In most cases the criteria for choosing a vest include wear ability and price, as well as the all-important protective capability. Although technological advances mean that the level of protection afforded by such protective clothing is fast progressing beyond belief, there is no perfect system. No one can offer you a bullet proof vest or any other piece of equipment that is absolutely guaranteed to keep you alive.

Particularly where some kind of partial protective clothing, such as bulletproof vests, is concerned, there is a danger that a round of ammunitionor an implement may be deflected off the armor and enter the body in another place. This means that injuries could be sustained somewhere else such as the leg or arm or even the neck. Although wearing body armor will preserve life in most cases, serious injury could still result and it's important to realize this.

Figure: concealable body armor

It is important to buy a vest with the right level of protection for the activities you are planning. If you are in a situation where, for example, someone fires an automatic rifle at you, you're going to need the best military body armor available. This means a grade III or IV protection, and not I or II as is common. Again, if you are exposed to attackers using other weapons such as knives or picks, you need a garment that is specifically intended for this purpose. Make sure that whatever you buy, it has been tested for all these scenarios.

It doesn't make sense to sacrifice safety in favor of dollars. If bullet proof vests are not going to be enough to cover you or your employees, then make sure full body armor gear is used. At the very least, make an effort to conceal your vest. Remember that if an assailant notices you're wearing a bulletproof vest, he could aim somewhere else, and that is most likely to be your head. Safety should come first in all instances.