Tell me your body armor tricks!

[Spyder]

...

[retired]

They have come out with thinner and more comfortable vests since I retired 6yrs. ago and left the field in 1997 and I don't know what the new ones are like. I cannot give you any help with your question, tho I am sure some of the active leos here will.

I will advise this tho if I may: No matter how uncomfortable or how hot they make you, please NEVER, EVER not wear it. I am not saying that is your intention; I'm just giving you my 2 cents.

I always thought of it this way; Is it better to be hot and uncomfortable wearing your vest in 100+ degree weather or cold and clammy in your coffin because you didn't.

Just something to think about.

Hope you get some suggestions from the active leos. Take care and be safe.

[CaliTheKid]

The one they issued me is much less comfortable than the one I bought for myself and ironically the one I bought has a higher NIJ rating.

Are you wearing a regular t-shirt or a spandex type 5.11 or UA shirt with it?

[Jwood562]

use under armor shrits first of all.

second, take a few mintues and fid the right adjustments for you. make sure it is not to tight or close yto your neck...

the last adjustmentshould be the waist area around your stomach.

also make sure to pull on it and blow inside as much as you can on a hot summer day

[OneNcustdy]

Easy fix. Get into investigations and then all you have to do is wear a carrier vest when your rolling to a hot call or stacking up for an arrest

[biglou]

I use the 5.11 t shirts. They are longer than normal ones so they don't ride up when you get in and out of your vehicle. UA are nice but more tight fitting. The right adjustments especially shoulders are a must. One of the single guys I work with bought a hose that attaches to the A/C and puts it down his vest. I think it's called Cool Cop. He got alotta s*** about it.

[Lancear15]

I think it is a bit over the top, but I saw a link somewhere of a vent adapter for your cars A/C with a hose to put through your collar.

[cr250chevy]

I wouldn't....

http://www.owngeek.com/wiki/images/1/1a/Cool-cop.jpg

[El Gato]

Wear under armor...that is the biggest help... it's hot in Bako and the Crown Vic works overtime to keep me cool... UA type shirts help... Botach occasionally has good deals.. bought some "blackhawk" brand cheap and they work really well... the compression shirts take some getting used to though...

I work outa my car... as in ...in/out of the car all day and the cool cop thang looks mighty tempting.. some of the chp's in the area use them in the summer... it might look stupid but stupid is as stupid does....

[sgtbuck]

They have come out with thinner and more comfortable vests since I retired 6yrs. ago and left the field in 1997 and I don't know what the new ones are like. I cannot give you any help with your question, tho I am sure some of the active leos here will.

I will advise this tho if I may: No matter how uncomfortable or how hot they make you, please NEVER, EVER not wear it. I am not saying that is your intention; I'm just giving you my 2 cents.

I always thought of it this way; Is it better to be hot and uncomfortable wearing your vest in 100+ degree weather or cold and clammy in your coffin because you didn't.

Just something to think about.

Hope you get some suggestions from the active leos. Take care and be safe.

Very true Very true.. You never know when you will need it. I never went 10-8 without it. It was mandatory to wear it in my department. It's a PITA but wear it...

[Cpl. Haas]

Forget the A/C hose... it's hard enough to remember to remove your seatbelt since you can't feel it due to the vest... imagine having to bail and getting hung-up on the hose!

I posted this option in a previous thread:

Haha, nice... my FTO taught me the ghetto-bob method: with your arm out the window like in the photo, you slouch your shoulders slightly so that your Kevlar gets pushed off your chest. Then as you drive, the breeze flows up your shirt sleeve, under your vest and across your chest, and out your other sleeve. GTG!

[J_B]

Once the vest "molds" to your body, it'll feel better but that's it. I just wear a tight fitting undershirt like fruit o looms. I don't wear the under armour or 5.11 stuff. It makes my vest slide around because of the material.

Hang in there!!!

[fullrearview]

Once the vest "molds" to your body, it'll feel better but that's it. I just wear a tight fitting undershirt like fruit o looms. I don't wear the under armour or 5.11 stuff. It makes my vest slide around because of the material.

Hang in there!!!

True that! I just wear a cotton t-shirt.(Even being an on-call I get to wear my gear on Saturdays). I love to do visit registration. 3 hours for the two visits, and the rest is all vehicle stops! At least I get/was getting some useful experience in the jail!

[J_B]

Very true Very true.. You never know when you will need it. I never went 10-8 without it. It was mandatory to wear it in my department. It's a PITA but wear it...

My old department in North Carolina didn't require us to wear body armor. We had "pool" body armor. The thought was that if you needed it or wanted to wear it, you could just grab some pool body armor.

I just found one that fit and kept it until I got in trouble for it...seriously, I got in trouble for keeping the body armor to wear everyday even though no one wore it.

I always wear mine...even when I was assigned to POP and if we weren't doing anything, always had it on, never know when it'll go down.....

[fullrearview]

My old department in North Carolina didn't require us to wear body armor. We had "pool" body armor. The thought was that if you needed it or wanted to wear it, you could just grab some pool body armor.

I just found one that fit and kept it until I got in trouble for it...seriously, I got in trouble for keeping the body armor to wear everyday even though no one wore it.

I always wear mine...even when I was assigned to POP and if we weren't doing anything, always had it on, never know when it'll go down.....

Exactly...

I am thinking of getting those new ceramic plates that can take multiple rifle rounds. I figure it gives me a reason to change my routine and burn the fat instead of building muscle and keeping that fat. I would like to get back to 200-210 pounds from 240. That would still be about 20 pound lighter with the plates.