Bulletproof Vest Facts

Before buying or selling a ballistic vest, know the facts and avoid these common pitfalls

Military and law enforcement personnel have come to rely upon bullet proof vests since their introduction in the 1960s. As the general public has become more educated on firearms and self-defense, the demand for bulletproof vests has grown significantly among the civilian population.

WHO CAN OR CAN’T OWN A BULLET PROOF VEST?

Ballistic vests are legal to own for most law-abiding citizens:

Federal law restricts sales to individuals convicted of violent crimes

Some states restrict sales to anyone convicted of a felony

Many body armor retailers won’t sell to anyone with a felony conviction

In most cases, it is legal for private citizens to own ballistic vests. Federal law prohibits the sale of body armor to individuals convicted of a ‘crime of violence’. Many states have their own, more restrictive laws that make it illegal for anyone with a felony conviction to own body armor.

Additionally, some states are implementing agenda driven laws that deny body armor ownership to even law abiding citizens. Connecticut, for example, limits body armor ownership to members of the military or law enforcement. Many body armor retailers won’t sell to convicted felons regardless of their legal right of ownership.

Watch What Body Armor is Best?

The Truth About BulletProof Vest

HERE ARE SOME BASIC FACTS:

Bullet proof vests came into military and law enforcement use in the 1960’s

In the 1970’s, lighter synthetic fabrics came into use

Hard body armor uses metal or ceramic plates for protection

Soft body armor uses synthetic fabrics like Kevlar or Spectra

Typically, there is a trade-off between comfort factors and level of protection

While research into wearable bullet protection dates back to the American Civil War significant progress wasn’t made until the development of improved man made materials and plastics in the mid-twentieth century.

Bullet proof vests (often called ‘ballistic vests’) came into use by military and law enforcement during the 1960’s. Further research by bulletproof vest manufacturers would result in the use of synthetic fabrics like Kevlar and Spectra.

The most elemental distinction between types of bullet proof vests is between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ body armor. Hard body armor uses metal or ceramic plates to provide protection while soft body armor uses synthetic fabrics. In some cases, the two technologies are combined to produce synthetic vests (‘soft armor’) with the user option to fit the vest with hard plates for additional protection.

Another important determination is to figure out what level of protection is appropriate for your needs. In simple terms, there is typically a trade-off between comfort (eg: the weight and bulk of the vest) and the level of protection it affords. In addition, lighter weight vests are concealable and can be worn undetected under clothing.

BODY ARMOR SIZING AND FITTING TIPS:

Proper sizing and fit is a crucial part of buying a bulletproof vest

Your personal needs will determine the balance between comfort and protection

A vest comfortable enough to wear affords more protection than a heavier vest left at home.

The best bullet proof vest in the world is useless if it doesn’t fit properly or if it’s too uncomfortable to wear. For that reason, the proper determination of size and personal fitting is crucial when buying a bulletproof vest.

Proper fitting is obviously essential for comfortable wear but is also important for the vest to provide optimal protection. The proper fit for a ballistic vest is one that provides the highest level of comfort while protecting all vital organs.

Since even the lightest bulletproof vests do retain heat, your personal needs could determine exactly how best to balance comfort and protection. In some instances, it is advisable to leave a gap on the sides of the vest for improved ventilation.

If greater protection is the priority, you may want the sides to ‘overlap’ for seamless coverage. Bulletproof vest retailers are quick to remind customers that body armor sufficiently comfortable to wear provides infinitely better protection than heavier armor left at home in a closet.

WHERE TO BUY A BULLET PROOF VEST:

Many firearms dealers carry bullet proof vests

Online purchases are often more convenient and legal virtually everywhere in the US

BulletProofME.com is highly recommended as the top place to buy body armor online.

While most firearms dealers carry bullet proof vests the most convenient way to research and buy is online. Online and mail order purchase of ballistic vests is legal in 49 of the 50 states. In Connecticut, however, bullet proof vests must be purchased in person. The ordering process is simple–there is no background check or registration necessary. Some retailers may request background information based on their individual corporate policies.

