if you want to try weighted walking without spending much, and you would rather find out whether you like it before investing more.

REP Strata: Best for Gym Training

$88 to $110 for the shell. $50 for a pair of 5 lb plates, up to $116 for a pair of 20 lb plates.

The Strata is a serious piece of gear. You can customize it with either curved steel plates or soft plates (filled with steel shot) that sit in front and back pockets, held by an internal support structure that keeps them from shifting around during plyo training or running. There's a thick, honeycomb padding covering the front, back, shoulders, and neck for more breathability than a lot of other heavy duty padded vests.

You can also choose from eight different plates, including precision plates that account for the actual weight of the vest, which is 2.3 lb, so it's matched to competition standards, if that's your thing. Pull cords on each side let you tighten it to fit better once you have it on. It also has front and rear pockets for your phone and keys. Plus, it's machine washable.

The catch for many women is going to be the size. On a 5 foot 4 frame it runs large (but it fit a 5 foot 11 male tester considerably better). It is built for medium to larger bodies, and the front plate sits flat across the chest with no accommodation for breast tissue.

Choose this if you train in a gym, want competition-standard loading, and you have a longer torso.

Wolf Tactical Plate Carrier: Best for Loading Past 20 lb

$188 with 14 lb of plates, up to $260 with 42 lb.

This is another vest not built specifically for women (it's labeled as unisex), but if you're already super strong and want to keep building, the Wolf Tactical Plate Carrier lets you go up to a whopping 42 lb. It's also nearly indestructible and has a padded shoulder yoke to help spread all that load. It's also got some airflow panels to keep the sweatiness factor down (a real issue with these big vests).

Although you really have to pull at the velcro to open the pouches, the plates go in and out easily and stay locked in place (hence that super strong velcro). This vest works well for walking, hiking, incline treadmill walks, and resistance training, but it is quite large and bulky, so not all that comfortable to wear for long periods if you're smaller or curvy (aka, a female). Running is a no go in this one for me because the chest area feels restrictive and presses flat on the chest. It's also very military looking, which some women like and others, not so much.

Choose this if 20 lb is already easy for you and you want a vest that can go up to 42 lb.

Other Weighted Vests for Women on the Market

A few vests made specifically for women come up a lot in search that I haven't been able to get my hands on yet, but we're including them here with info we found during our research, so you have a better idea of what's out there.

The Carry Vest

$349. 0 to 20 lb in 0.5 lb steps, three sizes.

The Carry uses forty individual half-pound metal bars that slide into four flexible racks to spread the load over the front and back, and some of that weight does sit over the chest. Since the weight bars are thin, the vest is decently slim, so it could fit under a jacket. They've sized the vests based on your bra band and cup size, with three sizes to choose from. This one is also machine washable.

Hyperwear Hyper Vest FIT

$114.99 as listed. 0.5 to 10 lb in 0.5 lb steps, three sizes.

Hyperwear's women's vest doesn't have any weight over the bust at all, which the company says is why it only weighs 10 lb. If you want to build bone, you may have to go heavier, though, since the research shows loads this small may not cut it. The half-pound weights are made from thin recycled steel pellet packs about the size of a deck of cards, and they slide into pockets that open from the inside. It's made from Cordura (which is a tough fabric popular for weighted vests) with a satin lining and elastic side lacing. It comes in three sizes based on chest measurement. It's hand wash only.

Empower Adjustable Weighted Vest

Price varies by retailer. 4 to 10 lb or 10 to 16 lb, depending on the model.

Empower makes three women's vests in 8 lb fixed, 4 to 10 lb adjustable, and a 10 to 16 lb adjustable weights. The adjustable ones include six removable 1 lb pouches on top of a base weight that's sewn in, so the 16 lb model can't go lighter than 10 lb. These vests have an X-shape design is meant to wrap around the chest and waist without flattening your breasts, but weight still does go over them somewhat. Straps on the side adjust to fit a 24 to 48 inch waist, so it'll fit a pretty wide range of women. They're made from neoprene filled with iron sand, and have padded shoulders. Neoprene can get hot and sweaty, so if you overheat easily, you'll want to think on this one. It sells through Amazon.

MiR Women's Weighted Vest

$89.99 for the shell, $94.16 to $223.47 with weights as listed. Up to 30 lb or up to 50 lb, depending on the model.

