Avtomat-Acolyte
Well-Known Fanatic
This topic has been broached tangentially in other threads over the past while and a recent, pointed inquiry led me to think it needed it's own dedicated thread.
Hopefully those with body armor will post some pictures or descriptions of their gear and help those that are curious or "on the fence" about acquisition better make informed decisions.
(for the purposes of this gun forum I will be limiting all of my references to "bullet resistant body armor" only, and exclude armor that is effective against stabbing or slashing instruments.... yes, these types of armor are NOT interchangeable, believe it or not!)
Body armor is rated/ranked by effectiveness against penetration of bullets. This rating goes from Level 1 to Level 4 and, as the number increases, so does the effectiveness, always at a trade-off of expense and bulk. The levels are as follows.
Level 1
Level 2A
Level 2
Level 3A
Level 3
Level 4
The "A" in these ratings means "ALMOST"... so a 2A vest is ALMOST a Level 2 and is really a 1.5
Levels 1 through 3A are the most common ratings that I've seen for concealable wear. Almost all of the police you see are wearing either a Level 2 or Level 3A concealable vest. Whenever there is any sort of tactical response (i.e. Active Shooter) many officers have a Level IV Outer Tactical Vest (OTV) that they keep in the trunk and put on prior to responding to the threat.
In this picture you see two uniformed police officers. Each officer is wearing a concealable bullet resistant vest likely in 2A. One of the officers has also added his Level 4 vest for this Active Shooter scenario.
The most common types of armor that are readily availably on Armslist, AR15.com and every other gun forum, to include E-Bay, Craiglist and other sites, are usually Level 3 Improved Outer Tactical Vests (IOTV), Level 3 Improved Ballistic Armor (IBA) and a mixed-bag of concealable level 2A vests from various manufacturers. The IBA can usually be had for around $350 and is a good starting point, since these military vests have MOLLE straps and you can attach magazine pouches, etc.
Once you have an Outer Tactical Vest you can begin pricing and shopping around for Rifle Plates. These additions to your Kevlar vest are usually a composite material that is designed to stop RIFLE rounds. There is something awesome about being able to absorb half a dozen .30-06 rounds before the effectiveness is gone.
This is a Medium sized IBA that began as a Level 3 but became a Level 4 once I added rifle plates to the front and rear.
This armor is to be used by one of my children and, as such, is not set up for "combat" but rather a "mule" to carry a few "extra" things for my wife and I should we need to wear body armor and leave the house for any reason. The extra items are EMT shears, Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) with all included goodies, Glock magazines, multi-tool, universal cleaning kit and some other items.
I had a left-over groin protector (hey, it's level 3 Kevlar, might as well be USED somewhere) so I attached it over the top of the rear of this vest. It is sloppy but it adds another layer of comfort for my mind.
This is an IBA that also began as a Level 3 but became a Level 4 with the addition of rifle plates.
As you can see this one is set up for someone that will be armed with an AR-15 and Glock 9mm, with multiple reloads for both primary and secondary weapons. In this case, an AR-15 SBR, as my wife doesn't like full-sized carbines. It has magazine pouches on the front and a cleaning kit, utility knife and canteen on the rear.
Lastly, my armor is an IOTV with front and rear plates as well as side Kevlar.
I don't have any pictures of how it is configured with regards to magazine pouches, et al. because I am transitioning from using an AK as my platform to an AR so that the wife and I have absolute magazine compatability (both 9mm Glocks, both 5.56 ARs) for logistical reasons.
As a personal aside, I recommend that if you purchase body armor that you buy a used, but good condition IBA or IOTV and ask about the manufacture date of the Kevlar panels. Kevlar begins degrading over time, like Tritium gas inside weapon night sights. If the Kevlar is from 1990 then it likely won't be as effective as if it were made in 2010. Another thing to be aware of is that if a rifle plate has cracked then it is not going to be as effective as rated. The only way to determine if a plate is cracked is with an X-ray, so if you don't have access to an X-Ray machine, I suggest you do NOT purchase composite rifle plates used! Buy them brand new for absolute peace of mind. Your life isn't worth saving $500 buying something that is effectively a worthless 8 pound weight you strapped to your chest.
