Purchasing used Level 2 vests >>>

[VBVAGUY]

I was at a local show yesterday and saw a dealer selling some used Level 2 vests for $75. He says that these are turn-ins and that some of them actually look unused. Of course he does not guarantee anything. Would these be worth it to get for $75 ?? Thanks for you opinions. God Bless

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[buckeye .45]

Kevlar and other ballistic materials are pretty susceptible to a number of factors that degrade them over time. UV light, dirt, improper storage can all damage the fibers and degrade the performance.

If it actually looks unused, it might be ok, depending on how it was stored.

But of course, the only way to really test is by trying it.

I'd reccomend level III or IIIA as a minimum, but that is just me.

[mcp1810]

If they are properly cared for they should be fine.
In 2006 I gave a friend an old vest of mine. It was a Level II manufactured back in the late 1980's. It still stopped 230grain ball .45 ACP and 124grain 9mm ball just fine.
The down side is the only way to be absolutely sure you are getting the protection you believe you are paying for without shooting it up is to buy new.

[QKShooter]

Add a Kevlar soft trauma insert over the heart area.
Shop around & thhat will bring yours up to a III or IIIA over your pumper.

There are a glut of them on Ebay right now.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-PACA-5x8-SOF...item2560bccb2b

[OPFOR]

Just a note: Level III is rated to stop (a good amount of) rifle fire - it is not typically found in "soft" armors. The highest rating for standard "soft" armor is IIIA.

[Bob The Great]

Personally, I would only buy a used turn-in vest for use as a range day target or an airsoft training aid. As buckeye pointed out, you don't know the history of the armor panels or what kind of "oops" moments they may have endured. Any given vest may be fine or it may give you a false sense of security until you need it to perform. Worse, having an old turn-in vest kicking around your closet may delay/prevent a future purchase of new and dependable armor. After all, you already have this "perfectly good" used one.

Being level II vests is another negative mark in my opinion, even though when new they should be able to stop most handgun rounds you might encounter from a bad guy. IIIA vests are readily available, and can be very light and thin. Unless I had no other options, I would go for the highest level of soft armor I could get, just on the off chance that a home invader happens to be carrying a dirty harry .44.

So, all that being said, $75 is a pretty good price for a lightly used vest, and I'd probably go ahead and buy one or two for targets and training aids. But only if you treat them as such, and purchase new armor as well. Galls has clearance vests pop up now and then that are very good deals. I've picked up two IIIA vests from them over the last couple of years, both for well under half of what they would normally go for, and both were brand new.

As far as adding trauma pads, they're a good idea to have, but I'm pretty sure the trauma pad inserts don't improve the ballistic performance of the vest at all. They are there to "soften the punch" of a bullet being stopped, but I haven't seen any that will actually stop a projectile that makes it through the main armor panel. Certainly, no soft trauma pad is going to offer level III protection against rifle threats. Now, there are soft armor backing panels that are designed to be used in conjunction with level III or IV hard plates, and some plates require backing panels to meet their advertised ratings, but that's very different than a trauma pad.

[QKShooter]

Actually adding a soft trauma insert will increase the effectiveness of the vest immediately over the vital area since a soft trauma plate is in actuality another layered vest but, just packaged in a smaller housing.
Since each additional layer that a bullet impacts takes away a portion of its impact energy (which is absorbed and dispersed to successive layers of the vest) until the bullet mushrooms & is actually stopped.
It is the energy required to effect the deformation of the fibers that prevents the bullet from penetrating the vest so logically doubling the number of layers of Level II would be more effective than not having the insert at all.

Naturally...we are not talking "ideal" here but only better and more effective than a $75.00 Level II vest of questionable provenance having its effectiveness increased by adding a new trauma insert of known provenance.

It should be noted here that we are beginning this situation with something that is less than ideal & that there is always some very real & inherent risk in purchasing any used BPV.
I CAN understand how somebody that just wants some possible protection over "no protection at all" would shop around for a used vest over spending many hundreds of dollars for a new vest of known provenance.
There are some decent deals to be had out there if you know what to look for and what to watch out for.

Absolutely every LEO should have new and currant issue body armor.

[jwhite75]

I would much rather check out ome place like www.bulletproofme.com and watch for a deal and possibly spend a little money if I were using it for personal use.

[VBVAGUY]

Everyone thanks for the very useful information. I did not purchase the vest, but in the next show if they are offered again I may pick 1 or 2 up *just* to have. I mean for $75..... yeah I can spend a few hundred more and get a new or used Level 3 vest, but right now I just do not have that money and for $75 it would be good for some range fun and maybe as a backup one for *just in case* like in the trunk of a car, etc. God Bless

[OPFOR]

and get a new or used Level 3 vest

Level IIIA.

[Bob The Great]

Actually adding a soft trauma insert will increase the effectiveness of the vest immediately over the vital area since a soft trauma plate is in actuality another layered vest but, just packaged in a smaller housing.
Since each additional layer that a bullet impacts takes away a portion of its impact energy (which is absorbed and dispersed to successive layers of the vest) until the bullet mushrooms & is actually stopped.
It is the energy required to effect the deformation of the fibers that prevents the bullet from penetrating the vest so logically doubling the number of layers of Level II would be more effective than not having the insert at all.

Hm, interesting line of thought. I guess it would depend on what the pad is made out of. I can see how another layer of aramid could strengthen the vest, but I wouldn't expect the same from a plain dense foam pad. Looks to me like both are available. I learn something new every day.

http://www.bulletproofme.com/Body_Ar...#Trauma_Plates

[Bob The Great]

...maybe as a backup one for *just in case* like in the trunk of a car, etc. God Bless

Just be aware that leaving a vest in the trunk of your car can give it heat damage on hot summer days, especially if you live in the south. Maybe not a big deal for a range target, but something to think about.