Everyone knows what body armor is. There is probably a myth in most people’s minds that it is used either by the military or special forces or by cash collectors. In fact, there are a lot of bullet-proof waistcoats for a wide or, on the contrary, narrow range of tasks. They are used not only by the “conventional military” or the police, but also by ordinary people, and sometimes even in peacetime.
It is important to understand the type of body armors:
- external;
- internal;
- covert.
External ammunition has a higher level of security. Concealed equipment is not flaunted and is hidden under clothing. Such models are relatively inexpensive. Concealed body armor is used by personal guards and high-ranking officials. The right choice will not affect mobility or endurance. Civilian waistcoats are lightweight and suitable for 24 hours of continuous wear.
Why do you need to wear body armor?
From the point of view of the average person (not the military or the police), body armor, globally, applies against two threats: a firearm or a knife.
It seems simple enough, but in practice, there are complications related to the caliber of the weapon or the type of knife/object like it. One should understand when a bulletproof vest may come in handy for a common person. In fact, there are quite a few options and not all of them are obvious.
The first and most obvious use of body armor is when there are some situations involving large crowds of people in your accommodation. A crowd is a very complex, dangerous and mostly spontaneous phenomenon. Most often it is a rally or a protest. Unfortunately, no one is immune to martial law, either. Body armor would have increased the chances of survival for a lot of people. Military journalists are often in the thick of it, so wearing body armor is vital.
Should security guards also think about protection?
Security companies must provide their employees with personal protective equipment. The body armor waistcoat forms the basis of the equipment and reduces the risk of injuries from knives or firearms when attacked by offenders.
A guard’s body armor must ensure maximum comfort when worn for a long period of time without restricting movements. The protection level is selected according to the type of object being guarded and the risk of an armed attack.
How to choose the best body armor?
The waistcoat is primarily designed to protect the civilian against pistol and machine gun rounds and to cope with grenade fragments in explosions. When selecting a body armor, the first thing to consider is:
- Level. It is the level that determines the type of a weapon a bulletproof vest must protect against.
- The type of a waistcoat you wear: it can be concealed or external.
- The effectiveness of the area of protection.
- The effective wearing time: from 1 to 12 hours.
The only parameter allowing for the selection of body armor is the protection level. The protection Level includes all other parameters. The higher the Level, the better the level of protection against a hit by a bullet of a certain caliber, mass, and velocity level.
Is it possible to wear Level 4 Body Armor by civilians?
There are 2 main groups: civilian and police body armor. The latter are Level 5 body armors. Level 4 bulletproof vests are used by law enforcement agencies.
From Level 4 and above, body armor provides good protection not only against pistol bullets, but also against automatic rifle rounds. These are the personal protective equipment used by army units and the police. These waistcoats contain lightweight and durable metal plates made of aluminum or titanium alloys. In some cases, ceramic metal plates are used to increase the protection rating to Level 5 or 6. Civilian vests are available to the public. But if you think you need Level 4 body armor, you may use it.