Civi / Body Armor Question

First - I am still on the fence on this and could go either way if the shove was hard enough. In reading about BA the bennys are clear, and the cost considering the bennys is reasonable. Here is my question considering that I am a civi what we are really talking about is blue moon stuff. A rare training class that it is required. Zombies. Comfort gear to make me feel warm and fuzzy when bad shit happens on the news - I live in an area of very low risk.

Thus, I have a few basic questions - is it waste of $$ for me?

Second if I were to do it, am I way off base with the following plan:

Used / LE trade in 3 - 9 yrs old Level 2 concealable vest with side wrap and Stab 2 plates.

http://bulletproofme.com/Bullet_proo..._Catalog.shtml

Stab plates

http://bulletproofme.com/Stab-Inserts.shtml

and finally a set of Level 3 ceramic plates to be used with a L2 vest.

http://bulletproofme.com/Body_Armor_...otection.shtml


Is a LE trade in vest too old?
Are there types to avoid?
Do stab plates flex at all - can you sit and move normally? Or are they rigid and obvious?
Does someone make a concealable L3 vest that is affordable?

Thank you

Start by reading this: http://www.tacticalforums.com/cgi-bi...;f=78;t=000502

DocGKR - thank you, I read that a couple years ago but then forgot where I read it. I read all 5 pages and saw your reccomendations regarding both levels of protection vs backface deformation as well as a particular vest - make and model.

I do have a couple questions: if a vendor says:

A very comfortable vest, constructed with the aramid fibers DuPont Kevlar® or Twaron®. Unlike many other brands, our ProMAX Concealable is generous on coverage, and we take great care to work out sizing with you, so you get the coverage you want.

What they aren't saying is "woven"; nor are they saying constructed of 100% ..... - your thoughts?

Also for you or anyone:

Do stab plates flex at all - can you sit and move normally? Or are they rigid and obvious?
Does someone make a concealable L3 vest that is affordable?
Is having BA 'over the top' for a civi in this day and age?

Thank you

Doc - I e-mailed the vendor and what I got back was

As stated on our website in our vest description:
100% aramid Kevlar® or Twaron®. Unlike others, we don't use any plastic stiffeners to make a cheaper vest that looks a little lighter on paper, but feels stiff and bulky on your body.

What I am wanting to know is does this mean woven or laminate?

"Aramid" from Wikipedia:


The Federal Trade Commission definition for Aramid fiber is "A manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is a long-chain synthetic polyamide in which at least 85% of the amide linkages are attached directly to two aromatic rings."

Aramid fiber is produced by spinning a solid fiber from a liquid chemical blend. This relies on a co-solvent with an ionic component (calcium chloride) to occupy the hydrogen bonds of the amide groups, and an organic solvent (N-methyl pyrrolinidone) to dissolve the aromatic polymer; prior to DuPont's (Kwolek's) invention of this process, no practical means of dissolving the polymer was known.

Aramid fibers are either round or dog bone in shape.

First U.S. Commercial Aramid Fiber Production: 1961, DuPont Company.

Current U.S. Aramid Fiber Producers: DuPont Company

So....woven?

Thoughts?

As I wrote at LF (http://lightfighter.net/eve/forums/a...6/m/1471013632)

Quote:

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BEWARE!!! There are laminated versions of aramids that can be called 100% aramid, but are NOT the same as 100% WOVEN p-aramid.

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Having had the pleasure of doing body armor testing with DocGKR and picking his brain on other issues ... Listen to him. For a squid :) he is one of THE subject matter experts on this stuff.