In 2014 I was on a high profile ship that sailed through heavily pirated areas (Malacca Straights) and we had "lock down drills" to practice securing all the ship's crew (170 people) should a pirate attack happen. I was one of the 7 crew members who had to don body armor and begin the lock-down process while seeing that everyone reached the citadel safely. I was in a "defensive roll" and I still would have rather worked without body armor but carrying a weapon than just wearing the body armor and no weapon other than an axe. The body armor slowed me down more than anything and made my job harder. And even more bothering was that I was working crowd control of people on my side but who did not have body armor. I felt guilty about that.
If I were reacting offensively and seeking out the would be attackers, sure, the chest rig and Kevlar head gear would have been worth donning and felt useful. So, if you want to acquire body armor, do you plan to get it for your entire party? AND, do you plan to be offensive? Looking for the fight and attacking?
Additionally, if you buy body armor, are you going to don it a few times a year as well as require your party to familiar with it as well?
If it's TEOTWAWKI I'd say most folks will be defensive for a long long time. Me included. The best offense would be a good defense of trying to stay low, stay sharp, slick, hidden. Not covered in body armor. Save your efforts and funds for spare food, gas, bullets, hardware and tools.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
- Mark Twain
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