Is this armor or Kevlar or what?

[Barms 98]

https://diamondbacktactical.com/get-the-gear/lightning-soft-armor/holster-shirt/

 

Is this literally a ballistic shirt? Are only parts protected or all of it?

[JT Custom Guns 956]

I believe it is Kevlar like - in that Kevlar is a trade name, and this company appears to have a simular

product, but under a different name...........

[High Exposure 5,661]

Kevlar is DuPont's brand name for an aramid fiber. It is used in armor, tires, gloves, sailboat sails and many other items.

This shirt has pockets for a proprietary cut level II soft armor inserts that can be removed so the shirt can be washed (getting aramid fibers wet ruins their ability to stop bullets).

I don't know much about DBT's Lightning Armor Package and can't seem to find much. DBT used to be a leader in the production of soft armor, their CAT Armor panels were arguably the best armor made at one time. They have been curiously absent as a large player for the last 7 years or so.

Being that it is NIJ level II, it is less capable than the level III soft armor most cops wear. You can look here:
https://www.officerstore.com/images/nijspec2.htm
to see the different NIJ ratings.

Edited June 12, 2015 by djg0770
changed tired to tires

[Barms 98]

So the shirt itself is not ballistic? You have to insert plates into it? Forget the Kevlar semantics. I just wanted to know if the application here is a shirt that stops bullets.

[Barms 98]

HE I just retread your reply. So there are inserts but it's not steel. It's fabric if I understood you.

[High Exposure 5,661]

Correct.

 

There are ballistic panels made of aramid fiber. They are soft armor panels like the concealable armor worn by most uniformed Police Officers. These panels are inserted into the shirt that acts like an armor carrier.

 

There are two basic types of armor:

Soft armor - which is designed to stop most handgun threats

Hard armor - which is designed to defeat rifle and higher powered threats.

 

Level III Soft armor does not stop the same threats as Level III hard armor.

 

It gets much more complicated than that - for example hard armor that only defeats pistol threats or hard armor trauma inserts. The science and marketing behind body armor is black magic.

[mipafox 438]

 

This shirt has pockets for a proprietary cut level II soft armor inserts that can be removed so the shirt can be washed (getting aramid fibers wet ruins their ability to stop bullets).

 

Thank goodness I only wore it in the rain 182 days a year

[High Exposure 5,661]

Most armor is sealed in something like Gore-Tex as a barrier to prevent too much moisture getting to it. It can't stop all moisture, and some small amounts from rain or just the humidity generated by your body when you sweat, will get to the aramid fibers. Over time, this will degrade the ability of your armor to stop the threats it was designed to. Hybrid/laminate vests or those with less than a 100% aramid fiber composition may react differently.*

 

The Gore-Tex cover will likely not hold up to being washed or going for a swim. Then again it may - but you won't know if your armor has been damaged until it is put to the test.

 

As the person wearing the armor, that's on you to decide how to treat and care for potentially life saving equipment.

 

*I don't know if this particular armor package is pure aramid or a blend. I thought the OP stated it was Kevlar, which is an aramid fiber.