ZFOsports Weighted Vest 30lbs - 80lbs

My story - I usually don't write reviews but I noticed a lot of reviews for vests are negative for some of the shorter and smaller people like myself, so I decided to write this review to let those people know that this is the vest for them and most likely anyone. Due to the expensive nature of gyms (and weights in general)and wanting to go for a more "natural" workout, my routine consisted of non-weight workouts(push ups, pull ups, squats, dips, step ups, etc.) exclusively. After a few years I found that I had hit a wall with the amount of reps for any given workout to the point where it just felt like cardio despite some high numbers. Not wanting to abandon my routines (nor a large sum of money from my wallet) I decided to go for something that would add some more resistance to my workouts and therefore a few more pounds in muscle mass to my body. I originally thought about getting the 60 lbs vest but I had to remind myself that 40 lbs is 1/3 my current weight and should be more than enough for my workouts in the long run. So far this was a good decision. Results - This weighted vest was the perfect investment. Even after a few weeks of only 15 lbs added I have noticed some wicked results without changing anything to my current routine but wearing this vest over my shirt. My pushup reps dropped from 70 to about 20 with just an extra 15 lbs. My front palm pullup reps dropped from 20 to 8. My wide arm front palm pullups dropped from 10 to 2! I look forward to pushing myself in the near future all the way up to 40 pounds while maintaining 20+ reps on all of my workouts. It feels good to feel sore after my workouts again! Comfort - I am a fairly small person (120 lbs and and 5'6") and this vest can fit pretty snug and flush if adjusted properly. The bottom of the vest is maybe an inch below my belly button - no sack tapping here!(which was a major complaint in other vest reviews for shorter people). The vest stays close to my chest and stomach despite my my tiny waist (I can fit in size 26 pants). I can do pushups, and all my leg workouts mentioned earlier, with no issues at all. The only workout that can be slightly bothersome is close-armed forward palm pullups. the shoulder part is a little wide so for a small person like me raising my arms straight up with those big shoulders can be slightly uncomfortable but certainly not workout-breaking and probably not an issue for anyone bigger than me. I didn't really experience shoulder/neck pain (other than the kind that builds up those muscles) but I can imagine running in it for over 30 mins with 20+ lbs would do the trick (even a small backpack will cause some discomfort if worn for a long time though). Straps - Yes the straps will befuddle you at first but once you figure it out it is common sense. I noticed a lot of people saying you might need help putting it on each time but that's not true. You can velcro it in the back first so the length dangles at your sides. You then put the vest over your head then wrap the velcro that is dangling at your side around the front and velcro it there to finish the seal. When you go to take it off just undo the velcro in the front and pull it over your head. No need to ever un-velcro the back or re velcro it again. If your really pushing the weight and worried about possibly dropping it on your neck while taking it off just undo the shoulder velcros and waist ones while laying down and then just let it slide off you. Quality - This thing is made nice, like really nice. I expect it to last a really long time. And like everyone else mentioned, it looks pretty awesome. Overall - 100% recommend it for the "smaller" crowd but I imagine this would be a great product for anyone, any size, looking to add some resistance to their workouts for a good price.

Pros: Short so doesn't hinder your movement. Easy to tune weight bags. Double ab straps secure it well in place. Nice look, neither bulky nor clumsy. FAST, FAST delivery. Only two days, when I was expecting it might take more than one week. Cons: The weight applies to your body mainly through shoulders. Not quite comfortable. Price(?) I just found out that my buddy got the same thing for 80% the cost listed here even you count in the $10 credit back. Anyway, since I bought this, it means that this price is acceptable to me. Considering the shipping speed, maybe not really a big deal. Other thoughts: This is my first weight vest. Let's say that NO weight vest would be comfortable, even natural fat on your body. I think the ZF vest does a decent job. The shoulder burden takes time to get used to. I use this for badminton training.(What? You need to train to play badminton? If such questions rise in your mind, let me first explain to you that badminton is an INDOOR sport. Please go to youtube search "badminton". Omitting 5000 words here explaining what is real badminton.) In badminton you need to do lots of sudden accelerations and stops, so I need something tight. I think this vest served my goal pretty well. You can adjust the length of the vest through the shoulder strap. Once adjusted, it's quite easy to put on. Some reviews complained that there's no instruction. Come on! There are only two belts floating around, all others are secured. You don't need an instruction. And again as others said: don't go to too heavy too fast. If just walking and jogging, start with 20lbs. Wait weeks till your muscle and joints (especially the knees, they are fragile) getting used to your new "bodyweight". If doing jumping or sprinting, start with 10lbs please...... With these sudden movements, great acceleration would make 10lbs feel much heavier. Form and quality of your movements are much important than those mere numbers of the weights.

