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Although at first glance it might seem that the difference between concealable and overt body armor is just in the way you wear it, the truth goes much deeper. Not only will you need to consider weight, protection, and mobility, but also how other people will perceive you. While in most cases you won’t be bothered with aesthetics alone, there are some cases where this part is crucial. In some missions, it will be paramount that you stay out of...

Helmets are a vastly misunderstood piece of gear. Most people don’t understand what different types of ballistic helmets even do and the fact that a bullet wound in the head is not something you will often encounter in the field.  Helmets are there to shield your cranium against flying debris, shrapnel, blunt attacks, projectiles, as well as you falling somewhere. And while the latter sound silly, difficult terrain is often a soldier’s biggest enemy. There are three ways to categorize...

Even though some states are debating if it should stay this way, it is legal for all law-abiding citizens to own and wear body armor. Most body armor laws by state are simply a recognition of 18 U.S.C. 931 with no additional restrictions. But, as always, things are not as straightforward as they seem at first glance. Not all types of body armor are allowed even for owning, and there are situations and locations where you can’t wear your armor...

There is a wide debate can and should civilians buy and wear body armor. While some believe that any militarization of civilians will result in more conflicts, the numbers suggest the opposite. In places where body armor is more common there is the same number of assaults, but a lower casualty rate. By law, most countries in the world and all states in the US forbid convicted criminals from buying body armor of any kind. But some suggest that this...

There is an ongoing debate, mostly online, about hard and soft armor, and which one is better. Some keep to the idea that bigger is better and that you can’t go wrong with a Level IV. Others prefer mobility and not even testing the armor at all, but still being safe under layers of fabric. The problem with this debate is that both sides are correct.  Hard armor is Better because: Hard plates are tougherThe carrier usually gives more utilityYou...

Every veteran and even every person who ever passed a march at BCT knows how heavy the equipment gets. In most cases, you need to carry everything for miles, on foot. Without proper balance, this would be impossible. And that is there MOLLE comes in, it is a type of modular binding that helps attach additional gear to your basic pack or body armor. It is a tried and tested method of attaching equipment used by the Armed Forces in...

The National Institute of Justice, or NIJ, has been founded in 1968 and does all kinds of research and development projects for the Department of Justice. NIJ Ballistic levels standard came on early, as a way to categorize different types of protection against handgun and rifle ammunition. But, there is more to an NIJ level than just penetration ability. The person behind the vest needs to stay relatively unharmed by any ricochet, shrapnel, or the sheer blunt force trauma of...

Although we can see that there are different types of body armor from the catalog alone, knowing what those marks mean can be tricky at some points. You might be tempted to simply go for the biggest number, but that is not always the best course of action. Depending on the situation, you might opt for utility or maneuverability over rifle protection. Also, you might be required to use a concealed vest in your region or focus on stab-protection. There...

Body armor, sometimes inaccurately called bulletproof vests, is necessary. In many jobs and situations, it will, quite literally, save your life. But, those who know how body armor works understand that protection is not the only thing you should be looking for. Utility and maneuverability are often as important as the NIJ level. National Institute of Justice (NIJ) describes five levels of protections: IIa – Soft Armor against .9mm FMJ and .40 S&W FMJ roundsII – Soft Armor against .9mm...