Originally Posted by
Bimmer
Eh, I'd pass- that's a LOT of extra vest to be carrying around for just soft 3A. For your price of under $750, you could have decent rifle-rated ceramic or poly plates and a FAR better PC...
If money is no object, and you just want 3A, this is probably the best option I've seen;
http://www.cryeprecision.com/armor-equipment/lvs
Heck, even if all you want is 3A, you can get 3A in plate form from DFNDR and then stick them in a decent PC, of which you can find many on SKD or OP-tac to name two places, and voila! Still better than that CIRAS beast...
https://www.dfndrarmor.com/product/h...te-body-armor/
Originally Posted by
p7fl
I've gotten to take a lot of 3 day classes. At one of them a local LEO let me try on his vest. He bought panels for the front and back and took the issued soft material and put it on the sides. I would guess it weighed about 30 lbs.
It would take a lot of time to learn to fight with that on. It's not something I would dedicate myself to mastering.
But, if you feel it is insurance you want then get it before it becomes a banned or NFA item.
As the other side to this, I would say buy decent plates that don't weigh 8 pounds each, and get brutal with paring down your load. As a civilian...you can do better than 30 lb load if you throw enough money and thought at it.
Yes, fighting with the extra weight is a whole different game, but it's not *that* far-fetched for someone in even average shape, if they watch what they add to the weight.
Good plates in the 4-5lb range, a modern carrier in the 1.5-2lb range, and then 4 rifle/2 pistol mags, light, multitool and IFAK is only 17-19 lb. Even plussed up with more ammo, a radio and some other accessories, you're looking at about 25 lbs. And that still leaves enough weight for a couple side plates or a couple liters of water before you get to 30.
I guess my point is, while it does take extra effort to work in, you also have to put some serious effort into loading it up to the point of awfulness.
I loaded a PC up to 38 lbs once as a test, and it took some doing- an AVS with 14lbs of armor + full ammo loadout, 3l bladder, etc- I stuffed a lot of needless shit onto it. (and yes, it did seem to work as advertised. Very good weight bearing comfort).
Originally Posted by
Wake27
Sounds like you're pretty well set on things that are likely to be needed, so if you have the money, it won't hurt. I hope we never get to the point that its needed CONUS, but I wouldn't be that surprised nowadays. As far as brands and quality - Primary and Secondary has had at least one or two podcasts on it I think, I'd check those out. If it were me and all I could afford was steel like AR500, I'd either keep saving or not even bother.
This. Stop with the steel shit already. And the craptastic PCs they usually combo them with. For the weight of 2 plates, your in "whole loadout" weight territory I outlined above (16lbs or so). Weight aside, steel isn't as good as they claim ballistically, either at stopping shit, or to you.
Perhaps if I was assured I was going into combat tomorrow, and I had NO other option, I suppose I'd think about taking them.
Or wear a chest rig and run faster...
Also triple curve plates. Always. Trust me.
Now as far as the question; Should you have body armor? Well, you have a gun, I think the answer to this is obvious... Do you NEED body armor? That is the right question, and what you're going to have to look at in your life and guesstimations of the future to decide.
I'm in favor of owning it. However, for goodness sake, do it right the first time... you'll be happier, more comfortable, and likely actually to wear/train in your gear, which will make all the difference later if you need it.
And also make you cool as f*** and the envy of all other range-going peasants, which, in the end, flexing on the poors is really what makes this all worthwhile, right?
"Once we get some iron in our souls, we'll get some iron in our hands..."
"...A rapid, aggressive response will let you get away with some pretty audacious things if you are willing to be mean, fast, and naked."-Failure2Stop
"The Right can meme; the Left can organize. I guess now we know which one is important." - Random internet comment
Bookmarks