Best Body Armor for 2024 – The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

We must not forget, we live in a capitalist society where entrepreneurs are sometimes driven mostly by greed and profit incentives, albeit ready, willing, and able to seduce unsuspecting buyers into buying products which are not really what they were supposed to be to begin with – never so true as when dealing with body armor – only caveat to this misconception is that purchasing body armor that is not US NIJ Certified could mean the difference between life and death.

Beware of body armor companies that do not state clearly if their products are Certified by the NIJ, while many online retailers will use a “compliant” verbiage specifically meant to imply an NIJ certification which is non-existing. 

In the most simplistic way I can think of, there are five key steps or basic protocols which must be followed by all seeking NIJ certification as follows:

• All testing must be performed by NIJ certified laboratories.
• Technicians photograph and weigh armor samples inspecting them for workmanship.
• Ballistic armor inserts are then subjected to thermal conditioning with a range of extreme temperatures and humidity.
• Armor plates are dropped on concrete and submerged in water.
• Ballistic plates are then mounted on clay for two diverse types of shot testing: backface deformation and ballistic limit.

Backface deformation refers to the dent caused by a bullet on the inside of the armor against the wearer’s body.

Ballistic limit or the V50 test refers to the velocity at which a bullet will fully penetrate the armor.

The NIJ prescribes the precise angle, distance, and velocity the plates must be shot using Mann barrels – a heavy-walled test barrel using concentric rings for added strength and accuracy of testing.

In the most simplistic way I can think of, there are five key steps or basic protocols which must be followed by all seeking NIJ certification as follows:

• All testing must be performed by NIJ certified laboratories.
• Technicians photograph and weigh armor samples inspecting them for workmanship.
• Ballistic armor inserts are then subjected to thermal conditioning with a range of extreme temperatures and humidity.
• Armor plates are dropped on concrete and submerged in water.
• Ballistic plates are then mounted on clay for two diverse types of shot testing: backface deformation and ballistic limit.

Backface deformation refers to the dent caused by a bullet on the inside of the armor against the wearer’s body.

Ballistic limit or the V50 test refers to the velocity at which a bullet will fully penetrate the armor.

The NIJ prescribes the precise angle, distance, and velocity the plates must be shot using Mann barrels – a heavy-walled test barrel using concentric rings for added strength and accuracy of testing.

As noted earlier, one of the most critical if not [the] most critical role played by the National Institute of Justice [NIJ] is that of setting industry standards for body armor products.

Such standards are presented to the world by NIJ in terms of “threat or protection” Levels, defined as the degree to which a firearm poses a threat to the user of a body armor.

In a large measure, the threat level depends mostly on the nature of the ammunition it fires.

The performance of a given round depends on the velocity of the bullet and on the bullet’s design and characteristics.

These include the size and weight of the bullet typically measured in millimeters (mm) or caliber (cal).

The weight of a bullet is usually measured in grains (gr) or grams (g).

For the sake of brevity, I will not get into details as to the multiple bullet variations there are in the marketplace nowadays.

Suffice it to say, bullets come in all types of material construction from lead, copper, brass, steel, tungsten to other alloys, same for calibers and weights, all of which may vary in how they penetrate a given body armor.

Bullets jacketing refers to wrapping a harder metal shell around a softer metal core allowing for bullets to be launched at faster velocity.

Bullets may be unjacketed, have a full metal jacket (FMJ) or be semi-jacketed (SMJ).

So, as promised earlier, let me try and present this extremely critical topic in the body armor universe in the most simple-minded way I possibly can.

As defined by the NIJ Standard-0101.06 there are five basic levels of ballistic performance for body armor.

The first three levels, namely IIA, II, and IIIA are typically soft armors designed to protect against handgun calibers.

The two remaining levels, III and IV are typically hard armors designed to protect against rifle threats.

