kevlar wear
- Thread starter czc3513
- Start date
yes, kevlar will degrade with exposure to moisture heat and uv radiation. it will also wear out when its worn. for $40, you might have a vest you cant use. check the date, manufacturer, and the material, it may not be kevlar at all. then do some research, and find out if what youve got is still any good.
The British Soldier
New member
The best way to test Kevlar is to hand it back after not getting shot; don't go around carrying a mindset of 'I'll be okay because I'm wearing a vest'. All it takes is a kevlar-inspired rambo moment and you can take a headshot; unless you're wearing your kevlar ice-hockey mask you're f**ked.
Be a hard target and avoid the bullets, not a bullet magnet.
Be a hard target and avoid the bullets, not a bullet magnet.
Capt. Charlie
Moderator Emeritus
czc3513
If you got a level II vest for $40., my gut feeling says don't bet your life on it! Unless you had an exceedingly generous benefactor, you either got an outdated vest (kevlar itself doesn't deteriorate; it's the weave that becomes loose over time allowing rounds to go between them), or a faulty one. I would send it to the original manufacturer for their opinion.
Gunmoney
While I do wear a vest on duty, I've also been known to wear one off duty, when I'm at a public range. Makes me feel a little safer when some idiot sweeps me. But generally, around town, no. They're heavy, they're hot, and it's really, really hard to scratch that itch under it
.
If you got a level II vest for $40., my gut feeling says don't bet your life on it! Unless you had an exceedingly generous benefactor, you either got an outdated vest (kevlar itself doesn't deteriorate; it's the weave that becomes loose over time allowing rounds to go between them), or a faulty one. I would send it to the original manufacturer for their opinion.
Gunmoney
While I do wear a vest on duty, I've also been known to wear one off duty, when I'm at a public range. Makes me feel a little safer when some idiot sweeps me. But generally, around town, no. They're heavy, they're hot, and it's really, really hard to scratch that itch under it
.http://www.nlectc.org/txtfiles/selectapp2001.html ought to help understand soft body armor life spans.
I used to wear soft body armor 24hrs a day, 10 days a month. The carriers wear out for sure, and we were given Point Blank brand, and the vendor told us that we would need to look at replacement 4 years or so, based up on our wear pattern.
I used to wear soft body armor 24hrs a day, 10 days a month. The carriers wear out for sure, and we were given Point Blank brand, and the vendor told us that we would need to look at replacement 4 years or so, based up on our wear pattern.
Craig, . . . it works if you are a Democrat mayor, . . . trying for visibility, . . . you have a bunch of slugs in the higher levels of your police dept, . . . and you want to convince the anti gunners that you are their man for the next governer's race.
Columbus, Ohio's mayor Coleman did just that a few months ago to build support for his "Assault Weapon Ban". They took an AK type weapon, stuck an old type II vest (that's what it looked like anyway) on a telephone pole and proceeded to blast it full of holes (with undoubtedly FMJ military ammo) so the media could all get up to the trough and pig out:barf:
I've never worn modern ballistic armor, . . . my flak jacket in 'Nam was plenty enough to convince me that I'd probably rather duck or run, . . .
May God bless,
Dwight
Columbus, Ohio's mayor Coleman did just that a few months ago to build support for his "Assault Weapon Ban". They took an AK type weapon, stuck an old type II vest (that's what it looked like anyway) on a telephone pole and proceeded to blast it full of holes (with undoubtedly FMJ military ammo) so the media could all get up to the trough and pig out:barf:
I've never worn modern ballistic armor, . . . my flak jacket in 'Nam was plenty enough to convince me that I'd probably rather duck or run, . . .
May God bless,
Dwight
It might work but honestly level II isn't really much anyway, almost all of the US police department dumped level II years ago (see the adobe link below to KCPDs dumping of the level II vest in 1998) and replaced them with Level III or Level IIIA. Most police department/vest maufactures replace vest every 4 to 5 years. Your is probably stale. For $40 you didn't get ripped off, I have seen Nylon army flax jacket which cannot stop a bullet go for more. level I is not made to stop bullet but just shrapnel, Level II will stop small caliber bullets. If its a world chaos, SHTF day I would put it on because its better than nothing. In my mind I would assume it would fail but be thankful if somehow it didn't. If you need a vest because you have a business and carry money or something like that, buy new, your life may depend on it.
http://www.kcpd.org/masterindex/Files/Dm/DM%2098-02.pdf#search='second%20chance%20vest%20level%20II'
http://www.kcpd.org/masterindex/Files/Dm/DM%2098-02.pdf#search='second%20chance%20vest%20level%20II'
Didnt know that. I thaught that they were still wearing level 2.
So both state and local cops wear level 3 now?
Thanks for the input.
I just read that moisture wears out kevlar. Mine has a small cut (1in long) on the back. The kevlar inside had been exposed.
I didnt expect the vest to be bulletproof when I got it but I was optimistic untill I read about that.
I also have a flak jacket from 'Nam and I am thinking about putting it over the kevlar. Do you think that this would help?
Blackwater OPS
New member
czc- look on the armor itself(not the carrier) and there should be a exp. date next to where the rating is. If not there should be at least a manufactuing date. Also check the brand, some are better than others, post that info here and I can give you some further help. If it is second chance, THROW IT OUT!
Level III is hard armor(plates). No patrol officer is going to be wearing that, only srt/swat types. Also, while I have no datam other than my own exp. to back this up, most cops are wearing lvl II or even IIa. II will stop mosts handgun threats, so it is not nothing.
Level III is hard armor(plates). No patrol officer is going to be wearing that, only srt/swat types. Also, while I have no datam other than my own exp. to back this up, most cops are wearing lvl II or even IIa. II will stop mosts handgun threats, so it is not nothing.
Blackwater OPS
New member
It says Dupont? thats odd, I wonder if that vest is REALLY old, can you post any pics?