Bulletproof Backpacks

[Lynn LeFey]

Just curious if anyone else has looked at these, and whether anyone has any thoughts.

1) Yes, I know, they're not exactly practical.
2) Yes, I KNOW, neither they, nor any ballistic armor is truly 'bullet proof'. They mostly just stop pistol rounds.
3) YES, I KNOW this is sort of Mall Ninja area, but it's an item that keeps coming back around in my mind and just wanted to throw the idea out there.

In general, these are backpacks made with an area to carry a ballistic panel or plate. That's pretty simple, not terribly expensive, and in theory, can cover the most critically vital areas. Sure, the odds of needing it are something near infinitesimal, but so is needing a firearm. And I'm personally way into the 'not getting lead poisoning' idea.

I'm very much NOT a fan of plate carriers and all the tactical mil-surp-spec-op BS out there. A backpack with a light ballistic panel seems like a good 'gray man' alternative.

Yes, I know how far out there this is. But it's more likely to get use for me than a f'ing fish scaler.

[Grathr]

Do you have a link?




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[zoidberg]

I've never heard of them. But if it's good enough for a mall ninja then I want one. 

[Weasel]

There's not many bullets flying round here in UK but a bullet proof backpack sounds cool, I want one just incase

[Smashie]

There's not many bullets flying round here in UK but a bullet proof backpack sounds cool, I want one just incase

I guess that depends on where you live in the UK 

Seriously though a level IV plate will cost you about £125 and will fit in a large backpack with a hydration bladder pouch.

[Weasel]

I only edc a small backpack a maxpedition Pygmy falcon , I wounder if one would fit in that

[Smashie]

I only edc a small backpack a maxpedition Pygmy falcon , I wounder if one would fit in that

Have a look, I don't how big that pack is  http://www.vestguard.co.uk/ballistic-plates/level-iv-ballistic-plates.htm

[Weasel]

Cheers I'll have a look

[Steinar]

Stuff like that just makes me sad. Fair enough, adjust to the reality you live in, and if stopping small arms fire is a realistic concern, well, then get whatever gear you can get away with carrying. In my corner of this pond we share, though, something like that is just adding to a culture of fear. Here, people are very safe, but also pretty hysterical... This is a global forum so I understand my local concerns very well may not apply to where other posters live.

[Smashie]

Stuff like that just makes me sad. Fair enough, adjust to the reality you live in, and if stopping small arms fire is a realistic concern, well, then get whatever gear you can get away with carrying. In my corner of this pond we share, though, something like that is just adding to a culture of fear. Here, people are very safe, but also pretty hysterical... This is a global forum so I understand my local concerns very well may not apply to where other posters live.

I agree with you completely, but if someone is going to ask I would rather they go for the right choice than buy second hand.

I have never and will never use any kind of armor when going about by normal life. I also don't do the type of work anymore that requires it.

I have said in quite a few threads before that the best self defense option is to be aware of what is going on around you, if it looks like it's  going south then get out 

OODA Observe, Orient, Decide, Act
 

[Steinar]

Yup, very reasonable. 

(Second hand safety equipment... Now that I find scary!)

[Gareth]

There's not many bullets flying round here in UK but a bullet proof backpack sounds cool, I want one just incase

I guess that depends on where you live in the UK 

Seriously though a level IV plate will cost you about £125 and will fit in a large backpack with a hydration bladder pouch.

I have a feeling I'm more likely to be thirsty than shot. 

[zimchaz]

I personally don't see the practicality of an armoured back pack.If bullets start flying without notice, you are only protected from the back, (using the surface area charts for burns it equals 18% of the body including the buttocks)so roughly 10 to 15%. Now if you are given warning what is the plan to use one of these things? The reason why body armour is mostly breastplate style is because it's 'safer' to face the shooter because you can see the direction of the muzzle. The last thing you want to be doing whilst being shot at is concentrating on holding a bag in front of your vitals.

Just my opinion, but that said, some protection is better than nothing as long as you don't hedge all your bets on it.

[pfrsantos]

I personally don't see the practicality of an armoured back pack.If bullets start flying without notice, you are only protected from the back, (using the surface area charts for burns it equals 18% of the body including the buttocks)so roughly 10 to 15%. Now if you are given warning what is the plan to use one of these things? The reason why body armour is mostly breastplate style is because it's 'safer' to face the shooter because you can see the direction of the muzzle. The last thing you want to be doing whilst being shot at is concentrating on holding a bag in front of your vitals.

Just my opinion, but that said, some protection is better than nothing as long as you don't hedge all your bets on it.

