Finding the best women’s weighted vest can be hard, mainly due to most vests not catering to the specific needs of women when working out. A woman's weight vest needs to be designed according to body shape, easily adjustable, comfortable to wear, and have a range of versatile uses.
Having a weighted vest at your disposal can take your workout from easy to extremely challenging in a matter of minutes. By adding resistance to a wide range of gym exercises and movements, weighted vests help to improve your strength and conditioning and provide an extra workout challenge.
I've methodically reviewed the best women’s weighted vests specifically designed for women and presented them down below.
Top 5 Best Women’s Weighted Vests Reviewed
- North Gym Adjustable Weighted Vest - Top Pick
- BOX Women’s Weight Vest - Runner Up
- CAP Barbell Adjustable Weighted Vest - Budget Pick
- Henkelion Weighted Vest - For Different Activities
- Aduro Sport Weighted Vest - For Running
1. Top Pick: North Gym Adjustable Weighted Vest
North Gym is a health and fitness brand that manufactures functional fitness equipment such as weighted vests and kettlebells. Their equipment has been specifically designed for all types of athletes.
- Color: Black, Black Camo, Green, Green Camo, Tan. Navy Blue, Gray
- Weight: 14, 20, 30, 40 lbs
- Width: 12" (Adjustable - One size fits all)
- Height: 14" (Adjustable - One size fits all)
- Material: Oxford 600D Nylon
- Closure Type: Velcro
- Weight Type: 3D Shaped body plates
The North Gym weighted vest features innovative 3D-shaped weights that mold to your body, solving the common issue of vest weights getting in the way when exercising. The fully adjustable weights plates easily slide in and out from 14-40 lbs. For these reasons, the North Gym Vest is my top pick best weighted vest for women.
The molded weights are designed to sit higher on the body, taking pressure off the shoulders by spreading the load across your body. This along with the padded shoulder straps makes the North Gym vest an excellent option for women looking for a comfortable vest fit.
Made of Oxford 600D nylon, North Gym has designed the vest to be both functional and high-quality. The PVC finish is water resistant and tear proof so the vest can be used both indoors and out with no issues.
The vest has a wide range of adjustable features, coming with 2 pairs of different-length side straps and 2 shoulder buckle options. This makes the north vest suitable for a wide range of women’s shapes and sizes and allows you to wear it exactly as you need.
If you like customizing your vest, it comes in 5 color options and features removable Velcro patches for your name or country flag.
Overall, the North Gym weighted vest is a brilliantly designed vest that’s fully adjustable and uses innovative weight plates.
Positives:
High-quality Oxford 600D Nylon vest material
3D bold plates mold against the body without getting in the way
Adjustable side straps make the vest comfortable to wear
Could be better:
More lower weight range options could be available
2. Runner Up: BOX Women’s Weight vest
BOX was founded following the 2007 fitness games after the founder watched a weight vest fall off halfway through a WOD. The BOX founder wanted to manufacture weighted vests that were able to withstand high-intensity, grueling workouts without moving or losing shape.
- Color: Red/ Black
- Weight: 2.5-25 lbs (2.5 lb increments)
- Width: One size fits all
- Height: One size fits all
- Material: Military-grade construction
- Closure Type: Hook and loop buckles + Velcro straps
- Weight Type: Box belt loading
After achieving huge success with their men’s weighted vest, BOX designed a vest shaped specifically for women with minimal restrictive front and back material, making it one of the most aesthetically pleasing women’s vest options. It’s my runner-up women’s workout vest pick.
The Box weighted vest is made from military-grade moisture-resistant material that keeps the vest and yourself dry and cool throughout training. The hook and loop closure system combined with the Velcro straps makes the BOX vest one of the most secure vest options out of the choices I’ve reviewed.
The front of the vest features a kipping-proof box belt weight loading system that allows weight to be loaded in 2.5 lb increments up to 25 lbs. The small increment choices make the BOX vest perfect for women looking for a wide range of weight options at the lower weight range.
