US Army war zone armored vest for $75.00.....I can across...

[tkdguy]

I came across a US Army desert camo new and likely unused complete armored vest that feels like it would weigh about 30 pounds in my size today. Way too bulky to wear under a jacket. The camo fabric is clean as a whistle. Complete with all flexible plates all around and collar as well. Just wondering if it is not at all useful in any future circumstance because it is so bulky. Any ideas? Just $75.00 off the shelf. Or, just do the down stroke for a more modern vest for it to sleep in the closet. Thanks.

Read More

 

[GWS]

Does it say what level of protection it offers?
30lbs is a lot of stress on a hanger in your closet but if it stops .308 rounds I'd grab one.

 

[tkdguy]

Feels like Flexible Kevlar? Flac jacket?

 

[GWS]

Well, IMHO, if it's a pig in a poke, pass. What value is armor that you don't know the capability of? Flak jackets, IIRC, were only fragment proof, not bullet roof. That's a lot of weight for negligible protection.
Maybe you can find something on the interwebs that will give you some info.
Good luc.

 

[User 1234]

There should be an NSN number on the military tag on the vest somewhere. Not the tag for the carrier, but on the panels themselves. Googling that NSN and title should give you more information.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Which one does it look the most like? It sounds like it doesn't have hard armor at all, but has soft armor.
SPEAR BALCS/Ranger/SF armor (a version has MOLLE horizontally)

PASGT vest with DCU cover


Interceptor Body Armor; collar, shoulder, groin armor not shown. These were extra pieces.


Private contract soft armor vest, "First Choice Armor" I think, used by Iraqi army


Diamondback vest, usually just a plate carrier but some have soft armor inserts



Another private company, Spitfire 3a vest with plate pocket

 

[CamoDeafie]

Oh just to be clear, all except the 1980s-1990s PASGT flak vest can accept hard plates I think.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Does it say what level of protection it offers?
30lbs is a lot of stress on a hanger in your closet but if it stops .308 rounds I'd grab one.

There are no soft/flexible armor that stops .308 rifle ammo on the market as far as I know

 

[GWS]

Polaris Armor Ultrashield

 

[CamoDeafie]

Polaris Armor Ultrashield

Not for $75 it aint that armor

 

[GWS]

But at least you now know that there is a soft body armor that can stop .308

 

[CamoDeafie]

But at least you now know that there is a soft body armor that can stop .308

Now I know of it, yea thanks! Although it doesn't seem to explicitly state that it meets NIJ certifications, or that the armor is available (or how much?).. it looks very new and interesting

 

[Oohrah]

Does it say what level of protection it offers?
30lbs is a lot of stress on a hanger in your closet but if it stops .308 rounds I'd grab one.

It may or may not stop a round. I think there is a time element to wear it isn't guaranteed but still may be effective...or not. I would think something is better than nothing, but 30 lbs is mucho to carry extra weight to find out it wasn't effective. I think for a few dollars more that you can get a carrier and plates, but I'm not not sure what level. Most are really expensive around 800 to over $1000 for a basic one.

 

[CamoDeafie]

A surplus low profile carrier from a reputable brand for $35-150, then add new or gently used plates of your preferred armor level, although there are sales on Level 4 stand alone ceramics currently , and you can get 3A soft armor plate backers for some level 4 ICW and Level 3+ ICW/Standalones, or go cheap with AR500 and risk the spall trauma.

Reputable brands include the following;

Safariland (made the SPEAR BALCS carriers, may have other model carriers)

Specialty Defense Products ( usually Interceptor type)

BaE systems

Eagle Industries (so so many models, almost all having been used by USMC and Special Operations Command)

Allied Industries (same as Eagle)

Diamondback Tactical (quite a few models, I have a Fast attack pc from them)

Crye Precision

London Bridge Trading Company (LBT) and LBX

Tactical Tailor (not a lot out there but they exist)

Blackhawk! Industries

Patriot Performance Materials

Point Blank

Second Chance (not a lot of hard plate carriers, but loads of soft armor carriers with plate pockets)

Paraclete (seems two different eras, pre MSA and MSA-Paraclete)

Perroz Designs

I am sure there are a few others.

