Bullet Proof Vest Question

[Rockrivr1]

I'm looking at picking up a used bullet proof vest, but I have a few questions.

What is better? A Level IIA or Level II vest? I would figure that the same would hold true with Level IIIA and Level III.

Also, for daily wear what do you guys think is the most comfortable for a concealed vest. Safariland, Point Blank, PACA etc. I'm thinking the Level III would be to heavy for daily concealable wear, but don't know for sure.

Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Steve Smith]

The A adds to the protection level of each umm...level. (sorry, not trying to be repetitive, but my brain is in limp home mode). The III would be about max I would want to wear in the US on a daily basis.

Lucky for me, I'll be wearing IV very soon on a daily basis...hey, that's not a good thing!!!

 

[Ultima-Ratio]

Research This Well-

There have been reports of vest failures that use the component Zylon and resultant officer injury....

 

[Steve Smith]

Good point, the latest SWAT mag explains the Zylon issue.

 

[MaxSE PT99]

Vest Threat Levels/ Personal Experiences

Hi all,

Just thought I'd contribute my little bit of knowledge/ experience with concealable vests.

1. Level II is better than IIA, but only by a very slight margin.

2. For most applications, barring SWAT, CRT, other tactical officers situations, a II is the perfect blend of concealabiltiy/ comfort. This is the level of vest that I wear on duty, and have done so for almost 3 years now. An extended vest will have full side protection, while a contour vest will not. You have to pick which you want more. Comfort or protection. I chose comfort over protection, due to that fact that some of my duties include patrol on a bike/ prolonged outdoor heat exposure.

3. If you purchase a vest, make sure to get a Shock Plate, and also a Soft Trauma Plate. The shock plate will give you added protection from ballistic rounds, and most will be able to absorb up to a 50 degree angle of hit, plus will also provide you with some measure of stab protection in the area of the hard plate. The Soft Trauma Plate will also give added ballistic protection, and will give you protection for blunt forch trauma. It helps to disperse a direct hit to make it easier to withstand the force on the sternum/ internal organs that it is designed to cover.

4. Place the Shock Plate in the carrier sleeve closest to the vest, and then the Soft Trauma Plate on top of the Shock plate, closest to the outside of the vest. This will help to eliminte the possibility of a richochet from a bullet hit going towards the throat area. There have been documented cases of officers dying from a richochet off of their vest's hard plate.

5. Get a vest that is NIJ 0101.04 certified if possible. This is the most recent set of ballistic vest certifications.

6. Get a vest that will stop the particular bullet that you will be carrying in your gun, in the event that you lose control of your weapon and have it turned against you. Once again, II stops the vast majority of bullet types/weights.

7. Stay safe!

For more detailed information, visit.....http://www.galls.com. They have excellent explanations of the threat levels and certifications for vests. I personally have the galls Lite Contour Level 2. 199.95 when I purchased it 3 years ago.

Hope this helps/ helped.

Jon

 

[Blue Line]

Are you sure you want a Used vest? I would check with the manufacture, using the ballistic panel serial #'s about the vest's "freshness date". 5 years is all they guarantee. With sweat, UV degrading the vest don't you want the best protection?

I would buy a vest with a ballistic level to afford protection from whatever caliber gun you intend to carry most regularly.

 

[Steve Smith]

Also, the vest has to be stored flat so that the kevlar doesn't sag, leaving no protection at the top.

 

[sendec]

Level III is a tad "heavy". UCR data would seem to indicate that typical police shootings do not involve higher powered weapons, so II or even IIA should suffice, assuming either will stop the round you are carrying. (Please note that I have not yet looked at the latest officers killed summary, but have observed this trend in the recent past)

I recall reading a report several years ago from NIJ or NIST in which tests of vests that had passed their "freshness" date actually performed slightly better than brand new ones, and that the life span of a vest was more dependent on the care it recieved than absolute age. The recommendation was still to change the vests out on a regular basis, but that was based on the fact that newer, better vests were constantly coming out and it woudl take advantage of advancing technology,

Do not downplay the comfort angle. Uncomfortable, bulky vests tend not to be worn. Make certain it fits well, for optimal movement and protection.

 

[armoredman]

I wore a IIIA vest for 5.5 years, and it was not too hard to get used to, provided you get a good one. The first IIIA I had, a Point Blank, was very heavy and uncomfratable, but the second, a Safariland Hyperlite II, was much better. The new GoldFlex line is supposed to be much better than that! Don't compromise, wear the best you can.

 

[davidenorth]

I wore a conceable vest for five years, second chance and point blank. If you buy used be prepared for that funky smell. It doesn't matter how it was cared for they all pick up smell. I second the point on level II as good enough unless SWAT or other high risk. Level II is hot enough and Level III would be unbearable.

 

[David]

I just checked with my friend, who is a LEO.

He was recently issued a Safariland Zero-G Vest in Level II.

He says it fits and feels the best of any soft body armor vest he has worn over the last 10+ years.

 

[Rockrivr1]

Thanks everyone for the information. I appreciate it. I will definitely look more closely at what I'm buying. I didn't know about the Zylon issue.

Steve, level IV huh. Going overseas are you? If so, good luck and I hope everything goes uneventful for you!