Body armor on eBay. Experience?

Rumble

Rumble

Joined
May 10, 2001
Messages
853
Has anyone here with knowledge of body armor ever purchased such a product from eBay? If so, can you comment on your experience and perhaps refer me to the seller (if the seller is still selling body armor)?

It might sound rather ludicrous to purchase such an item from eBay but I'm assuming that there should be reputable dealers that sell reliable products in that market.

As well, considering that there are numerous sellers in willing to ship Canada, I assume there are no restrictions for importing such an item? Anyone from Canada with comments on this?
 
i would be carefull, IIRC some body armor degrades if left in the heat (ie in a car trunk).
 
SIFU1A said:
i would be carefull, IIRC some body armor degrades if left in the heat (ie in a car trunk).
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Not only that, but do lots of homework on something like that.

If you plan on wearing it a lot at the mall (just kidding) then you would be best served by getting it fitted in an actual store.

Talk to lots of cops who have had to wear that stuff day in and day out for what is most comfortable and the best protection.
 
Body armor should be properly fit to the person using it. When I ordered mine, I was measured 7 ways to Sunday, to insure proper fit. That is the best way to do it.
 
Thanks for the quick responses guys. Very much appreciated.

The proper fit was not at the forefront of my thoughts but has now been more of a priority, which is making a lot of sense. I still think that there is a dealer or two on eBay that is trustworthy, but the time it takes to determine that might not be worthwhile.

I've been reading through a site called Bulletproofme.com...does anyone have any experience or comments with/on them?
 
I buy and sell a lot of stuff on eBay, but buying body armor on eBay would be kind of like buying life insurance from there. It just don't seem right, somehow.
 
stevengregory said:
I buy and sell a lot of stuff on eBay, but buying body armor on eBay would be kind of like buying life insurance from there. It just don't seem right, somehow.
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Agreed! I agree with that statement 100%. I would suggest you find yourself a nice B & M to get your body armor.
 
Be aware that body armour has to be individually tailored to the individual (no pun intended), it's a custom fit!

Also be aware that there are various levels of protection eg: anti-stab, ballistic.............etc.............................................
 
eBay body armor?

Please save yourself trouble and im not trying to be patronising, if you want to by kevlar/cermaic/whatever protection dont ever buy 2nd hand goods. Its not worth saving 50% of the cost buying seconds and also losing 50% effectiveness from hair lines cracks, or missing service history books.

You could buy 2nd-hand tools or cars but they need full inspection from professionals before its even worthy to hand the cash over for. If you want to save a life with personal body armor dont save your $'s buy from the factory.
 
Rumble said:
Has anyone here with knowledge of body armor ever purchased such a product from eBay? If so, can you comment on your experience and perhaps refer me to the seller (if the seller is still selling body armor)?

It might sound rather ludicrous to purchase such an item from eBay but I'm assuming that there should be reputable dealers that sell reliable products in that market.

As well, considering that there are numerous sellers in willing to ship Canada, I assume there are no restrictions for importing such an item? Anyone from Canada with comments on this?
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Why not buy in Canada, Mr Rumble? These people are 5 minutes from my house. http://www.armyissue.com/Gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6
 
I understand the "safety > money" argument, but it is honestly not something that is absolute, as easy as it is to look at it that way. I mean, if we take that at face value, then why settle for body armor when you could maybe split your entire paycheck between two body guards? Or live in a vault in your basement? :p

It comes down to a gradation of how much you expect to be shot. Me, I hardly expect to be shot at all, so the most I ever have standing between me and a bullet is a geeky t-shirt. And I think that is pretty darn reasonable. If I was absolutely sure I was going to be shot (in the near future) I would of course go all out. But for someting inbetween, I would probably at most settle on some steal/ceramic plates. Or maybe I'd even stick with my t-shirt... if it was more of a long term deal.

The point is, if dinky ebay body armour suits your needs, that's fine. Maybe it will result in a 1/4 mortality rate. If you want a 1/2000 mortality rate, obviously, you are going to have to with something top of the line, but speaking strictly on behalf of my own person, I just don't care that much.
 
Many thanks to everyone who has responded to this thread.

I knew the posts would be varied but all was appreciated. I was just curious if eBay is something worth considering IF there identifiable dealers who sold reliable products. So far, this probably isn't the case, and for the sake of prudency, probably not worth the effort since a vest would be the difference between life or death.

However, it didn't hurt to ask. Right? Heh!
 
You might make out OK if there are inspection rights and the ability to return unsatisfactory armor. You need to look for manufacture date, cleanliness (body oils/sweat can degrade armor), heavy creasing of material and general appearance. Things you will never know include exposure to UV, which degrades Kevlar substantially. Despite all the warnings in the world, some folks will machine wash armor and hang it to dry in the sun.
 
Ebay is where you go to sell defective and worn out body armor. How do you know you are getting something reliable on ebay?

Be wary or snake oil salesmanship with body armor. It's the wrong item to go cheap on because if it fails, it's too late to take it back to the store for a refund. I haven't personally seen cheap body armor that I would trust with my life, have you?
 
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