Log in
  • Home
  • How To Choose The Best One Bulletproof Vest?
How To Choose The Best One Bulletproof Vest?
How To Choose The Best One Bulletproof Vest?
June 23, 2022
UARM
For those experienced with body armor picking out the best one bulletproof vest becomes a very obvious choice. Ballistic protection is somewhat standardized and segmented depending on the use and if you know where you will wear it you will always know what you might need. Generally, there are three categories when it comes to picking out body armor:
  • Covert soft armor
– For civilian jobs and everyday use in dangerous areas
  • Overt soft armor
– For policing, civilian security, and home defense
  • Hard plate armor
– For military uses and high-risk protection The separation is very clear and if we include both practical and social factors it becomes very clear that there isn’t ‘’the best’’ bulletproof vest, but rather body armor that fits the situation. And there is generally very little overlap as each type is made for the mentioned purpose.  

Plates, Panels, and Vests: How to Choose the Best One for You?

  In most cases when people think of bulletproof vests, they imagine just a flak jacket that is used in any situation. But, decades have passed since that was the case and now there is specialized ballistic protection for each situation. Picking out the correct bulletproof vest materials will make the difference between optimal protection, lugging around something heavy for nothing, or a rifle round penetrating your vest and injuring you. This is why the best bulletproof vest needs to be adapted to what you are doing, and not just something with the biggest price in the store.  

Ballistic Vests

  While these models are somewhat going out of style, there are still plenty of situations where you might need a vest where the insert is integrated into the carrier. The main benefit of these is that they are easy to take on and off and usually have MOLLE loops and Velcro for additional gear. These two features make such a bulletproof tactical vest ideas for home defense and law enforcement. They are usually seen as ‘’police vests’’ such as the MVM Metropolis Vest MOLLE which is a frequent pick for law enforcement. The bulletproof vest cost in this case is the least, but so are the operational capabilities of the armor. And, this is the only type of bulletproof tactical vest that you will need to change entirely once the warranty on the bulletproof vest material is up.  

Soft Inserts

  Both with overt and covert vests some models use soft armor inserts inside the carrier. In the latter situation, it acts the same as with the regular ballistic vest with the difference that you can change the insert if old or damaged. But, because the modern body armor materials can be so thin, they can also be worn covertly. Such is the case with the CAT Covert Armored T-shirt where the ballistic material is integrated into the shirt itself. In the cases where you don’t want anyone to know that you are wearing protection, your best bulletproof vest won’t even be a vest, but rather a common shirt. The bulletproof vest cost in this case can vary, but it will be optimized with your needs. Also, the highest level body armor that you can pick here is Level IIIa which is good against all handgun ammo but won’t stop most rifles.  

Hard Plates

  Hard plates are the highest level body armor that you can wear but are also the heaviest. With modern bulletproof vest material options such as UHMWPE, this won’t be as bad as before, but they are still much thicker and heavier than soft armor. In most cases, you will see an army bulletproof vest having something like the SA4S Silicon Carbide plate, as it can stop virtually any anti-personnel round. If you are at risk from rifles there is no other option but plates, and with new ammo, you also want Level III+ or Level IV plates. But, you should know that they are, in the best-case scenario, 3x as heavy as soft armor and cover less of your body. Plates focus only on your center of mass and vitals and a stray shot can still be very dangerous. Many people see this as an army bulletproof vest, but there are a lot of civilian uses where you want to show that you are ready for everything. This will always be the best body armor for those that willingly go into the most dangerous situations.  

Get Familiar with Your Gear

  When talking about the best body armor, we will frequently imagine just a whole Kevlar bulletproof vest, which is rarely the case. Not to mention that a Kevlar bulletproof vest is hard to find today because it is proprietary material and not as frequently in use anymore. In most cases when people say Kevlar bulletproof vest they will mean soft body armor carrier. There are other issues when picking out your vest, as the best body armor you can have will usually have a good cummerbund, which goes around your chest. A bulletproof tactical vest will also have features such as MOLLE attachments and Velcro, where you can add pouches and other gear you might need. Finally, your best bulletproof vest will be the one you are deeply familiar with. Even an old Kevlar bulletproof vest is better than something modern that you won’t know how to wear. Make sure to be realistic about your situation, pick out something with good reviews that ideally mentions how it works in your situation, and train with it. See how the armor moves and if it’s a good fit for you.  

