Last year I wrote a review on Hyperwear’s adjustable flexible weight plates. After using the plates with popular branded weight vests like Wolf Tactical, 5.11, US Army vest, and Freetime Outdoors, I wanted to see how their specific brand of Hyperwear vest compared. Here is a quick review and some thoughts on whether you should go with the Hyperwear branded vest or opt for one of the other popular brands currently on the market.
Fit and Comfort: The fit and comfort is excellent, including shoulder straps with built-in pads. Each shoulder strap and waist strap has a point of adjustment so you can size it exactly to your personal specifications based on your body type.
Options: The weight vest is roomy with room for two plates in all of the front and back pockets. This means you can load the vest up to 40 pounds total. Each plate has a capacity of 10 pounds, adjustable in ½ pound increments, so you can fine-tune the weight you are carrying to exactly what you want.
This is where the vest truly shines. While most of the popular tactical brands only fit one plate, the Hyperwear-designed vest fits two per pocket. Plus, each plate is much easier to get in and get out making it an easier adjustment to your desired training weight.
Other Vests: This isn’t Hyperwear’s first vest so they are designed from a place of experience. If you are the type of athlete that is primarily using this for fitness, their Elite vest still reigns supreme, because it is the most form-fitting, comfortable, and evenly distributed vest. However, there are two reasons you may still want to go with the Tac Vest over the Elite.
The first reason is there are some functional fitness-related events that mandate a plate carrier type of vest. If you think you might be using your weight vest for that or want that look like athletes on the CrossFit Games, this is the better option.
The second reason is weight capacity. The Elite Vest goes up to 20 lbs. and the Tac Vest goes all the way up to 40 lbs. Depending on the type of training you are doing, you may want to go with the Tac Vest. If you are using it for hiking-type training this might be better. If you are using your weight vest for obstacles the Elite is likely better. If you are using it for a little bit of everything while wanting to maximize options, the Tac Vest is the way to go.
Price: The vest costs between $250 (20 lbs. version) and $350 (40 lbs. version). This is at the upper end of the weight vest price spectrum, but you are getting what you pay for. A standard quality plate carrier is about $100+ and if you are going to buy the equivalent in weighted plates (40 lbs.) you’ll be spending around another $200. So why not go with a cheaper option? The adjustable weights in ½ increments I haven’t seen anywhere else which exponentially increases the value because you’ll be able to use it at all points of your fitness journey from beginner to elite level operator/athlete.
Overall: Hyperwear knows weighted training equipment. The Tac Vest only comes in a grey color but it does include several PVC patches including an American flag and a Hyperwear patch. I thought this was a nice touch to add to the vest so even if you don’t have any other patches, it still gives the vest a good look. Hyperwear is the leader in the Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) industry and beyond for weighted training equipment. Their Tac Vest adheres to the same high-quality standard as everything else in their lineup. If you are looking for a new vest, pick one up today, you won’t be disappointed.
How to buy: You can purchase directly from Hyperwear or via Amazon.com.
