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Paul
01-10-2015, 11:33 AM
From the thread about rifle plates.


Regarding soft body armor:

For LE patrol use where the risk of contact shots is high, you want a vest tested and warranted to stop at least your own duty handgun round. The best soft armor choices remain vests that have passed either the FBI Soft Body Armor Test Protocol or any 100% all WOVEN p-aramid soft armor.

Current vests that meet the FBI test protocol include:
DBT/First Choice Armor: NForce2 S6x-06.1 (level II)
DBT/First Choice Armor: SynergyXS6X (level IIIa)
KDH: LTST-102-IIIA (level IIIa)
Point Blank/PACA/Paraclete/PPE: AX (level II and IIIa)
Point Blank/PACA/Paraclete/PPE: AIIIA-1 (level IIIa)
Point Blank/PACA/Paraclete/PPE: DX (level II and IIIa)
Point Blank/PACA/Paraclete/PPE: FLXIIIA (level IIIa)
Point Blank/PACA/Paraclete/PPE: SP+2LE (level II)
Survival Armor: Paragon6 LWIIIa (level IIIa)

Previous soft armor that has meet the FBI spec includes the level IIIa DBT/CAT RVA3A fabricated with Kevlar XLT over backing layers of Kevlar XP, the level IIIa DBT/CAT QVA3A-1 built using approximately a 50/50 mix of Twaron backed by Dyneema, the level IIIa Paraclete KNX3A made using Twaron and Goldflex, as well as the level IIIa Pinnacle Armor S2000-3A-01 all Twaron armor). 100% all WOVEN p-aramid soft armor that has worked well includes armor like the level IIIa U.S. Armor Enforcer Classic and the level IIIa Paraclete K3K3A all Twaron armor). In addition, although built using a Kevlar polyethelene laminate material, the the level IIIa Velocity Systems VS13A has demonstrated the ability to stop service caliber contact shots in independent testing. (Note--buyers should be wary, as there are laminated aramids, such as Gold Flex, that can be called 100% aramids, that are NOT the same as 100% WOVEN p-aramids.)

I currently wear a IIIA US Armor enforcer classic, that I just realized is a bit over 6 years old. The issued vest at work is a Point Blank Hi-lite, one it won't stop contact shots and it's thin, light weight and about as flexible as wearing a back brace.

I would like buy a lighter vest. Point Blank retailers are a dime a dozen, any experience with the above list and how they compare in weight and comfort to a Kevlar vest.