Son needs a Vest

[Kagetsu]

A good general rule to start: have a vest that protects from the caliber that you carry at a minimum.

This is the philosophy I'm looking to use because it plays the odds. Level II covers most carried handguns and I believe 00 buck. Though while I doubt I would ever likely need the extra IIA for 44 mag and 9mm submachine gun, the extra impact protection may be better considering I likely will not have backup for the recovery time to return fire. It's useless if they walk up and shoot you in the head while your eyes are rolled back because a cracked rib hurts sO much. Level III just seems to heavy not being in combat.

Also you may want to take a look at stab plates. That's a much bigger risk than being shot.

I don't like the extra weight of the chainmaile. Though most people don't seem to know that using a knife means the arteries are better targets than a stab.

 

[Blaster229]

This is the philosophy I'm looking to use because it plays the odds. Level II covers most carried handguns and I believe 00 buck. Though while I doubt I would ever likely need the extra IIA for 44 mag and 9mm submachine gun, the extra impact protection may be better considering I likely will not have backup for the recovery time to return fire. It's useless if they walk up and shoot you in the head while your eyes are rolled back because a cracked rib hurts sO much. Level III just seems to heavy not being in combat.

This is why there are soft trauma plates that insert over the vest at the sternum. They help dissipate some of that blunt force. These are minimal weight and are available hard too. The vest material itself does nothing to absorb that energy regardless of level.

 

[photoracer]

Level III is rifle caliber protection and very heavy (protects against 7.62 NATO at a velocity of 2750 FPS). Level IIIA is ballistic Kevlar and reasonably good (I have one). IIIA is designed to defeat 44 Mag and 357 Sig. But like others have said you will still be absorbing the impact energy of the round. Its going to leave a serious large bruise the size of a dinner plate. Level II is 9mm+P and 357 Mag (not 44 Mag), IIA is 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP.
The heirarchy of armor from lower to higher protection is I, IIA, II, IIIA, III, IV.

 

[traveller]

IIIA is designed to defeat 44 Mag and 357 Sig. But like others have said you will still be absorbing the impact energy of the round. Its going to leave a serious large bruise the size of a dinner plate.

Dinner-plate bruise beats .357 sized hole.

It is my understanding that at least for handgun rounds, unless the vest is penetrated, the blunt injury is rarely life threatening.

 

[strapped]

Most police wear level II. Comfort ranks just as important as protection when you are wearing a vest all day.

 

[Bafflingbs]

Most police wear level II. Comfort ranks just as important as protection when you are wearing a vest all day.

We use IIIA. It sucks! Very uncomfortable and stiff. Comfort is very important. If it's too uncomfortable, he won't wear it. It's highly unlikely that some one is going to shoot you with a .44 Mag. More likely going to be a .40 or less. II or IIA would be fine. You get what you pay for. But, it is tax deductible. I don't think any of them are made of kevlar anymore. I think the material is called spectra or something like that. (FYI) Much stronger. Also, We've moved away from metal trauma plates to a soft one. Bullets won't fragment as easily with the soft plates.

 

[Jakedasnake]

You have to spend the money if you want the lightest IIIA vest. I paid almost a $1,000 for mine (custom), and I couldn't be more happier! The cheaper it is, the more bulkier, and heavier it'll be.

 

[Chris]

Depending where your son is, The Cop Shop in downtown Baltimore has been serving both the security and LEO community for 30+ years. They have a full line of vests and anything else he may need. On Baltimore Street near the Shot Tower. Chris

 

[Bafflingbs]

You have to spend the money if you want the lightest IIIA vest. I paid almost a $1,000 for mine (custom), and I couldn't be more happier! The cheaper it is, the more bulkier, and heavier it'll be.

Well that explains it, my employer is a cheapskate.

 

[Jakedasnake]

Lol