View Full Version : FibreGlass Ballistic Vest
Ballistech
Good day Gents/Ladies
A new "revolutionary" fiberglass vest is hitting the market, so i hear.
Anyone heard of it here?
It's fibreglass as opposed to kevlar, way more expensive...
Apparently approved by US Justice dept.
Any info on this an be pm'ed to me if you feel it's sensitive. All input will be appreciated.
Hoepoe
Note: i am not seelling these or in any way involved with the company, doing research on this for a 3rd party for useage
http://www.ballistech.org/
Hi Razor
Please could you, or any one of the admins, move this to the genral area. It's not neccessarily SF related.
Thank you
Hoepoe
brownapple
04-29-2004, 11:09
Looks to me to be roughly the same bulk as a Level IV protection Kevlar vest for significantly less protection.
Hoepoe, its gear related, so I don't see a problem thus far.
Ambush Master
04-29-2004, 11:23
What got an earlier thread on Body Armor in trouble was asking whether or not/when do you or don't you use it, types of questions that will lead to Opsec Problems. The discussion as to the merits or disadvantages of an item are good to go.
Take care.
Martin
If I were in the market for such things, I would probably go with something that has proven itself where the rubber meets the road. Inovation is great, but I will not be signing up to test any new body armor or any new parachutes. To me they are in the same category: Things that could either save my ass, or Things that give me enough confidence to do something i shouldn't and then fail when I need them most.
Kevlar for me thanks
Oh, and I really like this line from their website:
"When a gun is pointed at your body at point blank range, don’t panic!"
(Dr. Evil voice) Righht!
Originally posted by Razor
Hoepoe, its gear related, so I don't see a problem thus far.
Ok, thanks, just being cautious in your house.
Hoepoe
Smokin Joe
05-02-2004, 22:45
Um ya NO F-ING WAY.
I call BULLSH!T.
Not on you Hoepoe, but this looks like another Zylon fiasco. They are claming that it will absorb all of the velocity.
I will be extremely intersted to see how this products stands up over time...it may be the new (P)Aramid then again it maybe the next Zylon. :munchin
Originally posted by Smokin Joe
Um ya NO F-ING WAY.
I call BULLSH!T.
Not on you Hoepoe, but this looks like another Zylon fiasco. They are claming that it will absorb all of the velocity.
I will be extremely intersted to see how this products stands up over time...it may be the new (P)Aramid then again it maybe the next Zylon. :munchin
Good morning
It smells that way to me too, please elaborate on the "Zylon fiasco".
Thanks!]
Hoepoe
Smokin Joe
05-02-2004, 23:13
I will try and not get on my soap box about this and keep in clear and concise (forgive me in advance if I rant I'm pretty bitter about zylon)
Okay,
Zylon was marketed as the new whizz bang cool guy super duper body armor it was a hell of alot lighter and more flexible than any kevlar or like product. It also cost alot more (imagine that).
Second Chance came out with a line of vest the Ulitma something like that. A level 2 vest cost me 1100 bucks, come to find out that if your vest was every exposed to 120 + degrees with like 60 or 70% humidity your vest would permenatly degrade (read NO longer stop rated rounds) :eek:. An Oceanside, California Police Officer by the name of Tony Zappatolle (sp) was wearing this vest last June when he was shot and killed when his vest FAILED to stop rated rounds. Another officer in PA had a vest failure he now has a bullet in his stomach, but he is still alive.
Second Chance pulled alot of bullshit trying to skirt and avoid any responsibility (Read DON'T BUY SECOND CHANCE BODY ARMOR). It took me almost 6 months to get a replacement vest from Second Chance one they finally admitted there was a problem. You can read alot more about it at www.tacticalforums.com check out there Mad Dog Labs for all the technical stuff.
Bottom line it was markted as the "new" kevlar meant to revolutionize concealable body armor. All it did was cause 1 fatality and atleast one other documented failure in the line of duty.
If you need me to go into more detail I will.
Smokin Joe
Rant you did ;-) but an informative rant!
Thank you, being the conservative person i am, i tend to stick with what's proven and works.
I am forming the opinion whereby i will tell the 3rd party to stick with the known, proven formula and if they still want to try the "wonder vest " to at least wait a year or two to see how it performs and if it perferates the market.
One interesting spec i found was that it can be submerged for upto 24hrs and still remain intact and in working order. My point is, hell, if i'm submerged for 24 with a vest, it ain't the bullets i'll be worried about!!
Thanks again for your input
My mind is made up for now.
Hoepoe
I would imagine that "submerged" would be like being in your vest on duty when it is bucketing down. Gravity or weight ;-) does it's job on you anyway, it would be good to know that your vest was going to be ok when wet for long periods of time.
Team Sergeant
05-04-2004, 08:51
Originally posted by hoepoe
Ballistech
Good day Gents/Ladies
A new "revolutionary" fiberglass vest is hitting the market, so i hear.
Anyone heard of it here?
It's fibreglass as opposed to kevlar, way more expensive...
Apparently approved by US Justice dept.
Any info on this an be pm'ed to me if you feel it's sensitive. All input will be appreciated.
Hoepoe
Note: i am not seelling these or in any way involved with the company, doing research on this for a 3rd party for useage
http://www.ballistech.org/
Two things;
US DOJ is a “civilian” law enforcement agency, if they approve some body armor it by no means has the seal of approval from the US DOD. If DOJ approved the armor I’d venture to say the armor is “contractor grade” which in the US means it meets the “bare minimum.”
2nd, While fiberglass may be new to you, type “liquid Armor” into a Google search… Now that’s new…
TS
shadowflyer
05-04-2004, 09:25
Liquid Armor ...all I have to say is WOW. It could be used in ALOT of places with great success. Will be interesting to see how this pans out.
Surgicalcric
05-04-2004, 09:58
Originally posted by Team Sergeant
... If DOJ approved the armor I’d venture to say the armor is “contractor grade” which in the US means it meets the “bare minimum.”
TS
The above reason is why I dont wear IIA. Most of the medics here do though. The reasoning seems to be some protection is better than none. I dont trust minimums when it comes to protective gear whether it be bunker gear, HEPA masks, ballistic armor, etc.
I will just stick with my PACA Powerflex IIIA for the time being thank you. It hasn't let me down yet.