Stab Vests

Stab vests (also referred to as "stab proof vests", stab resistant vests or anti stab vests) protect the vital inner body parts from stabs, cuts, slashes and blows from sharp, edged or spiked weapons. We have 4 lightweight stab vest designs in stock, available for 24 hour delivery. We can also supply stab vests made in your choice of colours, styles and fabrics - some examples are shown on this page. We offer free badging or logos on orders of 5 or more stab vests.

In addition to stab vest protection, all the vests we supply have in-built syringe protection - this is not the case with many stab vests on the market. They also provide protection from blunt trauma - for many wearers the risk from kicks, punches, being hit with wood or bricks is even higher than the risk of being stabbed. The UK Home Office has made it easier to select the appropriate stab vests for your staff by setting standards for the various duties that may be performed, and these are shown at the bottom of the page. If you prefer to discuss these standards with one of our staff, please get in touch.

We supply lightweight anti stab vests in a wide range of designs, including Security Stab Vests, EMT Stab Vests, Fire Service Stab Vests , and Police Stab Vests - please click on a photo for further details. Some of our customers (Councils, Government Departments, the NHS and Blue Chip Companies) tell us that they find the stab vest market confusing. The market is essentially unregulated, and some suppliers are trading on fear and providing misleading information about their "stab proof vests". Below we list some of the most important facts about stab vests, and in doing so we hope to dispel some of these myths. For further information please request our brochure. We also offer a free consultation with one of our stab vest experts - just call our Body Armour Department to arrange this.

"Stab Proof Vests" - Duty of Care

Some websites use the term "stab proof vests", but this is misleading. No vest is stab proof, it is only stab resistant to the stated level. The Home Office have stipulated levels of stab resistance which relate to the amount of force from a blade which a stab vest can withstand. A small number of manufacturers have submitted their stab vests to the Home Office for testing, and a smaller number have actually passed the tests. Our manufacturer is one of these. All the stab vests we supply have been certified by the Home Office. However, it's not illegal to sell vests that aren't certified by the Home Office - the onus is on the employer to ensure the protection fulfils their duty of care.

The manufacturers and suppliers who have not had their stab vests Home Office-certified are carrying on as they were before, saying that their stab vests are "tested to" the Home Office standards - meaning they say it would pass the tests, but that the Home Office has not tested or certified their vests. Many of these stab vests would fail if tested by the Home Office. Trading Standards are investigating several of these suppliers, and there have been several product recalls for brands of stab vests that have been known to fail. If in doubt, ask to see a stab vest supplier's Home Office test certificate.

Internet-only suppliers of Stab Vests

Would you buy a parachute from a website, strap it to your back, and jump out of a plane in the blind assumption that it will work?

We would not recommend for any reputable organisation to purchase stab vests through an internet-only provider. The most obvious example would be that some suppliers will only publish a PO Box address on their website. Websites offering obsolete Police stab vests that could be way beyond their shelf life & not covered by adequate insurance are also not recommended. Also as detailed below, extremely lightweight stab vests or very flexible stab vests that claim to reach high levels of protection should be treated with caution. Our experts are on hand to discuss your stab vest requirements either in person or on the telephone. You can also visit our premises or the premises of our manufacturer, as well as talking to other Government, Blue Chip or Emergency Services clients who can give reference to our impeccable credentials.

Lightweight Stab Vests and "Stab Proof Vests and Fleeces"

We supply lightweight stab vests, designed with the comfort of the wearer in mind. It's not possible for us to make our vests any lighter without them failing the Home Office tests, and we strongly recommend that you request a copy of the Home Office certification of any supplier who supplies very lightweight stab vests, because there is always a trade off between protection levels and weight. We don't supply any armour that is not certified by the Home Office - when people's lives are at risk we don't believe that's acceptable.

There have been news stories recently about members of the public purchasing Kevlar-lined fleeces and other similarly flexible supposedly "stab proof" products, but these can only provide minimal protection from slashes only - almost any knife could stab straight through them, and they would dramatically fail the Home Office stab vest tests. It is worrying to think that some members of the public are walking around in these garments thinking they are "stab proof". For further information, please request our brochure.

UK Home Office (HOSDB) Stab Vests Standards Explained

The UK Home Office has made it easier to select the appropriate stab vests for your staff by setting standards for the various duties that may be performed. These standards are explained below:

KR1 (Knife Resistance Level 1) & SP1 (Spike Resistance Level 1) are the levels of stab vest protection recommended by the Home Office for general police duties.

KR2 (Knife Resistance Level 2) & SP2 (Spike Resistance Level 2) are the levels of stab vest protection recommended by the Home Office for more dangerous police duties, such as armed patrol in higher risk scenarios, eg. Patrolling at airports or escorting prisoners.

There is no Home Office Standard for syringe protection, but all our stab vests provide protection from syringes nevertheless.

Please note that NIJ IIIA and other similar standards are American bullet resistance standards which have nothing to do with protection from knives or edged weapons.