Box 100 lb straitjacket vs Rogue echo plate carrier
This is a comparison between the of the Box 100lb straitjacket and the Rogue Echo plate carrier including pros, cons, and alternatives. This was originally posted in which weighted vest to get from Rogue.
Overview and review of the Rogue Echo plate carrier
This is an overview of the Rogue Plate carrier including pros, cons, and alternatives. This was originally posted in which weighted vest to get from Rogue.
Overview of the Rogue Plate carrier
Price $125 - $250
The
Rogue plate carrier is the result of
Rogue observing the weighted vest products which they are selling, taking the best of everything, and stripping it off any fat to save cost. The
Rogue plate carrier does the job you need it to do for up to 40lb in resistance. It comes in three sizes and four color variations. It reliable and you will not be overcharged. In my opinion, this is the best vest to get from
rogue to buy in bulk for your unit or gym to run classes. The full specifications are:
- Made In USA
- Patent Pending Design - Co-Developed with Dave Castro
- Material Type 1000D & 500D Cordura
- Weight (Unloaded): 1.12 LB (Medium Size)
- Size Options: Small, Medium, Large
- Plate Pocket Width: 10.25" (outside width)
- Height Plate Pocket: 12.25" (outside height)
- Compatible with Rogue USA Cast Vest Plates and Rogue Echo Vest Plates
- Color Options: Black / Ranger Green / Coyote Brown / Gray
- Care Instructions: Hand Wash, Line Dry
- USA Velcro fasteners and front/back loops for patches
This is a solid design where someone had a hard look at the
Tactec vest and where to get rid of things that are not necessary for fitness training.
Pros of the Rogue plate carrier
- Good value for money
- Fast weight changes
- Good mobility
This is a good value for money vest that goes up to 40lb. Compared to the
box vest it leaves you with a little more mobility to run on an obstacle course or other cardio workouts. With the plate system, you can change weight quickly. You also get a few options for color and velcro to get patches on. With a set of 4 - 10 of these, you save quite a bit of money compared to the
Tactec vest while still running a professional ship with some fun thrown in there.
Cons of the Rogue plate carrier
- No extra padding and loops
- Limited maximum weight
- Less sturdy
While the
Rogue plate carrier is a very good option and better than most weighted vests offered on Amazon, it still has some shortcomings. In its price category, the
MiR short vest offers more maximum weight in the same price category. Compared to the
Tactec vest you will also get less material in the form of padding and therefore the lifetime will be shorter.
Alternatives to the Rogue plate carrier
The
Rogue Tactec vest has a few more bells and whistles and is overall made from more material. The resistance options are the same, but if you are buying a weighted vest for yourself or a loved one, the extra money is worth it as you will not kill this vest. If you are buying for an occasional user, teenager, or in bulk, go for the
Rogue Plate carrier as you save money and get nearly the same result.
The
MiR short vest is in the same price range when you have the same weight of about 50lbs. The extra option for the MiR vest is that it can scale up to 90lb which makes it an interesting budget option for hardcore freaks. Just keep in mind that the price for a fully equipped escalates to $289 and you end up in a bit of an apples and oranges situation when you compare it to the
Rogue plate carrier.
The
women's box vest is a great alternative for women who do not like the vest designs which fully cover your chest. If that is what you are after then this vest is a great alternative that can go up to 25lb.
Conclusion for the Rogue Plate carrier
The
Rogue plate carrier is probably the best weighted vest option in the
Rogue store to buy in bulk. The quality is good and there thought put into what it is used for based on years of experience at CrossFit events, It is not the heaviest or most stylish vest you can get, but the best balance between dollars and outcome. without being cheap.
Overview and review of the Box 100 lb straitjacket
This is an overview of the Rogue Box 100 lb straitjacket including pros, cons, and alternatives. This was originally posted in which weighted vest to get from Rogue.