Price wise this is probably one of the better deals. I have priced them out in the local stores and wouldn't even come close to the Amazon price with the shipping included. Vest is a little hard to figure out at first, but fits very well and snug. I like the fact that the weights are easily accessible and I can work my way up to the allotted 40 lbs. My main purpose for the purchase was for my p90x and insanity programs, so far it has brought up the intensity level and worked very well. Other then that, my only two gripes are: 1. Shipping, cost was a little high being that it came in a flat rate box. 2. Vest sits a little high in the front and can at times be a little uncomfortable. All in all a very good vest, should fit most with the adjustable straps (once you figure them out) and at a good price.

I am not really 100% sure what I was expecting from this vest. The price made me think it was probably cheaply constructed, and some of the reviews had me thinking it would be a sandy nightmare of a mess. I figured that for the price I would give it a whirl..... I am really glad I did. This is an excellent vest. The stitching on the vest is top notch and the design is very sporty. The Logo across the chest is tasteful and there is a nice wide reflector on the back. This is a piece of quality gear. The sand weights are very tightly packed and contained in an outer shell of very strong , intelligently stitched and loosely fitted material. I can't imagine they are going to break open. Tho the sandbags are definitely bulkier than plates, they are contained spectacularly by the vest. The weight stays centered where you want it and never feels like it is sagging or swaying. I followed the included assembly instructions easily. Putting it together is a snap, but, then you have to fit it to your body. The fitting part can be a chore if you have to keep taking the vest off and putting it on, so, if you want to spare yourself a little hassle have someone adjust the straps for you while you wear the vest. After the initial fit I am easily able to put the vest on or take it off myself. I would have no trouble adjusting it myself either, should the need arise. The vest is designed in such a way that it really shouldn't hurt your shoulders much. The shoulder straps are wide and the design allows for some length and angle adjustment. I don't feel like my shoulders are "pinned".... then again, i have strong shoulders from backpacking all over the place..... This shipped hella fast... I had it 3 days after ordering it.The post office will probably not deliver this if you live in an apartment. They will leave a slip saying "Sorry We Missed You!" even though you been waiting for them all day...... I am very impressed with the vest for the price. If you are thinking of getting a vest for any reason, this one is great and for under $120 with shipping it is likely the best deal out there....

The reviews here are right. This vest is great! Although the construction is somewhat tedious when equipping, it stays snug and compact when I use it. What I do is mainly floor exercises: Pushups, pullups, burpees, mountain climbers, numerous calf excercises, etc and running. When you first put it on though, it will feel secure, but it will take a few readjustments to get it perfectly the way you want it. Im 6'0, male, 176lb broad shouldered. it fits fine. Another thing the reviews here are correct on is that IT DOES look like a military style tactical vest ( I know because I have one). I went out to my local green way where I like to run with this thing for the first time. I am an strong runner. Usually running endurance over 3.5 miles as quick as I can. I would advise putting most of the weight in the back when running. An event distribution in the front and back only leads to the vest jumping with every stride you take. I Started with 3 in the front and 3 in the back. I soon found a better setup of 2 front, 4 back to be more suitable.It took me about 2-3 stops to adjust this straps just perfectly, while getting looks from many people along the way due to its militaristic appearance of course. This thing added 9 minutes to my usual 36-37 run time, which was awesome but brutal. Breathing in it can be somewhat constricted when running. It took about 2 runs to adapt to it. It gave me cramps but you just have to power through them.This thing will totally "Shred" your shoulders in the process. My camel back Fits perfectly with this as well. My cons, though. The weight blocks are kind of annoying to insert. And If you're like me, I used to be chubby, so I have a generally flat upper stomach, and then a larger lower stomach that you can feel the vest rub. The vest WILL pull your shirt up to reveal your belly button! I noticed after running about half of my route when people gave me weird looks! Always check when running, or wear a more securely equipped shirt! Overall. Great vest for the price. Looks great. Feels great. Functions great. Worth the tedious build though.

