got body armor?

[cajun47]

what kind? what brand?

i want a light vest thats not very noticeable to stop handgun rounds.

 

[Avenger29]

You want to get in touch with Correia- he sells body armor and fits it, if I am not mistaken.

There are quite a few people on this board that deal with armor. I am not one of them, though. I do know that you have to pay for quality and have it properly fitted.

 

[hankdatank1362]

I'm not gonna question your rationale behind wanting body armor.


But others here will. And that's because wearing it sucks. Big time.

 

[mtnmedic11]

I ordered some paraclete level IIIA RAV cut body armor a few years back with a concealment vest and I loved it. I wore it in Iraq for 6 months with a plate carrier and it was the most comfortable, most protective cut Ive ever used. With the concealment vest you can wear it underneath a loose dress shirt and its barely visible. Or you can wear it outside with a carrier and hard armor. The guys at Paraclete were great, and they have a few different types and cuts of armor to choose from.

Its the same kit that a lot of USMC and Army SF use, great stuff. Expensive though. Im 6'3, 220 lbs. and the Medium long fits perfect.

 

[Dumpster Baby]

Years ago I wore a Second Chance Level III vest for nine months on a temporary security job. It wasn't a living hell by any means but it did get to be a drag in hot weather. The main inconvenience was in not having spare covers for it. With a limited number of uniforms and only one vest cover I had to drag myself to the laundry room more often than I wanted to.

 

[Nate C.]

Why?

Ask any patrol officer what he thinks of body armor. For best results, ask one
from the South. In the summer time. Find a guy working a foot beat, not sitting in an air-conditioned squad car.

 

[simmonsguns]

And there is that special type of funky smell that builds up in them.
A good hunting sent killer will take care of that but if there is none to be found for months on end it gets unbearable.

 

[wally]

I've Second Chance vests with trauma plates for me and the misses. Hers is behind the bedroom bathroom door, mine behind the bedroom door.

If the alarm ever goes off, I grab my nightstand pistol and we don the vests, she's ready to call 911 while I check the video to verify if we really have intruders.

Like the fire extinguishers also behind the doors, hope to never use them.

Wearing them in our heat, you gotta be kidding!

--wally.

 

[coloradokevin]

Why?

Ask any patrol officer what he thinks of body armor. For best results, ask one
from the South. In the summer time. Find a guy working a foot beat, not sitting in an air-conditioned squad car.

No kidding.

The warmest temperature we have had for this year was 82 degrees, and most of our nice days have been in the high 60's to low 70's (so far). I am already dreading wearing my vest, and I absolutely can't stand the thing in summer.

I can't possibly imagine why anyone who wasn't doing work that necessitated it would want to wear this stuff! In the summer it feels like wearing a wet dish rag, and it breathes about as well as a garbage bag. Like the others have mentioned, I can't even begin to describe the vest "funk" you get during the warmer seasons... The smell could kill death.

 

[Chipperman]

I have a Safariland IIIa vest. It's a combo of Kevlar and Spectra.

I would not want to wear it all the time, but its suits my purposes.

 

[Sato Ord]

I've worn body armor, you can have it.

If things get bad enough I feel I can't leave my house without a bullet proof vest I'll move.

That being said, if I did buy some it would have to be Dragon Skin, just to say I own a set.

 

[JCMAG]

Now where can a civilian get a vest?

Every manufacturer I've looked at has said LE and MIL only.

I can't find any laws against civilians owning armor...

 

[glocker82]

got mall ninja?

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

Ask any patrol officer what he thinks of body armor. For best results, ask one
from the South. In the summer time. Find a guy working a foot beat, not sitting in an air-conditioned squad car.

That air conditioned squad car isn't a party either during a good Dallas summer.

I think right around the middle of June I start becoming the poster child for Gatorade. Drink the stuff by the gallon during the summer.

 

[doc2rn]

I am holding out for dragon skin armor. I have old class 2 vest from working armored a couple of summers ago, got it out of Gals magazine.

 

[PavePusher]

If you must wear it, use a snug-fitting, low friction, wicking under shirt such as Under Armor or similar product. Cuts down on blisters, chaffing, and body odor.

 

[coloradokevin]

If you must wear it, use a snug-fitting, low friction, wicking under shirt such as Under Armor or similar product. Cuts down on blisters, chaffing, and body odor

I partially agree with you on that... I swear by the sweat-wicking synthetic shirts (under armor, or knock offs) in warm weather, though I use a combination of those and cotton shirts in milder weather.