The vest comes in a black/red color and is produced in the United States.
Overall, the BOX weighted vest features an innovative minimal material design with a great range of adjustable lower-weight options.
Positives:
Minimal contoured vest material design great for free movement
- Excellent range of 2.5lb increment options through the lower weight range
Narrow shoulder straps designed for overhead and forward arm movements
Could be better:
Weight vest tends to move a little with the box belt system
3. Budget Pick: CAP Barbell Adjustable Weighted Vest
CAP Barbell has been one of the leading producers of health and fitness equipment for over 25 years. The brand aims to produce quality products at competitive prices.
They produce strength and conditioning equipment including weight vests, medicine balls, plyometric gear, free weights, and weight benches.
- Color: Black
- Weight: 1-20 lbs (1 lb increments)
- Width: 4.72" (Head opening)
- Height: 16.54"
- Material: Neoprene
- Closure Type: Clip
- Weight Type: Steel-shot weight packets
CAP Barbell has designed a budget-friendly female weighted vest option that doesn’t sacrifice quality whilst containing some nice added features. It’s my budget women’s weighted vest option.
The vest is made with Neoprene padding that features breathable mesh material for high-intensity workouts. The included anchor hooks make the vest an ideal option for parachute training, a feature not included in my other vest options.
The fully-adjustable waist belt and padded shoulder straps provide a comfortable fit with the extra vest material making it ideal for those who prefer a wider vest with added material.
Ranging from 1-20 lbs, the 1lb weight packets can be added or removed as you need, making the CAP Barbell vest one of the most versatile women’s vest options in terms of weight.
The vest comes in black and has reflective strips on the back for good visibility.
Overall, the CAP Barbell women’s weighted workout vest is a fantastic budget vest choice that doesn’t sacrifice quality.
Positives:
Breathable mesh padded vest material
1 lb weight increment options up to 20 lbs
Reflective back straps ideal for night training
Could be better:
The sand-filled weight bags tend to smell after a while
4. For Different Activities: Henkelion Weighted Vest
Henkelion has manufactured its weighted vests with four main aims. They want to step up your workout routine by increasing output, increasing core strength and stability, speeding up recovery, and ensuring the vest is suitable for a range of versatile uses.
- Color: Black
- Weight: 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20 lbs
- Width: 12"
- Height: 14"
- Material: Neoprene
- Closure Type: Adjustable plastic buckle
- Weight Type: Iron pellet filling
The Henkelion women’s weighted training vest is a jacket-like vest option that’s super comfortable and one of the smallest vests out of the top 5 vest choices I’ve reviewed. For these reasons, it’s my recommended vest option designed for different activities.
Made of soft neoprene fabric and worn over the shoulders like a jacket, the vest secures at the front with an adjustable plastic buckle. It’s really comfortable to wear and excellent for a wide range of high-intensity activities where you want to focus on the exercise rather than the fit of the vest.
The Henkelion women’s weighted vest comes in 6 weight options ranging from 4-20 lbs. Each vest is filled with iron pellets and metal rock sand that’s sewn throughout the vest body. Whilst this means the vest is less adjustable than my other choices, it keeps the weight evenly distributed between the front and back so the vest doesn’t move around during any activity.
In terms of added features, the Henkelion women’s weighted vest has a material flap under the chest buckle to stop it from rubbing, reflective bands on the front and back, and a mesh pocket on the back for storage.
Overall, the Henkelion vest is perfectly designed for different activities which involve a lot of dynamic movements. It also has some nice added features.
Positives:
Small, comfortable jacket designed for different activities
Mesh storage pocket at the back
Weight distributed evenly across the body instead of pulling on the shoulders
Could be better:
The back mesh locket is quite loose allowing things to easily fall out
5. For Running: Aduro Sport Weighted Vest
Aduro Sport has been producing unique accessories to enhance your workout routine for over 10 years. Their brand motto is ‘protect what you love’. They manufacture weighted vests, altitude masks, weights, and fitness accessories that are designed with top-quality materials and built to last.
