Body Armor if you are buying is probably not for luxury purposes but for saving lives. It comes under necessity. But when there are a variety of options available it might get a little overwhelming to decide what you need. You need to be absolutely careful while buying body armour that fulfills your needs as it might be a good investment. It’s also important to take into consideration the type of cloth that you are going to be wearing under your body Armor because some of them might cause some skin irritation due to excessive rubbing. Also, take in consideration how long you are going to wear the vest. Some of the different types of body armor are : shoulder straps which are like two sleeves with bulletproof vests that are usually closed or connected. Secondly, there are carriers, it’s usually made of nylon but still the material might differ based on the water absorption, comfort level and the type of maintenance needed. The last one is stop plates which can be made of both soft and hard material which are attached to the front of the carrier to provide additional protection.
Here are a few things to keep in mind before buying body Armor :
- IDENTIFY THREAT LEVEL : The first and foremost thing that you need to keep in mind is the threat level and the degree of protection you need. You can only buy the appropriate body armor if you know the level of protection you need. So, the first thing would be to determine the mission the armor is needed for.
- UNDERSTAND THE NIJ STANDARDS : NIJ stands for national institute of justice who have provided some basic rules regarding body armor. They conduct ballistic tests to determine the efficiency and lifespan of the armor. It’s important to meet the NIJ standards because it’s for your own protection.
- STAND-ALONE AND IN-CONJUNCTION ARMOR : It’s important to understand the difference between stand-alone and in-conjunction armor. A soft body armor underneath the uniform as well as an additional hard plate is together known as in-conjunction armor. Stand-alone armor is an armor plate which is enough in itself. It does not need to be paired with anything else.
- CHOOSE THE RIGHT ARMOR : It’s important to make sure that you actually wear the armor when necessary because otherwise it has no work. It is important to choose the right Armor for yourself. It’s important to run some test trials with complete equipment to make sure that the armor is not hampering your movement. Walk around a bit, run and jump to test the armor.
- GET THE RIGHT FIT : It’s extremely important to make sure that the armor is the right fit for you and cover the three main areas that are front, side and back. If the measurement is not right the plates won’t sit right on it’s place and won’t protect the vital organs. It’s necessary to give proper measurements so that the armor doesn’t hamper your movement or cause problems while you sit or stand.
These were a few things to keep in mind before you buy personal body Armor.