Dear James:
J.H. is absolutely correct in that you should avoid body armor with Zylon, and that most of the “big name” brands in Body Armor have put out Zylon models. Some Point Blank production was only 20% Zylon, but it’s just not worth taking the chance. For any vest you should check out the manufacturer’s website, and then if there is any question of Zylon, get a confirmation in writing of the ballistic fibers used.
The recommendation to buy only NEW armor is not always the best advice, though. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has tested 10 year old USED Body Armor and found it tested as good as new, see
http://bulletproofme.com/How_Good_is_Police_Surplus.shtml
This applies to Aramid, i.e., Kevlar or Twaron vests, and NOT Zylon, of course. We have tested 10 to 25 year old aramid ballistic panels (some in bad condition) and they have always stopped the common pistol threats, including the standard test rounds of 9mm FMJ, and .357 Magnum at +P velocities
Ballistic protection levels explained at:
http://bulletproofme.com/Ballistic_Protection_Levels.shtml
So, buy the best protection you can afford. But get a used vest, rather than no vest at all. It’s like poker…
One vest and one gun, beats NO vest and two guns!
The point about the practicality of concealable vests over Tactical Body Armor is very well taken. Better 50% protection that you are wearing 100% of the time, than 100% protection left at home in the closet! The best vest for you is the one you are actually wearing when shot!
For guard duty in a crisis, nothing beats the turtle-shell feeling of a Tactical Vest and Rifle Plates – though it is a good idea to cover it up with a jacket. But make the concealable vest the first priority.
One of the questions we are most often asked is which ballistic protection level to get: Level II-A, Level II or Level III-A, from thinnest to thickest. Again, often less is more. Better the Level II-A or Level II that you can easily conceal and are wearing, rather than the Level III-A at home in the closet. Level III-As stop more of the uncommon threats like 9mm sub-machine-gun and .44 Magnum, but this is a very small percentage of the threats on the street. The real advantage of the thicker Level III-A vest is more blunt trauma protection – possibly letting you return fire more effectively.
We have an in-depth, generic Guide to Selecting Body Armor for those who want to learn more:
http://bulletproofme.com/How_to_Select_Body_Armor.shtml Yours truly – Nick – Manager, BulletProofME.com Body Armor
Letter Re: Recommendations on Body Armor?
