Identify this medical (?) vest

General Questions
#1

I walk at lunchtime every day. I often see a very large man (both tall and… large :wink: ). Recently he has been wearing something I assume is a medical device.

It’s like a bullet-proof vest, but it doesn’t go down as far as the stomach. On both the front and back of the vest are about 15 compartments about the size of a 35-mm film canister. I can’t see any tubes from the compartments, but I did see a clear tube coming out of the vest at the top. However, the tube didn’t seem to be going to a nasal cannula or a breathing mask of any sort.

Ever since he’s had this vest, the guy seems to be walking slower than before.

So, does anyone have any idea what this vest-like contraption might be?

Thanks,
J.

#2

Did the tube go to a back pack? Did it look anything like this: turtle shell respirator?

#3

Did it look like this? The tube might have been for a built in hydration pack.

#4

No, this isn’t it. Thanks for the suggestion.

J.

#5

My first thought was an exercise weight vestwith a hydration pouch?

This might explain why he’s going slower.

#6

Hmmm. This one is more like it, but the compartments were more stand-alone or individual. The compartment size seems about right. I can’t see the back of this vest, though, so I can’t see if it has the compartments on the back, too. I also don’t see a clear tube coming from this vest.

Thanks,
J.

#7

The vest I saw had all of the compartments evenly spaced with about 3 rows of 5 or something.

Also, this guy is probably over 300 pounds so I’m not sure what a 20-pound vest is going to do, although I suppose it is possible.

J.

#8

Based on your description of the person wearing it, it may be some sort of cardiac defibrillator.

#9

I agree that’s a possibility, but the vest I saw looks nothing like this picture.

J.

#10

Use the google image function on the phrase “cystic fibrosis” vest and see if any of those look like it.

It sounds like it may be an external percussion vest, designed to loosen secretions in patients with CF and other diseases where the bronchioles get clogged up.

Most folks don’t wear them while out and about, though.

#11

How large of a man? If he is a wildland firefighter or a volunteer fire fighter who wants to be red carded to work on wild fire incidents. He would have to take the work capacity test“Pack Test”,walking 3 miles in a 45lb pack. There is no standard pack they come in all shapes and sizes, but this is about the time of year people start training.

#12

No, that’s not the vest.

Thanks,
J.

#13

The vest on the left actually looks similar, but I can’t imagine this guy being a firefighter. He’s very out of shape.

J.

#14

There are some jobs that only require the moderate version of the test, which is a 25 lb pack over a two mile course. If he was an equipment operator, truck driver, or even the guy who sets up the cook trailers or honey-buckets he may be out of shape enough that training for the lesser version is tough work.

If that’s even the answer at all :slight_smile:

#15

People with MS can’t tolerate getting warm due to exercise to they can wear a cooling vest.
See

#16

I’m stopping back in to identify the vest I saw. I’ve seen him a couple of more times and I’ve identified the vest to be almost identical to this vest.

I guess it IS a weight vest, although I can’t see this guy as an athlete. Maybe his doctor told him to use a weight vest on his walks to increase his level of effort a little.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

J.

#17

They’re not just for athletes. Sometimes people wear them because it’s a relatively low-effort form of exercise and maybe that’s all they can handle until they’re more fit. It’s a step in the right direction, at least.