Backpack Plates for Kids

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  • JayPea

    Marksman
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    8   0   0
    Jan 7, 2011
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    Youngsville
    Hey INGO'ers,

    I'm curious if any of you outfit your kids' backpack with armor plates. Been on my mind long before the shooting here in Noblesville, but that certainly rekindled my interest. I have an elementary school kid which will be moving to middle school next year. I'm interested in any feedback regarding weight of product on the child as well as the average kiddo backpack, ie will the average WallyWorld backpack sustain it or just rip to shreds. Plus interested in any feedback on the emotional aspects of a kiddo having that with them. My child is certainly aware of the shooting last school year as well as others. Since he could remember he knew I always had a gun on my hip and doesn't even avoid it when giving me a hug. My kiddo has shot guns before and understands them, but I wonder if carrying a plate in his backpack and training him to use it would scare him. Kiddo is getting close to 11. And of course any product recommendations would be appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Jaypea
     

    GNRPowdeR

    Master
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    44   0   0
    Oct 3, 2011
    2,588
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    Bartholomew Co.
    I know the NRA has a few different sizes that are pistol caliber rated, but I haven't looked at the open market.

    I've seen one used in an office backpack and the weight is negligible for the NRA 8.5 x 11 size. Has held up well with daily carry for a few years, from what I could see. It did show an expiration date, so it is like other body armor...

    Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
     

    MCgrease08

    Grandmaster
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    37   0   0
    Mar 14, 2013
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    Earth
    I think the first question you need to ask is, will your child consistently have a back pack with them during the day?

    Do kids bring their back pack to every class and keep them by the desk, or is it hung up in a locker in the morning and left there all day? What's the point if it's not going to be by his side all day?

    Let's assume he will be carrying it everywhere, what type of rounds do you expect it to stop? Pistol only? Rifle rounds? Shotgun slug?

    Do commercially available bullet resistant backpacks stop these types of rounds or do you plan to sew your own plate in?

    How do you plan for him to deploy the bag? Front facing on his chest, or will he put it on his back and cower in the corner away from the entry point?

    Personally I think these things are kind of gimmicky and don't offer any type of realistic or reliable protection. If a shooter gets into a classroom and there is no active resistance, I doubt a bullet resistant back pack is going to slow him down.

    Your time and energy would probably be better spent talking to your kid about what to do in the scenario. What is the escape plan? If that fails, how would he fight back? Granted an 11 year old vs. an adult shooter is a terrifying prospect, but considering some options to fight back is more proactive than planning to be a victim.

    Also a reminder, your child is exponentially more likely to be killed on the way to or from school than he is by an active school shooter. That's not to say you shouldn't prepare, but the chances are still ridiculously low, no matter how much the media might suggest otherwise.
     

    JayPea

    Marksman
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    8   0   0
    Jan 7, 2011
    240
    18
    Youngsville
    I think the first question you need to ask is, will your child consistently have a back pack with them during the day?

    Great question I don't have the answer to. As I think about it I doubt it. Thank you.

    Do kids bring their back pack to every class and keep them by the desk, or is it hung up in a locker in the morning and left there all day? What's the point if it's not going to be by his side all day?

    Let's assume he will be carrying it everywhere, what type of rounds do you expect it to stop? Pistol only? Rifle rounds? Shotgun slug?

    I would want to protect against 5.56 / XM193. Figured that would be the worst he'd encounter.

    Do commercially available bullet resistant backpacks stop these types of rounds or do you plan to sew your own plate in?'

    I hadn't looked at commercially available bullet resistant backpacks; thought I would put a plate in a commercially available kid type backpack. Most of the commercially available backpacks already have a slot for laptops; I thought maybe I could put it in there. Hence the post.

    How do you plan for him to deploy the bag? Front facing on his chest, or will he put it on his back and cower in the corner away from the entry point?

