GearGuide Entry: Best Protection for Plate Carrier Vest: July 18, 2013
Product Code: plate-carrier-vest
Price: $0.00
Description
Do I really need this type of protection?
A plate vest is not considered an everyday item, but it is becoming more popular for various audiences. At one end of the scale, are combat troops who like to have their body armor tailor-made. At the other end of the spectrum are civilians who live in a particularly dangerous area for whom a concealed vest provides reassurance. There are also plenty of hunters and security staff who benefit from plate carrier body armor.
So, how do you decide what protective gear is suitable for you? The best starting point is to assess why you would need it? If you are looking to protect yourself from danger of knife attacks, opt for a stab proof vest. If however, you might find yourself in the line of gun fire, check out the range of plate carrier jackets for sale. You must also consider that the heavier your protective equipment is, incorporating ballistic plates for example, the less mobile you will be.
Making sense of the range of the bullet and stab proof vests
If you’re considering purchasing body armor, there are plenty of model available for under $500. However, as the level of protection increases, the price of a plate carrier vest can climb to over $1,000. Why the range in price? Although bullet resistant vest do no guarantee that bullet penetration will be prevented, there are different gradients of concealed plate carrier vest protection. So the better the protection against bullet penetration, the higher the cost.
There are essentially two categories of plate carrier vests. A level IIIA model protects against hand guns and some shotgun rounds and are suitable for most civilian needs. Level III vest are more appropriate for combatants, providing protection against higher velosity ammunition. It is important to note that plate carrier vest are not appropriate to protect against knives or other close quarter weapons and a stab proof vest is needed.
One you have selected the kind of protection you require, you must also choose a specific model. There are so many products on the market that it’s worth narrowing down your search to a specific category. Although American-made body armor is high quality, it is notoriously expensive. A cheaper option, yet equally as reliable is the Israeli-made models. These plate carrier vest have the advantage of having been tested in real-life combat scenarios and so are proven to work effectively. You may be tempted by the rock-bottom prices of Chinese models, but beware they are unreliable.