Bullet Proof Vest Levels

Submitted by Shahar Geva on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 13:48

Many people are looking for a bullet proof vest for sale today. Users include Military and Police, private security, hunters, businessmen & shopkeepers, as well as ordinary citizens.
You should consider your needs when buying body armor. The most critical issue is protection level you need as well, as flexibility and weight Heavier rigid vests and plates provide more complete protection; they are heavier. Flexible vests allow free movement with less protection. Price may also be an issue.
National Institute of Justice (NIJ) rates body armor performance resistance to bullets and is the US standard for body armor used by police. The NIJ standard is accepted worldwide so it is the performance rating used for ballistic body armor.
NIJ has also created the first standard in the United States for body armor designed against slash and stab threats from hand-delivered impact.
Do you need protection from pistols or rifles? Soft vests stop pistol and Shotgun rounds, but only ballistic Plates can stop automatic rifle bullets. Level IIA is not recognized in many countries as traumatic injuries can occur through them. The difference between Levels is blunt trauma impact protection. We are often asked if more material can take the place of hard plates. Even doubling TWO Level III-A soft vests will NOT stop rifle bullets!
Thickness:
Level II-A generally ~4 mm thick
Level II generally ~5 mm thick
Level III-A generally ~8 – 9 mm thick
Stab-Resistant vests are available, but generally do not provide enough protection to legitimize the cost except in a prison situation where sharp objects are the only threat. Instead, we sell a dual protection vest that will protect against handguns and knives. This vest is somewhat thicker and heavier but provides more protection.

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