    Leading from a few questions above, if he had it near / on him. We would hope to instruct him on all of the above to help him in any situation, but I imagine him grabbing it and hiding behind it front facing. I realize its not practical, and I'm no expert. My knowledge and research on the actual uses of these has turned up zero.

    Personally I think these things are kind of gimmicky and don't offer any type of realistic or reliable protection. If a shooter gets into a classroom and there is no active resistance, I doubt a bullet resistant back pack is going to slow him down.

    Yeah I kinda feel the same but I thought it was worth an ask from this community to want to leave a stone unturned.

    Your time and energy would probably be better spent talking to your kid about what to do in the scenario. What is the escape plan? If that fails, how would he fight back? Granted an 11 year old vs. an adult shooter is a terrifying prospect, but considering some options to fight back is more proactive than planning to be a victim.

    He has been trained in ALICE drills and someone close to him works in the schools and has done additional 1 on 1 ALICE type training with him. Better options out there?

    Also a reminder, your child is exponentially more likely to be killed on the way to or from school than he is by an active school shooter. That's not to say you shouldn't prepare, but the chances are still ridiculously low, no matter how much the media might suggest otherwise.

    Yes, I realize that and thank you. Likelihood is very small. Just trying to influence what I can in situations and scenarios I can't control.

    Sorry I haven't figured out how to post each comment separately....my responses are in bold.
     

    Fargo

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    13   0   0
    Mar 11, 2009
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    In a state of acute Pork-i-docis
    Stopping 556 is going to take ceramic or steel III or IV level hard plates, which are not light. I would guess they would shred wallworld backpacks pretty quick and are something to lug around.

    A IIIa soft panel would be much easier, but won't stop rifle rounds.
     

    bwframe

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    93   0   0
    Feb 11, 2008
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    IMHO, there will be no further need to consider any other options as soon as arming teachers, administrators and other school staff becomes commonplace. Public knowledge that schools are no longer a gun-free zone killing field will cease the attacks. :twocents:
     

    jedi

    Da PinkFather
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    Oct 27, 2008
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    there is no money in making schools not gfz, thus it wont happen.
    the money is made in keeping the schools gfz, hardening the schools, having these type of devices for students, etc..

    always follow the money. ALWAYS.
     

    Denny347

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    Mar 18, 2008
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    An armored backpack could be useful for stopping the round it is rated for. However, if the shot comes from the front all it will be good for will be catching the round AFTER it goes through your chest. For a shot coming from the rear, it could be useful in stopping the bullet but the impact cavity could break your back. I guess that is still better than letting the bullet penetrate your body...just barely. An armored backpack might create a false sense of security for a minimal amount of protection.
     

    bwframe

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    there is no money in making schools not gfz, thus it wont happen.
    ...

    Not as long as we sit on our butts and talk about it rather than doing anything. Things will get done when enough of us hold our state representation responsible. Sadly, more shootings will have to happen before this comes to be.
     

    Ark

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    Feb 18, 2017
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    It's a gimmick. There's no efficacy to it whatsoever.

    If your kid dies in a school shooting, they aren't going to die fighting, and they probably aren't going to die running. They're gonna die curled up on the floor, compliant and sobbing, because they're a kid and kids are completely and totally unequipped to handle that kind of situation. That's how the deaths in school shootings tend to break down: A few random stragglers are picked off, and then the shooter finds a room full of compliant people and gets to work executing them with little to no resistance. It's ugly, but that's how it is. Backpack armor isn't going to do anything.

    You might ask "well, what's the harm?". Unfortunately, I think the potential harm is plenty. No matter how much you tell your kid not to, he's gonna run his mouth about the armor in his backpack. A teacher, who are a virulently anti-gun bunch by nature, will overhear. That teacher will pick up the phone and invoke Indiana's red flag law because "a student is talking about school shootings and he has military-grade combat armor in his backpack". The police will kick your door, shoot your dog, and take your guns. Four years and $30,000 in attorney fees later, maybe you'll get a broken revolver and your H&R shotgun back, with all the good and valuable guns having conveniently been "lost" in the "evidence" of some deputy or administrator's personal collection. The sad fact is that despite being a purely defensive product, the media has indoctrinated people into believing that only aspiring shooters and racist militia nuts own body armor, and there is no legitimate civilian purpose to possessing it.