The vest itself is well built and comfortable. However, since I often need to transport the vest back and forth between work and home, I wanted to purchase a second full set of weights so I could have a set at each place and just carry the vest. The seller sent me to manufacturer. The manufacturer sent me to the seller. The end result is they just won't sell you more weights. The weights are the weakest point in this vest. Basically, they are plastic bags filled with a sand-like substance, which are sewed into nylon bags. Right out of the box, about half the weight bags show some defective stitching to the point where the plastic bag is hanging out. It's funny, the vest is built like a brick outhouse, but they skimped on the weights and apparently won't sell you replacements. Knowing what I know now, I would not buy this vest again. I would seek out something with a more standard weight system. With the poor quality of the weight bags, eventually I am going to have a vest with no weights. Lame.

This high-quality weighted vest arrived yesterday, and I immediately put it to use using only four 5-lb weights around the four corners of my middle. Weights slide right in and out of the sturdy pockets. It put some stress on my shoulders, so I added a second, thick belt in addition to the tightening straps to make my middle carry more of the weight, which relieved the back and shoulder pressure well. The package was so heavy when I carried it in the door that I finally realized why the shipping fee had to be so high! My purchase was made with points earned from my Chase Amazon credit card, which is such an advantage, since it provides an excuse to test out ancillary healthy living items like this one. I bought the vest after reading the April 2016 news that so many Biggest Losers gain back their weight as their metabolism seems to fight against them and they cannot burn as much in a smaller body. My family and I hypothesized that this may have been why after 15-years, I still couldn't get back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 140. Though I had reached 145 two years earlier, once I went back to full time work I couldn't spend as much time on a regiment, so I was back at almost 160, and none too happy about it as I near middle-age (50). I immediately felt fat with the vest again, even fatter than normal, as I began walking in my padded basement loop. It really simulates having more around the middle so well that I find it frightening enough to be a good disincentive for gaining weight. With the vest off, it is fun to feel so light that you feel even lighter than in reality, making it easier to imagine yourself at your target weight. What I love is that all the extra rectangular weights (15 7x4 or so inch packets provided and none leaked!) can be tucked into shorts pockets, wrapped in upper arm bands, or used in other creative ways to add targeted weight directly to the body. I really believe this is the breakthrough I needed, and I will update this review before the end of the year with the final assessment of value and efficacy to meet my 135-140 permanent weight goal. Both psychologically and physically, this is a great new fitness option. November 2018 Update as Promised - Daily new research comes out about the criticality of both aerobic and anaerobic - weight-bearing exercises for not just body, but brain health in middle age. I am combining both by using this tool as well as ankle weights and at least 5 pound weights walking at least a mile with some hills to further increase strength and endurance. Weight lifting directly ups subsequent days tennis game and alertness, speed.

This is only my second vest but compared to the first one (a different brand I returned) it’s great. It has four pockets front (about 2.75 lbs each) and back (about 4.4 lbs each); they’re easy to remove so plenty of options for weight. There’s no neoprene so it doesn’t smell and no weight within the vest itself, so I bet it could be washed on gentle. The belt wraps from both sides nice and snug which allows some play in the shoulders so the weight is more evenly distributed which makes it pretty comfortable, kind of like a back country backpack. Feels really sturdy and durable. There’s a little elastic band pocket for a water bottle and the gray mesh is another large pocket. I’m a woman and it fits really well.

Me gustó mucho, lo uso para caminar cuando saco a pasear a mis perros. Está hecho de material muy resistente.

It's not cheap, but in this case, you actually do get what you pay for. It is ruggedly built, easily adjustable, and surprisingly comfortable on the shoulders given the weight (I've been using 30lbs to start). I would use the term 'military grade' for this product. I know I'll have it for many years of use. And it makes you feel like a superhero or a SWAT Team member ;)

Good quality, fast shipping

Es muy practico y se ajusta muy bien a mi, lo he estado usando 2 meses y vale mucho la pena; lo recomiendo bastante

I use this for body weight exercises and strength/conditioning workouts. I’m 6’2 170 pounds and the vest after pulling the Velcro as far as possible sat against my body quite snug, though I wouldn’t suggest running with this, jogging and walking is what I’ve done and it works great. Awesome product well worth the money and cheap for coming with the weights.