Choosing The Best Bullet Resistant Vest. Four criteria.

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When it comes to choosing the best possible bullet resistant vest, agencies and officers need to choose a vest that will actually meet their needs. In order for this to happen, there are a number of conditions they must keep in mind.

Bullet resistant vests are often noted as being &#;bulletproof&#; vests, but that&#;s not what they are. These vests are extremely important for modern-day law enforcement. While these vests do give protection from guns, bullet resistant vests also offer some protection from knife assaults and slashes. They can also give officers protection from blunt force trauma, often seen with steering wheel impacts in automobile accidents.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) establishes the levels of ballistic protection. This organisation is similar to the Underwriter Laboratories, setting standards and keeping an eye on the quality when it comes to law enforcement.

The NIJ ballistic protection standards are divided into levels &#; level II and IIIA are typically used to classify protection levels provided against any array of gun ammo and some 00 buck loads. The higher the number is, the better the ballistic protection level.

There are four levels of criteria that you need to consider when you pick the best possible bullet resistant vest. And, they are:

&#; Ballistic Protection
&#; Comfort
&#; Covertness
&#; Price

1 &#; Ballistic Protection

The first thing you need to consider is the amount of ballistic protection that&#;s available that protects against the duty carry ammo. It&#;s important you purchase a bullet resistant vest that provides protection against the ammo for your service weapon.

After you make the choice, you need to think about what you&#;d expect to see in your neck of the woods. Inner city cops are going to need different ballistic protection than a rural area cope. Make sure you realize what kind of threats you&#;d expect and buy your vest accordingly.

2 &#; Comfort of the Bullet Resistant Vest

After you chosen the ballistic protection level that&#;s best for your working conditions, you need to consider your comfort.

Comfort coincides with ballistic protection. The more protection a vest offers, the bullet resistant vest become thicker and heavier. You may get a higher protection level from a Level III-A vest; but, if it&#;s too bulky and it&#;s not comfortable, you&#;ll not want to wear it. Make sure you speak to your co-workers and the local uniform supply store to learn more about your bullet resistant vest options. Talk with co-workers about what kind they&#;re wearing and how it feels after they&#;ve used it all day.

Your vest must fit according to your body weight and type. You should never wear another officer&#;s vest. Inclement weather is also a factor when determining the right size bullet resistant vest. While vets tend to do little in the way of warming you up on a cold winter&#;s day, it can be certainly uncomfortable when you need to wear it in the dead heat of summer. When picking out a vest, you want something you can wear both in the spring, winter, autumn and summer.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Stab-Proof Vest. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

3 &#; Covertness of the Bullet Resistant Vest

This gives the vest its ability to blend in with uniforms, which is generally worn under the shirt and hidden so long as it&#;s properly tailored. The current trend is to wear the vest in an exterior carrier that makes it easy to take the bullet resistant vest off and on. If you do this, be sure the vest is similar in color to the uniform&#;s color. You don&#;t want to anyone to realize you&#;re actually wearing body armor. After all, you don&#;t want a possible attacker to go for your head or other exposed places.

4 &#; Price of the Bullet Resistant Vest

If this was a perfect world, the department would provide the officer with a bullet resistant vest or be given a certain amount of money to buy it. However, that&#;s not typically the case. If you&#;re responsible for buying your own vest, you can get a reasonably priced ballistic resistant vest. The only thing to remember is to find one that meets NIJ standards and provides you with protect from duty ammo.

It&#;s extremely important that you understand that bullet resistant vests have a five-year service life. Yes, the vest can still work even after its stated lifespan. However, it won&#;t do you any good unless you actually wear it. Be sure you purchase wisely and wear it every single day.

Which Vest Is Right For Me?

When selecting body armour this is the most critical question to ask, as choosing the correct piece of protective gear can save your life. On the hand, selecting a vest that does not protect you against the threat level you face is both a waste of money and an unnecessary risk to your life. Despite the temptation to buy the highest-rated vest possible, be sure not to select a body armour piece that provides unessential levels of protection. Such pieces are often significantly heavier and more restrictive of body movement than vests offering less (but adequate) protection.

Covert Or Overt?

Another key decision point when selecting body armour is whether to purchase covert bulletproof vests, which are hidden under clothes, or overt vests that fit over clothing. 

