One thing to consider before making a purchase is to research how long the vest is good for. Most are only good for around 5 years or so, and much less if they are exposed to high heat (left in the trunk on a hot day)/improper washing (washing machine).
That's somewhat true.
While the majority of body armor manufacturers put a 5-year warranty on their vests, they are still good for many more years after that. In fact, as long as you don't expose the vest to UV light, harsh chemicals, or high temperatures, they should last a lifetime.
Also, aramids (Kevlar, Twaron, Dyneema) are not subject to the high temperature cautions that have come out against the UHWMs (Spectra, Zylon, et al). There was a major fiasco with Second Chance and their Zylon vests failing to stop bullets which they should have protected against. Research shows that Zylon degrades (and to a lesser extent, Spectra) quite quickly in high temperatures - temperatures approaching the inside of a car trunk on a hot day.
It is true that Kevlar loses some of it's strength while wet. However, it must be sufficiently soaked for this to happen. So, to quote a Second Chance brochure, "if a bad guy can hold you underwater for five minutes and then shoot you with a .44 magnum, you're done for." Even so, most never vests have the ballistic panels sewn inside a carrier that is water and sunlight repellant.
Stick with Kevlar - it doesn't suffer from the temperature degradation, it's a bit cheaper, and can be made (somewhat) more comfortable than its counterparts.
I wear my vest to the range, just in case I catch a stray richochet or some fool waves his gun in my direction. You can get used to the weight and temperature, and as an added bonus, you train harder!
