Selecting the Vest

• The vest needs to be made of a durable material such as nylon or a cotton/nylon blend. Ideally, you can pick up a good one from an Army/Navy surplus store for a few dollars. The All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment, or ALICE system, is a vest with pockets and pouches already built in for weights.
  
  

The Right Weights

• Many people make the mistake of starting with too much weight at the beginning of an exercise regimen. You will be wearing your vest for extended periods and want to start off with something reasonable. D cell batteries are approximately one pound each and fit well into pockets or attached to a vest. Make sure to have equal weight in the front and back, and try to balance it so that the load is carried on your hips evenly. Another option, after you have become familiar with resistance training, is to use small free weights
  
  

Putting it Together

• Once you have the proper weights and vest, you will need to put it all together. If you managed to get an ALICE vest, you already have pockets in the front and back to distribute the weight. If not, you will want to use duct tape to attach the batteries around the waist and lower portions of the vest. Make sure to keep the weight off your shoulders and near your hips, evenly spaced around your body. This will ensure that your back does not rest in a bad position.