Based on these parameters, I have come up with the chart below under Exhibit No. 1, which I labeled “Basic Threat Level Chart” as follows:

Next, again, following the parameters set by the NIJ Standard-0101.06, I upgraded the threat levels as related to bullet calibers as follows:

Handgun Calibers

• Level IIA: 9mm FMJ 124-grain bullets at 1,225 fps and .40 S&W FMJ 180-grain bullets at 1,155 fps (six shots)
• Level II: 9mm FMJ 124-grain bullets at 1,305 fps and .357 Magnum JSP 158-grain bullets at 1,430 fps (six shots)
• Level IIIA: .357 Sig FMJ 125-grain bullets at 1,470 fps and .44 Magnum SJHP 240-grain bullets at 1,430 fps (six shots)

Rifle Calibers

• Level III: 7.62x51mm FMJ steel-jacketed 147-grain bullets (M80) at 2,780 fps (minimum of six hits)
• Level IV: .30 caliber armor piercing bullets (.30-06 M2 AP) at 2,880 fps (single hit).

In my next Exhibit No. 2, Basic Bullet Caliber Threat Level – as implied by the name, I present the same threat levels correlated to bullet calibers.

Exhibit No. 2 – Basic Bullet Caliber Threat Level

Acronyms / Abbreviations

There are, if you will, basic differences between soft and hard body armor and, while we shall be discussing critical material constructions further along in this article, suffice it to say for now, the most critical difference separating hard and soft body armor lies in their material composition.

Soft armor is typically made of nylon, aromatic polyamide synthetic fibers and ultra-high molecular polyethylene, which are all high-performance fibers with low density, high strength, great toughness, and excellent molding properties [more on this later].

What these materials will do for you is provide for a much lighter, softer, and easier to wear armor.

Like everything in life, however, it is all about tradeoffs.

What we are looking for when buying body armor should always be focused on protection, more so than comfort and/or looks, and we should never lose track of this perspective.

Ballistic panels in soft body armor are made, as I mentioned before, of strong woven, non-woven fibers and/or combination of both fibers sufficiently strong to stop certain bullets, much the same way that a net stops a tennis ball.

The “strike-face” in a ballistic panel, plate or insert is the face where bullets make their impact in the armor at which point, the impact of the projectile will be dissipated to the periphery of the impact point, this followed by the consumption of most of the kinetic energy.

This is how soft armor works in resisting bullet threats.

Needless to say, soft body armor is not as strong as its hard counterpart, while there are only three NIJ levels of threats related to soft body armor in the market: Level IIA, II, and IIIA, limited to stopping handgun rounds reliably.

For the record, most reputable body armor manufacturers do clearly identify the “strike-face” side of their plates and inserts.

Hard armor refers to a combination of soft armor and hard plates. 

These plates are made of metals, ceramics, high-performance composite plates, and other hard materials.

The heavier, harder plates make hard armor more heavy and more inflexible than soft armor, and, by default, more uncomfortable - again a protection vs. comfort trade off issue.

In a shooting incident, the bullet first hits and cracks the hard plate, at which time most of the energy is dispersed as the high-performance fibers do their thing by consuming the rest of the kinetic energy.

Again, needless to say, hard body armor is far stronger than soft body armor thanks to the impenetrability of its internal plates.

Hard body armor can stop powerful rifle bullets under NIJ certified threat levels III and IV.

So, it is fair to say that we should look at materials in body armor, much in the same way as we look at the heart in the human body – one that plays a vital, essential, and crucial role as far as what it represents in the bigger scope of things.

Matter of fact, we may even say that body armor protection is all about the various materials compositions used in the manufacturing of all ballistic plates inserts.

As such, this is a fascinating topic which deserves our undeserved attention.

It is a topic which combines a little of everything, chemistry, physics, quantum mechanics, physical science, etc.

And while I am certainly not a qualified expert in any of these disciplines, there is, nevertheless, an impending need to talk about a subject which may very well mean the difference in a life-or-death situation.

All ballistic panels used in manufacturing bullet resistant vests are made-up of varied materials depending on the manufacturer.

As I explained earlier, body armor must pass specific standard tests before it can be sold, so the varied materials should all provide the same minimum levels of protection as set forth by the National Institute of Justice [NIJ].

At the outset of this analysis, it is imperative we understand the overall purpose or objective of all materials and material compositions used in body armor constructions is that of stopping bullets and/or projectile threats – all things considered, not as easy a task as it may at first appear.

Stopping anything that is traveling at speeds as high as thousands of feet per second [ft/s], is not an easy task.

