Most recommendations for first time weight vest runners is to start with about 2.5% above your weight for the vest. Clearly, this recommendation is to fend off litigous people who don't understand the increased difficulty when running with a weight vest and then have a problem and blame the manufacturer. I weigh about 150 lbs., and it is perfect for me.

I started with several easy five to six milers. During the run, I immediately noticed the effects after starting one route for my run which starts with a large incline. I would not recommend that. Rather, warm up slightly longer to get both your breathing and body used to the weight. Also, PLEASE be careful as the inevitable problems outdoor runners experience, i.e., rocks, curbs, or uneven sidewalks can be much more dangereous. Your achilles/ankle area will be very sensitive and any trip or loss of balance could be dangereous. Of course, I ran at a slower pace than I usually do, but overall found the normal run to be perfect with the weight vest. I stretched and did Yoga afterwards and I would certainly recommend you stretch afterwards, too. The next day, I did feel sore, but in a good, "long run of the week" way. I did not experience any pain. After several "normal" runs with the vest, I embarked on my twice weekly hill training session. It was AWESOME. Climbing the long hill that I normally do repeats on was intense. Going down the same hill was challenging as well. PLEASE be careful when going down a hill with the vest; you'll definitely notice a big difference on the impact on your body.

Going down hills is where I experienced my only complaint about the vest: for those who are thin, it is a little loose in the rib cage area. It doesn't bounce around on the waist at all where the straps are. It just could use an additional strap in the rib cage area. Women may notice this even more.

Overall, I absolutely love this vest. It doesn't require you to add the weights and is easy to wear. Also, the price is fantastic.

Finally, PLEASE be careful and be fit before you start running with this vest. KNOW YOUR LIMITS, please. Beginning by walking would probably be wise.

It will be a great addition to your training sessions.

35 of 35 found the following review helpful:

Solid Product, Great Price!  Mar 23, 2007
By Recon LogO "FRS4"
While doing research online, I was intrigued that a 40 lb weight vest was priced at approx. $75, considering that the average retail price was closer to $200+. I was worried about some of the reviews posted but decided to give the product a shot. Needless to say, I have been pleasantly satisfied and would recommend this product.

The vest itself has a number of positives: first, the fact that the weight is conveniently compartmentalized into 35 or so small weight bags offers me a lot of flexibility in terms of weight adjustment and configuration. I can put the weight high, center it on my breastbone, or place it low. I found that placing it in different configurations actually changes my workout approach. Second, I like the fact that I can adjust the vest solidly around my abdominal line, and not have to worry about the shoulder area, which is permanently stiched. Third, I also like the fact that it has broad shoulder straps, which has helped distribute the vest weight more comfortably. Apparently, this is a "product differentiator" with more expensive vests. The stiching has been solid so far...I was concerned because the vest is made of neoprene, but no problems so far.

I feel it has only a few negatives: the material of neoprene takes a little bit of time to get used to, particularly its smell right out of the box. I am still concerned about using neoprene b/c of potential stich breaks...my experience with wetsuits makes me leery of stiching in neoprene, but fortunately there are no zipper area or cuff areas that may generate fraying. The vest covers a lot of area, and neoprene really makes you sweat when you work out. Be very careful using this product in warm rooms or outside in the sun: HYDRATE. Finally, since the vest covers most of my torso, I get strange looks at the gym when I come inside wearing the vest! Thankfully, there is a logo on the front, but in today's day and age, the average fellow gym rat would probably do a double take to make sure I'm not wearing some sort of bomb vest. Perhaps if they would offer a different color, such as grey or blue, it would make the product more friendly in public.

Overall, I thank GoFit for a solid product at a very reasonable price point. I am a former military man, who takes his workouts seriously, and this item will definitely enhance any fitness regimen. Thanks for reading!

20 of 20 found the following review helpful:

GoFit Weighted Vest  Feb 10, 2007
By Posted by author
Bought two vests a year ago (2006) for climbing team members. The vests are used and abused three days a week by climbers not interested in treating them kindly. They've held up to the punishment. Being able to remove all the weights is great as the climbers work with a percentage of their body weight. Being able to have all the weights in is great for mom who wears the vest on weekends (cleaning house, gardening, etc). Easy way to get exercise while doing household chores.

26 of 28 found the following review helpful:

Functional but not pretty  Feb 07, 2009
By BB "Curled up in Colorado"
If you are looking for a less expensive, functional weighted walking vest, this one will do. As with most "one size fits all" items, it doesn't really. On me, a 5'1" woman, the top part of it is too large. At first it felt like it was slipping off my shoulder, but I got used to it. The velcro waist straps aren't actually at my waist - more like over my belly. The vest has 22 interior pockets for the 22 weight sacks - 11 on the front and 11 on the back. The pockets are made of that stretchy, rubbery material that is often used for canned drink insulation sleeves. Each pocket has a slit that runs crosswise in the middle of the pocket. That is how the weight pouches can be removed. If you did that a lot, I would think eventually that slit would rip, because you have to stretch it quite a bit to get the weight pouches in and out. Each weight pouch contains what is described as metal shot. It looks like dirty sand. The sandy stuff is first sealed into black plastic. Then that was sewn into a synthetic fabric pouch. The sewing on the fabric pouches was very sloppy. I decided to remove the fabric - it just seemed to make it more difficult to get the weight sacks in and out of the vest pockets. A few of the plastic pouches weren't completely sealed, allowing the sandy material to leak out. This was easily remedied with some duct tape. I only wear my vest at home, indoors, on my treadmill and elliptical, so the look of it wasn't a big deal. As I believe someone else mentioned, it looks something like a bullet-proof vest. I think I would feel silly wearing mine outdoors, especially since it is rather ill-fitting. In summary, this vest gives me the extra 10 pounds to wear on the treadmill and elliptical, but it's not pretty and it's definitely the economy version of one of these things.

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