In researching ARs and different types of ammunition--its varying purposes and intended usage contexts--I have also been learning about body armor. I am learning, for example, what types of armor will stop pistol caliber rounds, and which types are intended to stop rifle rounds. I know the good stuff is expensive, but if you feel that body armor, at least potentially, could be important for your personal safety, then it's one of those things worth spending the money on. Or at least that's how I feel. Do any of you own/wear body armor, and what sage advice would you offer? I am but a humble acolyte, in search of gear what will stop bullets.
I went down this rabbit hole earlier this year... I wound up putting together a lo-viz setup for when I have to travel to idiot infested cities... key premise here is that the plate carrier and plates are lo-viz vs a fighting rig. I would suggest going to youtube and searching "types of body armor".... this is a good watch... just remember he makes and sells it so use as info. Honestly, its best you get familiar with it since you are gonna wear it... watch a lot of vids and take notes...
If you can afford ceramic over steel plates, ceramic weighs much less than steel. Steel plates are thinner, which makes for better maneuvering if you need to go to ground. For general protection against what you will mostly encounter on any American street, what you will mostly face is going to be handguns. Threat level 3 plates are great protection against all modern handgun rounds save for a few exotic chambering like the FN 5.7. What is going to be encountered is mostly 9mm. Glock’s have become the defacto street gun due to the easily acquired Glock switch.
Depends on the threat. If concealment and mobility are priority and aren't likely to encounter rifle threats then soft is fine. Such as in da hood. If fragmentation from bombs, indirect fire or bullet fragmentation, pops shots taken from way beyond effective range is the main threat probably better off with maximum coverage soft armor like a 90s flackvest. Then if its rifles, some kind of hard armor.
