# What is this called? \[functional garment\]
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 12, 2025, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973 "2025-08-12T12:23:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/1 "2025-08-12T12:23:21Z")
The item I’m wanting to search for, but lack a name, is a vest like garment worn by people handling heavy or awkward equipment. Kind of like a flag bearer kit, but for a tool.
I want to make one for myself for when I use my hedge trimmer, but can’t search for an image as I can’t name it.
(The hedge trimmer is long/tall and quite weighty. Whereas I am quite short and a bit of a lightweight, you see the problem, right?)
Thank you in advance for your most kind assistance!
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/2 "2025-08-12T12:39:50Z")
It will be some kind of **harness** I expect.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/3 "2025-08-12T12:44:11Z")
Would this vest-like thing be used to protect you from the flying debris, or is it something to bear the weight of the tool so your arms are just steering it, not steering and lifting?
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### Author:  [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/4 "2025-08-12T12:45:22Z")
> **[iF Design - Henchman Lifting Harness](https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/project/henchman-lifting-harness/635030)**
>
> The Henchman Lifting Harness is a harness and boom arm system designed to counterbalance the weight of heavy outdoor power tools. The device redistributes tool weight into the user's core through a strong, lightweight aluminium spine, aiming to...
[ ](https://ifdalivestorage.blob.core.windows.net/user-uploads/797734/635030/b17f36d8-7a31-4f45-aee1-c7351c697632/635030_henchman_lifting_harness_02.jpg)
Stranger
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/5 "2025-08-12T12:49:39Z")
[Moderating]
I’ve edited the title to make it clearer what’s being sought. “What is this called?” isn’t very useful as a title.
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### Author:  [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/6 "2025-08-12T13:03:06Z")
Strictly to help me hold it and manoeuvre it about. It’s just a titch too heavy, amd a smidge too long for me to easily handle.
Its advantage is it does a great job, quickly and easily. If I wasn’t concerned with managing this slightly too heavy and awkwardly long tool, it would be a snap!
I’m thinking of altering a tight vest to do the job. Was hoping for a photo where there’s a hook on for the tool, sort of, around the centre abdomen?
I’ll keep looking, thanks for the tips!
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/7 "2025-08-12T13:13:54Z")
Maybe a sport fisherman’s fighting belt?
Stand Up Fishing Fighting Belts And Harnesses | AFTCO
[https://www.aftco.com/collections/stand-up-fishing-fighting-belts-and-harnesses](https://www.aftco.com/collections/stand-up-fishing-fighting-belts-and-harnesses)
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### Author:  [@Stana\_Claus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stana_Claus)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/8 "2025-08-12T13:49:31Z")
Perhaps a [brush cutter harness](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=brush+cutter+harness+heavy+duty&crid=1ZPIYP9IBYOX9&sprefix=brush+cutter+harn%252Caps%252C148&ref=nb_sb_ss_p13n-expert-pd-ops-ranker_2_17)? I have a heavy-duty brush cutter with a circular saw blade that came with such a harness and works great for supporting the load. The only difficulty might be that the attachment point for the tool is at approximately waist level. Don’t know how well that would work for a hedge trimmer or if you could modify it in some way to suit your needs. But might be a good place to start looking.
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### Author:  [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/9 "2025-08-12T14:27:07Z")
I suggest a less-well known medaevile chain-mail tunic, the hauberk.
It has flexibily, longevity, resistence to damage, plus badass looking as you wield modern power tools.
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### Author:  [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/10 "2025-08-12T14:38:31Z")
This is a very good suggestion, thank you for pointing me to it!
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### Author:  [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/11 "2025-08-12T14:39:12Z")
This is also a very good suggestion, I can see the benefit of this design!
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### Author:  [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/12 "2025-08-12T14:43:40Z")
And this, is very tempting indeed.
“A wee old women in chain mail, terrorizing neighbourhood!’
Film at 11:00 pm.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/13 "2025-08-12T14:59:58Z")
What brand of hedge trimmer do you have? Because [Stihl](https://www.stihlusa.com/products/trimmers-and-brushcutters/straps-and-harnesses/), for one, has harnesses designed for their equipment. Other brands may as well.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/14 "2025-08-12T15:06:17Z")
How tall a hedge are you talking about versus your own height?
IMO there’s no belt or harness you can wear that will support a hedge trimmer in a horizontal orientation much above your waist level. If you’re trying to trim a hedge top at breast level, eye level, or worse yet above your head, there’s no fix for that but a ladder.
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### Author:  [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/15 "2025-08-12T18:37:43Z")
A back brace is for general bending and lifting, like furniture movers. It’s similar to a back belt worn by weight lifters.
A device for a particular tool or task won’t likely be so general purpose.
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/16 "2025-08-12T20:57:27Z")
> [@scudsucker](#):
>
> medaevile
Well done. It’s “ **medieval** ”. Or even “mediaeval” but lets not complicate things.
Medi = Middle; Aeval = Age: therefore Medieval = **Middle Ages**.
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### Author:  [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/17 "2025-08-12T22:28:05Z")
I’m sure it was just a typo by scudsucker. They meant “medeavile tunic”, a reference to the sorceress Medea, who killed Jason with a vile tunic.
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### Author:  [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2025, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/18 "2025-08-12T23:43:59Z")
There are three spots, two are three shrub runs, and then a single, over there. But they are mature and were growing on the property when we got it 25+ yrs ago. Each fall, after the leaves fall I severely hack them off to my height, 5’2”.
But by this late in the summer they are considerably taller. When I trim them at the end of the season I take off as much as 12”. I do have a single step stool, I use this time of the year, to help with that.
It’s a Black and Decker, it can be used very long and straight or in a 90 degree angle to cut the tops. The latter configuration shifts the balance and makes it challenging in a whole different way!
I’m now leaning toward something like a tight vest, with a tether about chest high, with 8”, or so, of play then some sort of way to attach it to the tool itself.
(Also defeating the trigger, that you have to constantly hold down, would really help a lot. I did it with the weed whacker, but this one is much trickier!)
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2025, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/19 "2025-08-13T01:39:22Z")
> [@elbows](#):
>
> (Also defeating the trigger, that you have to constantly hold down, would really help a lot. I did it with the weed whacker, but this one is much trickier!)
Funny you should say that.
I had considered adding a warning to my last post to never, ever defeat a trigger on a cutting tool that is attached to your body somehow. But I thought that might seem condescending; surely you know your tools better than I do.
I don’t have an objection in general to defeating the trigger on a hand-held tool. If I drop it and it keeps running I can get away from it. If I start losing control of it I can push or toss it away from me.
But if the thing is attached to me somehow I can’t get away. And meanwhile it’s swinging on the end of the attachment lanyard or pivot point or whatever hacking away at my fingers and limbs while I’m trying to get ahold of the proper grips and controls to turn the damned thing off. That way lies emergency surgery and lasting disability.
You do you, but I sure as heck wouldn’t defeat a safety trigger AKA deadman’s switch on a tool attached to me.
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### Author:  [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2025, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called-functional-garment/1021973/20 "2025-08-13T02:12:49Z")
You make a very good point which I hadn’t considered. I suppose that it mightn’t be quite as annoying if the tool was better controlled generally. But I have tiny little wrists, and I have to squeeze the thing quite hard, the WHOLE time! My trigger finger is very ouchy afterward.
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