FAQ

 

Q: Is A Bulletproof Vest Necessary For Everyone?

A: Hopefully not necessary. But, it is a useful item to have regardless of your lifestyle. Even if you simply live in a region where gun crime happens having something light and comfortable like covert armored clothing might make a difference between life and death, and it is not as heavy to wear every day.  

Q: Correct Sizing of the Vest

A: So it covers your vitals. The best bulletproof vest you can buy is the one that will protect your vital organs. This means that it is slightly higher on the body than most people think and usually doesn’t cover the stomach. Soft armor may wrap around you and offer more coverage, but the highest level bulletproof armor will be hard plates and they need to cover from your collarbone to your belly button and from the outer side of one pectoral muscle to the other.  

Q: Importance of Comfort and Mobility

A: Just under the protection level. Although you may sacrifice comfort for protection in a life and death situation, the best bulletproof vest you can buy will be the one that you can carry for the entirety of your mission and don’t get tired or uncomfortable. You will also want to be able to move quickly and reach your weapon without any interference by the armor.  

Q: Bulletproof Durability

A: Up to 5 years and at up to 6 shots. Even the best body armor will have a warranty for up to 5 years. Some materials like aluminum will last significantly longer, but if you are using it for a job you will still need to be compliant with the same time frame.  

Q: What Materials Are Vests Made Of?

A: UHMWPE for soft armor, aluminum, and ceramics for hard plates. Modern soft armor is no longer a Kevlar bulletproof vest and is most frequently made from Aramid fibers, which are very light and have a high tensile strength that will catch a round and stop it from penetrating. For hard plates, the most frequent bulletproof tactical vest will have inserts made from Aluminum or Silicon Carbide. These two materials will have the stopping power for most rounds. The best body armor from this class will be Boron Carbide, which is lighter than SiC but is also considerably more expensive.  

Q: Guarantees On Body Armor

A: Cited by the NIJ Standard. Even the best body armor can’t stop everything. The best bulletproof vest when it comes to protection level alone will be NIJ Level IV which is rated to stop at least 1 shot from 0.30 CAL M2AP rounds without failing.  A bulletproof tactical vest with NIJ Level IIIa soft armor will stop at least 4 consecutive rounds of .44 Magnum at a zero-degree angle. Lower NIJ levels will offer protection from less impactful rounds.  

Need Help Choosing a Bulletproof Vest?

Choosing the best bulletproof vest for a novice can be difficult, especially with the risk coming with making a wrong decision. Thankfully, both the community and the industry are very open and welcoming and most of those in the know will be willing to help everyone. If you have any questions contact the UARM Info email and we will answer to the best of our abilities. Alternatively, you can contact us via chat and our specialist will help you on your journey.

