Armor and Children

I have 2 little kids that will be starting school and I have decided to invest in armor for their backpacks.

Might seem odd I am asking for advise/opinions on a truck forum but I am pretty active on here and have noticed more than a few of us appreciate and value being prepared so, why not.

Anyone have experience with armored plates/backpacks?

These are the 2 I was considering, I want actual level 3 rated armor, not 3A or 3A+.

I like this one for the price and the fact that I can move it to any backpack or vest .
https://www.asafepack.com/product/bulletproof-backpack-body-armor/

I like this one since it's built around a backpack and the designs are something my kids would like. Not crazy about the price difference though.
https://bulletproofzone.com/product...roof-backpack-for-kids?variant=42265488457899

There are sales right now so I figure it's a sign and good time to buy. What do you guys think?

 

Great idea OP in todays clown world. I’d do the same if I had kids. I thought about getting a piece of soft armor to toss into my daily backpack that I take into work. I already have my pistol in there. It’s a 511 backpack and has an opening for a soft armor insert.

 

I thought about this as well and came to the conclusion that it's a really small amount of protection and is really only helpful in protecting from directly behind. And of course only when they are actually wearing it and only when they are wearing it with both shoulder straps tight, pulling the pack high up on their back. It's a good idea for some peace of mind, but overall I felt spending $500-600 (2 kids here too) on something that had such slim parameters for the benefits, just didn't make enough sense. If they are in the classroom, they are not wearing it, and that seems to be where the threats of the school shootings happen. Not when they are walking around.

 

Yeah I was thinking the same about this and may find one on the list. Being that I work in compliance at my work I understand the importance of actual certifications but there is equivalency in being tested in accordance with the standard itself and not necessarily paying for the actual certification. Though, of course there is a value in that.

I noticed the minimum requirements are pretty slim and alot of manufacturers claim exceeding the standard with 3rd party reports.

Unrelated example is I have a low ppm, fast response carbon monoxide detector, again since I have small kids, but it's not UL certified, even though it's way better at its job. (I actually tested it as I am in this same field).

 

It's not a bad idea. It's a small chance of you needing it but being that you can't walk around covered head to toe in armor, what little you can do is worth doing.

 

I agree with this but I figure it's a small chance of it being effective, but it's also pretty much the only thing you can do reasonably. And it's also a small chance of actually needing it so if it CAN happen in the first place, it may be useful in that capacity.

 

Really appreciate all the replies here.

I need to visit the school still before my daughter starts kindergarten and I mean to survey the layout and ask about a plan for this situation. I heard some schools do drills to practice and teach kids how to use the backpacks as a sheild.

I also intend to volunteer on Fridays to patrol the grounds if they grant me permission to do so while carrying.

 

I feel what you mean.... There are so many intricacies with this situation.... I've gone through 1 actual scare, and 2 threats just this year alone.
After moving to Lancaster, CA.... I've come to figure I kinda moved into the wolves' mouth perse. My kid's school was locked down for 3 hours about 4 months ago. Due to an outside active shooter, or domestic dispute between mother and son. Ghetto bird (Sheriff's airship) was up making circles, sheriffs and CHP were all over the place searching for someone who moved on to Lake Hughes and was apprehended 2 days later. After that there have been 2 school shooting threats posted online, both on Mondays and I've proactively kept my kid at home..... Both people were arrested and questioned over the incident. Besides the assurance from school officials that everything is OK, I'd rather be safe than sorry. I've gone down this rabbit hole as well a few times. My kid is really into the 5.11 backpacks. Gave him my old bag and attracted unnecessary attention from adults checking his bag constantly in school, until he gave in and swapped it to his old Jansport bag.

 

Dude that's pretty scary, especially since Lancaster is not that far from me.

Your saying you swapped the armor to a regular backpack and it avoided attention? Makes sense.

In those situations I don't know what I'd do. Probably drive right over there not even knowing what I'd actually do.

 

Man, I was sitting in the parking lot with the airship overhead. Law enforcement vehicles were racing all over the place looking for this guy. They had raided his dad's house, but was no longer there, not sure when they lost him.... It was a powerless feeling, not gonna lie about that... I'm active on the Next door app where all the moms gossip about stuff that's going down and this is how I found out about what was going on, since nothing was being circulated on local radio, then again what local radio. Besides the site of a few Sheriff's officers loaded up with long guns, and the airship there was really no other indication of anything.. They weren't entering the school, which gave me a sigh of relief, and I was texting my kid the entire time, they were also clueless to what was happening. All he said was we're being detained in the gym until they say we can go. I will say there were probably at least 50 other parents out of their vehicles trying to figure out what was going on and what was the hold up. After 10 minutes having us crowd around they started pushing us back and redirecting parents back to our vehicles... It was a crazy sight nonetheless... Once they found out where he was, school was released, but by this time it had been about 2 hours after school...

