For those that have body armor...

[mikefraz]

When you bought body armor, did you just buy for yourself? Or did you buy for your spouse/significant other as well? Why or why not?

 

[AngryRooster]

Right now we don't have any, but have been planning on it when we can. It would be for both of us. We both shoot and each have our own gun collection. We have a membership at a "semi-private" range. I say that because you have to be a member to join, but anyone can join and bring guests. The stupid at the range runs deep sometimes. I've seen several NDs, shots taken while someone is off to the side and down range, idiots playing with their guns while people are down range, the ranges can cross fields of fire occasionally, etc.

We also live on a farm out of town. Emergency services here suck and you are probably better off acting on your own. When my father in law had his heart attack here in the living room it took the ambulance 45 minutes to get here. The Winchester hospital is 9 miles away and the EMT station where the ambulances are dispatched from is a few hundred yards away from that. There is one freaking turn they need to make to get here, yet it was 45 minutes. They finally made it here and got him to the hospital, he died less than 10 minutes later.

There have been other instances when we've called the sheriff about poachers in the fields & woods, a break in at the neighbors, and drunks tearing up our fields in trucks. Each time we called it was always over an hour before someone made it out here, if they came at all. Our county doesn't use trunking or encrypted radios either. I'm a HAM and have several radios and scanners around. It seems to take forever for them to get where they are going.

My point is in our case we are pretty much on our own. We were planning on picking some up this past spring but unexpected doctor bills brought that to a close. Maybe this fall or next spring, hopefully before action is taken against owning it.

 

[Cummins513]

initially for myself but now that I have a chest rig to run solo I think in a SHTF scenario I would give my Fiancé my plates and I would just run my chest rig.

 

[mikefraz]

In my head I have it planned out that I might be the only one who needs one, because when there's a bump in the night, it's me, not my wife who will be meeting the intruder. She will be taking our newborn and going to a safer place. But then again, if someone who is armed is breaking in, who knows where their bullet is going to go? Our walls aren't lined with AR500 steel plates and there's no guarantee that my wife and baby are truly out of harms way, so it makes sense to cover her as well. I realize you can't plan for every unforseable situation though and don't know where to draw the line.

 

[MohawkSlim]

I bought for myself, S/O and several extra sets for family/friends.

Why?

I didn't buy body armor for "bump in the night." I bought if for societal collapse/WWIII/TEOTWAWKI/IAOL/....and investment purposes. I wanted the people on my team to be kitted for whatever came our way. Since they were unwilling or unable to buy their own, I bought for them.

Body armor can be had for relatively cheap. Why not stock up? It's easy to sell/trade if necessary and when the world gets nuts all those "why did you buy this" folks will turn into "sure, I'll put it on" folks.

 

[Mosin Mounts]

If there's a chance that I may someday need armor, then there's a chance that my family will need it also.

 

[Verls65]

I have just recently picked up a chest rig and only have front plate! (I can't seem to find a "cost effective" option for the rear plate) I would eventually like to have all my family covered, but I'm still trying to get my kit squared away! I am actually struggling to decide on chest rig and/or battle belt? I'm thinking rig for rifle, belt for pistol...but I don't have unlimited income, and have to actually decide WHAT I'm outfitting for? I.e. Mission specific load outs dictate what you load, but I'm not kicking down doors or reconning forward areas? So when you really stop and plan...it's hard to decide on ANYTHING! I know I'm not running 5 miles with 40lbs of gear let alone my wife! Lol I'm thinking a secure area inside the home is our best bet...?

 

[Mosin Mounts]

Someone once gave me the following advice:

1) Keep your armor ready to throw on by itself, without extra gear attached. 2) Have slings attached to your weapon-specific mag pouches (like bandoliers) to simply throw over your shoulder as you see fit in the moment.

If you only need a handgun in the moment, you won't have AR mags weighing you down. Only grab what you need.
Secure your mags pouches hanging downward (so you're pulling down on the strap around your neck).

 

[cerebus85]

I was fortunate. I used the same "kit" for work except I purchased my hard plates. it already had the dyneema. So for my significant other. Well no she doesn't have anything. frankly due to her size ~100lbs and inexperience with firearms we went a different route. We focus on fundamentals and supplies in a bag and a rig that can be capable for her to run if she HAD to. her frame just doesn't run a lot of gear.

 

[ACC]

I bought my plates and carrier about 4 months ago. Just bought my wife a set this past month. Keeping my eyes out for budget carrier/plate packages toward the end of the year to buy a few more sets for friends/family in a SHTF situation.

 

[Tomahawkman]

I've been researching and contemplating and now plan on buying some rifle plates, Haven't decided on a plate carrier yet though. They will be for work purposes mainly but I can see them in a Home defense role if time allowed.

 

[cop car]

Someone once gave me the following advice:

1) Keep your armor ready to throw on by itself, without extra gear attached. 2) Have slings attached to your weapon-specific mag pouches (like bandoliers) to simply throw over your shoulder as you see fit in the moment.

If you only need a handgun in the moment, you won't have AR mags weighing you down. Only grab what you need.
Secure your mags pouches hanging downward (so you're pulling down on the strap around your neck).

sorry, but if you have enough time to grab your body armor, you have time to grab your rifle. And if you have to choose, you grab the rifle. The loaded bandoleers is a good thing though. You are going to store or carry ammo with you, with as cheap as magazines are now, store it loaded.

 

[smythe012]

For those that have body armor...

What is a good budget friendly carrier?

What are good budget plates?

Hope this isn't considered a thread hijacking but I've been considering some for myself and my family.

EDIT: Disregard, this was a dumb question with many existing threads out there.

 

[Grimmis]

I've been looking to buy a carrier with front and back plates. I think one of the next things they will ban is body armor

 

[tcecil88]

I have some surplus armor with SAPPI plates. It's heavy, but it was cheap. I have a vest set up with rifle and shotgun ammo and a belt set up for pistol. Most of that is surplus too. Worked for me in Iraq well enough.
I want to get the family some eventually as money allows.