"To be perfectly frank, raiders pose a much more significant problem than zombies, realistically speaking. Hence, body armor isn't entirely a bad idea.

II-A is actually the least effective form of soft body armor - not ineffective by any means, but there are more durable forms of body armor available for a similar price. Though, with protection comes bulk.
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/8891/stoppingpowerofvests.jpg"

"Well, again, a more resilient vest is not really a necessity. You have to balance mobility versus protection for your own uses."

"The misconception I hate about body armor is people assume that when you get shot while wearing it, the bullets deflect off and you keep on trucking. Getting shot with body armor will do a good bit of damage to whatever part of the body it hits, it just wont penetrate.

It will break ribs, stop your heart, bruise your liver and kidneys, etc. If might save your life, but it will take you out of the fight for a while."

"It's a misconception common amongst persons who learn "combat" skills from video games & hollywood.At best they can really only stop small-medium size calibers and small-bore rounds,even so the kinetic energy transfer can still cause internal bleeding and death.

That's why at Infantry School they teach fire discipline,cover and R.O.E to stop MN COD4 Hooligaans from putting themselves and others in danger.Trauma plates are heavy,bulky,uncomfotable and still not the "silver bullet"."

"Trauma plate =/= Ballistic plate.

A trauma plate is simply an insert designed to cut down on the blunt impact of a bullet. It may be steel or polymer, but it lacks ballistic protection on it's own. They aren't heavy, they aren't bulky, they aren't rare, and there really isn't a reason not to wear them with soft body armor."

"From my limited experience they can be quite heavy,considering most servicemen who wear them are also carrying service weapons,equipment,comms gear,survival gear and heavy weapons,which just adds to the weight.

Not meant to come across as nuts,but I wish there was some kind of deployable disposable energy shield system which absorbed kintec energy/shock as well as heat."

"Oh,sorry.In New Zealand they are both reffered to as "metal vest plates" and there is really no differentiating.

So,basically it cushions the kinetic energy transfer from when a round hits.I can't find any for sale,but maybe I could make one.Jan Molenaar,the perpertrator of the 2009 Napier shootings had a home-made metal vest."

"That's standard throughout the U.S. Armed Services. I had to pay upwards of $300 when my sleeping bag was stolen.

As for Kevlar, I've said it before:

I'm more worried about my fellow man then Zeds if Z-Day hits.

Zombies are pretty one dimentional.

People come in all sorts of colors.

Yes: as a former Cavalry Scout I often walked Baghdad with over 330 rounds of 5.56mm for the M4, 4-6 40mm HEDP for the M203, an iCom Radio (+1 Back up battery), my 1st aid kit, 3 liters water in my Camelback, & zip-ties/wrist-cufs... that's with the 35 Lbs of armor & the uniform that went with it.

Yes, it sucked. But you get used to it."