There are two main types of body armor and they are broken down by Level. The two types are Pistol Rated known as soft armor and Rifle Rated known as hard armor. Soft armor is available as Level II and Level IIIA. Level II stops small handgun rounds such as a .38. Level IIIA stops all handgun rounds including the beloved .44 Magnum.
Hard armor or Level III and Level IV. Both levels stop all pistol rounds. Level IV is designed to stop AP, Armor Piercing rounds. Level IV has a drawback in that it is a lot more heavy and can be more expensive. Most civilians do not need a Level IV plate as you probably would not be in that kind of a gun fight. Level III armor is not rated to stop Armor Piercing rounds but some do well stopping an AP round. Level III will stop rounds from the most popular rifle in the US, the AR15 as well as stopping rounds from AK's.
Factors in deciding which is best for you is your threat, how much weight you can wear over extended periods of time and your budget.
EOD Gear has been supplying lightweight Level III and Level IV armor for years to agencies, commands and civilians. Stop in for a custom fit or contact us at 877-363-2626 to schedule a consultation.