Vis-à-vis, it takes some very ingenious and creative solutions to identify materials capable of stopping objects traveling at such high speeds.

We should all be thankful for mankind’s ingenuity in the development of materials which have, in fact, been capable of succeeding in this highly challenging objective, while saving many lives along the way.

Para-Aramid Fibers

Whenever we talk about materials relative to soft body armor, the term “aramid fibers” and “para-aramid fibers” are terms we should all be familiar with given the critical role they play in the bigger picture.

Aramid fibers, short for aromatic polyamide, are a man-made class of heat-resistant synthetic fibers used for ballistic-rated body armor fabric and ballistic composites.

Para-aramids were pioneered and first developed by DuPont™ who developed a meta-aramid called Nomax®.

Then again, whenever we talk about aramid fibers, as related to body armor, the name “Kevlar” ™ has a special place in history.

Discovered by DuPont’s chemist Stephanie Kwolek, Kevlar™ was first created for use in tires, while later giving rise to the so-called bullet resistant vest commonly seen today.

Matter of fact, the development of para-aramid materials revolutionized the bullet resistant vest industry as it allowed for body armor manufacturers to develop vests that were lightweight and flexible while still offering a prominent level of protection to wearers.

Some of the most popular and commonly used materials used for bullet resistant vests include Dupont’s™ Kevlar® and Teijin’s Twaron, ® both para-aramids that have been used in body armor manufacturing now for decades.

I must say, Kevlar® has gone through several transition stages, all for the ultimate benefit of the body armor wearers.

Since first introduced to the world in the 1970’s, its first version Kelvar®29 was revolutionary for the body armor industry as it allowed for the production of protective panels that were both flexible as well as concealable, which meant that DuPont™ could now produce a body armor which was lightweight and yet could be worn comfortably by people on a day-to-day basis for prolonged periods of time.

DuPont continued to develop Kevlar® and in 1988 they released their second version known as Kevlar®129.

This new and improved version was even lighter than its predecessor while offering yet increased ballistic protection for wearers, including protection against high-energy rounds from weapons like a Full Metal Jacket [FMJ] 9mm.

The most recent version of Kevlar® was released in 1995, named Kevlar® Correctional.

This revolutionary updated version can stop attacks from knives and similar weapons and led to the production of lightweight, multi-threat forms of body armor capable of stopping both ballistic and stab threats.

Ultra-high-molecular-weight Polyethylene

Our next stop in soft armor materials is the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene or UHMWPE for short, another popular choice for ballistic panel construction, used today in many modern types of body armor.

While retaining many similar characteristics as those found in the para-aramid fibers, this is a type of polyolefin made up of extremely long chains of polyethylene.

No need to feel bad about your lack of chemistry background in knowing or understanding more about “long-chain” molecular composition – that makes two of us. Good enough to know this is a resilient material and/or one which has a stronger build than do para-aramids.

Research has shown that the strength-to-weight ratio for UHMWPE can be up to 40% higher than that of traditional para-aramid fibers.

The added-value features offered by UHMWPE in the body armor market paved the way for an increased interest by some major plastic resin manufacturers in developing new proprietary products using ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, such as Dyneema’s® DSM fiber and Honeywells’ Spectra®.

Hard Armor - Overview

So, for obvious reasons, as we begin to discuss hard armor materials, the threat levels rise to the highest expectations in terms of ability of body armor stopping rounds of larger caliber, higher bullet weights and higher velocities as well – all told, a core need for stronger materials capable of resisting such enhanced threats.

As such, the body armor industry had to identify and/or develop materials in a manner consistent with an ever-expanding ballistics industry which focused on the very opposite goal, namely the production of ammunition with potentially more lethal results – an ongoing challenge which still, to this day, serves as the basis for measuring-up to the expectations of all concerned.

Hard armor is typically made of metal, usually steel but sometimes other alloys as well.

Hard armor is also made of polyethylene and ceramics such as aluminum oxide, silicon carbide or boron carbide and/or combinations of them.

While hard armor may come in many sizes, shapes, and weight variants, regardless, they are typically heavier than their soft armor counterparts, if yet offering greater protection from higher caliber rounds.

In the end, again, all about a trade-off between safety and comfort – a decision which shall be ultimately made by the user relative to the pretended mission objective.

