Also not a lawyer but here’s my two cents-
If you “happen” to be wearing a vest on the day you need to defend yourself that could make for bad optics.
If wearing a vest is part of your daily attire and you happen to need to defend yourself, not so much.
You’d have to find a happy medium of people you could tell about daily wear, yet wouldn’t freak out & think you were spoiling for a fight. Preferably people who would be happy to take the stand and vouch for you.
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Example of looking for a fight.
https://maggionews.com/chicago-police-commander-paul-bauer-gunned-felon-body-armor/
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Thank you, yes I’m thinking on the same lines as you, I did find out that it is legal to have and wear it in public here in the state I’m in. But like you and others have said it could be construed as picking a fight or intentionally starting a issue. Not really different than “open carry”. Ones character and intentions at the time of incident will most likely be the deciding factor. Thank you kindly.
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Yes, I do know it is against the law in my state for a person with a felony on their record to even own body armor, wereing it or not wearing it.
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For what it is worth, when I wear my vest, I conceal it. For many reasons, of course. Unless in the range, there I do not mind that it’s not concealed, and I feel comfortable with it on as well. I don’t always wear it at the range, but try to sometimes. It is a little heavy, bulky, and warm, takes getting used to, for me, at least. Due to the weather, I don it more in winter, than in summer personally.
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Thank you thats wonderful advice. I’m a little on the pudgy side so hiding it under a shirt would really hide it we, especially being I normally wear lose fitting clothing already, thank you friend.
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Thank you for this post. It’s a sad thing to have happen and things like this really need to be brought to a stop.
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Thank you, however that was different because he was involved in 2 previous altercations. If I do chose to wear it, I wouldn’t be starting other altercations.
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I actually purchased that brand.
I wonder if some folks forget that body armor not only helps against bullets but against torso stabbings as well.
Of course one would want to read up on one’s state current laws. They are normally available online.
In the state I’m in, body armor was recently outlawed, but with a caveat, kinda like being grandfathered in, as I had mine long before the ban went into effect.
I almost didn’t even know about the laws. I knew it was legal when I purchased, but I accidentally learned much later, that it was subsequently banned.
Then I stumbled upon an article that read I can still register to not only remain legal, but keep and use it.
I got frustrated when I tried to figure out how to register it, I got nowhere, calling, emailing the state. I was bummed out and afraid to own it.
Then “Out of the Blue”, the state finally emailed me a second time with instructions. Little did I know, on the website where I have my FOID/Permit, when I log in, there’s s tab to register many “grandfathered in” self defense related items, so now I should be legal.
What a relief.
Use:
In the state I’m in, I read a law stating I’m legal if while using it, I’m not committing a crime. I interpret it, if I’m found not guilty of a crime, as I was only defending life/limb, then I should not be penalized for having wearing that vest. I think the law against vests are for criminals who plan and undertake a violent crime while wearing a vest, like a mugger, hold up perpetrator, for example.
I got no ties to any body armor Co, but word to the wise, buy early, in bulk, save all your receipts (take photos), write all the purchase details down, support laws that are in your favor.
Check your local listings often and good luck.
I have considered this for WSHTF. I’m not going to wear something that cumbersome on a daily basis but I believe that occasions may arise in the future which I would choose to do so. Might be a good investment 
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It is an interesting subject. On the one hand, it’s amazing how many guys talk about winning a “gunfight”, will carry multiple guns and dozens of rounds of magazines in case they get into a running gunfight, worry about shooting the other guy before they get shot, will repeat the mantra “it’s not supposed to be comfortable, it’s supposed to be comforting” when talking full size carry guns and spars, etc.
Yet, essentially nobody daily wears any level of body armour at all. You’d think the same logic would apply to vest as gun.
Buuuut, it really is cumbersome, hot, uncomfortable, and for many clothing situations not as easy to conceal as their website/marketing would lead you to believe. I have no interest in daily wearing body armor.
It’s just…too darn uncomfortable. It doesn’t breathe pretty much at all, and I swear. Even properly fitted it can ride up when you sit/sit and slouch or lean forward.
And because virtually nobody wears it, it can raise eyebrows of LE/juries/public opinion when you do wear it (which I think is a dumb reason to not do something, and it shouldn’t raise eyebrows really, but, doing unusual thing will have that result so it’s good to keep in mind)
Quick donning armour seems smart for home defense though.
/stream of consciousness
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My understanding is that a lot of soft body armor is not rated to stop knives. Though some are.
The banning of body armor makes absolutely no sense to me. I can sorta understand the misplaced and flawed motivation behind wanting to make law abiding citizens defenseless by taking away their right to own firearms. But the same people who think firearms are too dangerous for us ordinary people to own also are trying to make so people can’t buy body armor to protect themselves from these supposedly too dangerous to own tools. Seems like they want us all to be completely incapable of defending ourselves from violent criminals.
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Correct. In general, concealable soft armour does a really poor job against knives. Correctional officers and the like may wear stab/slash specific vests that differ from the bullet resistant kind.
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