MiR's women's vest is the heavy-duty option in this group. It comes in two versions, one that maxes out at 30 lb and one that goes to 50 lb, with solid 3 lb iron weights that you can add or remove for more or less load. They're made from a kind of durable nylon and have adjustable shoulder and waist straps, but they are considered one size fits most. It's worth noting that reviewers say these vests do not fit great on smaller frames, though. These vests are more like plate carriers than soft vests, so they are more structured and since they start at 10 lb and can only jump up by 3 to 6 lbs at a time, I wouldn't recommend them for beginners or anyone on the smaller side.

Choose What Fits Your Body and Your Goals

Your weighted vest of choice fit your body properly and work for goals, which depends on:

• How the weight sits on your frame
• Whether you can progress the weight at reasonable increments
• Whether you will actually use it (it can't build muscle or bone sitting in the closet)

Regardless of what vest you choose, the top features to check for are an adjustable fit with weight and straps that don't crush your breasts, and a shorter torso length that doesn't bang into your hips. It's also a huge plus if your vest can progress gradually in loads high enough to keep challenging you.

What the Research On Weighted Vests Shows

Before shelling out for a weighted vest, a little scientific background on the best loads and benefits of weighted vests is worth a look.

Research on the bone density benefits shows that jumping, walking, stair climbing, and strength training using a weighted vest can help postmenopausal and older women (those most at risk for bone loss) hold onto or even improve bone density in places like the hips and femoral neck, which are more fracture prone.

Progressively loading a weighted vest and using it for strength training and specific tasks is better for bone health than just wearing the vest passively around the house or at work. In other words, you'll get the most bone building benefits when you move in your vest and gradually add weight to it, which is what we hope you do.

Wearing a vest also increases the physical demand of walking without changing how you walk in any negative way, so you'll burn some extra calories wearing one for walks or workouts as well.

In terms of how much weight to use to get results, the research points to loads at or under about 10 percent of body weight as the best place to start.

Of course, no vest can promise to treat or cure osteoporosis, but it can give your bones and muscles a fantastic reason to adapt.

Common Questions

How heavy should a weighted vest be for a woman?

Most research on weighted vest walking uses loads at or around about 10 percent of body weight (so about 15 lbs for a 150 lb woman). You can certainly start lower if you want, and it's actually a good idea if you want to build up gradually. Try around 5 to 7.5 lb, then add weight once you feel good in the vest and can breath and move easily while wearing it at that weight. If you have issues with pelvic health or SUI, going lighter is smart.

Is a 20 lb weight vest enough?

For most women walking and doing bodyweight exercise, 20 lbs is definitely enough, or could even be too heavy if you're just starting and weigh under 200 lbs (research supports using around 10 percent of your body weight). If you already train heavy and 20 lb feels easy, a plate carrier that can be loaded up to 40 lb makes more sense.

Are weighted vests good for women over 50?

Weighted vest research has focused quite a lot on postmenopausal women, and the results are encouraging if you wear a vest while moving, not just sitting. Bone loss speeds up around menopause, so it's a great idea to start at this age. If you have osteoporosis, a spine condition or a recent fracture, talk with your clinician before you start.

Is there a downside to wearing a weighted vest?

Loading too fast is the main downside or mistake people make when wearing a weighted vest. Added weight increases demand on your joints, back and pelvic floor, which is a good thing if you want to make strength gains, but jumping straight to a heavy load can make you overly sore or discouraged. If your vest has a poor fit, that'll cause problems like uncomfortable bouncing, chafing and restricted breathing. It's best to start light with a well fitting vest and increase the load gradually.

Should you wear a weighted vest every day?

You can certainly wear a weighted vest every day, especially for daily walks and bodyweight exercise. You'll want to be sure it's comfortable and not too heavy if you're going to wear it for hours at a time. Just sitting around in a vest won't likely do a whole lot for you and can strain your shoulders and lower back if your posture isn't great. It's better to use your vest during activity.

Find Your Starting Weight in Two Minutes

The Warrior Vest starts at 2.5 lb and builds to 20 lb, so you can start on the lighter side and add weight as you get stronger. Every vest ships with a DEXA scan through BodySpec, which will give you a detailed look at your own bone health that you can compare against as you get stronger.

See how the Warrior Vest fits →

Carry power!

About the Author

Rachel MacPherson, CSCS, CPT

Rachel is a certified strength and conditioning specialist with over a decade of experience, and a pre- and postnatal exercise specialist. She has tested dozens of weighted vests and specializes in helping women build strength and confidence through evidence based training.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Talk with your clinician before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have a bone, joint or heart condition.