For a number of reasons, choosing the right body armor is a very personal decision. Your body type and size, the nature of the your duties, the threats you face, the climate in which you work, as well as a number of other factors, make it highly unlikely that your individual needs match those of someone else.

You must consider several important factors when choosing the body armor that's right for you:

THREAT MATCHING

SIZING

For every ballistic threat, there is a specific level of protection. For body armor to perform effectively at each level, it must be tested and certified by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).

CERTIFICATION

NIJ Certification is the most widely recognized federal certification test for body armor. Nearly all domestic law enforcement agencies require the body armor they are going to purchase to be certified by the NIJ. In 1987, the Law Enforcement Standards Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology created the National Institute of Justice Standard 0101.03 (Ballistic Resistance of Police Body Armor) as part of the Technology Assessment Program of the NIJ.

The 0101.03 standard helps ensure that vests that have been through a testing program are properly rated by manufacturers. Testing requires the vest to successfully stop a sequenced pattern of six bullets shot at specific velocities (see ballistic chart for rounds and velocities). Additionally, the vest cannot allow the maximum allowable depth (deformation) of 44 millimeters. This portion of the test has been instituted to help reduce the possible incapacitation and/or injury that may result from the impact force - or "blunt trauma" - of the bullet to the body.

After 12 years of testing to the 0101.03 standard, the NIJ issued the new 0101.04 standard in September, 2000. With the evolution of threats on the street and side arms that officers carry, the 0101.04 standard categorizes armor into various levels of protection, reflecting the type of ammunition the armor will protect against. These categories rate armor into Levels I-IV, with Level I being the lowest and Level IV being the highest. Click here for the Ballistic Resistance of Police Body Armor chart which illustrates the threats that each level protects against, as well as highlights the changes between the .03 and .04 standards. Countries outside the United States have different standards that take into consideration differences in weapons and bullets. You should contact the local authorities if purchasing body armor for use outside the United States.

ALL PACA VESTS ARE NIJ CERTIFIED!

PACA believes strongly in testing its products to the fullest to ensure top quality ballistic performance. Thorough ballistic testing to evaluate new ballistic materials and new designs are performed on-site at our facility. We follow the same rigid specifications as the NIJ.

Threat Matching the level of protection which your armor provides is indicated by its NIJ threat level rating. In choosing which threat level is most appropriate for your needs, you should consider the following factors:

• YOUR OWN WEAPON AND AMMUNITION

Statistics indicate that more than one out of five officers killed in the line of duty are shot with his or her own service weapon. Therefore, the first threat which you must guard against is your own service revolver and the ammunition which you carry.

• PREVALENT WEAPONS IN YOUR AREA

The types of weapons being stolen, confiscated and used in the commitment of crimes in your area are a good indication of the types of threats which you face on a daily basis. You should be aware of these weapons and choose your armor accordingly.

THREAT LEVELS ARE INCREASING

FBI and other national studies, as well as media reports from around the country, all indicate the growing use of high-powered semi-automatic weapons in the commitment of crimes. Click here for the Ballistic Resistance of Police Body Armor chart which illustrates the threats that each level protects against, as well as highlights the changes between the .03 and .04 standards.This chart is designed to assist you in matching your body armor needs to the types of threats you may encounter.

Use the below series of illustrations as a guide for proper body measurement. For best results, find a partner to measure you!

BODY MEASUREMENTS FOR PROPER FIT The illustrations below demonstrate proper sizing for men and women*.
MEASUREMENT #1: Under the arms, across the shoulder blades and around the widest part of chest.	MEASUREMENT #2: WHILE SITTING, from the clavicle notch to the top of the duty belt.	MEASUREMENT #3: WHILE STANDING, from large bone at base of neck to two fingers' width above the top of gun belt.	MEASUREMENT #4: Around back and across stomach above duty belt at the widest section of abdomen.
*ADDITIONAL MEASUREMENTS FOR WOMEN Bra and cup size.