COVERT VESTS

Typically manufactured in lighter colours, covert vests are engineered to the thinnest possible specifications. This allows the wearer to hide the fact that he or she has on body armour. Unnoticeable to observers, covert vests frequently utilise moisture-wicking fabrics that provide coolness over extended periods of use. They are ideal for officers assigned to close protection details, undercover operatives, and door supervisors, who may want to conceal the fact that they are wearing body armour.

OVERT VESTS

Intended to be worn over clothes, overt vests are usually black but can be manufactured in several colours specific to use. For example, military personnel wear camouflage designs, while security team members frequently select high-visibility colours. Journalists in areas of active combat wear blue vests, clearly identifying them as members of the media. Overt vests are most common among soldiers, law enforcement officers, and security guards.

COVERT / OVERT VESTS

Some body armour users prefer the flexibility provided by Covert / Overt vests, which comfortably fit over or under clothes. These bulletproof vests have higher protective levels than traditional covert vests while offering a thinner material than normal overt vests. Covert / Overt vests are designed for individuals who encounter a variety of situations and threat levels in their everyday professional capacities.

What Threats Am I Likely To Face?

Before selecting a piece of body armour, undertake detailed research on the area you will be operating in, paying close attention to attack patterns that have occurred in the past. This information will allow you to confidently choose a bulletproof vest optimised to the level and type of attack you may face. Below, we explore the main types of threats that may be present in everyday work situations. Naturally, this list is far from exhaustive.

POLICE / PRISON OFFICERS

Threat levels encountered by law enforcement personnel are highly dependent on the region patrolled. An officer assigned to a small town or village community will likely encounter significantly fewer violent threats than an inner city officer. However, incidents reported recently in locations such as Newcastle and Cumbria point towards an increased prevalence of gun crime in geographically dispersed areas. This trend cannot be ignored by any officer, whatever his or her location. Law enforcement personnel are also frequently confronted by assailants who may utilise a needle or improvised cutting weapon such as a broken bottle. In ensuring adequate protection against the wide variety of threats that occur daily, officers may want to purchase a multi-threat vest equipped with bullet, spike, and stab protection.

SECURITY PERSONNEL

Encountering drunk, unruly, and aggressive patrons on a nightly basis, security personnel regularly find themselves in situations of elevated threat. Customers of nightlife establishments will likely have access to potential weapons such as glasses, knives, and bottles, making a stab-proof vest an essential piece of protective equipment. In some areas, the threat of firearms attacks may be high as well, and security personnel may want to invest in the enhanced protection offered by a multi-threat bullet and stabproof vest.

MILITARY PERSONNEL

Military personnel in combat zones typically encounter high levels of ballistic weapons threats, requiring the highest level of protection possible. The chances of a rifle attack are extremely high, making body armour that protects against rifle rounds essential. Traditional soft body armour on its own is not adequate in halting rifle-fired rounds and military personnel are advised to combine this protection with hard armour plates. While the plates will add significant weight to undertake they will provide the level of protection necessary to maximise survival chances in combat areas. Complete protection in a war zone requires the use of an NIJ Level IIIa vest, utilised with hard armour plates rated at NIJ Level III or IV. Additional attachments for neck, arm, and groin protection are recommended as well.

SHIPPING CREW / COASTGUARDS

Piracy at sea has witnessed an upsurge in recent years, placing shipping crew members at heightened levels of risk. Weapons utilised by pirates are diverse, ranging from small handguns to rifles of high velocity. This presents challenges for shipping companies, seeking to equip crew members with bulletproof vests that protect them in all the situations they may encounter. The normal bulletproof vest offers flexibility and minimal weight, protecting against handgun attacks. Adding hard armour inserts to the vest adds bulk and restricts movement significantly, but may be necessary, as pirates are increasingly well-armed. We recommend that coastguards and shipping enterprises consider the purchase of NIJ Level IIIa high-protection vests, utilised in conjunction with hard armour plates rated at the NIJ Level III or IV level. The additional weight should not present a significant concern, as the vests will only be used in situations where the vessel comes under direct attack. In everyday work situations, shipping crew members can go about their duties without the vests. However, in case of a coordinated pirate attack, having the highest quality protection at hand is of vital importance.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Bulletproof Stab Proof Vest.