Expired vs. Low Level Ballistics Vest?

[irish21]

Which would you feel safer in?
These are my choices until my department starts getting new vests in late June.

a Safariland Level 2 Vest

or a Protective Products Level 3 Vest; which was made in 2005.

Comfort level is the same, both offer side protection.

[Riderboxer]

Id take the new stuff. They come up with better technology. Also some of those old vest
are now resurfacing as recalls. Such as second-chance when it would get wet,became weak.

[deputy x 2]

Go with the new. Vests breakdown due to sweat and stuff after five years.

[Riderboxer]

I just found out that the current department im workin on getting on with wont let you have a vest over 4 yrs old. And that may be the reason "deputy",I didnt think about that. Btw,any advice on how to get the vest to not ride up? It wasent fitted for me,and I wear a t-shirt underneath.

[Resq14]

Actually, testing has found that quality Kevlar vests do not break down... vests 20 years old have been found to protect against rated threats. Also, vests don't "expire"... they simply are out of warranty. Many agencies, out of liability, will replace them when the warranty expires. Longevity depends on vest construction and how it was treated.

If I were King, I would not buy anything from the manufacturers that gambled with officers' lives back in the Zylon days... this includes Safariland.

[deputy x 2]

I just found out that the current department im workin on getting on with wont let you have a vest over 4 yrs old. And that may be the reason "deputy",I didnt think about that. Btw,any advice on how to get the vest to not ride up? It wasent fitted for me,and I wear a t-shirt underneath.

Does it ride up on the front or back? The front may be too long. Sit down and measure from your throat to the top of your gunbelt. Then measure your vest. You can get the inside panels altered/ shortened. If the back is too long....it creates a turtle shell type of look.

[Riderboxer]

It rides up for both front and back. It fits good for about first two hours then once shirt gets wet,it starts sliding up under my arms and staying,its a constant thing having to pull it back down from that point on. It does look like turtle when on,im just more concerned with comfort though.

[saultsaultsudio]

I wore one that had its warranty expire in 1992 for about 5 months until I got a new one. About 6 months later we took it out to the range. Stopped 8 rounds of 9mm and a 12 gauge buckshot at 10-15 feet or so. After the 12 gauge, it didn't hold up so well. And only stopped 2 of another 8. Still pretty impressive for an old vest that I found in the basement supply room.

[gwashburn355]

If the vest is in good physical shape it will work fine. No Zylon vests have been produced since 2003. Pick the one that fits the best and don't worry too much about it. I have a level II Point Blank that I've been wearing for seven years. As long as its still in good shape I'm going to stick with it. FWIW LASD no longer replaces vests at five years. They go by the condition of the vest.

[dontknowwhy]

It rides up for both front and back. It fits good for about first two hours then once shirt gets wet,it starts sliding up under my arms and staying,its a constant thing having to pull it back down from that point on. It does look like turtle when on,im just more concerned with comfort though.

Get the panels where you want them, one at a time, and have someone else place your straps for you. I found that even a vest that's too big can be fairly comfortable if positioned right.

[HEDP]

Actually, testing has found that quality Kevlar vests do not break down... vests 20 years old have been found to protect against rated threats. Also, vests don't "expire"... they simply are out of warranty. Many agencies, out of liability, will replace them when the warranty expires. Longevity depends on vest construction and how it was treated.

If I were King, I would not buy anything from the manufacturers that gambled with officers' lives back in the Zylon days... this includes Safariland.

I agree with this.




They put "expiration dates" on them so they can sell more. Just like you need you change your car's oil at 3,000 miles, not 5,000.

.

[MCSD]

Expired... I purchased a Level 2 vest when I worked for a security company. It was made by ABA and I trusted it. Once I was issued a Level IIIA, I never looked back. Now I have 2 Level IIIA vest, one is small which I wear daily, while my newer issued vest is heavy and bulky. I've worn it once, for a photo shoot It made my uniform shirt look perfect

[UnivPD]

I wore one that had its warranty expire in 1992 for about 5 months until I got a new one. About 6 months later we took it out to the range. Stopped 8 rounds of 9mm and a 12 gauge buckshot at 10-15 feet or so. After the 12 gauge, it didn't hold up so well. And only stopped 2 of another 8. Still pretty impressive for an old vest that I found in the basement supply room.

Did the same thing with roommate's vest. We were issued vests that were expired in '96 i believe until they could order us new ones. When the new ones came in the expired ones went in the back yard and stopped a 380, .38, .40 and even a .45 It took a .223 from roomie's AR-15 to put a hole thru the vest. It was a level 2, Paca.