There was a time when bulletproof vests were extremely expensive. One example of this was the Żegleń silk fabric bulletproof vest, which could stop slow rounds fired from black powder handguns. In 1914 these vests cost $800 each, and that was too expensive for just about everybody. In 2014 terms, they cost $18,643.92 each.
Now virtually every manufacturer of bulletproof vests which can pass National Institute of Justice standards put an MSRP price on their products that range from $600 to $3,000. While this may be much more affordable, they are still rather prohibitive. That’s the kind of price that only police departments with high budgets, along with rather well-off folks can afford.
Online Options
But if you are looking for a functioning yet cheap bulletproof vest, going online basically gives you 4 options. These options are:
- Cheap body armor that doesn’t pass quality control standards set forth by the NIJ. The NIJ Standards and Testing Program helps make sure that bulletproof vests are actually safe and reliable, and that they meet minimum requirements. These standards aren’t regulatory, and manufacturers of bulletproof vests are not required to conform to these standards at all. And sure enough, some manufacturers simply do not meet the standards in order to keep their prices down. They simply offer a false sense of security.
- Cheap bullet proof vest products that aren’t really cheap at all. With some vests costing more than a thousand dollars each (with some even costing as much as $3,000), a vest that costs $600 to $800 can be advertised as “cheap”. But even $600 can be beyond the budget of most people who need them.
- Any bullet proof vest for sale cheap because they are secondhand. Unfortunately, secondhand bulletproof vests are not a good investment at all. That’s because you simply can’t know how well the previous owner took care of it. Vests can be damaged through improper storage. Extended immersion in water, as well as continuous exposure to heat, can degrade the quality of the vest.
What’s more, a bulletproof vest is only viable for 5 years after the manufacture date. Most secondhand vests don’t mention this date on the ads on eBay and similar websites. Right now, there’s one on eBay which does mention the date, and it’s 2006. That’s not good. One recent news report mentioned a bulletproof vest which a man found a bulletproof vest in a garage. He tried it out and had a friend shoot him, and it resulted in his death. The vest appeared to be 10 to 15 years old.
- You can also buy a cheap bulletproof vest for sale from BulletSafe. This is because it offers NIJ level 3A protection that can stop a bullet up to a .44 Magnum. And the price is truly cheap, because it is only $299. That’s actually less than 50% of the price of the next cheapest brand that conforms to NIJ standards.
How BulletSafe Keeps the Cost Down?
There are several good explanations as to how BulletSafe managed to keep the price down.
- They only make a single style of vests. That means that they don’t have their factories churning out different styles that can increase the costs substantially. It’s just one style, although they are available in 5 different sizes. There are no “custom” features, so the costs of production are reduced.
- They make a lot of units. They churn these things out in massive numbers, which keeps the price per unit down. They’re like Toyota or Honda, which provides adequate cars in massive numbers instead of like Ferrari or Lamborghini sports cars which are produced in very small numbers which makes them very expensive to buy.
- BulletSafe is content to lower their profit margin for each unit. Their philosophy is to offer an affordable bulletproof vest to anyone who needs it. But don’t worry about the health of the company, because apparently the sales figures are strong. The demand for them is high enough that you may have to wait a few days to get your best.
- They offer an NIJ level 3A vest, which can protect you from almost all handgun rounds including a .44 Magnum. A stronger level of protection would require armor plates, which are much more expensive. However, you can buy those armor plates to upgrade your BulletSafe armor to level 4. This will cost an extra $169 (which other companies sell for $249).
- It only comes in a black color. This also helps keep the manufacturing process simpler and thus more affordable for consumers.
- The actual manufacture of the vest is in China. About half of the revenue of the vest goes to US workers, because the vest is engineered and tested in the US, and its final assembly, packaging, and inspection is made here as well. The factory which manufactures the ballistic panels in China is owed by the Chinese government, and the factory makes panels for its own police and military as well.
Who Can and Should Buy BulletSafe Armor?
The short answer is everyone who wants to feel secure, and who needs an affordable yet adequate vest to feel secure in. This includes:
- Cops. These are perhaps the people who most need this product. A lot of police departments are having budgetary problems, and with the BulletSafe affordability cops can now get them more cheaply.
- Security guards. These are the first people attacked when there’s an armed robbery taking place.
- First responders. Medics and emergency personnel sometimes enter dangerous neighborhoods, even when gunfights are still taking place. Sometimes their sense of duty outweighs their sense of personal safety, and at least these vests offer a level of protection.
- Gun range enthusiasts. There are quite a few morons inside those places, and stories about ricocheting bullets are common.
- Bodega workers. Quite a few gangs operate near these places.
Just about anyone in the US can buy a bulletproof vest, with the sole exception of those with a felony conviction. BulletSafe delivers to all states except Connecticut, where vests have to be bought face to face. But BulletSafe also offers a list of retail stores as well. With BulletSafe, everyone can get a vest in which they can feel a whole lot safer.