
Ask HN: Bullet-proof vests for everyday use? - rajesh-s
How much of a challenge is it to manufacture low-profile, inexpensive and comfortable for daily use bullet-proof vests?<p>I am curious about the materials challenge involved or if there are people invested into solving this. The world really could use this right now when laws haven&#x27;t been able to eradicate gun violence.
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bradknowles
Use your favorite search engine for “bullet proof suits”.

There’s plenty of companies out there already doing this for the 1%.

Problem is that they’re just too damn expensive for anyone who is not in the
1%.

Moreover, even the best bulletproof vest isn’t going to help you against a
head shot.

And even if they do shoot you in a place where the clothing does help, all it
will do is spread that impact out over a larger part of your body. And then
you are likely to wish you were dead because of all the pain you’re feeling
from the shattered bones and other extreme trauma that can happen when you are
hit by a flying sledge hammer which doesn’t penetrate your skin.

The real trick would be something that could make guns just go away.

~~~
rajesh-s
Yes I agree, I looked up before posting this and did not find anything that's
an inexpensive solution that can be used daily and unnoticeably a part of
common life because of all the incidents we hear about.

The headshot is unavoidable, but given the probability I really think it would
be wise to stay protected.

~~~
ThrowawayR2
> _...given the probability I really think it would be wise to stay
> protected._

"Probability"? Unless you live in Medellín or an active war zone, the
probability is negligible.

------
rolph
there a problem with wearing a ballistic vest etc. and that is if you are not
LEO or an agent, a prejudicial stance appears.

it was the case that "your looking for trouble" if your a normie and wearing a
vest. you see its harder to make people scared of you carrying a gun when they
wear ballistic vests, so this has to be delegitimized, as in normal civilians
dont need vests as they have LEOs to engage the bad guy, this is compounded by
mass shooters wearing ballastic gear during recent events.

It isnt the guns its the weapons, so getting rid of guns is a red herring. The
problem is motivation. just like a disease or other demic problem there is a
cause or set of causes that lead to mass shootings, mass stabbings, mass
bombings, mass vehicular homicide etc. having homicidal motivation and only an
[axe] as your means will likely culminate in [axe] murder, etc

all that being said , FIELD EXPEDIENT ballistic shielding and some reads like
below.

[https://www.xdtalk.com/threads/field-expedient-
bulletproofin...](https://www.xdtalk.com/threads/field-expedient-
bulletproofing.201919/)

[https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/budget-body-
armor/](https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/budget-body-armor/)

[http://soldiersystems.net/2017/02/27/bullet-proof-origami-
sh...](http://soldiersystems.net/2017/02/27/bullet-proof-origami-shield/)

a good buck knife can help you hack a chunk of drywall plastered in ceremic
tiles and assist in hassling bullets trying to do thier job and mantling the
bodys kill points from the more discerning shooter.

the mass shooters heuristics are important, not entirely evident for public
consumption yet but there is a reason why mass shooters pick a person or a
crowd, and somtimes talk to people or warn them instead of killing all
encountered.

this cant be modeled until an appropriate forensic examination of the mass
shooter mentation occurs and we can maybe find out how to be invisible to a
mass shooter, and perhaps, more importantly demotivate the shooter in the
first place.

last thing here, Ive never heard of a mass shooter that suddenly occured, as
in "hey i just had a great idea!" It seems that mass shooters are built over
time via a process, and we should take strives to visualize that process and
intercept it.

just like its an offense to possess/operate a firearm when drunk or high,
there should be some procedure for a gun possessor that is having a >mental<
as in not simply emotional cranky or "you tresspassers git offen m'land"
affect, but actual delusional "i must kill 1000 then myself and become god"
kind of derangements.

the red flag law is gaining some ground but must be crafted carefully so as
not to intersect with 1st and 2nd amendments or im sure it will fail.