 

It does appear that crime is getting worse... Had a guy get shot in the face 2 weeks ago at a gas station, looks like there was a group a people robbing local stores. From when I moved to Lancaster to now, it appears the airship has been up more often than not... Making it feel more like LA when I lived there.

 

Scary and sad that it has come to this. Sadly I think your Friday plan will have the greatest effect. Hopefully the school can get some M-Th coverage.

 

This is probably a bit more than you were looking for... However, another concept that is out there is the 'deployable' backpack, which is built in a way that allows the wearer to 'deploy' front armor as well. I believe these packs are upgradable to level III and are NIJ certified. I don't have any personal experience w/this brand or design, but I thought it would give you another idea or 'concept' for wear and deployment. It would obviously require a bit of manipulation to deploy, but w/some training it could become second nature.

https://zahal.org/product/masada-va...ckpack-full-body-armor-bulletproof-vest-iiia/

A few other factors/things to consider is that a 'plated' standard backpack being worn on the back is not necessarily a bad thing as most folks are moving away from the threat, so the idea is that the armor would catch rounds coming from behind. Also, a standard plated backpack can be donned on the front of the body if moving toward the threat for some reason or if the child is forced to lock down in a room or hidden position. In these circumstances, it would make more sense to teach them to put their backs to cover and concealment and don the backpack on the front of the body. Plus, in my experience, a backpack donned on the front actually sits much better (high and tight) than how most do when they are worn on the back.

A couple of other things to consider if you do decide to do this are teaching your child to snug the backpack in place. Plate carriers and other armor types are meant to be snug against the body, so you'll need to make sure they fit properly. Also make sure there are no items (other than cloth) between the plate and the body, and you'll need to be conscientious about what's loaded in the back pack in front of the plate(s). The last thing you'd want is to have any plastic, metal, etc. in front of the plate get struck and turn into shrapnel; if that was to happen you'd have more (objects) breaking up and trying to penetrate and the shrapnel will generally take a path of least resistance which usually means straight up (neck and head) or straight down (pelvic girdle, thighs, etc.)...

My apologies for delving a bit deeper into things to consider (as those thoughts can get dark real quick), but hopefully more information will help you navigate through your decision with other perspectives.

Another thing to consider is weight. If you're running front and rear level III plates, the weight of the pack will probably start to creep up in the area of 7+ pounds. Does the coverage/protection afforded by the armor outweigh the reduction in speed/agility your kids would have w/o it?

Your thoughts on visiting the school and walking the hallways and classrooms were your kids will actually be and talking w/staff about their protocols in lockdowns or active shooters should also give you a much better perspective of where you can do the most good in terms of investing in products vs. teaching procedures and tactics. Something as simple as running laterally away from the threat, as opposed to running head on or directly away from, can significantly reduce the likelihood of being struck by gunfire.

This is the last thing parents should have to think about or consider when preparing to send their kids to school

 

I have armor and am probably getting more. But statistically, if you want to protect everyone as much as possible - racing helmets in the truck/car.

 

I would move if armoring my kids was a real thought.

 

I’ll bet a $100 that every parent that’s lost a kid in one of these events has always thought it would never happen to them. It’s a sad world we live in that products like this even have a reason to exist.

 

No apology necessary, thanks for the insight.
It would be more than they can handle at this age but it is something I would consider when they are older. I like the armor backpack idea because it's passive and they are protected while doing something they normally would be anyway.

 

Arm the teachers.

 

100%. If they did think it would happen then I'm sure they would homeschool lol

 

Got my vote.

 

Out of the US?

 

Not unless they go through strict and rigorous continual training. Similar to military or LEO. Last thing I want is a bunch of panicked adults trying to act like cops and wildly shooting. That’s a recipe for disaster.

 

Are private schools immune to school shootings? Besides, I am middle class, I can't even afford day care, how would I pay for 24 collective years of private school? Just not in the cards.
I don't think it's going to happen, but there is a chance nonetheless. It's just like any other insurance policy.

 

I really hope they allow it. I'd do it in a heartbeat.

 

It's honestly happening everywhere.

 

Not worse than a school shooting

 

OP does the school have armed security? If not ask why. I’d assume all schools would have armed security since the columbine incident but apparently that still hasn’t happened yet.