One of the most common and cheapest materials used in hard armor construction is steel.

While steel plates can provide the wearer with a good deal of protection, the downside is that they are relatively heavy.

Steel armor plates also tend to cause excessive spalling which can sometimes lead to collateral fragmentation injuries from the ensuing shrapnel.

Lots of folks ask what AR500 steel is?

The short answer is AR500 steel is hardened steel specifically designed to be abrasion resistant.

Might as well point out that AR500 steel is not certified through the National Institute of Justice [NIJ].

AR500 will, more likely than not, stop all handgun bullets but it is not guaranteed to stop rifle caliber bullets as well as they are not effective against smaller pieces of shrapnel and higher velocity rounds – a common misconception which may lead many newcomers into making the wrong decision when purchasing an AR500 steel plate insert.

The AR500 armor is a plate not a vest.

Weighing at 8+ pounds, they are reasonably inexpensive while capable of lasting for years.

AR500 armor comes in varied sizes, shapes including side plates, rectangular back plates, and backpack plates.

Cannot depart this materials section without forewarning all readers to avoid vests made of Zylon – a wonder fiber that was used in high-end lightweight vests starting in the late ‘nineties later found to deteriorate when exposed to light, heat and moisture.

While no longer made, be wary as there are, still, some second-hand market Zylon vests out in the marketplace and, to be sure, they are not safe to use.

I dare say, [the] most crucial decision you need to determine when considering which body armor to buy is to define what you really need it for.

Your ultimate mission objective will be the foremost consideration to guide your purchase.

For example, the requisites of body armor to be used in a military or law-enforcement environment are, as you may expect, quite different from those for civilian use.

Once you have satisfied your mission objective, next you want to define the likely level of threat which you anticipate while using your armor.

I take for granted the fact that, whichever armor you chose, you will always purchase an NIJ Certified product and not just a “compliant” version.

Your anticipated level of protection is always relative to your mission objective.

Whether you expect to be in a conflict zone exposed to small-arms fire and A.P. rounds, or whether you are in law-enforcement, whichever the case, you should always abide by the threat level standards provided in the NIJ Guide-0101.06.

Generally speaking, more protection equals more weight.

And more weight equals less mobility and comfort.

Matter of fact, the more uncomfortable the armor the less likely you will want to wear it at a time when you may need it.

As a matter of record only, body armor is not meant to be worn loosely to make it more comfortable; armor is tested and certified while snuggly fitted against backing material and may not perform according to specs otherwise.

The level of concealability and/or need to conceal your armor will be a key determining factor on which armor best suits your needs.

It will further narrow your choices relative to the thickness and bulkiness of your armor.

Ironically, with hard plates, thinner usually equals heavier since the lighter polyethylene options are also the thickest.

One important criterion that we must all consider when purchasing an armor has to do with weather and wearing conditions.

Colder environments will allow wearers to consider armor that can be worn for prolonged, lengthier periods of time.

Warmer or hot weather, on the other hand, very much limits the types of armor available to you.

Some armors are better suited than others for certain weather conditions.

Bear in mind that all body armor, regardless, should be treated with care.

That said, however, remember some materials require more care and maintenance than others – in particular, ceramic materials used in hard armor require more care than do some of its counterparts.

I should also point out the fact that some soft armor materials require extra care as moisture may offset their expected protection capability.

Exposure of body armor materials to extreme heat can also affect its performance levels, which should be of great concern to anyone.

While I am very much aware that we all have limits and limitations as to how little or how much money we spend on buying anything in life, body armor is the one item where I would not advise anyone to be too stingy.

Think about it this way, your life has no price.

When it comes to saving your life, there is not any such thing as “too expensive.”

Body armor is the one item where penny-pinching may very well cost you your life.

That said, however, I am happy to report, there are all kinds of body armor price-point levels available in the marketplace today.

Body armor variations are such to where you can still buy reasonably good armor at a rather competitive price without sacrificing protection at all.

Similarly, if money is not an object, you are also likely to find an armor that equals the best that money can buy.

Either way, in the section below, I will be providing you with some of the options which I feel have the best to offer in the various categories of armor I have covered thus far in this article.