0 Best Tactical Vest

Tactical vests are typically associated with military or law enforcers, but it's really a gear that’s useful for people of all ages and careers. Body armors are used to hold your equipment in one place while serving as protection from external harm. For these reasons, combat vests are handy equipment not just for marine duty or police work but for outdoor adventures and gaming as well.

But while these body protectors are handy pieces of clothing, finding the right one isn’t easy. You need it to be comfortable yet functional. After all, you’ll be wearing it in the field, where you’ll likely be transferring from one field to another. At the same time, you would need quick access to ammunition or equipment.

This article will provide a list of features to consider, review five of the best tactical vests in the market, and pinpoint our product of choice—all to help you choose the right tactical vest for you.

There are a number of questions that you should ask yourself when buying a tactical vest, such as where you are going to wear it and for what cause. Here are some factors that you should consider to determine the right product for you.

Purpose

Consider your threat level. Tactical vests are typically used by police officers, gamers, and outdoor enthusiasts. These days, some people even wear vests as part of their daily garb.

Field Operations

Body armors are more popularly worn by the military and the police. If your tactical vest is for stopping criminals, you would benefit from a bulletproof vest, which can protect your upper body from fatal injuries. This type of vest can also hold accessories for easy access, should you be bringing guns or other sensitive equipment. Bulletproof vests are usually lightweight and undetected.

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Military members should invest in plate carriers with hard plates or ballistic plates. These body armors protect the body from life-threatening hazards, such as shrapnel and gunshots. This type of vest is typically worn outside of the body and can be quite heavy.

Gaming

Many people invest in body protection these days for their love of action sports like airsoft. Airsoft tactical vests function similarly to police body protector. Having the right vest makes all the difference in the battlefield. Its main purpose is to carry extra equipment and tools and make them easily accessible.

A more popular action sport, paintball, falls under this category. Paintball tactical vests may be more demanding and expensive. A good body armor for this type of game is hydration compatible and makes use of heavy-duty fabric.

Outdoors

Outdoor enthusiasts, such as campers, hikers, and hunters are skipping backpacks for utility vests. For one, they’re more efficient, as they skip the whole process of opening and closing bags. Tactical vests allow adventurers immediate access to tools. The best practical vests in this case need large storage and capacity.

Personal Safety

It’s no longer surprising these days for people to wear body armor for daily protection. Journalists, jewelry store owners, lawyers, and couriers are just some of the professionals who make use of tactical vests.

The right gear for this purpose is civilian-friendly vests or soft bulletproof vests, which are suitable for everyday wear. These are hardly noticeable when slipped underneath the shirt. But while they can protect from shotgun pellets or smaller rounds, they’re ineffective against heavy firearms. Stab and spike proof vests are also essential for protection against sharp objects like knives or syringes.

Durability

A tactical vest is only as good as its material. You would want a gear that’s military-grade or police-grade.

PVC tactical vests are strain and tear resistant, even when pitted against plenty of weight. They are typically used over nylon mesh for strength.

Nylon mesh made tactical vests are lightweight, durable, breathable, and hassle-free. They typically last for several years.

Rubber surface tactical vests lower your recoil impact. They also clean easily and are ideal to use for different conditions.

Kevlar tactical vests are premiere bulletproof gears. They’re long-lasting, flexible, lightweight, and able to withstand direct puncture.

Cordura is known for innovating high-performance fabrics. From polyester to air-jet textured nylon, its fabrics are used for various materials.

Velcro is typically the gear for military tacticians and law enforcement members. Its vests include a variety of hook and loop style fasteners that firmly hold and fit evenly.

Yuma vests are water-repellent and are technologically designed to withstand harsh conditions. While heavy-duty, these vests are still comfortable to wear.

Capacity

More than protection, storage is another valuable feature of tactical vests. While capacity offers a critical purpose, it’s often overlooked. Managing your equipment more efficiently will require you to find a vest with many pockets.

Multifunctional vests work well for this purpose, as they are lightweight and excellent for inserting accessories. Various pouches and pockets for magazines, water, radios, maps, documents, flashlights, medical kits, and pistol holsters work alongside MOLLE webbing and Velcro straps for maximum capacity.

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Comfort

The size and weight of the vest all factor into comfort. Plate carriers can be quite heavy. Without proper training, these vests might make it difficult to transfer from one spot to another or even get in and out of a car. On the other hand, soft bulletproof vests are lightweight tactical vests that can work well in tight spaces and vehicles.

Find a vest that’s adjustable. Most vests come in one size and can be adjusted across a range of chest width and body length. Otherwise, you’ll need to send in your size for the gear to fit perfectly. Most gears only fit male adults, so young gamers might want to choose a kid’s tactical vest instead. Likewise, some tactical vests are designed to specifically fit the female form.

An adjustable and customizable vest could help you gather and access your equipment according to your preference, if you’re particular about the placement of accessories or equipment.

Accessories

Attachments are necessary for storing additional items. Dump attachments, for example, work best for shooting or military style training. It will allow you to save time from reloading your mags. Admin pouches, on the other hand, allow you easy access to tools like batteries, notebooks, and pens.

You would also benefit from a body armor that already includes MOLLE attachments. Compared to Velcro systems, MOLLE is a tightly woven nylon that’s durable and can be integrated into a plate carrier. Rather than keeping things in your backpack, you can easily access and even customize pouches for faster accessibility of your equipment. For this reason, all military-issued vests are equipped with MOLLE.