Related articles

13 Feb 2023
Why Add a CAT™ Covert Armored T-Shirt To Your Arsenal?     
Why add a CAT™ Covert Armored T-Shirt to Your Arsenal?      Altough there are a lot of different armor and bulletproof systems on the market, not all are realistic for everyday life. Many armor systems are often bulky, conspicuous, noticeable, and uncomfortable. It is important to remember that using visible armor or taking extreme security measures can often raise your profile, which may not always be in your best interest. Attention can often prove costly, and get in the way of...
Why Add a CAT™ Covert Armored T-Shirt To Your Arsenal?     
15 Aug 2022
Medical Kit Is the Most Necessary Item in Your Arsenal
It is reasonable that not many people want to admit that the medical kit is the most necessary item you will have on you because it may sound like planning for failure. But, increasing your rate of recovery is much more important in the field than anyone who hasn’t used it may realize. A good medical kit, as well as reasonable proficiency in using it, will save our life and your mission in several ways. Mainly, it will protect from...
Medical Kit Is the Most Necessary Item in Your Arsenal
01 Aug 2022
How to Take Care of a Plate Carrier?
Although plate carriers are made to be quite sturdy and durable, they still need regular maintenance if you want them to last a long time. To take care of the plate carrier you will need to know about the different parts, how to clean those parts, and ideally how to mend small nicks that may appear after some missions. Generally, there are three things that you should be wary of: Moisture UV Exposure Lateral rips This all has to do...
How to Take Care of a Plate Carrier?
30 Jun 2022
A Few Tips about Traveling With Body Armor
There is a number of reasons why someone would be traveling with body armor. For one, there are those for whom their job requires them to have body armor and they need to be sure that it will arrive with them. Also, staying safe while you travel is becoming a rising concern. But, unlike having body armor in your home state, or moving them in a private vehicle, getting into planes, buses, and ships with armor can be tricky. To...
A Few Tips about Traveling With Body Armor
30 Jun 2022
How to Install Plates into Carrier Properly?
Modern body armor is quite grateful when it comes to installations, even if you are a beginner. If you are planning to use a plate carrier for the first time there are only a few common sense steps and a few tricks that you should know, everything else will be optional. The common sense parts of the plate setup are similar to what you need to do with all gear; measure your size and make sure you need the gear...
How to Install Plates into Carrier Properly?
30 Jun 2022
The Tactical Helmet That Fits You
A tactical bulletproof helmet is one of those items that is severely underrepresented in media but is absolutely crucial in any mission. If you don’t have a helmet that fits you well and offers correct coverage a stray piece of shrapnel or debris can place you out of commission, or worse. When picking up a helmet, there are three aspects to consider, each being very important: Coverage (Protection) Attachments (Usefulness) Padding (Comfort) You don’t need to have each of these...
The Tactical Helmet That Fits You
23 Jun 2022
How To Choose The Best One Bulletproof Vest?
For those experienced with body armor picking out the best one bulletproof vest becomes a very obvious choice. Ballistic protection is somewhat standardized and segmented depending on the use and if you know where you will wear it you will always know what you might need. Generally, there are three categories when it comes to picking out body armor: Covert soft armor – For civilian jobs and everyday use in dangerous areas Overt soft armor – For policing, civilian security,...
How To Choose The Best One Bulletproof Vest?
13 Mar 2021
What is a Bump Helmet?
A bump helmet is used to prevent bumps on the head. But, selecting a good bump helmet is not as easy as knowing the general purpose of the gear. The best models around are those that will not only serve as a hardhat but will also stop piercing and be able to attach gear on. There are three main aspects when selecting a bump helmet: Protective capabilities Tactical capabilities Comfort And while most operators will focus on what the helmet...
What is a Bump Helmet?
10 Feb 2021
What Kind of Pants to Wear with Combat Boots?
Since the time when the first military parade passed through an ancient city somewhere in the Middle East, military apparel has become popular in fashion. While this is completely acceptable for civilians, those who wish to find tactical pants to wear with their combat boots will need to look deeper. It may be undeniable that combat boots and pants look cool, but for a wide variety of security-focused and intensive jobs, you will need real tactical boots and pants that...
What Kind of Pants to Wear with Combat Boots?
02 Feb 2021
What Glasses does the Military Use?
  Especially when it comes to men’s fashion, some of the most popular glasses to wear are those used by the military. For instance, the ‘’Aviator’’ sunglasses were popularized all the way back in the 1940s and are still one of the most recognizable designs. But, sunglasses are nowhere near the only type of glasses used by the military, especially if we include the Army, Navy, and the Air Force. Depending on the mission, requirements, as well as the operator,...
What Glasses does the Military Use?
28 Jan 2021
What‌ ‌are‌ ‌Modern‌ ‌Military‌ ‌Helmets‌ ‌Made‌ ‌Of‌
The need to protect your head, especially in combat, is by no means a novel one. The moment some ancient cavemen picked up a club the other cavemen realized the need to cover their head with something that will stop that club. Modern military helmets are just an extension of that tradition. Regretfully, it is much harder stopping a bullet than it is to stop a wooden club, meaning that we need to use new technology and materials to stop...
What‌ ‌are‌ ‌Modern‌ ‌Military‌ ‌Helmets‌ ‌Made‌ ‌Of‌
Cart
Your cart is empty
Go shopping