Bulletproof vests

A bulletproof vest or flak jacket is wearable torso and back protection that minimizes risk of injury and death from pistol or rifle threats. The material commonly used for ballistics is Aramid, one of the most popular brands of this being Kevlar. The result is a “soft armor” or flexible panel of ballistic material inside the vest that is generally NIJ level IIIA.

Protection against bullets can also be paired with stab and slash proof materials, each with their own certification levels. Bulletproof vests can be offered in a modular format, with detachable or deployable ballistic protection for the neck, shoulders or groin areas.

Covert vests

A covert vest is a bulletproof vest that can be worn under a sweater, jacket or coat for discreet protection. These are generally available between the levels of NIJ II and IIIA for soft armor protection against knife and small caliber attacks.

Overt vests

An overt vest is a traditional bulletproof vest to wear on top of a uniform or any other duty workwear. These vests are generally used by police and army for their staff. The protection level is generally higher than that of a covert vest, with the ability to insert ballistic plates that increase the protection level.

Plate carrier

A plate carrier is a minimalist body armor kit that holds in place hard armor plates for protection from attacks from the front and the back. Due to the basic nature of the vest, MOLLE webbing is a popular feature of plate carriers to host pouches for ancillary equipment. Generally, plate carriers only host stand-alone hard armor plates and do not include soft armor.