NIJ Certified Body Armor Use, Care, and Performance In Real-World
If you want your vest to last longer, it is essential to maintain it properly. The primary thing to know is that the vest has several distinct parts:
- Ballistic panels for the back and front
- A carrier for the back and front
- Waist straps
- A soft insert to keep yourself protected from trauma
Putting the vest together
The essential thing to consider while putting the vest together is that the strike face on the ballistic panels should face far from the body. The design for every panel means that an individual layer is intended to serve a specific function in a certain order.
In case, ballistic panels are not placed properly, serious injuries and even death can take place. Once they are placed correctly in the carrier, a zipper can be used to close the carrier.
How adjustments can be made to the body armor?
If you are putting it on for the first time, make sure to get your family member or friend to help you. If there’s no one with you, the vest might be placed on a flat surface while adjusting the straps. After that, the vest needs to be placed over the head so the back and front panels are against your back and chest.
Once the straps are placed correctly, check how the vest fits when you sit down. If needed, tighten or loosen the straps. If you have worn it tightly, you will not be able to make any movement, and the panels will come out quickly.
If the vest is long, it might get curled or wrinkled while seating. Finally, you need to be sure about the vest side that it comprises additional protection.
Importance of adding additional threat plates
As the vest is secured and comfortable now, any other hard armor accessories or plates can be added. It will let you increase the protection level that the vest offers. These might get inserted into an exterior or interior compartment, which depend upon the carrier model.
It is better to get a link to the Safe Life Defense so you always stay protected.
Body armor maintenance and storage
Make sure to store your armor properly if you want it to last longer. It should lie flat, and should never be placed or bunched on the edge. Don’t keep it in front of dirt, direct sunlight, and moisture. Don’t store it in your vehicle, and avoid putting any item on it.
If you want to clean the vest, separate the ballistic panels from the carrier. Lay them on a flat surface and wipe them off with a damp cloth. Make sure to use gentle detergent if the stains are hard. Make sure not to use tape, bleach, dryer, washing machine, or iron to keep the panels clean.
A ballistic vest is made for blocking some rounds. It doesn’t offer protection against all the threats and many areas cannot be protected that it does not cover. The vest is not bulletproof, but bullet-resistant.
The carrier without ballistic panels will not keep you safe. Avoid combining carriers and panels from different companies, as the warranty might be void.