Thread: Body armor
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Old 05-01-2010, 06:04 PM
Jcordell Jcordell is offline
Formerly "Checkman"
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Idaho
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Yes I have experience with body armor. It's heavy and very hot in the summer. Good way to lose weight though. I sweat off several pounds every summer.

I use both a ceramic plate and a soft pack together to supplement the vest. There is a pocket in the front of the carrier in which the plate and soft pack slide into. No reason but I figure I have both of them why not use them?

I just got my new vest last November. It cost the department almost $700.00. It was custom made for me - which is pretty common. The industry recommends you get a new vest every five years. That is assumming you don't get shot and then need to get another vest.

Inccidentally don't rely on a "bullet - proof" vest to stop an edged weapon. Knives, ice-picks,razors and so forth will go through a vest. Also most rifle loads will go through the standard vest worn by patrolmen.

SWAT/TRT/HRT/PICK YOUR ACRONYM teams typically wear the higher level vests which are designed to stop rifle rounds. I believe the vests my department's TRT officers use will stop up to a 30-06.

They do make stab proof vests, but I've never seen one here in the States. I've been told that they are more common in Europe and I've also been told that corrections officers sometimes wear them. Supposedly they involve some type of light weight metal alloy chain mail. But once agin I've never seen one so I can't swear to that.

Last edited by Jcordell; 05-04-2010 at 08:09 PM.
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