well built. The vest weighs 145 lbs with weight. the pockets that hold the weights are very sturdy, albeit a little tight
The vest is tough to get on and off when it's full of weight, as you might expect, so plan for that
With full weight, the shoulder straps do put a ton of pressure on your trap muscles which could be improved upon,...but that's a minor gripe. If you're hiking around with a weight vest of this magnitude, you should have the mental toughness to get over that
Only grip is that the straps which go around the torso to keep the front and back tight against your body needs a redesign. Its tough to get setup, its tough to get in place after you've got the vest on, and there isn't a lot of velcro area left to attach to to make it more sturdy

I will preface this by saying that you should NEVER run in any weight vest. Walking stairs, walking, elliptical...all fine but you run in a weight vest and some time in your life you will be seeing an orthopedic surgeon...ok...enough lecture...

Weight vests are a great thing. They are versatile and safe. If you want to do lunges but are concerned about safety when using dumb bells, a vest is the answer. Want to get a chest blasting workout with only a few different exercises and sets of push-ups? Weight vest is awesome. Even want to burn some extra calories on an elliptical...great idea. But...most vests are unbalanced, uncomfortable, and cumbersome. They don't have enough variations in sizing. They hang too much in the front. They cut into your throat when doing push-ups or they poke your back when you are doing squats. But, this vest gets it right.

The RUNmax is one of those few fitness products that covers pretty much all the bases. It has great weight balance options. I have the 100lb version and it has 5 pockets on front and back spaced really well allowing easy and accurate distribution of weight. The vest is very versatile in it's fit. It has a nice two band wrap around system that can be changed to fit different body shapes. The straps that go around the torso are very wide but taper to grab tightly. The Velcro on the straps is high quality. The vest is comfortable in a cross-fit environment, on an elliptical, or even walking around a track. But...AND TAKE NOTE...that is with the shoulder pads installed. That is my one real problem with it. The vest should come with removable shoulder pads. I can't imagine using the vest for more than 10 minutes without the pads. So, why make them an option and charge more for them. I would prefer that the company simply sell the vest with them because I cannot even imagine a person buying this vest and not eventually wanting the pads.

So, I guess I am saying buy the vest and include the pads...even though they should be included. They should be included. But even with that the vest is great. It holds tight, feels firm, and is really a great addition to a workout. I would buy it again (with the shoulder pads) without hesitation.

To preface - I purchased the 80# vest with shoulder pads.

I did a TON of research on weighted vests before deciding on this one. I looked in store at Walmart and Academy and read reviews not only on Amazon but many other places as well. In my conclusion, this vest was top value based on weight, price and quality (as provided by reviews). I received this vest 2 days after I ordered it, which was a great surprise given that it was only free shipping for Prime members, not specified as 2-day shipping. It came in 2 boxes - one box with vest and 4 weights and another box with the remaining 6 weights. Each weight is approximately 10 inches long and weighs 8 pounds. It's a little bit difficult to fit the weights into the pockets but that's to be expected - you don't want your weights bouncing around in large pockets. My first outing with it was really enjoyable. My wife went for a quick 3-mile run and I followed behind, walking a brisk pace with 32# (2 weights in front pockets, 2 weights in back). I jogged about 1/4 mile with her and decided that running with 32# wasn't as fun as I thought it would be so I slowed to a brisk walk and went a little more than 2 miles. Just so you know, the vest will bounce around a little bit while jogging and it's not super comfortable. With lighter weight, it probably wouldn't be a problem but I am not really a runner so that doesn't affect me much. I purchased this vest mainly for rucking and for that, it is pretty great. My shoulders hurt pretty good after just 2 miles but that's probably because my body isn't used to hauling around that much extra weight. All in all, this is a great vest so far. The Velcro pocket is the perfect place to keep my phone so I can listen to music through the speaker and not have to block out all other sounds, for safety purposes (we were on county roads). The straps kept the weights secure against my trunk and I didn't feel constricted at all.

Great vest - so far. I have seen a few reviews about the vest coming apart but mine seems pretty well constructed. Will update if something changes.

After 10 hiking sessions, I rate the RUNmax vest (20 lbs) as 4 stars. The velcro straps across the midsection allow you to cinch it in tightly to minimize undesirable movement and swing. The equal balance of weight front and back enables you to stand up straight versus leaning into or compensating for the weight being only on your back as it would be with a backpack. I would advise getting the shoulder pads and have found that it helps to shift them around from time to time to move the pressure points off one place on your shoulders.The shoulder pads slide easily on the straps, so you do not need to take off the vest to move them around. I would expect that to be even more important with heavier vests. Note: I do not run with the vest, so if that is your intent, you may want to hear from runners. The cleaning and care of the vest is very simple. The weight packets are in pockets. Open the weight pocket velcro flaps (one for the 4 in front and one in the back), pull the packets out, wash it, let it dry, and reassemble. Too early to judge durability, but it's made with tough (but smooth), rip-stop nylon, and seems to be built to take heavy use. I might give it 5 stars in six months after wearing it in colder weather, over different clothes, and seeing how it is holding up after more use and washing.

Vest has come apart at the bottom
Seems and I've lost 1 sand bag and more are gonna follow cuz it's totally falling apart at the bottom .. before that I had no issue but seeing as I've only had it for like 2 months this shouldn't be happening .. I would like a refund or a new one