Personal body armor rigs and plans

[CamoDeafie]

These three are what I currently have;
Clockwise from top left; BAE/SDS Eclipse Releasable Body Armor Vest (RBAV) in Khaki, and size XL with XL ESAPI plates, no soft armor but foam panels cut in SPEAR/BALCS (SOF/Special operations force Personal Equipment Advanced Requirements /Body Armor Load Carry System); custom made woodland carrier with Safariland 2XL 3A soft armor inserts and LBA International/Safariland Group Level 3 Special Threat ICW (In Conjunction With) 10x12 plates and lastly, the High Speed Gear Inc (HSGI) Wasatch chest rig/plate carrier that is sized for Large SAPI plates, awaiting Hoplite/LTC model 26605 Large SAPI plates.
The RBAV 9 MOLLE columns (per side) cummerbund really is too short for my needs, so I am planning to swap for a larger one with 15 MOLLE columns from the USMC Improved Modular Tactical Vest (IMTV) even if it means Coyote Brown on Khaki... should serve to breakup the block of Khaki coloring.

RBAV will get a set of BALCS XL inserts from www.midwestarmor.com ;
The woodland one will likely be relegated to weight training/spare armor/backup simply due to the armor pieces being long expired/way past warranty dates, soft armor was made in 2001, hard plates were from 2005, both were certified under NIJ0101.04.. while the 26605s are current NIJ certified and the ESAPI/BALCS set don't have NIJ certifications .
HSGI Wasatch will get L 26605s from www.apexarmorsolutions.com

I do have plans for the ICW 10X12 plates to go into a much lighter carrier with Midwest Armor's rectangle 10x12 plate backers, likely for the wife. Also might pick up a minimalist Blackhawk concealed plate carrier to stuff another set of 10x12 Shooter cuts 3A soft backers/armor.. again for the wife.. or for backup or maybe just design a backpack around it for the child I have a retro-modern plate carrier design that more than likely will use the Hoplite 26605 plates.. might be able to adjust to fit 10x12 multicurve level 4 plates like the RMA 1155MCs.

Read More

 

[308]

Wifey and I are less savvy. No plates, just grab and go hide if it comes down to that.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Wifey and I are less savvy. No plates, just grab and go hide if it comes down to that.
View attachment 1055649View attachment 1055648

For "no armor" but grab and go? I have like a lot of gear for that lol 2 USGI bandoliers, 1 USGI Bandolier modded into a simple chest rig, some self-made pouches and rigs, several vests and chest rigs including the go to heavy Tactical Tailor OG MAV chest rig, my self made 6-mag chest rig, some modified belt kits, really, I have a few 27 gallon totes loaded with nothing but tactical gear and pouches ranging from classic ALICE LBEs to MOLLE equipment and some relatively rare bits like a Black Ops Kandahar chest rig but for real though, I'm more of a collector/gear enthusaist(spelling?) And a lot of the stuff I have are just parts of displays/rigs to go with my collection of military uniforms parts that have good stories and histories... its the modified/cobbled/self made gear that I use more often than the display pieces

 

[308]

Well, I admit to being a bit tactically irritterate . So I just put together something realistic to what our 'assumed' needs would be. NV pouch, 3 AR mag pouches, pistol and multi tool pouches, plenty of water and snacks for the wife..lol

It was a pretty good exercise and would probably fall short, but better than nuthin

 

[CamoDeafie]

Well, I admit to being a bit tactically irritterate . So I just put together something realistic to what our 'assumed' needs would be. NV pouch, 3 AR mag pouches, pistol and multi tool pouches, plenty of water and snacks for the wife..lol

It was a pretty good exercise and would probably fall short, but better than nuthin

I was able to make use of most of my military and self made rucksacks for the move from old studio apt to the new 2 bedroom

 

[Member 53328]

I have a flannel.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Went through my storage totes quickly, got what I could find in one tote for Khaki pouches and a zipper pouch. Other than the Charge Pouch/potential dump pouch, I attached everything to the RBAV, and loaded up the mag pockets with loaded mags. I do not have a walkie talkie/large handheld radio (or any radio for that matter ) nor do I have a smoke grenade of M18 size so... realistically, I probably will order 2 or 3 Triple Mag shingles and ditch the quad pouches .. probably won't run the 4 extra mags in the vest pockets either. Very likely will remove the radio pouch as its not being used for anything.

List of pouches
1 Charge Pouch, aka dump pouch
2x 2x2/quad mag pouches
1x M18 smoke grenade pouch
1x MBITR type radio pouch
2x M9 speed reload pouches with Kydex
1x horizontal MOLLE adapter
1x zippered medic/gp pouch; only thing in Coyote Brown. All others are Eagle Industries Khaki.

 

[Nosferatu]

I have a flannel.

