Image by Carleigh Ferrante / mbg creative
June 23, 2024
We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our
Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.
Once I started integrating heavy lifting and strength training into my routine, I felt a difference almost immediately. Now I’m always looking for ways to further improve my performance, and I’ve recently become enthralled with weighted vests. Specifically, the Omorpho G-Vest+.
The sleek pick caught my eye with its sleek, made-for-women design—and (spoiler alert!) it’s living up to the hype after one week of testing across different workouts.
Don’t want to scroll? What you need to know:
- The Omorpho G-Vest+ is the first weighted vest designed specifically for women, with a curved hem, adjustable side cords, and adjustable shoulder straps for a comfortable fit.
- The vest weighs just 5 pounds (so it won’t add as much resistance as heavier weighted vests), making it a good option for beginners or running, sprinting, and HIIT.
- I love that the weight is evenly distributed across the vest (and you don’t feel it concentrate in any one place).
- I wore the vest for three long walks, one 3-mile run, and two strength training workouts—and each exercise felt significantly more challenging.
- Since using the vest, my posture is improving, my form is better, and my body feels stronger.
Adjustable straps on Omorpho G-Vest+
Image by Carleigh Ferrante / mbg creative
6 reasons you should try the Omorpho G-Vest+
It’s surprisingly comfortable
I expected all weighted vests to be bulky and intrusive, but this sleek design is surprisingly comfortable. As I said, the Omorpho G-Vest+ is one of the only weighted vests I’ve come across that was made specifically for the female body—and it shows.
There’s padding in the chest area and you can form the vest to your body by using the adjustable side cords and shoulder straps. Whether I’m running, weight training, or suffering through burpees, the vest stays securely (and comfortably) in place.
It steps up the intensity of every workout
One of my favorite things about weighted vests, in general, is how versatile they are, and the Omorpho G-Vest+ is no exception. Since it’s on the lighter side (five pounds), the vest is easy to integrate into any workout—but don’t take the term “easy” at face value; this vest seriously amps up the intensity.
At first, the vest felt a little light, and I had low expectations, but I was surprised by how much of a difference I felt a few minutes into my first run with the vest. I could feel my heart rate increasing faster than usual, and I felt more out of breath.
For reference: I’m usually able to keep up a conversation fairly easily when on a casual training run, but with the vest on I definitely needed to take longer pauses to catch my breath.
When it comes to weight training in the vest, I love that I can increase the difficulty of each exercise without needing to switch out my dumbbells. Plus, it’s a major perk that the weight is evenly distributed across the vest, so I’m always getting a full-body workout rather than only feeling challenged in one particular area.
Image by Carleigh Ferrante / mbg creative
It’s great for beginners
Experts recommend starting with lower weight amounts to help your body get acclimated and maintain proper posture and form (more on both in a minute). “It doesn’t have to be super heavy to be effective,” says functional medicine doctor Gabrielle Lyon, D.O., author of Forever Strong.
“If you have never rucked before, I would start with 5 to 10 pounds and see how your mechanics are while walking,” Lyon adds. “It depends on what kinds of activity you are doing and how experienced you are.”
The Omorpho G-Vest+ is 5 pounds, and I can confirm it’s a great option for beginners. Even as I build up my strength and adjust to using a weighted vest more regularly, I’ll still use this vest to increase my gains from longer walks and higher intensity workouts such as running, sprinting, and HIIT.
My form is better when I use it
One unexpected benefit of wearing the Omorpho G-Vest+ is that I find myself paying closer attention to my form. Because I have the added weight strapped to my body, I have to put in extra effort to stay balanced—and this helps me be more meticulous across the board.
My posture is improving
Similarly, I am noticeably more aware of my posture when I’m wearing the vest. I have very good posture as it is (thank you, years of ballet!), but extended time at my desk has made my shoulders start to creep forward more than I’d care to admit.
With the vest on, though, I often find myself actively correcting my posture and pulling my shoulders back as I run or walk. Even better, I’m already seeing a lasting improvement day to day.
Image by Carleigh Ferrante / mbg creative
I feel so much stronger since I started using it
My number one reason for testing the Omorpho G-Vest+ was to feel stronger in my workouts and in my daily life—and the vest has really delivered. Not only am I seeing faster results, better posture, and improved form, but I have an instance confidence boost every time I zip it up, knowing that I’m adding extra intensity to my workouts.
The benefits are research-backed
Bonus: Professional athletes love it. Omorpho’s sleek vest is great for people of all fitness levels, but it’s an added perk that the vest is also approved (and loved!) by professional female athletes and olympians like Vashti Cunningham, Ajla Tomljanović, and Annie Kunz.
What I’d change about the Omorpho vest
I’m genuinely impressed by the Omorpho vest, but there are a few small things I’d change:
- I wish there were more size options. It’s great that the vest is adjustable and designed for women, but there’s currently only the option for S-M or L-XL. I’d prefer sizing starting at XS and going up to plus sizes as well.
- The vest is very comfortable in 95% of my exercises, but a few times I felt it hitting my hip bone. By no means is it painful, but more of an annoyance that I think could be solved by adding more sizes.
- Most importantly: I would love to see Omorpho offer heavier vests. Most other weighted vests have a slew of weight options, and Omorpho only has the 5-pound vest.
Is the Omorpho G-Vest+ worth it?
It’s on the pricey side at $279, but hear me out: The Omorpho G-Vest+ is totally worth the investment. It’s a simple yet effective way to add resistance to any workout, and it’s a great choice for women of all fitness levels.
After testing the vest for just one week, I noticed a significant improvement in my posture and form—and I’ve started seeing faster results. Whether I’m walking, running, or weight training, I can feel my body pushing harder during every workout when I wear the vest.
What’s more, weighted vests have noteworthy benefits backed by research and experts. NASM-certified personal trainer Kelly Froelich previously told mindbodygreen weighted vests help build strength, cardiovascular endurance, and power. “Any impact activity, from walking to stairs to jumping, can be beneficial in increasing VO2 max (the amount of oxygen your body uses while exercising) due to the extra resistance,” she explained.
The takeaway
Since adding the Omorpho G-Vest+ to my workouts, I feel so much stronger. I love the challenge it adds to every exercise, and I’ve even seen improvements in my form, posture, and confidence.
If you’re also in your strong woman era, I’m dubbing this one a must-buy.