Adequate protection of your body and extremities while engaged in dangerous lines of work is an important point to consider. To assist you with the right protection, body armour companies have created different types of bulletproof vests.
These vests are designed to stop a bullet from injuring the body, as well as provide protection from other projectiles that may potentially cause injury. When selecting a bulletproof vest, it is important to determine if you prefer to have a concealable or tactical bulletproof vest.
Concealable Bulletproof Vest
If you are working for a client that wants you to have the appearance of an ordinary individual, then a concealable bulletproof vest is the perfect choice. Manufacturers of these types of vests have created form-fitting, comfortable personal body armor that will blend well with your street clothes. These vests can be worn under dress shirts or jackets to allow you the anonymity that is required.
An important point to make regarding concealable body armor is that these vests have limited protection as a result of their concealable nature. The vests can have a rating of up to II or IIIA, which is the cause of this limited protection. A bullet proof vest that is a Type II can protect the wearer from various bullets that include .22, .380, 9mm, .40, and .357 Magnum. These types of vests are not able to protect the wearer from bullets that are fired from a rifle.
Although concealable bulletproof vests will afford the an individual with protection from small arms fire while also providing a concealed appearance in the general public, you may want to look into tactical grade vests for protection from larger caliber bullets.
Tactical Bulletproof Vest
A tactical bullet proof vest will provide the ultimate in protection. These vests can have a Type III or IV rating which provides protection from small arms fire (the caliber of bullets listed above), as well as protection from bullets fired from rifles. This type of body armour is much larger and can only be worn over clothing. The manufacturer of these vests creates loops and pockets that provide the wearer with storage to hold ammunition and other important items.
These body armor vests are traditionally worn by individuals that are constantly in tactical situations, such as SWAT and military personnel. However, an individual’s mobility is somewhat reduced because of the size of the body armor.
Concealable and tactical body armor will provide you with the protection you require. By determining your current needs, you will in a better position to make an informed decision about the level of protection you require.