There have been many articles published that question the effectiveness of bulletproof backpacks and that they simply do not work and the reason people purchase them is a “knee jerk” reaction to school shootings.
Many articles like this one on Scary Mommy state that backpacks can stop handgun fire but not rifle fire. Like all of these articles they discourage you from purchasing protection and suggest that “stricter gun control laws are a better way to stop the violence.
And this report from NBC News claims that bulletproof backpacks wouldn’t have saved anyone in the latest shootings…according to their “experts,.” < this article was so bad…they didn’t even bother to see that there were level 3 and above backpacks on the market.
- Bulletproof Backpacks don’t stop rifle fire. FALSE
A bulletproof backpack is only as effective as the protection it has in it. In the articles they only mention that bulletproof backpacks only come in level 3A armor (which is cheaper and doesn’t stop rifle rounds).
They don’t bother to mention that you can get level 3 and above armor which will stop rifle round. Some also mention that 75% of the school shooters use handguns and 25% use rifles (AR-15 style).
So in reality your level 3A armor is effective 75% of the time.
But if you wanted to stop all types of rounds used in active shooter events, you need to upgrade to Level 3 and above (none of the articles mention this).These “experts” don’t even address the fact that you can get bulletproof backpacks that can stop rifle fire.
Now it’s true, companies like Guard Dog Security only offer level 3A protection in their backpack, but companies like Bodyguard offer rifle protection in theirs.
- Kids Don’t Use the Backpacks in School. FALSE
Some people claim the students don’t have their backpacks with them all of the time. I personally have high school and college age kids who have their backpacks with them ALL DAY. In fact both of my kids never used their lockers…ever. In addition, kids are carrying less books these days and really only have a computer or tablet.Then you have realize that an active shooter event comes with some type of warning, the subject gains entry to the campus and either starts killing or pulls a fire alarm to get as many people as they can into their field of fire.
Either way, it is most likely that you will be able to put on your backpack before you face the shooter.
- They’re Expensive. TRUE
This is a matter of you get what you pay for. You can get a level 3A soft armor panel for $100 and put it in the back of a cheap jansport backpack.
But I have to be honest here…that panel will offer you the same amount of protection as a textbook or even a computer. But still, it’s a little insurance and it’s better than nothing. However…what if you get shot in the chest?
Well that where it get’s complicated. The truth is you’re not going to take it off and put it in front of your chest. And you’re not going to hold it in front of your chest when you’re running towards the shooter and then put it on as you pass him.This is why we created the Switchblade deployment system.
So you can automatically have front and back protection and not have to think about anything but escaping. Now these are expensive to make. The labor alone that goes into these is equivalent to making four backpacks and the materials we use are top of the line. All of the hardware, is YKK and metal buckles and fasters.
There’s a reason some backpacks are $60 and others are $600.So how much does it really cost…Let’s say you get our top of the line backpack the Elite with Level 3 rifle plates at $769.
The rifle plates are rated to last 8 years. Over the life of the bag that’s $8 per month. That’s less than what you pay for Netflix. If you went with a Level 3A at $469 that’s less than the cost of a cup of coffee. Plus you can use the bag through school and into work.
The reality is, if you want to be a little bit safer and provide your child with life saving protection, a bulletproof backpack is one of the best ways to do it.
But it’s not the only solution.
Schools should have security systems in place with armed guards. The personal protection of a bulletproof backpack is just one layer of an overall protection plan.
To think one administrator said “its like putting a band-aid on an open wound” is preposterous. That’s like saying “why have a fire extinguisher – You still won’t be able to put out a real fire.”
FACT: Bulletproof Backpacks work based on the threat level they’re designed to face.
My guess is that the resistance to embrace ballistic protection stems from the fact that these people feel we shouldn’t have to deal with this issue in the first place and that the problem should just go away.
Like we say in self defense – DENIAL is the biggest killer of them all. You either prepare for the fight, or prepare to face the consequences.
Let me ask you – What are you doing RIGHT NOW to make your kid (or yourself) a little bit safer?
It’s been decades since the Columbine Massacre in 1999…how we doin?
States and the federal government have passed a litany of new restrictions, still too many to list, and we still keep having these massacres. And it’s not just schools – festivals, block parties, malls, anywhere a large group of people convene.
So instead of instructing you to protect yourself, they want you to continue to pass more laws that these mass murderers continue to ignore.