Although a Google search turns up any number of retail options, it’s important to find the best place online to buy body armor. Most ballistic protection experts recommend BulletProofME.com for all of your body armor needs.

Top of the line products, competitive pricing, and exceptional customer service sets BulletProofME.com apart from their competitors. They have the expertise to guide you through every phase of selecting, fitting and purchasing a bullet proof vest.

Body Armour: What level of protection should I buy?

The ‘beat cop’ of the 1960’s had to look into the future to envision widespread usage of lightweight and effective body armor. But we live ‘in the future’ now and the soft body armor that was far-fetched just a few decades ago is now just ‘part of the job’ for police officers.

The game changer? Rapid advancement in synthetic fabric technology beginning in the 1970’s. Synthetics like Kevlar and Spectra have revolutionized a number of industries and make soft body armor possible. Soft armour gets better every year thanks to continual improvement in synthetic fabric design technology.

Today a level IIIA bulletproof vest will stop almost all handgun projectiles and weighs in at 5.5 pounds. Most importantly, the widespread use of soft body armour has prevented the death of over 3,000 police officers in the past twenty years.

BULLETPROOF VEST CONSIDERATIONS FOR POLICE OFFICERS:

Police officers can legally buy body armor in all 50 US states as well as order it online
Some agencies have a standard level of protection for vests worn by their officers (usually NIJ Level II A vests, Level II, or Level III A
A good rule of thumb to determine what protection level you need–choose the level sufficient to stop bullets shot from the sidearm used by officers in your agency.
It is essential to have your body armour properly sized and professionally fitted to make sure you get the right measurements

No matter how much law enforcement experience you have its a confusing process to select and fit body armor. In actuality, it looks more intimidating than it really is. The best way to make it easier is to buy your bulletproof vest from the right place.

An industry leading online retailer like BulletProofME.com will guide you through the entire process to make sure your vest fits perfectly and provides the protection you need. They know how to measure yourself for body armour, and they’re meticulous at getting the details right.

Your first question will undoubtedly be: “What level of protection should I buy?” The ideal level of protection is tough to determine because there’s no way of knowing which weapons will be popular with ‘the bad guys’ at any point in time.

A widely accepted way to determine the right level of protection for your body armor is to use your duty gun as a guide. It’s a gun that you can use as a baseline for protection since you know how it performs. It also makes sense due to the number of policemen that get shot with their duty weapon in a ‘gun grab’ or other situation.

Once you know the level of protection you need it is imperative that the body armor be of the proper size and that you have it professionally fit. There is no way to overemphasize this–a vest that doesn’t fit right can compromise it’s protective ability.

If It can also make it uncomfortable thus increasing the chance that you’ll wear it less often. Equally as important is maintaining the right fit. If you lose or gain more than five pounds, it’s important to have your vest refit to reflect the change in your body or get a new vest that fits. Female officers should make sure that they buy a vest specifically designed for women as their protection needs are different than men’s.

COMFORT AND CONCEALMENT CONSIDERATIONS:

Soft body armour is extremely comfortable> There sometimes is a trade-off between comfort factors and level of protection

All vests have a problem with heat retention, and this can cause discomfort in hot weather and climates

Vests typically conceal well but factors like body type, fit, clothing style and thickness can make a difference

Two questions that officers new to bulletproof vests always ask are: How concealable are vests? How comfortable are they? You can thank cutting edge synthetic fabric for the fact that they’re very comfortable. Most vests weigh 4 or 5 pounds and are less than 1/2 inch thick–the actual measurements vary with protection level.

As you’ve probably already figured out, there is often a trade-off between comfort and protection. Also, heat retention is a universal problem with soft vests. In certain climates, it can seriously undermine the comfort of even the best vest. The best way to minimize discomfort caused by heat is with a sweat-wicking t-shirt. An experienced fitter can also make adjustments for vests to provide additional ventilation.

In general, vests conceal under clothing very well. There are a number of variables that can impact the concealability of body armor. The primary factors are your body type (height, weight), quality of fit, the type of clothing you’re wearing over the vest and the thickness of the vest. Color of the vest isn’t usually a factor in concealment. If it is, white vests are available or wear a t-shirt over the vest assuming it is thin enough