ZELUS Weighted Vest, 6lb/8lb/12lb/16lb/20lb/25lb/30lb Weight Vest with Reflective Stripe for Workout, Strength Training, Running, Fitness, Muscle Building, Weight Loss, Weightlifting

Good vest for the price
I’m pleasantly surprised with this vest, my first foray into weighted vests. I’ve only had it for several days, so I can’t comment on the durability. There was an initial strong odor of plastic or something similar, but that’s going away. The odor wasn’t overwhelming, but certainly noticeable. I’ve only used it during walks and yard work as I’m recovering from an injury and can’t run yet, so not sure how it will do when I’m more active. I’m 6’4″ with a 44 inch chest and it fit comfortably with a few inches to spare in the strap. I bought the 12lb which I think is a good starter, but I may get a heavier one in the future. There are vests that look to be higher quality and more versatile, but they can be 10x the price of this vest. So for the cost, I’m happy with it.

Good quality, has a chemical smell
We opted for the 20-lb vest for hiking and treadmill / outdoor walking. Everyone is the family uses it at least for treadmill walks (our 10-year old likes it a lot for treadmill walking).WeightSurprisingly the vest weighs in at exactly 20 lbs on our home scale. By comparison, a 30-lb kettlebell weighs 30.6. So either the 20-lb vest is .4 under, or the kettlebell is .6 too heavy and the vest is perfectly 20 lbs.Fit & UsesNot flashy or loud, this vest is unassuming and seems to focus on getting the job done. We wish there was a second strap that connected the lower portion of the vest. There is only a strap that clips across the upper chest. When running, the lower area moves around a lot more than desired.It’s not very good for making certain exercises more challenging, like yoga or rock climbing. Because it has just the one strap along the top, the entire vest moves a lot if you are inverted or just about any position other than upright.If wearing it during weight lifting or body weight exercises like push-ups, the bulk of the vest can get in the way because the weight is packed into, and distributed, under the arm pits and sides on the vest. This is great for more balance when upright just walking or some low intensity running, but it means your arms constantly rub against these parts of the vest.SmellOut of the box, there is a noticeable chemical or oil/gasoline like smell. My wife smelled it strongly. I smelled it mildly, but it’s definitely there. Some say that it will go away after a “little while”. Not sure how long that really is, because nearly 2 months later, there is still the same smell. The vest was even accidentally left out in 2 days of rain. After drying it on low (using a shoe rack in the dryer), the smell persist. A bit less now, by it has not gone completely away. Some people how are more sensitive to this type of scent may find the vest too difficult to wear. I’m able to ignore it and use the vest, as the smell is not so strong for me.ExerciseI mostly use it for speed walking on the treadmill with 3% incline. Getting the vest was intended to help me reach higher heart rates without having to run or use very high inclines (ankle injury). Previously, I could reach an average HR of about 115 bpm. With the vest on, and the treadmill at the same settings, my HR averages about 125. So a decent improvement without forcing a higher incline or speed that would cause my ankle injury to be more painful. I should have probably gone with a 25-lbs vest.

Excellent fitness tool—highly recommended!
I bought the 20-lb version and will probably purchase a 25- and/or 30-lb soon as my body adjusts to this weight. It’s already strengthening my bum knee after my second hill session. Glad I purchased some cushiony shoes beforehand to avoid jarring my joints with this heavier vest. Fits comfortably. I am more inclined to get the single weight varieties rather than the adjustable weight one after reading reviews. I prefer the way the single-weight vests sit higher on the back. Yes, the vest had a chemical odor out of the box, but I didn’t notice it during my two hikes so far. I cannot yet speak to the durability. I like that this one has two adjustable clamps which keep the vest from sliding around. Easy enough for me to put on and take off, plus I can wear my small shoulder strap mini purse to carry my phone and other items right over the vest without complication. I haven’t used the included practical phone case yet, since it wouldn’t fit all the gear I prefer to bring along in my purse, but I did verify that it would snugly fit my iPhone 16 Pro Max, a key and a credit card. Overall great tool for upping the intensity of my daily hikes–highly recommended!

My Wife’s loves it! Usual walking distance, And no pain…Weight is evenly distributed…

I started running and working out with this forgot I’d have it on until I felt the extra burn. Only issue I have is when you use it next to skin you get a bunch of black residue on your body. also could be a bit heavier but you get what you pay for.