- Color: Black
- Weight: 4, 6, 12, 16, 20, 25, 30 lbs
- Width: Adjustable - one size fits all
- Height: Adjustable - one size fits all
- Material: Neoprene
- Closure Type: Adjustable plastic buckle
- Weight Type: Iron pellets filling
If you’re into running, Aduro Sport has designed the perfect vest for you. It features a similar design to the Henkelion vest but with a much larger range of weight options from 4-30 lbs.
Instead of traditional sand pellets that can start to smell after prolonged use, the Aduro Sport vest uses odorless iron pellets which are cleverly stitched into the breathable neoprene material that also resists odor and dries quickly.
The vest fits comfortably over the shoulders and is secured via an adjustable plastic buckle, ensuring it won’t move during any intensity of running. The built-in large mesh pocket on the back of the vest provides a clever storage option for your phone or other valuables.
Overall, the Aduro Sport vest is well-suited for running, providing a comfortable fit that distributes weight evenly across your body and comes in a large range of weight options.
Positives:
Large range of weight options available suitable for running
Wrap around open front design to keep you cool while running
Iron pellets don’t smell like sand can after prolonged use
Could be better:
No velcro patches to customize the vest at the front or back
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What Are the Benefits of Wearing Weighted Vests for Women?
These are just some of the benefits of wearing a weighted vest when training:
Versatility
A weighted vest is an excellent workout accessory that has a range of versatile uses. Whether you’re trying to improve your strength and conditioning, improve general fitness, burn more calories, or add an extra workout challenge, weighted vests are suitable workout tools to help achieve each of these goals.
Progressive overload is one of the main factors when it comes to gaining positive adaptations that lead to improvement in all these goals. By helping to provide progressive overload via the addition of weight, weighted vests make an excellent investment.
Efficient
Something that's often overlooked when deciding if to buy a weighted vest is how efficient they are. If you're someone who is limited by time or just prefers shorter workouts, weighted vests are great for increasing your workout difficulty and reducing the amount of time you need to achieve your daily goals.
By increasing the intensity of your workouts with a weighted vest, you can improve your efficiency and focus your time on other important life goals outside of the gym.
Increased Calorie Burning
Often one of the main goals for women when working out is to burn calories. Whether it's to fit into your favorite dress, look good on the beach or lose some added weight after a pregnancy, the extra challenge provided by a weighted vest burns far more calories compared to performing the exercises normally.
Burning more calories in a shorter time when using a weighted vest is good advantage .
Increased Strength and Conditioning
With the extra weight from a weighted vest, you're essentially having to work much harder to perform the same movement successfully. You're having to use your full body and core musculature to keep your body balanced and controlled throughout the whole movement, increasing your strength and conditioning.
When Does a Woman Need a Weighted Vest?
Weighted vests are easily adjustable, with both the weight amount and vest dimensions easily altered in a matter of seconds. This makes weighted vests suitable for a wide range of ability levels, from beginners to elite-level women looking for an extra workout challenge.
Low Impact Cardio
Weighted vests are perfect for providing extra resistance for lower-impact cardio such as walking, jogging, running, and hiking. As I mentioned in the benefits above, wearing a weighted vest for low-impact cardio helps to increase your strength and conditioning, burn more calories, and increase your workout efficiency.
Bodyweight Exercises
Bodyweight exercises such as push-ups , pull-ups, dips, squats, and hip thrusts are just some great exercise choices to use a weighted vest for. The comfortable fit of a weighted vest allows it to fit over your body without feeling like it's restricting your body movement like other workout accessories.
Whether you're struggling to progress your bodyweight exercises or just looking for something that helps to tone your whole body, weighted vests can provide the answer.
Functional Movements
Weighted vests are perfect for functional, dynamic movements that work over multiple planes of motion over large ranges. They can mold to the shape of your body and be secured with the durable closure mechanisms meaning they won't move and get in the way.
