calling on the LJ-Awareness

[lagilman]

has anyone out there ever worn a bulletproof vest? If so, I need to pick your brain...

Got it, thanks! You guys rock.

Comments

[batwrangler.livejournal.com]

My dad has. He says they're hot, especially with the side panels in. What do you need to know?

[lagilman]

How they fit, and particularly how heavy they are.

[batwrangler.livejournal.com]

Look here: http://www.bulletproofme.com/Quick_Answers.shtml

Dad had a dept-issued vest in the 80s but then he upgraded personally to a lighter, newer vest, and that made it more comfortable and a lot lighter as well as more bullet resistant. It's worth noting that bullet-proof vests aren't necessarily even against pistols and certainly not against rifles.

Dad says, there's a front panel and a back panel with two velcros straps on each side that connect. Some have side panels. Some have pockets in front that can have a steel plate slid into them. The SWAT team has groin protectors that look sort of like catchers' suits.

He says there made out of soft kevlar unlike the stiffer stuff used for flack jackets, and they're not very heavy. He also suggests doing an internet search on "Second Chance vests".

[lagilman]

Thanks! Exactly what I needed.

[batwrangler.livejournal.com]

Happy to help and glad for an excuse to call Dad. :)

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

Fit will depend on if you're wearing concealable or non-concealable body armour.

Concealable fits extremely snug, however is generally not knife/stab proof and depending on the level of kevlar or ceramic plating layers may be useless against high powered rifles.

Higher polyethylene or ceramic plating is generally stab proof and resistant against most high powered rifles (at longer ranges generally).

Vests tend to range from about 6 to 22 lbs depending on protection level and manufacturer.

Are they comfortable? More or less they don't impede or restrict motion as they generally don't cover arms and shoulders. They get hot. Damned hot. If wearing concealed it's nice to have a smart-shirt (sweat wicking). Fit is usually tight but not restrictive...you don't really want space between you and the vest if hit; the vest aids the body in dispersing the bullet's (or blunt object's) velocity.

Err... think I answered a little more than you asked for...?

[going-not-gone.livejournal.com]

My brother has---he's a police officer in CT. Email me and I can probably put you in touch w/him.

[lagilman]

Thanks - if I can't get the (relatively simple) info here, I'll take you up on that (and I may take you up on it later, as I may need further info...)

[terri-osborne.livejournal.com]

I have a tac vest that's got the capacity for bulletproof inserts, but I don't have the inserts.

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

Sadly...on many an occaision.

[lisamantchev.livejournal.com]

I haven't, but the husband has. I can pick his brain for you. :)

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

What do you want to know?

[lagilman]

*dies at icon*


I got what I need for now, but I may come back to this...

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

Keep in mind there's different kind of flack vests for different kind of situations.

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

Hit the button too fast. I've got an icon somewhere with the vampire emu in a Santa hat.

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

I was hoping another mil-spec person was running about ;) I haven't seen ginmar in forever ;)

Late to the party as usual...

[autojim.livejournal.com]

but ummm... yeah.

Steel shock plate Good. Two steel shock plates Mo' Betta. Thank you, Mr. DuPont.

Feels like you've been hit in the chest with a well-swung sledgehammer, by the way.

3 cracked ribs, a lot of external bruising, and a bruised pancreas. And a whopper of a headache from where the back of my head hit the asphalt. I was essentially useless for several weeks afterward, but it beats the hell out of being dead.

I wore a shiny-new concealable after that. With side panels. And a couple of custom-formed-to-my-shape steel shock plates. It could be decidedly uncomfortable on a 100+F day with 80% humidity and a car with no AC, but I got used to it and continued to wear it until the people I was concerned about were remanded to Federal custody to serve out their life-without-parole sentences.

Oh, and they don't do a damn thing to stop a head shot.