Please
measure yourself BEFORE calling
– and keep your tape measure at hand.
( If
you don't have a cloth tape measure, just use a belt and measure the
belt.)
We care that you
get a vest that fits you (see our Satisfaction
GUARANTEE) and we work hard to get it right. Please help us by
taking your measurements EXACTLY as instructed below. Round to the
nearest half inch or centimeter.
Don't worry about
figuring out a size from your measurments - we are here to help with
that!
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1
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Height
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________
feet, ________ inches (or cm.)
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2
|
Weight
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________ lbs. (or kg.)
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|
3
|
Chest
|
|
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4
|
Belly
SITTING
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SITTING
________ inches
(or cm.)
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|
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5
|
Belly
STANDING
|
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STANDING
________ inches
(or cm.)
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6
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Side
Protection
Do
you want a...
FULL-SIDE-WRAP
to maximize protection – ballistic panels close
to touching on the side. This usually means a very small gap to
maximize freedom of movement...
OR
... a GAP
on the sides for extra ventilation and comfort. A gap in protection
may be preferred if heat buildup would prevent you from wearing
your Full-Side-Wrap vest.
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Overlap
NOT recommended for most concealable wear, but appropriate
for Tactical Armor, or very high-risk situations. |
Full-Wrap
– Front and back ballistic panels close to touching
on the side |
Small
Gap
– A 1" or 2" or 3" gap
(3 or 5 or 8 cm.) |
|
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7
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SITTING
Front
Centerline
Sternal Notch to
Belly Button
Click
for Larger Photo
You
will probably want to take an inch or two - or more - off
this measurement when we size your vest, but tell us the
ACTUAL measurement.
|
- Sit
down.
- Find
your sternal notch which is the top of your breastbone (the
bottom of the collarbone U notch) just below the bottom of
your throat. See Photo...
- Measure
straight down the center of your chest to the top of your
BELLY BUTTON while you are sitting down in a normal
relaxed position.
|
STERNAL NOTCH to
BELLY BUTTON
SITTING
________
inches
(or cm.)
|
|
|
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Female
vests are designed to stay above the belly button, and
above the wider female hips / pelvis.
For women,
please take the #7 measurement from the sternal notch, straight
down the front centerline of the chest to the narrowest
point of the waist.
This is often
shorter than the measurement to the belly button.
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|
STERNAL NOTCH to
NARROWEST
POINT OF WAIST
SITTING
________
inches
(or cm.)
|
|
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8
|
STANDING
Front
Centerline
Sternal Notch to
Belly Button
Click
for Larger Photo
|
|
STERNAL NOTCH to
BELLY BUTTON
STANDING
________
inches
(or cm.)
|
|
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9
|
Wear
a Duty Belt?
Vest
Needs to Clear a Pistol above the Belt?
Let
us know...
|
Pistol
or Gear extending above the belt probably calls
for a shorter vest so you can access your weapon and
gear easily.
|
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10
|
Is
Your Belt
WELL BELOW
the Belly Button?
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Let us know if your belt is near the belly button.
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Body
armor is very flexible to size...
... as the front
and back panels connect with elastic and adjustable Velcro straps.
A size Large person
could wear a Medium with a gap on the sides (for more ventilation,
freedom of movement and concealability). A size Large person could
also wear an Extra-Large with overlapping sides (more coverage, but
also more bulk, less ventilation and less concealability).
Often variations
between brands / models, and/or a preference for more protection,
vs. more ventilation / concealability / comfort will move you up or
down a size. Get your measurements right, but don't worry too much
about sizing - we have our Satisfaction
Guarantee to make sure you end up happy with the fit.
Explanation
of Sizing Options
“70%
protection that's worn,
is better than 100% protection sitting home in the closet”
Belly – Sides
The theoretical
ideal is to have the front and back panels close to touching at the
sides. This provides almost 100% "full-wrap" coverage, without any
overlap which would cause a bulge under your clothes and extra bulk.
Then in the summer you can loosen up the vest to get a little gap
for ventilation.
You may want an
inch or so of overlap on the sides to get more side coverage, plus
extra blunt trauma protection with the stronger overlap connection
between front and back ballistic panels. This is only recommended
for Tactical armor worn on the outside, or concealable vests worn
for shorter periods of time.
Or you may want
an inch or two – or more – of a gap to allow more freedom
of movement, and ventilation.
Better to
wear partial side protection in the heat than to not wear a vest at
all. Your personal preference, just let us know.
Front Length
Concealable vests
are designed to cover the vital organs - not the entire torso,
e.g., lower abdomen. So It may be preferred to get a longer vest for
more coverage vs. standard length, but it's also critical not to get
TOO LONG a vest.
Too long and it
will hit your belt when you sit or bend, and then jab you in the throat.
Generally we take an inch or two off the Collarbone to Belly Button
measurement when SITTING.
Better to wear
a short, comfortable vest all of the time, than a long vest that is
left at home because it's just not comfortable enough.... Your
personal preference, just let us know.
Chest
Wider gives more
coverage, but less freedom of movement, and less ventilation. Let
us know your preference, and we'll steer you to the right vest for
your measurements.
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