In purchasing a ballistic vest the primary concern, of course, must be the protection it provides. To identify the vest you need you must first assess your threat level and then identify the corresponding NIJ threat level.
Note: It’s common lingo to hear a ballistic vest called a “bulletproof” vest. However, since no vest is completely bulletproof, using this term may give a false sense of security. That’s why you should use the more accurate term, ballistic-resistant vest. For easier reading, this course uses a shorter version of this phrase, ballistic vest.
Assessing the Threat Level
The first step in choosing the proper protection is to assess what threat level you will most likely face. At the very minimum, you need to protect against the threat you carry. As the following statistics show, this advice should not be taken lightly. From 1980 to 1999, 163 law enforcement officers were slain with their own gun.3
In addition to your own gun, you need to consider the most common guns and ammunition used in crimes in your area. Keep in mind that the higher level of protection you choose often comes with of a higher price tag and sometimes less comfort.
For first responders that don’t carry a gun, you might consult your local law enforcement agencies for help in determining the most common threat in your area.
3FBI Uniform Crime Reports: Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 1994-1999 (Annual Reports)
NIJ Threat Levels
After assessing your weapon and ammunition threat, you need to choose a ballistic vest model that is NIJ certified. NIJ certification is the benchmark in the industry for ballistic vest protection levels. Always make sure the vest you have is NIJ certified. This means it has gone through rigorous testing. As proof of the importance of this rule, consider the fact that as of this time: “No documented fatality has ever resulted from a round of ammunition penetrating ballistic vests that NIJ had approved as protection against that level of threat.”4 You can be confident that all of the vests Galls sells are NIJ certified.
To say two ballistic vests are NIJ certified, however, doesn’t necessarily mean they provide the same level of protection. The NIJ certifies concealable ballistic vests for four different threat levels. (Higher NIJ levels are for non-concealable ballistic vests that also protects against rifles and greater dangers than handguns.)
But, before you identify an appropriate level you need to be aware of a recent change in NIJ testing standards.
In response to new weapons and armor innovations as well as to incorporate better testing methods, the NIJ has changed the standards they use to test ballistic vests over the years. The last change was made in October, 2000. Because this change is so recent, you may find in the market place some vests that have been tested against the new standard, NIJ–Standard 0101.04, and other vests that were tested against the previous standard, NIJ–Standard 0101.03, but haven't been tested or passed NIJ–Standard 0101.04.
In addition to testing against new threats, the new standard incorporated several testing changes. One of these changes calls for an extra test for blunt trauma measurement. (For more on blunt trauma, see the next section More Safety Considerations). Another significant change requires all ballistic vests to be tested when they are completely wet. The reason for this change is that certain ballistic materials lose some of their ballistic protectiveness when wet. This is an important consideration since your vest could become wet from perspiration or rainy weather.
Despite these important testing changes, you still shouldn’t automatically rule out a vest that has passed the NIJ–Standard 0101.03, but not NIJ–Standard 0101.04. This vest wasn’t suddenly found to be flawed or to be necessarily inferior to a vest that has passed NIJ–Standard 0101.04. You can still rely on a NIJ–Standard 0101.03 compliant vest to give you the protection against weapon threat levels that they were originally tested against. As a result, if such a vest meets your protection requirements, it would be perfectly acceptable to purchase.
4 The National Institute of Justice’s National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center, Selection and Application Guide to Personal Body Armor, p. 49, November 2001.
Important Note: NIJ standards test ballistic vests without the use of trauma packs. To learn about trauma packs, see the next section, More Safety Considerations.
After deciding on the standard that meets your needs, your next step is to choose the specific level of protection for your assessed threat level.
• Level I offers the most basic protection. It’s the same ballistic vest issued during the NIJ demonstration project of the 1970s. • Level II-A offers greater protection, from lower velocity 9mm and 40 S&W ammunition. • Level II offers even greater protection like higher velocity .357 Magnum and 9mm ammunition. • Level III-A is the highest protection available for concealable, ballistic vests. Level III-A protects against most handguns and all the weapons from the previous three levels.
All of the ballistic vests Galls offers meets levels IIA and higher.
An easier way to identify the appropriate threat level is with the Threat Level Selection and Application Guide. It lists various weapons and ammunition you may face and their corresponding NIJ threat level, II-A, II or III-A.
(Please note: while this chart is considered to be accurate, it’s a good idea to double check with your firearms specialist to make sure you choose the correct level of armor.)
Another Important Note: Don’t assume a ballistic vest provides protection against knives and other sharp instruments. Just because a vest can stop a bullet, it doesn’t mean it can stop a knife. If you need a vest that can protect you against stab threats, make sure it is NIJ certified for that threat. The NIJ has established separate protection levels specifically for stab threats.
Learn even more about Ballistic Vests. Continue on or click any of the links below to go directly to that topic.
To say two ballistic vests are NIJ certified, however, doesn’t necessarily mean they provide the same level of protection. The NIJ certifies concealable ballistic vests for four different threat levels. (Higher NIJ levels are for non-concealable ballistic vests that also protects against rifles and greater dangers than handguns.)