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How to choose a bulletproof vest?
- Thread starter Fking
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- Apr 17, 2006
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- 351
What you really need to look at is the testing protocol adopted by DOJ and NIJ, to rate the effectiveness of ballistic vests and cut vests. Ballistic vests are rated by the caliber and velocity of the rounds they can (reliably) stop, but some failures are allowed. Stab vests are rated by the amount of force needed to thrust an ice pick type implement through the vest, but again some failures are allowed. If you Google the testing protocols you will see all the relevant info. The thing to take away is that the tests are totally different because the vests are designed differently, constructed differently, fit differently, and are built with different materials, because they do different things.
First, people are throwing the word kevlar around without understanding that kevlar is out of date and mostly used in cheaper quality vests. Most modern vests use proprietary blends of spectra, dacron, nylon, twaron, polypropylene, and many others, with some kevlar mixed in. Certain types of kevlar resist cutting because of the others materials they're blended with, and nothing flexible resists stabs well at all, which is why stab vests have rigid plates in them.
Ballistic vests work by spreading the force of impacting projectiles across numerous interlocking fibers, while at the same time providing "give" to absorb that impact and further diffuse energy. Keep in mind that .22 cal bullets are harder to stop than a .45 because the .22 has a tendency to "wiggle" between fibers, and due to its narrower cross section it's force does not spread across as many fibers. And don't get me started on blunt face deformation (the dent in your chest the bullet makes when the vest actually does stop it). Also, ballistic vests all have expiration dates on them for liability purposes. With a little proper care your vest will last your entire career, but who knows what the original owner of your used vest did in it or to it.
I don't really know how stab vests work, so I won't venture an opinion, but I do know that every single ballistic vest you see carries a specific warning that it will not provide any protection to the wearer against stabbing or slashing attacks.
If you seriously believe that you need to wear a protective vest, you need to determine what the real threat is that you face, and shop accordingly. All body armor is hot and uncomfortable, but your body adjusts over time. The only real wearing difference between level IIa, II, and IIIa vests is stiffness. Proper fit alleviates a lot of the discomfort, but used vests only properly fit the guy that you bought them from.
As for China, everyone has seen the recent problems that China has in quality control for simple items like dry wall, toys, animal food and paint. If you want to trust your life to something from that place, you get what you deserve. Everyone jokes about wearing something from the lowest bidder, but at least that bidder was required to meet standards, and would be held accountable for testing requirements.
I've worn ballistic vests for over 24 years now, and I say . . . made in America Baby! I'll take a 10 year old Second Chance Monarch II over a made last week in China vest every time.
as always, YMMV
First, people are throwing the word kevlar around without understanding that kevlar is out of date and mostly used in cheaper quality vests. Most modern vests use proprietary blends of spectra, dacron, nylon, twaron, polypropylene, and many others, with some kevlar mixed in. Certain types of kevlar resist cutting because of the others materials they're blended with, and nothing flexible resists stabs well at all, which is why stab vests have rigid plates in them.
Ballistic vests work by spreading the force of impacting projectiles across numerous interlocking fibers, while at the same time providing "give" to absorb that impact and further diffuse energy. Keep in mind that .22 cal bullets are harder to stop than a .45 because the .22 has a tendency to "wiggle" between fibers, and due to its narrower cross section it's force does not spread across as many fibers. And don't get me started on blunt face deformation (the dent in your chest the bullet makes when the vest actually does stop it). Also, ballistic vests all have expiration dates on them for liability purposes. With a little proper care your vest will last your entire career, but who knows what the original owner of your used vest did in it or to it.
I don't really know how stab vests work, so I won't venture an opinion, but I do know that every single ballistic vest you see carries a specific warning that it will not provide any protection to the wearer against stabbing or slashing attacks.
If you seriously believe that you need to wear a protective vest, you need to determine what the real threat is that you face, and shop accordingly. All body armor is hot and uncomfortable, but your body adjusts over time. The only real wearing difference between level IIa, II, and IIIa vests is stiffness. Proper fit alleviates a lot of the discomfort, but used vests only properly fit the guy that you bought them from.
As for China, everyone has seen the recent problems that China has in quality control for simple items like dry wall, toys, animal food and paint. If you want to trust your life to something from that place, you get what you deserve. Everyone jokes about wearing something from the lowest bidder, but at least that bidder was required to meet standards, and would be held accountable for testing requirements.
I've worn ballistic vests for over 24 years now, and I say . . . made in America Baby! I'll take a 10 year old Second Chance Monarch II over a made last week in China vest every time.
as always, YMMV
Were that true, you'de not be able to post here bud
. Smart money is on NOT just buying the manufacturer's claims. That's why there is this thing called "independent testing", wherein all those cheap crap China vests aren't tested, because the manufacturer won't sumbit them. Trust me, if police departments could buy $300 stab and bullet resistant vests (that worked), rathern then the $750+ ones they buy now - they would in a a HEARTBEAT.
Just a FYI, I've been wearing one that I didn't have to pay for for a decade and a half.
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Make sure you choose a Stab-Resistant Vest. Not every vest can stop a knife.
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Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
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Old thread.
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