Unfortunately, items like soft body armor are becoming the norm in today’s day and age. With all the threats of terrorist attacks, active shooters and the violent lone wolf attacks, people are looking for options to increase their survivability. With school shootings such as the recent one in Parkland, Florida, my teenage daughter even keeps one in her backpack, just in case.
Although many Americans carry concealed ready to respond, there are quite a few that don’t for many different reasons as well as places where you just can’t carry legally even if you are licensed. Something you can incorporate into your daily carry or go-bag is a soft body armor insert. These can easily slip into a backpack, messenger bag or briefcase giving you instant ballistic protection against many handgun rounds.
AR500 Armor has answered the call with soft body armor for the average citizen. Their Rimelig level IIIA is purpose-built to fit into your EDC bag of choice. AR500 has a quality life-saving product at an affordable price. Being able to make this soft body armor affordable allows families to add a level of protection to their lives. The fact that I have to bring this up makes me sick (because I have young kids), but the Rimelig can be easily inserted into their school bags giving them ballistic protection in the event of an active shooter inside their school.
From AR500 Armor:
Designed specifically for backpacks, packs, laptop, and book bags. AR500 Armor® Backpack Armor is unmatched in quality and affordability. Our backpack armor cuts will fit nearly all civilian and military style backpacks on the market allowing a convenient and concealable solution to staying protected. All AR500 Armor® Body Armor is 100% made in the USA and manufactured from our rugged and reliable ballistic core designed specifically for Armor applications.
Specifications (courtesy of AR500 Armor):
- Size & Cut: 11” x 15” AR500 Armor® Backpack Cut, can be worn in conjunction with hard body armor plates and trauma pads in both backpacks and compatible plate carriers
- Weight: 1.60lb
- Thickness: .43″
- Armor Level: Level IIIA
- Armor Threat Rating: Level IIIA multi-hit protection against .357 SIG FMJ Flat Nose (FN) bullets with a specified mass of 8.1 g (125 gr) and a velocity of 1470 ft/s (+/- 30 ft/s) and with .44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP) bullets with a specified mass of 15.6 g.
- Armor Construction Material: Aramid Fiber, and Laminated Ripstop Nylon (sonic welded)
- Armor Shelf Life: 5 years