Hey! Whatever happens, I always protect my vitals! Always!

 

[Syph007]

Is the idea youd  be fleeing the gunfire hence shot in back?

[zimchaz]

I personally don't see the practicality of an armoured back pack.If bullets start flying without notice, you are only protected from the back, (using the surface area charts for burns it equals 18% of the body including the buttocks)so roughly 10 to 15%. Now if you are given warning what is the plan to use one of these things? The reason why body armour is mostly breastplate style is because it's 'safer' to face the shooter because you can see the direction of the muzzle. The last thing you want to be doing whilst being shot at is concentrating on holding a bag in front of your vitals.

Just my opinion, but that said, some protection is better than nothing as long as you don't hedge all your bets on it.

Hey! Whatever happens, I always protect my vitals! Always!

 

Lol yeah...on a serious note, If I was in a situation like a mall shooting and I can't run out, and I had this backpack, I'm lying down back against the wall foetal position hugging the bag, trying not to be seen.

[pfrsantos]

When you're being shot at, you should run away, trying not to make a straight line from the shooter (zig zag motion, if possible). A stationary target is hard to shoot, a moving one is harder, a randomly moving one is harder still. The further away you are from the shooter, the safer you are. Curling up in a corner is not a good idea.

[Aloha]

When you're being shot at, you should run away, trying not to make a straight line from the shooter (zig zag motion, if possible). A stationary target is hard to shoot, a moving one is harder, a randomly moving one is harder still. The further away you are from the shooter, the safer you are. Curling up in a corner is not a good idea.

^^^
This


also I though you were strapped Lynn?  Why not take aim and shoot back since the shooter wouldn't have had the amount of range tiime as you. 

[pfrsantos]

When you're being shot at, you should run away, trying not to make a straight line from the shooter (zig zag motion, if possible). A stationary target is hard to shoot, a moving one is harder, a randomly moving one is harder still. The further away you are from the shooter, the safer you are. Curling up in a corner is not a good idea.

^^^
This


also I though you were strapped Lynn?  Why not take aim and shoot back since the shooter wouldn't have had the amount of range tiime as you.

I wouldn't do it. License or not, legal to carry and use or not, it's way too dangerous. If you're a civilian, I'd say stay away from it. It only ends up well in movies (and not in all of them).

If, by any chance, you manage to come out of that unhurt, having shot at another person (be it Mother Theresa or Hitler) would haunt you forever...

[Aloha]

When you're being shot at, you should run away, trying not to make a straight line from the shooter (zig zag motion, if possible). A stationary target is hard to shoot, a moving one is harder, a randomly moving one is harder still. The further away you are from the shooter, the safer you are. Curling up in a corner is not a good idea.

^^^
This


also I though you were strapped Lynn?  Why not take aim and shoot back since the shooter wouldn't have had the amount of range tiime as you.

I wouldn't do it. License or not, legal to carry and use or not, it's way too dangerous. If you're a civilian, I'd say stay away from it. It only ends up well in movies (and not in all of them).

If, by any chance, you manage to come out of that unhurt, having shot at another person (be it Mother Theresa or Hitler) would haunt you forever...

   

I was entirely kidding however about shooting back, just being a smart ass actually. 

[pfrsantos]

Having derailed this thread enough, lets proceed on the subject of self-defense.

I once heard about an old lady going into a shop to buy a gun for self defense. The seller looked at her, small, frail, unacostumed to fire weapons and said:
"Got just the thing for you."

He takes out a revolver, 45 caliber magnum extra long barrel.

The lady sees it and gasps:
"I couldn't shoot that, it would knock me over."

The seller smiled.
"Oh, you don't shoot it. It's for self defense, right? You point it at the attacker. If he doesn't get scared and still tries to grab you, hit him over the head with this."

Joking aside, in a life threatening situation, stress will probably stop you from properly using a weapon. Better use it as a means to scare the attacker or as just a blunt weapon. There's not much that can go wrong with blunt weapons...

[pfrsantos]

When you're being shot at, you should run away, trying not to make a straight line from the shooter (zig zag motion, if possible). A stationary target is hard to shoot, a moving one is harder, a randomly moving one is harder still. The further away you are from the shooter, the safer you are. Curling up in a corner is not a good idea.

^^^
This


also I though you were strapped Lynn?  Why not take aim and shoot back since the shooter wouldn't have had the amount of range tiime as you.

I wouldn't do it. License or not, legal to carry and use or not, it's way too dangerous. If you're a civilian, I'd say stay away from it. It only ends up well in movies (and not in all of them).