Doing functional movement with weights can be hard mainly due to the weights getting in the way of your movement. The same can be said if you want to perform unilateral exercises to work on muscular imbalances. Weight vests provide a convenient way to add weight to functional exercises and unilateral movements without restricting range of motion.
Rehabilitation
Weighted vests are excellent ways to add resistance if you have physical disabilities or injuries that mean you can't use some of your body parts correctly.
With a weighted vest, you can challenge yourself without worrying about possible limb pain or not being able to work out due to a physical limitation.
What to Look For in Weighted Vests for Women?
Price/Quality
One of the most important considerations when choosing a weighted vest is the price and quality. Both can vary greatly with budget vests options for under $50 to premium vests for hundreds of dollars.
When looking at the price, compare the vest quality and added features to the price and decide if you think the vest offers value for money compared to other options. If you have a budget, look for a budget friendly weighted vest option that still offers decent quality and durability.
Design
Weighted vests for women have different designs which change the vest features and suitable uses. They can be pulled over your head or worn around your body, secured via different buckle and velcro closure mechanisms, and adjusted via the addition or removal of different shaped weights.
Each of these different factors changes the suitable use, meaning you need to decide what you'll be using the weighted vest for and make sure the vest design compliments the use.
Durability
The weighted vest durability is determined mainly by the material and type of stitching used. Typically, vests with higher quality materials and reinforced stitching will last longer.
If you're wanting to use the vest regularly, make sure you pick a vest with these features so it will last for a long period, not a matter of weeks.
Comfort
Weighted vests are worn over the shoulders, meaning they put more pressure on your shoulders and the surrounding joints when you're wearing them.
Some weighted vests have padded shoulder straps and waist straps, both of which help to take some of the pressure off your shoulders and place the focus on your workout session rather than uncomfortable shoulder pain.
During a workout you want the vest to sit comfortably so you can focus on the movement rather than the comfort of the vest.
Material
As I mentioned above, the material is one of the main determining factors for durability. Common weighted vest materials include nylon and polyester but some can also include mesh and velcro.
If you’re wanting to work outside a lot, make sure your vest material is waterproof. If you have sensitive skin, consider a vest material that's less harsh.
FAQ
How Heavy Should a Weighted Vest Be for a Woman?
The most suitable vest weight for you depends on several factors, including your ability level and workout goals. Tailor the weight to your requirements and make sure you're able to perform the movement correctly.
This still gives you lots of movement room, with most adjustable vests providing excellent lower weight range options.
What Size Weights Should a Woman Use?
The weight size most suitable for you depends on individual factors such as your ability level and workout goals. Firstly, consider your ability level and choose a weight size that allows you to perform the exercise with correct form whilst still providing a suitable challenge. Consider your workout goals and choose a higher weight amount if you're looking to build muscle and strength.
Wrapping Up
Weighted vests provide an excellent way for women to increase their strength and condition, general mobility, burn more calories, or as a rehabilitation aid.
The five women’s weighted vest options I've reviewed above have all been specifically designed with women in mind, featuring clever contoured designs and smaller weight increments. The North Gym adjustable women’s weighted vest is my top pick vest choice, scoring the highest total for price, quality, design, durability, comfort, and material used.
Have you used a weighted vest for your training before? Try the vests I’ve reviewed above and let me know what you think!
References:
- Benefits of using weighted vests // Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/weighted-vest-benefits#benefits
- What to Know Before Buying a Weighted Vest for Your Workouts // Issaonline: https://www.issaonline.com/blog/post/what-to-know-before-buying-a-weighted-vest-for-your-workouts
- WEIGHT VEST WODS // Wodwell: https://wodwell.com/wods/equipment/weight-vest-workouts/?sort=relevant
I'm Tanya, and I love lifting weights. 6 years ago, I picked up Olympic weightlifting and training. Weightlifting is a unique sport because it's just you against the bar. There are no teammates to help you out; it's all on you.
I'm also passionate about helping other women achieve their fitness goals. That's why I started my blog and write some products reviews. I want to show other women that they can do anything they set their mind to!