[Ranger375]

Hesco L210 Special Threat plates if you are budget minded. You can get x2 pair for (600ish) and it will stop all modern AK and AR15 ammunition. They are light and durable from a reputable brand.

 

[Ranger375]

nothing fielded as helmets since ww2 has had any type of bullet stoppage rating..

Thats utterly incorrect. All the helmets utilized in the GWOT were at least IIA ballistic helmets.

 

[Ranger375]

take a round in the helmet and answer your own statements

So everyone in SOCOM and 99% of the tactical teams in the US use ballistic helmets just because they like the extra weight? Stop putting out disinformation. You can even google a video online of a Marine taking a sniper round to the dome in Iraq and walking away from it fine, because of his helmet.

 

[Ranger375]

Just MHO. If it doesn't click for you, that's fine by me. I think that as an individual defender, not a SWAT cop or soldier, if I need body armor, it is probably only going to prolong the inevitable. I have not heard, nor can I find, an instance of a civilian being saved by body armor in a self defense situation. So I will not worry about it. Yeah, I can hear it now, "Well, what if..." You can "what if" anything.

So if you had the high probability of being in a gunfight, you wouldn't wear body armor? Your logic is so ridiculous I don't even know where to start. I have highly concealable hesco L210 plates. They are light, thin, and can be worn under a hoodie or jacket in my carrier. Do I wear it all the time or would I? Of course not. But if I had any sort of heads up that their might be trouble i.e. raiders in the area, people coming for my preps/stores, travelling in an unknown area where there are mobs/riots, going to smoke some people who killed my neighbors ETC ETC I would have vitals coverage that can sustain multi hits of any AK47 or AR15 round. Everything you do is prolonging the inevitable. You know your going to die someday right? Why prep? Body armor nowadays is easily accessible, relatively inexpensive, and significantly superior to anything in the past. Not having it, its pure laziness and short sightedness. Make up as much BS as you want its a simple fact that those that can protect themselves would logically do so. Thats just MHO.

 

[Ranger375]

I keep a plate carrier w/plates in the truck along with an older Kevlar helmet (it was free). It hangs out under the back seat as a just-in-case. I don’t see the point in bringing a full IOTV and ACH with me as a daily. It’s hard to imagine a situation where two things happen.
1-a gun battle is instantaneous and unpredicted and over quickly.
2- an extended firefight where LE isn’t on scene eventually.
I’m fairly quick at putting my gear on (decades of practice) but not every situation will allow time for getting dressed. Sometimes you are just “in it” and returning fire is the only immediate option. But having the gear available is still a good choice.

I also subscribe to this mindset. I don't run around wearing it. If I go somewhere extended my Nods/Helmet set up and armor go with me. I always have my concealed pistol on me so if the S was to go down in an area that I didn't particularly want to be in I would be getting off the X but the body armor might go on under the hoodie/jacket and my AR and helmet with nods would be on the back seat. Imagine a situation where you get trapped in a city after dark and need to get home. My armor, helmet, rifle and nods would be a WELCOME addition to my GHB. If there are thousands of people doing a thing, or buying a thing, I at least want to consider its probably viable. Then justify it for myself and my budget. What drives me crazy is there are alot of 'poors' on here that can't afford things and instead of saying "not in my budget" they make up BS reasons not to own things and bring those of us who can buy things down. I was poor once, and couldn't afford crap. That didn't mean I didn't want it or told people that had night vision and body armor that they were stupid LOL

 

[Ranger375]

Life is never simple and every battlefield is a fluid situation. Knowing the is CAS available and on station is a blessing but sometimes it isn’t. We just have to slug it out as we can.
Trying to be prepared for all situations is never going to happen and attempting to carry all the gear to reach that impossible goal would require a big convoy. But sticking to simple has worked well for me.
First defensive weapon I have is my brain. Logical thought and problem solving is my go to every time.
Shoot,move, and communicate are second.
Evade and survive are third.
All my gear on a daily is the minimum needed for those three. If I’m in my vehicle I have “extras” to bolster the three but it is my ability which keeps me from being shut down/dead, not the equipment I wish I had. Hopefully that makes sense?
If things went sideways and I’m in an urban environment, lost the vehicle and had to boogity-shoe out on foot, I’m still in the fight with the bare minimum. Anything I can salvage will add to it but at a cost of weight and speed. Knowing what’s there and having it organized allows me to make a snap selection and get moving.

Sounds like we are two peas in a pod. Even if I had to ditch my vehicle last second and was unable to grab any of the goodies in it i'd still have a pistol, spare magazine, knife, flashlight, lockpick set, basic first aid kit(on my ankle). If I can grab bail out gear from the truck I am extremely well stocked.

 

[Ranger375]

If you get shot through the face, armpit, neck, abdomen, limbs, etc., it just wasn't your day. But armor definitely works for the parts of the body & head that you can routinely protect.

Thanks for dropping some knowledge bombs on these uneducated doubters. I saw alot of guys saved in war by their body armor. In the olden days Armor and quality weapons were really all that separated knights from pheasants. That and maybe a horse and formal training. Forgo the horse, and quality weapons, body armor, and training today make you a knight. The peasants are everywhere. I like my Knight friends' and my chances.

 

[Ranger375]

Damn those unarmored pheasants. [emoji16]

They be easy to cut down with me lance

 

[Ranger375]

Aside from ballistic protection, if you're doing any mobile operations, or maneuvering around a heavily urbanized environment, I've seen where helmets prevented numerous head-injuries. Bump helmets are popular in some circles, and their purpose has nothing to do with ballistic protection. That said, my MICH is extremely light for level IIIA protection.

ROCK6

I am using a Team Wendy EXFIL LTP Right now. It is non ballistic as although I advocate for ballistic helmets, for me the juice was not worth the squeeze. I do have my Night vision mount, battery pack, IR strobe, and ear protection all mounted to my helmet. As Rock said, while not stopping boolits, it does a nice job of protecting the cranium if something like a brick or bottle was thrown my way or if I felt and my head hit the concrete. I will probably invest in a ballistic helmet at some point but it wasn't on the list of priorities since I do have my body armor protecting the vitals.

 

[Ranger375]

While not ballistic protection, bump helmets should still be a big consideration for many. I used a simple "bump style" helmet when I was riding my mountain bike and it doesn't look out of place when walking around a city or any place that vertical structures can create vertical threats of falling debris. Additionally, if doing anything off-road, it's a great safety precaution. I'm sure our EMR guys have plenty of stories about head injuries...I won't be wearing a helmet when driving in normal conditions, but if SHTF, bump or ballistic should be part of your PPE.

ROCK6

Yea as sad as it is I have literally had several kids in my career die from falling and striking the back of their skull hard on the concrete. Just not a good place to whip your head down onto a unforgiving hard surface. This just in normal everyday lives. Bump helmets also are an excellent way to mount things like comms, flashlights, and night vision regardless of level of protection.