View attachment 1055692

All you need now is a bulletproof hoody

Adult Bulletproof Hoodie (NIJ-IIIA)X-Small / Bold n' Black

Adult Bulletproof Hoodie with Head Protection | Wonder Hoodie - Shop our award winning adult bulletproof hoodie at Wonder Hoodie. This sweatshirt features NIJ-IIIA level bullet resistant fabric with head protection.

wonderhoodie.com

 

[Member 53328]

All you need now is a bulletproof hoody

Adult Bulletproof Hoodie (NIJ-IIIA)X-Small / Bold n' Black

Adult Bulletproof Hoodie with Head Protection | Wonder Hoodie - Shop our award winning adult bulletproof hoodie at Wonder Hoodie. This sweatshirt features NIJ-IIIA level bullet resistant fabric with head protection.

wonderhoodie.com

My flannel is my protection. It's wool.

 

[The Heretic]

I have a flannel.

View attachment 1055692

I have ripstop.

 

[308]

My flannel is my protection. It's wool.

You are probably the smartest one here

 

[CamoDeafie]

I have knit wool sweater as one of my layers also got lots of boring solid colored shirts, pants, etc... although my favorite right now are my BDU pants in solid colors... i should look to get more BDU pants in different colors other than black, green, tan, and coyote brown hmm. They dry faster than jeans, and are reasonably priced and a bit more durable than cheap off the rack jeans

 

[Member 53328]

You are probably the smartest one here

Don't stroke my ego too much. Haha

 

[The Heretic]

 

[TTSX]

All you need now is a bulletproof hoody

Adult Bulletproof Hoodie (NIJ-IIIA)X-Small / Bold n' Black

Adult Bulletproof Hoodie with Head Protection | Wonder Hoodie - Shop our award winning adult bulletproof hoodie at Wonder Hoodie. This sweatshirt features NIJ-IIIA level bullet resistant fabric with head protection.

wonderhoodie.com

Even if the bullet didn't kill you, it'd knock you right out if you got domed. Useless stuff is useless

 

[CamoDeafie]

Even if the bullet didn't kill you, it'd knock you right out if you got domed. Useless stuff is useless

Holy backface deformation! There's a reason military helmets are not soft

 

[The Heretic]

Just picked up a couple of MICH helmets, one that is probably a size too large - XL, but doesn't hurt to have and the price was right.

I will keep my eyes open for a couple more, or an ACH/ECH and/or a FAST helmet.

I noticed my Peltor headset won't work with the MICH/ACH/ECH - might with a FAST helmet.

 

[CamoDeafie]

I've been seeing tanker CVC helmets on Ebay from $190ish to $500, they are the ones that usually get turned into High Cut combat helmets, and are meant to interface with large headsets. I know there are kits out there to convert a CVC shell to what is basically a High Cut ballistic helmet that the "cool kids" are running

Otherwise, good luck on your search! I have just an old Pro-Tec non ballistic bump helmet and an older PASGT K-pot am on the look out for a decent L ballistic helmet, probably an ACH/ECH, maybe a midcut at the best.. I don't know yet.

And in keeping with the thread... I hauled my 4 totes of surplus/custom military stuff gear to my new place, transferred stuff, put them in apartment's locking storage closet that's provided... and promptly filled the whole closet oh well. Here's my RBAV kit for now.
All Khaki except the square zipper pouch which is in Coyote Brown. I can move the zipper pouch and remove the pistol mag pouches to put on the Khaki 2x2/Quad mag pouch for 10 magazines total with the 6 mags on the center front. I don't know what I will do with the large pouch yet. Its officially a "Charge Pouch" according to the tag but since it has an elastic throat opening, maybe dump pouch for spent mags? Where to put? Belt?

 

[billdeserthills]

Bulletproof clothing

BULLETBLOCKER LEVEL IIIA BULLETPROOF YOUTH NYLON JACKET

*Manufacturer's lead time: 4-7 weeks This bullet resistant youth childs jacket provides both fashion and safety with NIJ Level IIIA armor, the highest level of protection available in soft body armor. This mesh-lined waterproof jacket can be worn all year round and the removable bulletproof...

www.ballisticclub.com

price is nice but this is kid-sized

 

[The Heretic]

I've been seeing tanker CVC helmets on Ebay from $190ish to $500, they are the ones that usually get turned into High Cut combat helmets, and are meant to interface with large headsets. I know there are kits out there to convert a CVC shell to what is basically a High Cut ballistic helmet that the "cool kids" are running

I was doing some wikipedia research and it appears that the FAST helmets use a new material that is more bullet resistant, handling some rifle rounds like 7.62x39.

My thinking is that if SHTF and I need guns/ammo, that I will probably want/need armor too. I don't have anything except the helmets right now, and even there not enough for everybody, but I will eventually get more. I am thinking about the newer ceramic and/or HDPE lightweight armor rated for rifle rounds. This might be one of those prep tech items that evolves over time enough to make it worth waiting for with regards to value/$