Some of them will come with soft armor at the higher end of the price range, you would be best served to check the dates and condition of them.


I'd avoid any armor and armor carriers made in China or Russia, or shipped from these two areas.

Condor gear quality isn't as good as many of the above brands, but better than Rothco or Voodoo Tactical, in my experience.

 

[CamoDeafie]

If the $75 set is a PASGT vest, there's no real reason to get it because its only made for fragmentation protection, and has no NIJ rating that I know of. Some have claimed they stop 9mm going carbine speeds but thats dubious. You could find the Interim Small Arms Protective Overvest (ISAPO) carriers and add ceramic armor, but at that point, a simple stand alone plate carrier will do you better...
Here are examples of the ISAPO vest.
According to the info I can find, with a pair Ranger ceramic plates plus the PASGT vest, it gives one a lot more protection front and rear than the early model Ranger Body Armor which only had front hard plate and smaller soft armor coverage. Sportsmans Guide have the carriers shipped with Russian armor plates, my guess is that the carriers are surplus from the Australian military that the US Govt gave to them when Interceptors came into supply.

 

[tkdguy]

Which one does it look the most like? It sounds like it doesn't have hard armor at all, but has soft armor. View attachment 616248
SPEAR BALCS/Ranger/SF armor (a version has MOLLE horizontally)
View attachment 616250
PASGT vest with DCU cover

View attachment 616251
Interceptor Body Armor; collar, shoulder, groin armor not shown. These were extra pieces.

View attachment 616252
Private contract soft armor vest, "First Choice Armor" I think, used by Iraqi army

View attachment 616253
Diamondback vest, usually just a plate carrier but some have soft armor inserts

View attachment 616254

Another private company, Spitfire 3a vest with plate pocket

lOOKS LIKE DIAMOND BACK VEST WITH FLEXIBLE 1/2-3/4 INCH THICK INSERTS WHICH ARE FRONTAL AND BACK AND WRAP AROUND THE RIBS AND KIDNEYS. THE COLLAR IS THE SAME MATERIAL AND FLEXIBLE HARD. ANY IDEAS? WEIGHT MUST BE ABOUT 25 POUNDS? AND THE VEST IS BULKY. LOOKS UNUSED. AND SPOTLESS.

 

[CamoDeafie]

For $75 and weighing 25-30 pounds, it sounds like the soft armor is a 3A set; possibly in the BALCS cut... it might be worth picking up if its like new and never worn/exposed to extreme heat/uv... it should be able to accept standard ESAPI/SAPI hard plates.

Edit. Interesting, most specs says the soft armor should be pretty light, other than the size and poasibility of extra pieces or hard inserts
?

 

[tactical tom]

Thats a Pasgt vest its worth 100ish bucks and is a level IIIA

 

[tactical tom]

If the $75 set is a PASGT vest, there's no real reason to get it because its only made for fragmentation protection, and has no NIJ rating that I know of. Some have claimed they stop 9mm going carbine speeds but thats dubious. You could find the Interim Small Arms Protective Overvest (ISAPO) carriers and add ceramic armor, but at that point, a simple stand alone plate carrier will do you better...
Here are examples of the ISAPO vest.
According to the info I can find, with a pair Ranger ceramic plates plus the PASGT vest, it gives one a lot more protection front and rear than the early model Ranger Body Armor which only had front hard plate and smaller soft armor coverage. Sportsmans Guide have the carriers shipped with Russian armor plates, my guess is that the carriers are surplus from the Australian military that the US Govt gave to them when Interceptors came into supply.

View attachment 616259

Actually both the pasgt vest and helmet have a IIIA rating

 

[tactical tom]

Actually both the pasgt vest and helmet have a IIIA rating

The isapo was made to add extra protection due to the pasgt not stopping 762s