Bicep protection

[Rabbit]

I've been running my entry vest, a Safariland Protech fast assault, slicked down as much as i can. I do have the full up armor kit in my locker. I've been considering putting the biceps back on since it's basically a giant unprotected hole to my vitals.

The biceps (and throat, neck, groin) inserts all say "product is not certified to any applicable NIJ standard regarding spike, stab, or ballistic protection and will not protect against all threats"

Do they say this because NIJ doesn't certify add-ons like that? I'm curious if it's IIIA like the rest of the soft armor in the vest, or something else.

 

[Longeye]

It likely has to do with dimensions of the armor panels. IIRC the certification protocol requires test shots to be at least 3.5" from any panel edge. These accessories would then have to have 7.5" of width and length in order to meet the test protocol. The bicep armor might be that large, but the other pieces would not meet those dimensions.

Your accessories are likely made with identical materials and techniques to your main panels. They will likely stop more than nothing at all, even if unlabeled for specific threats.

This conundrum is part of what drives my interest in thin, light rifle plates for bicep armor.
Hoplite has been popping up on my screen with rifle biccep specific armor lately, although I have not performed my due diligence on the company yet.


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[Longeye]

According to Mike Martin, Hoplite armor is GTG. That doesn't answer your question, but does give another option for bicep protection that is also rifle rated.

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[Beastmaster]

I can't speak to your specific vest, but all of the vests I've had always had armor in the biceps that matched the armor in the body. IMO, armor's too light not to wear your biceps these days unless your mission dictates otherwise.