If, by any chance, you manage to come out of that unhurt, having shot at another person (be it Mother Theresa or Hitler) would haunt you forever...

   

I was entirely kidding however about shooting back, just being a smart ass actually.

Sorry, mate. I always take everything you say seriously. Smartassian remarks are usually made by jerks like me, not nice folks like yourself...
 

[Lynn LeFey]

On coverage: No, the backpack isn't ideal, but it matters very little what percentage it covers, since what it covers is the thoracic cavity. The part where most of the important stuff is kept, and the main center of mass, which is where most shots are aimed. On front/back: If you're aware of the shooting incident, and you would be a fair amount of the time, then you can either move away, with backpack still on your back, or take off the backpack, and cover your front.

Also, I wanted to be clear, I KNOW this is a mall ninja discussion. I don't expect it's the kind of thing really needed.

Aloha, while returning fire is possible, that doesn't stop ME from being shot. And I don't ever want to be shot.

Gareth: More likely to be thirsty then shot... sure, but only like 800,000 times more likely.

As for a link to an actual product, something like this (I don't endorse it, have no experience with it, etc. etc. blah, blah.)
http://shop.amendment2.com/product/sentinel-cnt-backpacks/

[Lynn LeFey]

pfrsantos, two points.

1) IF anyone ever presses me to the point where I had to defend myself with lethal force, I really DON'T think I'd be haunted for life.

2) Stress doesn't stop you from doing actions ingrained into muscle memory. That's how martial arts work. You don't think. You just do the thing you've done thousands of times before.

[pfrsantos]

pfrsantos, two points.

1) IF anyone ever presses me to the point where I had to defend myself with lethal force, I really DON'T think I'd be haunted for life.

2) Stress doesn't stop you from doing actions ingrained into muscle memory. That's how martial arts work. You don't think. You just do the thing you've done thousands of times before.

1) I see what you mean. As a last resort, hell yeah, I choose to live! I was talking about situations where you have a choice and can do something else besides shooting back.

2) That's the problem sometimes. In all the years I've trained, I always stoped before breaking someone's wrist/knee/elbow/nose/windpipe... I'm affraid in a real situation that control will surface again...

[Aloha]

I remember a time when freeway ( highway ) shootings seemed to be happening on a daily basis in Southern California.  A few years back there was a couple again, road rage mostly.

There was a rash of mall shootings as well with one incident of 50 rounds were sent flying and one where 2 gang banger shot indiscriminately at rivals as people were running away. 

It can be a scary place at times but for me personally I think those that are "targeting" rivals are likely to randomly fire in the direction of the rivals so finding cover would be best IMO.  Even if they run after their intended "target" shooting randomly they wouldn't be looking to shoot random people along the way who were hiding.  I don't recall this happening at least in California 

Yes bullets will be flying so taking cover is what I'd be doing and a backpack with amor wouldn't hurt at all IMO.   

In the case of freeway shootings, having watched enough Dukes of Hazard should keep me safe.   

[Aloha]

Mall Ninja maybe but I was thinking is there a Kevlar Hoodie available?  Something stab or slash resistant?  Not long ago there was a big fight on public transportation where a group of guy were slashing each other.  I thought why haven't I seen any garment like prison guards wear that is slash resistant like a hoodie?   

[Grathr]

It looks fairly neutral.
The company name is pretty Ironic though

If I felt that I lived in a place where I might need one, one day. Id probably get one myself.
As you pointed out, it will protect your vitals, while running away from a shooter.


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[alexTOOL]

VIDEO



On sale!:

http://bulletblocker.com/bulletproof-laptop-travel-backpack.html

And the news!:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/bulletproof-backpack-sales-spike-newtown-article-1.1224267

[captain spaulding]

I would wear one as long as it looks like a standard backpack. They also make all sorts of bullet proof things for every day use (not including standard armor) like bullet proof clip boards and clothing like coats and shirts. It is a terrible thing people have to even worry about things like this, but for a vast majority of the world this is the day in age we live in. A ceramic plate, preferably in level IV would never be a bad option to have. I can see this being even more apparent if you have a child with you. A standard plate could basically cover their whole body (of a young child) if they could not get away and had to hide. It would also be excellent for running away from a attacker or at the very least something to protect your vitals.

pfrsantos, two points.

1) IF anyone ever presses me to the point where I had to defend myself with lethal force, I really DON'T think I'd be haunted for life.

2) Stress doesn't stop you from doing actions ingrained into muscle memory. That's how martial arts work. You don't think. You just do the thing you've done thousands of times before.

Agreed and for the most part agree.