WHAT THREAT LEVEL OF BODY ARMOR SHOULD I WEAR?

WHAT THREAT LEVEL OF BODY ARMOR SHOULD I WEAR?

The threat level of a vest should be picked by the threat of your job. NIJ Level IIIA Body Armor offers the most protection and stops the majority of handgun bullets out there, such as 9mm and .44 mm magnum rounds. The Level III and Level IV bullet proof vests will protect against machine gun rounds and other high velocity rounds.
Of course no bullet proof vest can provide absolute protection against firearm threat but will provide the utmost protection possible under given circumstances. The lower protection levels are less restricting but also provide less protection.

NIJ Level IIA or level II is good for you if you work a low to medium risk job. It offers great protection without the weight.
Level IIIA is advised by NIJ for policemen. This is the most acceptable vest in de industry with regards to safety, cost and its ability to be worn as a concealable body armor. Level III and IV require hard armor inserts into a level IIIA vest and thus are heavier and more expensive. The main difference between the level III and IV inserts is that the level IV inserts also protect against Armor Piercing bullets. These vests are highly desirable under machine gun threats.
Refer to the ballistic test chart for more detailed information on the protection specifications.