Still, my synthetics hold stink so much more than the cotton does! I just took my vest off when I got home ten minutes ago (it was maybe 70 degrees today), and it still stinks like someone died on me.

 

[peyton]

Just think of all of us in the sandbox wearing the IBA's it is good to know it slows down most stuff. Point Blank makes it, it has saved many a life. You are not allowed to travel around without some kind of body armor. I also think the type of job you have determines if you really need it. For me, anything dealing with money or highly traveled businesses (7-11) it would be protecting my assets. They are expensive though and have a shelf life.

 

[p2000sk]

"Now where can a civilian get a vest?

Every manufacturer I've looked at has said LE and MIL only.

I can't find any laws against civilians owning armor..."


You should research your state statutes to determine legality.
In some areas, a citizen may not be able to ledally have it.
In some areas, the combination of certain illicit activities and the posession
of body armor can have a multiplier effect for crime and punishment
(I do not intend to imply that you would partake in illicit activity.) .

A local oil truck driver has stated that he wears the armor during the winter
and it is nice and toasty.

 

[Killermonkey21]

Peyton is correct. The IBA's are truly a dis/comfort. The new ones they have out (Improved Outer Tactical Vest) is supposed to be more comfortable, offer more protection to the lower back, have built in side plate holders, and a quick release. Although, they take a LOT longer to put on from what I've seen. "Supposably" they are supposed to be issuing them to units already in theater before others, but I've been here for 11 months and havn't seen them on a single paratrooper here.

On-Topic: While it might offer you a feeling of comfort knowing you have it on, you really don't want to where it 24/7. A light vest (kevlar only) would be light and most likely be able to stop 9mm FMJ (thats the standard, right?), while a plate would offer more protection. I guess it really boils down to cost/benefit for yourself and the legality of such.

But its the US. If its legal, and you want to, you can do it. Freedom. Its an amazing thing, isn't it?

God Bless America.

 

[JCMAG]

Now I definitely want some! Not that I'll probably ever need it, but it would be a damned fine thing to have it ever I do. There is more to fighting tyranny than a good rifle, after all. It would be pretty nice if we could survive to see democracy re-instated.

Someday...

 

[Gunnerpalace]

I am holding out for dragon skin armor

That stuff is $5000 a pop,

But I saw that stuff on MC,FW,ect 50rds of 9mm pretty awesome stuff.

 

[glocker82]

skip the body armor and just build a panic room.

 

[buck00]

I'm not gonna question your rationale behind wanting body armor.


But others here will. .

Yes, I will. Let's bring the concept to the table. As a normal civilian (non-LEO), unless you are being stalked, or the mafia put a contract on your life..... why would you get body armor?

I guess I could see if you had it in your house for an emergency (hanging on the wall as someone mentioned)... that may make sense. Not something I'd do or invest in, but ok I follow the rationale.

But if its a "I'm going to wear body armor every day of the week to be safe", then we have some paranoia issues to sort out. If this is the way you live, you may as well start stacking sand bags along your windows too.

* Police and military do it as part of the job hazards. Until this country degenerates into a state of security like Sarajevo 1993, or Grozny 1999 I think you can hold off on the daily use of body armor. JMO

 

[frogomatic]

As a normal civilian (non-LEO), unless you are being stalked, or the mafia put a contract on your life..... why would you get body armor?

this irritates me. In a free state, 'why?' is just not a valid question. The same rehtoric gets used to attack our right to bear arms. 'Why?' do you need that AR-15/WASR/1911/29/ect... RIGHTS ARE NOT ABOUT 'WHY'! We have the right to do, say, possess, ect... anything we want, up to the point where it violates the rights of another. If we want to go down the 'why/need' road, I can take it to places you won't like. Cars, planes, internet, TV, movies, knick-knacks, kitchen sinks, soft drinks, scopes, body armor, ect... There are a million and one things that we do not 'need' so 'why' should we be allowed to have them? Because it is our god given right as a free willed people. And being, or not being LEO/MIL is irrelevant. LEO/MIL do have a greater need of such things, but DO NOT HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO IT. They are citizens just the same as the rest of us, and have exactly the same rights and freedoms as everyone else.

rant off...