Plate carrier and helmet? Practical?

[K2e2vin]

I never really paid attention to "LARPing" gear, but a couple of my vet friends have piqued my interest in them....well mainly from them badgering me about why I don't think I need one. Besides a helmet for high-$$$ thermal/NV mount, is there any good reason to owning a plate carrier/bullet-proof vest? For a civilian, in what situation would you use it/put it on?

 

[fatlander]

If it’s messy enough for civilians to need it, and you’re still alive, there will be plenty to pick from on dead guys in the streets.


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[def90]

That’s a hard one to answer. As noted above if it ever comes down to needing them the shit has hit the fan and it’s not going to be pretty.

I have them simply because I’ve taken firearms courses that required that you have them to take the course.

Do I think I need it? I doubt it and I hope not. It’s one of those things that you hope to never use and most likely never will use but if it comes down to it and if you aren’t in debt or living paycheck to paycheck then why not?

 

[BravoNovember]

This is more of a why not for me.

When multiple city’s 45 min from me were being burned and looted I decided it’s too close to home and needed to be better prepared.

Also, have decided to keep provisions in my truck in the evening of an active shooter and being on scene and in the event (call me crazy, I know.) we have an attack on our country and I am not home and need to get home.

 

[bnsafe]

for me, at almost 52, mobility is a major concern. if you have never had one on find one to try on first, add a full load out, then think about how your gonna move. my son bought an ar500 testudo gen 2 and put his full infantry load out on it. I can get it on and carry it for a short way, but no way im fighting in that thing. If i get down im not gettin up, at least quickly. I fully believe mobility is more important in survival than armor so heres what I did. ar 500 makes their freeman for like a 100 bucks. its very small and doesnt cover much. BUT, I can put mags on it and carry it around and move, offers minimal protection, and I can move in it cause the plates are alot smaller. For me it was a trade off I could do. With that said, as I get older and wt becomes more of a issue, I will trade the wt of the armor for more ammo and mobility.
as for a helmet, I dont have one and wont. if i ever need one there will be plenty laying around. but, I prefer to blend in and not fight to sticking out like someone who might have something to take and drawing attention. plus, in that situation, getting hit in the head may not be the worst thing in the world.

 

[K2e2vin]

for me, at almost 52, mobility is a major concern. if you have never had one on find one to try on first, add a full load out, then think about how your gonna move. my son bought an ar500 testudo gen 2 and put his full infantry load out on it. I can get it on and carry it for a short way, but no way im fighting in that thing. If i get down im not gettin up, at least quickly. I fully believe mobility is more important in survival than armor so heres what I did. ar 500 makes their freeman for like a 100 bucks. its very small and doesnt cover much. BUT, I can put mags on it and carry it around and move, offers minimal protection, and I can move in it cause the plates are alot smaller. For me it was a trade off I could do. With that said, as I get older and wt becomes more of a issue, I will trade the wt of the armor for more ammo and mobility.
as for a helmet, I dont have one and wont. if i ever need one there will be plenty laying around. but, I prefer to blend in and not fight to sticking out like someone who might have something to take and drawing attention. plus, in that situation, getting hit in the head may not be the worst thing in the world.

One of the reasons I didn't want a vest was the bulk but when I went to the gunshow with my buddies and they were trying out some of the new stuff, I was surprised at how light and unobtrusive some of them were(especially w/o side plates).

Money is not an issue and some very good points. I mean, couldn't be worse than my fishing vest I never use.

 

[Rich M]

You guys have opened my eyes to what some golks keep in their cars/trucks! Wow.

 

[*zap*]

I own a plate carrier that has ceramic plates in it...would like dyneema but it is out of my budget..may never need it but if I do I will be glad to have it.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I think the ability to protect oneself and others is pretty fundamental. For some that starts and stops with some hand to hand training and maybe owning a gun. Some take it much, much, much further. I have been in a few domestic situations where the effective police / LEO presence was minimal if not zero - hurricanes, including Katrina, ‘03 NYC black out, etc. Those experiences, along with COVID (check out a movie called Contagion to see what a slightly worse case of a pandemic could have been) and some of the recent unrest in the last few years incline me to go beyond just basics in self protection. To each their own.

Are PCs and helmets and other gear worth it? Who knows? If you really need ballistic protection like that then you are in a gun fight for whatever reason and other skills and gear are probably more central to your survival. I’d rather see someone who was serious about personal defense, put that $$$ toward a decent pistol course or an MMA training program. If you already have the basics, then by all means, take it to the next level and beyond. $Like any kind of defensive art or tool, PCs and helmets aren’t much good if you don’t have them, know them and practice with them.

 

[Yoder]

You seen 2020 right?

 

[Ratbeetle]

Plenty of politicians and leo agencies think they should be banned for the lowly civilians. That's enough of a reason to own them right there.

 

[Fatcamp]

I think a chest rig and belt set up make sense.

Too lazy for it myself.

 

[*zap*]

I would love a 3a helmet and nvg's.

 

[Nosferatu]

I have a piece of level IIIA armor in my work backpack. I figure that's better than nothing if someone decides to go postal.

Outside of that, no, I'm not going to be playing soldier with a full battle loadout. If SHTF, I'd be more likely to put up a treestand and pick them off @ 500 yards then run around on my bad knees/back/ankles.

 

[id_jon]

Saying that if it's bad enough to need them then you'll be able to get them, is like saying that you'll just put your seatbelt on just in time in the event of a crash.

 

[bobr1]

I never really paid attention to "LARPing" gear, but a couple of my vet friends have piqued my interest in them....well mainly from them badgering me about why I don't think I need one. Besides a helmet for high-$$$ thermal/NV mount, is there any good reason to owning a plate carrier/bullet-proof vest? For a civilian, in what situation would you use it/put it on?

Honestly this is probably your best bet

 

[BravoNovember]

Saying that if it's bad enough to need them then you'll be able to get them, is like saying that you'll just put your seatbelt on just in time in the event of a crash.

Also the same guys that carry for self defense without a round in the chamber, “I’ll just rack a round as I draw”

 

[displacedtexan]

Outside of that, no, I'm not going to be playing soldier with a full battle loadout. If SHTF, I'd be more likely to put up a treestand and pick them off @ 500 yards then run around on my bad knees/back/ankles.

Don't own one, never will.

My plan is similar, if things collapse I'm far more interested in being on my own in the wilderness than I am urban combat.

 

[BravoNovember]

Don't own one, never will.

My plan is similar, if things collapse I'm far more interested in being on my own in the wilderness than I am urban combat.

The thought is survival and evading, to protect and provide for my family. Not be in constant urban combat. Every one is different. Even if you had 1,000 acre and think that you can “pick them off 1 by 1” as your property is being attacked, I would bet in that situation you would want a plate carrier setup with a load out.

 

[WTFJohn]

Don't own one, never will.

My plan is similar, if things collapse I'm far more interested in being on my own in the wilderness than I am urban combat.

Some guy with cheap thermal or a bump helmet with NVGs is going to love all of your stuff if it comes to that.

Outside of LE/mil, there are plenty of shooting courses that will require plates/helmets/nvgs if you want to go down that rabbit hole. Without going into the end of the world scenarios, I will say that more technical shooting courses will push your skills and abilities with every other gun/bow. There are parallel thought processes that can be established that will decrease your shot times when you get an opportunity. It can also expose you to different ways to carry or sort your gear to make for a more efficient hunting/shooting process.