Hopefully those with body armor will post some pictures or descriptions of their gear and help those that are curious or "on the fence" about acquisition better make informed decisions.
(for the purposes of this gun forum I will be limiting all of my references to "bullet resistant body armor" only, and exclude armor that is effective against stabbing or slashing instruments.... yes, these types of armor are NOT interchangeable, believe it or not!)
Body armor is rated/ranked by effectiveness against penetration of bullets. This rating goes from Level 1 to Level 4 and, as the number increases, so does the effectiveness, always at a trade-off of expense and bulk. The levels are as follows.
Level 1
Level 2A
Level 2
Level 3A
Level 3
Level 4
The "A" in these ratings means "ALMOST"... so a 2A vest is ALMOST a Level 2 and is really a 1.5
Levels 1 through 3A are the most common ratings that I've seen for concealable wear. Almost all of the police you see are wearing either a Level 2 or Level 3A concealable vest. Whenever there is any sort of tactical response (i.e. Active Shooter) many officers have a Level IV Outer Tactical Vest (OTV) that they keep in the trunk and put on prior to responding to the threat.
In this picture you see two uniformed police officers. Each officer is wearing a concealable bullet resistant vest likely in 2A. One of the officers has also added his Level 4 vest for this Active Shooter scenario.
The most common types of armor that are readily availably on Armslist, AR15.com and every other gun forum, to include E-Bay, Craiglist and other sites, are usually Level 3 Improved Outer Tactical Vests (IOTV), Level 3 Improved Ballistic Armor (IBA) and a mixed-bag of concealable level 2A vests from various manufacturers. The IBA can usually be had for around $350 and is a good starting point, since these military vests have MOLLE straps and you can attach magazine pouches, etc.
Once you have an Outer Tactical Vest you can begin pricing and shopping around for Rifle Plates. These additions to your Kevlar vest are usually a composite material that is designed to stop RIFLE rounds. There is something awesome about being able to absorb half a dozen .30-06 rounds before the effectiveness is gone.
This is a Medium sized IBA that began as a Level 3 but became a Level 4 once I added rifle plates to the front and rear.
This armor is to be used by one of my children and, as such, is not set up for "combat" but rather a "mule" to carry a few "extra" things for my wife and I should we need to wear body armor and leave the house for any reason. The extra items are EMT shears, Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) with all included goodies, Glock magazines, multi-tool, universal cleaning kit and some other items.
I had a left-over groin protector (hey, it's level 3 Kevlar, might as well be USED somewhere) so I attached it over the top of the rear of this vest. It is sloppy but it adds another layer of comfort for my mind.
This is an IBA that also began as a Level 3 but became a Level 4 with the addition of rifle plates.
As you can see this one is set up for someone that will be armed with an AR-15 and Glock 9mm, with multiple reloads for both primary and secondary weapons. In this case, an AR-15 SBR, as my wife doesn't like full-sized carbines. It has magazine pouches on the front and a cleaning kit, utility knife and canteen on the rear.
Lastly, my armor is an IOTV with front and rear plates as well as side Kevlar.
I don't have any pictures of how it is configured with regards to magazine pouches, et al. because I am transitioning from using an AK as my platform to an AR so that the wife and I have absolute magazine compatability (both 9mm Glocks, both 5.56 ARs) for logistical reasons.
As a personal aside, I recommend that if you purchase body armor that you buy a used, but good condition IBA or IOTV and ask about the manufacture date of the Kevlar panels. Kevlar begins degrading over time, like Tritium gas inside weapon night sights. If the Kevlar is from 1990 then it likely won't be as effective as if it were made in 2010. Another thing to be aware of is that if a rifle plate has cracked then it is not going to be as effective as rated. The only way to determine if a plate is cracked is with an X-ray, so if you don't have access to an X-Ray machine, I suggest you do NOT purchase composite rifle plates used! Buy them brand new for absolute peace of mind. Your life isn't worth saving $500 buying something that is effectively a worthless 8 pound weight you strapped to your chest.
