My staff say their stab vests are too heavy – how should I respond?
The key thing your staff are telling you when they say “these anti stab vests are too heavy” is that they are uncomfortable. There are a number of factors affecting comfort – a major factor is weight, however equally important is the flexibility of the armour – if it is rigid or hardened it is much less likely to be comfortable. Flexible stab vests are also easier to manoeuvre in – therefore the wearer may find it easier to move away from threats.
Furthermore, it’s crucial to purchase a stab vest which can be adjusted at multiple points, and that your staff know how to use them. Good suppliers will offer some training for your staff free of charge to show them the basics of how to adjust and care for their anti stab vests.
"Bullet Proof Vests" / Bullet Resistant Vests
Keltic specialise in the supply of high quality ballistic vests to local authorities, NHS, universities and blue chip companies. All our bullet-resistant vests are Home Office certified and CE-marked, and all include stab, spike, syringe and blunt trauma protection - 5 protections in 1 vest. We offer a free consultation where our experts can recommend the appropriate ballistic vests for your staff.
What is a ballistic vest?
Bullet resistant vests (also referred to as "bullet proof vests," "bullet proof jackets," and "bullet proof body armour") protect the vital inner body parts from firearms and bomb-blast fragments. The term "Bullet Proof Body Armour" can be misleading - it's important to remember that no vest is bullet proof, vests are only bullet resistant to a particular Home Office standard eg. HG1, HG2 - so the correct term is "anti bullet vests" or "bullet resistant vests." The Home Office tests relate to the amount of force from a bullet that a vest can withstand.
What should I look for in a bullet resistant vest?
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The UK Home Office has made it easier to select the appropriate ballistic protection vest for your staff by setting standards for the various duties that may be performed. Police duties are a useful benchmark:
- HG1 is the level of protection recommended by the Home Office for general police duties where handguns may be encountered.
- HG2 is the level of protection recommended by the Home Office for higher risk scenarios for tactical firearms teams, special forces operations and situations where sub machine guns may be encountered.
- You should also look for ballistic vests that are CE marked.
Where there is gun crime, knife and spike threats are often prevalent. This means that "dual purpose" or "all-in-one" body armour that protects from all three types of threat is required. Hence the typical body armour for general policing duties where handguns may be encountered is a HG1, KR1 & SP1 vest.
About our Ballistic Vests
All the ballistic vests we stock also give protection from stabs and spikes, as well as syringes and blunt trauma - all in a single vest (hence they're sometimes referred to as "bullet proof stab vests" or "bullet proof body armour"). This is not the case with many ballistic vests on the market. Our stock ballistic vest provides protection from Bullets, Knives, Spikes, Syringes and blunt trauma - all in a single vest.
Please Note: The wearing of body armour does not guarantee protection from all types of threats that may be encountered. It is the responsibility of the purchaser to ensure that the product specified is satisfactory for the intended purpose. Our expertise is at your service, with specific threat testing and proven solutions.
How to Choose Your Body Armour
See our how do I choose the right body armour page.
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