Although the general idea is rather simple, armoured clothing is much harder to make than it seems. Simply putting ballistic panels or plates into regular clothing would make it sag and drop, losing both comfort and defensive properties in the process.
Armored Clothing
But, with a bit of clever engineering and design, there are now multiple items on the market that work as well, if not better, than a vest while retaining most of the properties of regular clothing. Generally, there are four aspects that you need to look for when trying to buy the best armour clothing:
- Ballistic coverage
- Fit and flexibility
- Level of covertness
- Prolonged comfort
Any item regardless of the ballistic level or the type of clothes should excel in all four stages. Even if something like comfort is diminished you might simply not want to wear it and put yourself at risk due to convenience.
But, if you can find something that covers all the bases, you will have a piece of armor that is better than any bulletproof vest and isn’t as flashy as a plate carrier.
Soft and Comfortable
When it comes to personal defence, comfort is not only a good thing to have but should be viewed as a resource. Increased comfort means that you are better rested, that you have more energy and that you are more alert when doing your job.
Having your armor too tight or too warm will make it impossible to rest while wearing it. And while this wouldn’t be a problem in offensive missions on the battlefield, you can’t walk around every day like this.
Some items like the AH Armored Hoodie are so comfortable that they can even be preferable to a regular sweatshirt. And that makes the personal defense even better because you won’t remember to wear your protection because of discipline or fear, but because you like how it feels.
Innerwear Armored Clothing
Generally, it is easy to conceal armor and stay inconspicuous when it is the dead of winter and everyone is wearing five layers of clothing. In those cases, most can even hide a full plate carrier under their jacket.
But this becomes more difficult in summer months and in warm temperatures when all you need to wear is a t-shirt. In those cases, even wearing concealable armor under the shirt will make it slightly visible and standing out.
But, if the shirt itself is armored you can wear it without anything else and still stay protected. For instance, wearing a white CAT Covert Armored T-Shirt from UARM means that you can combine it with other clothes or wear it on its own and still be completely covert.
Such an advantage is not only beneficial if you are an undercover or plainclothes LEO but also for shopkeepers and gas station workers that want to protect themselves without stressing their customers.
Completely Indistinguishable from Casual Wear
Unless you pick up a piece of armored clothing, there is no way to know if it was a plain casual garment or something tactical. Only with the insert inside you can figure what it is for.
The same goes for people around you. You can wear these clothes without raising suspicion or making some assailants target you specifically.
Conclusion | Armored Clothing
The armored insert is installed in the clothes and will flow and twist the same as any other fabric. But, when under ballistic stress the fibers will catch the bullet and stop it from penetrating, thus making a real difference between armored and any other clothing.
