When choosing protective gear, you need to figure out what type of threat you are seeking protection from. Each vest varies on the class of ammunition, such as weight, material, thickness, and other parameters. determining what type of vest and body armor to you’ll need whether concealed or outdoor wear is a very important first step into choosing your prefered choice of product
So, choosing a bulletproof vest, determine in advance:
- Weight: 1.5-2 lbs (without armor plates)
- Material: Prime Armor’s are made of aramid fiber. Will you need something stronger?
- Thickness: will you need to hide a bulletproof vest under the clothes you plan to wear?
- Concealed/Tactical: will you need it concealed/hidden under your clothing or wearing it openly in any situation?
Concealed-Wear Body Armor
Those who do not want to know about the protection. There may be several reasons for this. Among them is the reluctance to disturb loved ones and to show a bulletproof vest to colleagues, business partners, and in general to everyone around. But the main goal is the same: the attacker must not know that his victim is wearing armor.
In this case, he will almost certainly choose to do the simplest way and shoot in the torso several times. If the attacker is aware of the defense, he will try to hit the head.
Most often, concealed-wear body armor carriers law enforcement is used by businessmen, bodyguards, as well as people who are engaged in the transportation of expensive goods informally, not wanting to attract unnecessary attention.
Less often, they are bought by private individuals, for example, football fans who fear an attack against the background of sports disputes. Also, for example, they are provided to people who are in the witness protection program.
Body Armor Weight
You should always buy as light a bulletproof vest as possible. It will allow you to get less tired and not reduce the speed of movement, because, as you know, there are only two types of soldiers in war: fast and dead.
It was experimentally established that for an adult man with average physical data, the time of continuous wearing of a bulletproof protective singlet without deterioration of health in normal conditions, depending on the weight of the vest and Plate Carrier For Police:
- weight of the bulletproof waistcoat up to 3 kg. — 24 hours or more;
- body armor weight up to 7kg — 12 hours;
- body armor weight up to 9kg — 9 hours;
- body armor weight up to 12kg — 5 hours;
- body armor weight up to 16kg. — 2 hours;
- the weight of the bulletproof vest is up to 23 kg. — 1 hour.
It is precise because of the increase in weight that the US military categorically refused to wear bulletproof singlettes with heavy anti-zero plates until the 1990s.
Useful Tips
Bullet-resistant waistcoats save lives. Here are the most important things you need to know about bulletproof vests and the best plate carrier for police, as well as how to ensure that you get the most out of wearing them.
Correct Size
It’s incredibly important to make sure that the protective carrier you wear matches your body, shape, and size. Large waistcoats that don’t fit will be uncomfortable and prevent you from performing your duties optimally. If you want maximum protection from threats, be sure to buy a bullet-resistant vest that fits your size.
Life Expectancy
Depending on the manufacturer, bullet-resistant vests have a 5-10-year warranty. However, wearing armor every day reduces the protective capabilities of this armor. To maximize the life of the armor, always carefully inspect the vest for burns, small tears, or creases. This will extend their service life.
Weapon
Regardless of the size of the bullet, almost any gun calibers will “breakthrough” most types of bulletproof vests. Cartridges .44 Magnum and .45 ACPs move more slowly, reducing their impact. .The 357 SIG and 9mm cartridges, because they move fast, have a higher penetration rate through the fibers. The weapon has lethal potential, despite any form of defense.
Not Bulletproof
Despite the name, bulletproof vests are not bulletproof. They are bullet-resistant, meaning they minimize the impact of damage caused by bullets. You will still feel the impact of the bullet, and it’ll hurt and should seek a medical professional if hit.
Carriers
Getting a replacement carrier or a police plate carrier vest is a good idea to make sure that the vest’s ballistic panels live longer than the warranty period. Even if you have recently washed one of them, you can still use the other one because it is dry.
If you got shot
Have you ever been hit with a hammer? Many officers equate being shot at (while wearing a waistcoat) as being hit with a hammer. Vests save people from being killed by bullets, but they leave devastating bruises. Many manufacturers constantly update their vests to reduce the unpleasant consequences of a shot.
Cleaning Your Carrier
It makes sense to clean your vest or carrier when it’s filled with sweat. You want to keep it in great shape, right? Unfortunately, throwing your plate carrier in the laundry or sending them to the dry cleaners will ruin the ballistic panels. Instead, read the instructions in the manual. In most cases, mild soap and a damp sponge are all you need to clean your vests, and they can be hung up to dry.
Knives
Some people believe that bullet-resistant protective vests, can stop knives and other sharp objects from penetrating. This is not the case. Impact vests, as they are called, are a different type of weave and fiber material. Such singlet tend to be more expensive and weigh much more than any of these vests individually.
Storage
When storing your plate carrier correctly, it prolongs their life if done properly. The ballistic panels on the vest are made of several layers of fiber. Vests should never be stuffed to fit in the space. If they are crumpled, they cannot be straightened out. When you store your plate carrier, hang it on a hanger in the closet away from other items of clothing. Make sure your cabinet is large enough to store the item.
Getting a New Vest
When the vest is penetrated, the fibers are damaged and cannot be repaired. This puts the safety of the users at risk, and a new vest must be purchased immediately. Never use a vest that has been shot – even if you suspect it is still effective.
Available Protective Levels
You should know the available levels of protection of a plate carrier. Bullet-resistant vests are designed according to the amount of blunt force they can stop. The protection levels of the currently available body armor include the following:
- Level II-A: The thinnest bullet-resistant vests. Their thickness is 4 mm and they are made of soft materials. Designed to be worn under clothing for extended periods.
- Level II: Bullet-resistant vests with a thickness of 5 mm. They are most often worn by patrol officers. They can be worn under a tight-fitting shirt or over the clothing.
- Level III-A: Vests from 8 to 10 mm in thickness. They are heavier and tougher than Level II-A and Level II. Designed to stop heavy bullets (from Magnum 44 or rapid fire from a 9mm rifle). They are designed to handle minor combat situations, but they can still be worn under clothing if necessary.
- Level III and IV: Connects armor plates 25-30 cm, within 6-25 mm thick covering the chest and back. Each plate adds from 3-9 lbs to 2.9-9 lbsg of the soft body of the body armor and accordingly reduces the mobility of the wearer. These vests can not be worn under clothing, they are usually worn by special forces officers.
Impact-resistant vests use armor plates similar to those used in Level III and IV vests. These vests are worn by correctional personnel to protect them from stab wounds that could be inflicted by prisoners with smuggled and homemade knives and stilettos.
These vests are made according to the impact energy they can reflect. [1] The protection levels currently available include the following 3 levels and are being tested for protection against impacts with penetration up to 7 mm: Level 1-Protects against the pressure of 24 joules( J), Level 2-Protects against the pressure of 33 J, Level 3 – Protects against the pressure of 43 J.