WF Tactical Weighted Vest: The Last One You'll Ever Need
I am an avid amateur mountain climber, I am a particular fan of Mexico's 17,000' ers; climbing North America's highest volcanoes in the valley of Mexico requires extreme physical condition as not only is the length of the hike extreme but so is the weight on the body as the ice-gear required is extremely heavy, and one has to carry it for 17 hours while at extreme elevations in rugged terrain. I needed to simulate that weight in the most comfortable manner possible. Unfortunately, I do not live in the valley of Mexico, so I have few options for simulating altitude (the Co. Rockies are my favorite compromise lol). I have bought several training masks, and none have satisfied me. It had been the same case for weighted vests, none were comfortable enough after a couple of hours on the trail. I was finding myself aching with pain and scratching my head, thinking, "Why is my body capable of carrying my Osprey pack filled with 4L of H20, crampons, ice-axe, rope, etc at higher elevations, but when I carry around the same using a vest at lower elevations my body quits. Well, as it turned out, it was not my physical condition quitting; it was my psychological-anatomical comfort. I was disappointed with my last weighted vest and thought it would be the last one I bought. I am browsing Amazon, and a WF Tactical weighted vest pops up as "similar to previous purchases" (FYI, there was nothing similar about this vest vs. my old ones). At first, I was like, "Clickbait" Obviously, its price is too reasonable to be accurate, I opened it anyway; the design was cool, and the price was attractive. So I closed my eyes and hit the one-click button. Two days later, the last weighted best I will ever buy showed up in my mail room. I love this thing; first weekend, I took it to the Appalachian mountains for a decent 10 mile round-trip hike. I loaded my WF vest with 20 lbs, put the thing on, and strapped it perfectly to my core because it has many adjustable straps, and some are flexible too. When I was done, I couldn't believe the fit; I started stretching, touching my toes with my fingers, and the weights stayed fixed to my body, as if they were part of it. I started my hike, and 20 minutes in, I forgot I had the thing on. Breathability is fantastic; believe me, one sweats a lot in the North Carolina mountains during summer. The vest never caused additional discomfort; it never came loose or got in the way. I enjoyed my sport and the views while pushing my body to its limit. I do basic strength training besides hiking, but mostly because I do not like weight lifting and had never owned a comfortable vest. After hiking with mine a few times, I gave it a go and took it to the gym. Now I am doing pull-ups and push-ups with it on, and the beauty of how comfortable this vest is, once you build up the strength, you forget you have an added 20lbs strapped to your chest. While walking a trek does not involve rapid movements, I also skip rope with the vest and can verify that it is great for more “kinetic” training. I even use it when I lawn mow lol, this vest has turned a painful chore into a workout! I am a delighted customer. Bought an additional one for my brother. All I can say is whether you have or have not ever owned a weighted best, this one will be the best one you ever buy and the last one you'll ever buy. Read more
