Ask Yourself The Following Questions Before Buying Body Armour

 

People may be required to wear body armour for a number of reasons. From law enforcement, who need to regularly wear body armour for the very nature of their job, civilians are also required to wear armour during certain emergency situations. If you enjoy participating in military drills as a hobby, you may also need to invest in adequate body armour. There are a number of considerations that you would need to think over before your buy body armour, so we have prepared a handy guide for you.

1. Is it up to the NIJ standard?

Body armour is rated according to the kind of blunt force trauma that it can withhold. The National Institute of Justice has a rating system according to which all body armour is standardised so that manufacturers have a set of guidelines to adhere to when they make these armours. They are tested on their ability to stop penetration and also by the kind of shielding they can provide to the wearer, in addition to their weight and ease of mobility.

It is always advised to buy body armour that adheres to NIJ standards.

1. Does it fit properly?

Body armour should not be too loose nor too tight, it should hold onto your snugly enough to odder protection and also to ensure that you have no problems in moving around. For this very reason, there are no fixed sizes on body armour, since they may not fit properly even for two people who wear the same size shirts. Remember, your body armour is meant to protect your vital organs from major damage; hence it must be snug around your midsection and chest. It is also important to consider the level of comfort, since you cannot properly execute your duties if your armour is uncomfortable.

1. Is it made from the right material?

Ballistic body armour is designed to stop the bullet from penetrating the body, by absorbing the impact and spreading it evenly through the fibres. This is why you may sometimes sustain internal injuries even wearing body armour, since a bullet is fired with a considerable amount of force, hence it will do some impact damage. There are various levels of protection that you can opt for, depending on the threat level that you may face.

1. How do I properly maintain my body armour?

Body armour is not very cheap, since it is pretty much designed to save your life. If you want to buy good body armour, then you should not be considering the cost at all. With regular wear and tear, all body armours will wear down after a point, however, it might not always be possible to replace them immediately. Specialised Laundromats are recommended by your respective agency for cleaning and taking care of your body armour.

When you keep these questions in mind while buying body armour, you can make the correct decision. There is no price tag on your life; hence it is advised to weigh in all options when purchasing body armour.