Overview of the Box 100lb Straitjacket vest
Price: $292.99
The
Box 100lb Straightjacket is the most expensive vest which
Rogue currently stocks. In return, you also get the heaviest vest you can get. The design expands on the base
box vest by having 50lb as an underlayer and adding another 50lb on top of this. Think about this one as two
box vests on top of each other, were the vendor thought about how to attach them properly. The full specifications of the
100lb Straightjacket are:
- Made in the USA
- Adjustable by 2.5LB increments up to 100LB
- Short length for better range of motion
- Durable, tear-resistant nylon exterior
- Double-padded shoulder base
- Reliable, military-grade fasteners
- Color: Black
This is a great tool for anyone who wants to maximize resistance on Crossfit exercises which involve short term sprints, pull-ups, and sit-ups. Still, this is an extreme option optimized for weight, not for fit and comfort.
Pros of the Box 100lb Straitjacket
- 100lb in total weight
- Short design
- Good pouches
This product does what it says on the tin. You get a military-grade vest that can take the 100lb as advertised. The short design is also a bonus compared to other vests that have 100lb. Rather than restricting your torso, you can still turn and bend. Other vests that go that high in weight often use a full torse approach where mobility suffers. You get what pay for with an excellent product that has been battle-tested in many gyms all over the country and in the CrossFit games.
The cons of the 100lb Straitjacket
- Misleading advertisement
- Uneven weight distribution
- Mobility constraints
This vest is a one size fits all approach so that you can get all of the 100lb somewhere on to our body. This means that for anyone who does not have the standard male model sizes, this vest will be a nightmare to wear. If you are 185cm tall and weigh 90kg, great. If you are bigger or smaller than that, you will not have a snug fit. So that you can still somewhat move, the design doubles up to around the shoulders and back. This leads to uneven weight distribution and makes this vest hard to work with on long-distance runs rows or prolonged rope skipping. On top of that, the advertising is a bit misleading. If you buy this vest you buy it for its maximum capacity. The full price is then roughly $380 rather than just below $300. This has a reason as the weighted vest market has a drop-off point at around $300 when people say "Are you insane".
Alternatives to the 100lb Straitjacket
The
MiR pro weighted vest is the only vest in
Rogue's shop that goes over the
100lb of the straightjacket. The maximum weight option is 120lbs. For this, you will get a vest that severely constraints your movement as this is achieved with multiple straps and extra length instead of a double layer of weights like in the Box 100lb vest.
If you are only looking to add weight to your pull-ups and dips, then a dip belt might be the better option. It is a lot cheaper and can go to a lot more weight than 100lb. The only downside is that kipping pull-ups and any kind of sprinting/changing of exercises within the workout will demand that you take the dip belt on and off and lose the resistance. A dip belt is not a vest that you can just simply put on but is a lot easier to manage and cheaper if adding weight is all you want to do.
The
Hyper Vest Pro would be the best alternative if you still want a heavy vest. This vest goes up to 42lb in its XL version as it is longer than the smaller versions. This provides extra space for plates. This vest has mainly been designed to have a snug fit and therefor be great for long time cardio workouts. It still only has half the capacity of the
100lb straight jacket.
The
load trainer is the best option for maximum load, as you can simply put plates on your back like a donkey. This will feel a lot more like a rucksack and is especially good if you want to train to march long distances with a heavyweight, but do not necessarily carry weapons halfway through town. Pull-ups, sprints, and dips are also possible, but not at speed.
The
original box vest is half the size of the
straightjacket and goes up to 50lb. You get the same design and robustness, while the fit is not as snug as with the Hyper range. This model is more than enough for most mere mortals and also a lot more affordable.
Conclusion for the 100lb straitjacket
A
100lb straightjacket is a great tool for Crossfitters who have exhausted their options with the
Original Box vest and want to push beyond the 50lb resistance. In my personal opinion, the market for that is very slim. If you are torn between the original
box vest and the
straightjacket, get the
box vest. It will take a couple of years to grow into this resistance training if you are not already jumping up and down with no problem in a 50lbs vest. If you want to do long-distance running with a vest or acrobatics, the
box vests are not the best choice.