Mr. Editor:
I have been working on preparedness for my family for five years now, but I realized that there is one area where I’m lacking: body armor. What sort of vest do you recommend, both for concealment-type and for the “worst case” sort of situations? What [protection] “level” vest rating should I get? For home defense in an out-and-out TEOTWAWKI, should I also buy a kevlar helmet? Are used vests worth buying? Which dealers are trustworthy? I live in a suburb of Atlanta [Georgia, USA], but my work frequently takes me downtown to places like Peachtree Plaza. (Downtown Atlanta has a high crime rate.) Thanks, – Peter G.
JWR Replies: In my experience, most survivalists make the mistake of buying Level III body armor, and then rarely wearing it. It is just too heavy for day-to day wear, especially in a hot, humid climate. A vest is useless if it is always hanging in your closet.
My low-budget approach has been to buy two NIJ Level 2 vests for each adult: One that is my size and one that is slightly larger, with an additional trauma plate. A Level 2 vest will stop most handgun bullets (see the NIJ ratings). And a Level 2 vest is fairly comfortable to wear and relatively inconspicuous, even in an office setting, if you pick your clothes carefully. (For example, opaque, loose-fitting shirts and sweaters.) For defending your retreat, both vests can be worn together. Worn in that manner, the two vests will provide a good chance to stop some rifle bullets–even better than a Level 3 vest. If you have a really big budget, you might consider buying both a Level 2 vest and a full coverage high rating (Level 3 or Level 4) military body armor such as Interceptor Body Armor (IBA). With upgrade plates, those vests can easily cost more than $1,000 each. Although I suspect that the prices of both new and used IBA will come down, since it is being made in very large quantities to support OEF and OIF troop deployments.
Used body armor can be worth buying, if you buy from legitimate dealer. There is a surprisingly large number of “low hours” vest one the market, primarily from people that wash out of police academies.
I strongly suggest that you buy at least one and preferably two spare vest carriers (the out fabric shell). That way you can have an extra carrier, so that you can alternate them, for laundering.
Helmets do make sense for defending a retreat. It just takes a moment to put one on. Their cost has come way down in recent years, with the profusion of used USGI kevlar PASGT helmets on the market. I recommend finding the right size PASGT helmet, and then upgrading it with the latest chin strap and perhaps a MICH-type suspension system.
The vendor that I recommend for both vests and helmets is BulletProofME.com. I have been recommending them for years–long before they became a SurvivalBlog advertiser. They have a wide selection, very competitive prices, and they are quite knowledgeable. Most importantly, they are experts at vest and helmet sizing, which is crucial. Presently they are offering a free shipping special for anyone that mentions that they are a SurvivalBlog reader.