Safety Vests: What you should know before purchasing one.

Are you considering owning a safety vest? Before purchase, there are a few things you should know.

With work, family, and mortgages you have enough to worry about. So what would you need a safety vest for? Simple, If someone is shooting at or near you it can save your life. The next question following, why would someone be shooting at you?

Below are a few scenarios that anyone at anytime can be placed in where a safety vest would be vital.

• Home invasions/ intruders
• Car jacking
• Late night trips to the grocery store or gas station
• Practicing at gun range
• Hunting trips
• During a breakdown or collapse in society
• Traveling state to state
• Having a run in with police

Owning body armor isn’t something that civilians think about often but why should law enforcement be the only humans to protect themselves in dangerous situations? Take a moment to evaluate your own threat level (or what it could be in the future) and make a decision that is right for you.

Body armor is not exactly cheap, but neither is your life.

What Type of Protection Do You Get From a Safety Vest?

Wearing a Safety vest does not make you invincible. There are different levels of protection depending on the materials used on various products.

A safety vest is tested by trained professionals and given a rating according to the amount of blunt force impact it is capable of stopping.

Current Levels of Protection:

• Level II-A (9mm; .40 S&W; .45 ACP) – These are the thinnest available, 4mm (0.16 inches) thick.
• Level II (9mm; .357 Magnum) – These are normally 5mm (0.2 inches) thick.
• Level III-A (.357 SIG; .44 Magnum) – These are 8-10 mm (0.32 to 0.4 inches) thick.

The following levels require a vest equipped with a plate carrier that will allow inserting a hard armor plate in the front and back.

• Level III (Rifles) – These range from .5 to .75 inches thick and weigh between 3-6 pounds.
• Level IV (Armor Piercing Rifle) – These range from .5 to .75 inches thick and weigh between 6-9 pounds.

NOTE: Some bullet proof vests are designed to allow the wearer to insert additional armor plates to add layers of protection. These vests can accommodate armor plates to make a vest stab-resistant as well as bullet-resistant. Some soft body armor can only protect against slashing knife attacks, not stabbings.

Differences Between Soft & Hard Body Armor:

Soft Body Armor:

• Soft body armor can stop bullets from most handguns (Usually your Levels II-A, II, & III-A)
• It works by using layers of special fabrics to catch the bullet in flight and disperse the force of its impact.
• Soft body armor is made from woven aramid fibers such as Kevlar or Twaron, or resin-impregnated parallel or cross-plied polyethylene fibers such as Spectra or Dyneema.

Hard Body Armor:

• Hard body armor can stop anything from a rifle bullet or shotgun slug (Usually your Levels III & IV)
• It works by using plates or metal or ceramic material that are inserted into a special carrier that can be worn.
• Hard body armor plates are often made of steel, ceramic, or polyethylene.

Is a safety Vest Concealable?

This really just depends on the amount of protection you want. The more you have, the less concealable it is. Also, your body type and clothing plays a major factor in the overall ability to be able to conceal your bulletproof vest.

Ballistic Apparel company ThykSkynn takes a fashionable approach to protection. This company offers luxury bulletproof vests that are to be worn as an accessory to your clothing. Discreetly looks like a regular fashion vest instead of a bullet proof vest. Check out these one of a kind designs!

Level II-A & Level II vests are the easiest to conceal and can be worn under a t-shirt.

Level III-A vests may require a jacket or sweater to conceal effectively.

Level III & Level IV vests are usually worn over clothes but can also be concealed under a large jacket.

Are They Legal?

Any civilian can purchase and use a bulletproof vest unless he or she has been convicted of a felony.

Body Armor Laws in the United States:

• You cannot buy body armor of any sort if you have been convicted of a felony.
• Residents in Connecticut are prohibited from buying Body Armor unless you show up in person to complete the sale.

Each state (or country) has different rules. Be sure you are familiar with these laws before purchasing your bulletproof vest. See Body Armor Laws by Stat Vests Really Work?

Yes! They are saving lives everyday.

Remember, the main job of a bullet proof vest is to protect your vital organs. The rest of your body is still exposed so it does not prevent bullets from finding another entrance point. Also, getting hit with a bullet can still do damage but you will still have your life to live. This is what matters most.

Testing Out a safety Vest from Thykskynn

ThykSkynn is a ballistic apparel company known as the “Future of Fashion by way of Ballistic Armor”

This fashion forward company offers bullet proof protection for civilians, catering to men women and children. With products like bulletproof vest and bulletproof backpacks, they frequently test their products for consumer satisfaction and reassurance.

ThykSkynn Level IIIA safety Vest:

The bullet proof vest by ThykSKynn is designed to provide ballistic protection from all handgun rounds. Level III-A will stop traditional pistol rounds and is rated to stop a 357magnum – 556 rounds. ALL of our armor is additionally tested to ensure they will stop 5.56 and 7.62×39 rounds.