Never before have American citizens had so many options for this life-saving gear.
These types of armor are usually contained in plate carriers or are self-contained in accompanying vests.
But first, lets do a quick deep-dive into what exactly constitutes armor nowadays, and how its classified.
NIJ is the standard by which all commercially available body armor is judged for safety and ballistic stopping power.
Soft Armor
Spartan Armor Systems produces Level III through IV armor.
Featuring the trademarked Flex Fused Core, this soft armor is flexible, comfortable and easy to wear.
Composed of high-grade American made materials, it is rated to stop .44 Mag.
SJHP, as well as Special Threat Rated to stop .357 SIG FMJ.
When it comes to taking multiple hits, it is rated to stop six rounds.
This prevents or greatly minimizes these types of potential injuries.
Providing Level IIIA Certified protection, the wraparound outer carrier is designed for streamlined use in the field.
This carrier is fully adjustable at the shoulders as well as the side closures.
One of the greatest benefits to owning a plate carrier is the enhanced load bearing and modular capability.
Some of my favorite attachments are the 5.11 Double AR Mag Pouch and Double Pistol Mag Pouch.
The kneepads have a flat face, providing a stable, quiet shooting platform-even on hard surfaces.
Beneath the cap is an EVA foam pad for shock absorption and even more protection.
Best of all, it features a quick disconnect thats a breeze.
Hard Head Veterans produces some of the finest, lightweight, well-constructed and ergonomic lids on the market.
When it comes to helmets, there are two general types: bumps and ballistic.
Bump helmets protect against exactly what their namesake implies: bumps, dings and abrasions.
Ballistic-rated helmets provide a level of NIJ ballistic rated protection.
Hard Head Veterans offers both types.
The Hard Head Veterans Tactical Helmet ATE Bump is the non-ballistic version of their ATE Ballistic helmet.
This lightweight polycarbonate blend constructed helmet weighs in at a mere 1.4 lbs.
and offers blunt impact protection that far exceeds industry impact requirements.
This add-on provides blunt impact, and ballistic/fragmentation protection for your ATE ballistic helmet or ATE bump helmet.
They mount directly to the ATE M-Lok slots for a secure, bolted connection to the tactical helmet.
Breathe Easy
Youve shielded your outsides, now protect your insides.
Consider this body armor for your lungs.
This streamlined respirator is a fantastic training aid and general-purpose breathing respirator.
The Takeaway
There are many protective solutions available to civilians on the market today.
Armor solutions are vast, and they are personal to the user and individually customizable.
After all, body armor is meant to take abuse so put it through its paces and modify accordingly.
Stay safe out there.
