A few months ago, something changed. One minute, people were trudging along as usual; the next it seemed like every third person I passed on the street was wearing a weird, heavy little backpack. Initially, I mistook several of these bulky, menacing items for bulletproof vests. (Scary.) Eventually, I realized they were simply the latest fitness trend: weighted vests.
Celebrities have been sporting them on walks, Peloton instructors are making videos explaining how to use them, and influencers are peddling them on TikTok. Publications have written about their growing popularity among “the menopause set”, as Allure put it, because of their supposed ability to help with muscle strength and bone density as one ages.