    It's just not worth it. IIRC, you yourself are something like 20 times more likely to murder your own child than you are to lose your child in a school shooting. The school bus ride is much more likely to kill your child. If you have a swimming pool, protecting your child by filling it full of dirt has more statistical efficacy than buying them backpack armor.

    Hell, I'm halfway convinced that backpack armor was only created in the first place to give anti-gun media something to scream "this is what America has come to!!1!!!1!".
     

    Dead Duck

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    Apr 1, 2011
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    It's a gimmick. There's no efficacy to it whatsoever.

    If your kid dies in a school shooting, they aren't going to die fighting, and they probably aren't going to die running. They're gonna die curled up on the floor, compliant and sobbing, because they're a kid and kids are completely and totally unequipped to handle that kind of situation. That's how the deaths in school shootings tend to break down: A few random stragglers are picked off, and then the shooter finds a room full of compliant people and gets to work executing them with little to no resistance. It's ugly, but that's how it is. Backpack armor isn't going to do anything.

    You might ask "well, what's the harm?". Unfortunately, I think the potential harm is plenty. No matter how much you tell your kid not to, he's gonna run his mouth about the armor in his backpack. A teacher, who are a virulently anti-gun bunch by nature, will overhear. That teacher will pick up the phone and invoke Indiana's red flag law because "a student is talking about school shootings and he has military-grade combat armor in his backpack". The police will kick your door, shoot your dog, and take your guns. Four years and $30,000 in attorney fees later, maybe you'll get a broken revolver and your H&R shotgun back, with all the good and valuable guns having conveniently been "lost" in the "evidence" of some deputy or administrator's personal collection. The sad fact is that despite being a purely defensive product, the media has indoctrinated people into believing that only aspiring shooters and racist militia nuts own body armor, and there is no legitimate civilian purpose to possessing it.

    It's just not worth it. IIRC, you yourself are something like 20 times more likely to murder your own child than you are to lose your child in a school shooting. The school bus ride is much more likely to kill your child. If you have a swimming pool, protecting your child by filling it full of dirt has more statistical efficacy than buying them backpack armor.

    Hell, I'm halfway convinced that backpack armor was only created in the first place to give anti-gun media something to scream "this is what America has come to!!1!!!1!".

    What's with the "Debbie Downer"?
    I know it's Monday but..... still. Did some kids break your window for Halloween? You shouldn't have handed out rocks. :dunno:
     

    Ark

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    Feb 18, 2017
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    Just because his wife switched to decaff doesn't mean he can take it out on INGO.

    Spoken like someone who hasn't experienced caffeine withdrawal. :):

    It's an ugly topic that warrants discussion in clear terms. The detailed, sequence-of-events reporting I've read on mass shootings generally boils down to low-skill execution of compliant people, not a shooting gallery of moving targets. The most "successful" shootings happen when the shooter has full control over a single open space with a single point of entry/exit and is therefore able to murder people at his leisure. The victims who escape that situation typically do so by playing dead, or because the shooter allowed them to for whatever internal reason.

    Armor would only be relevant under the following conditions:

    -Line of sight to the shooter.

    -Moving (likely fleeing), and thus able to escape line of sight before multiple shots are placed on target.

    -Shooter is using a caliber within the threat envelope of the armor.

    -Wounds aren't sustained anywhere else on the body that disable the ability to continue fleeing.

    -The person or child wearing the armor is utilizing it effectively and has not completely frozen under the stress and terror.

    That's unlikely condition, on top of unlikely condition, in the midst of an extremely unlikely event. I just don't see the efficacy, and in a time of complete anti-gun hysteria, I can see several potential hazards. I know everyone wants to protect their kids, but this is more about making a quick buck off parental anxiety than any actual usefulness.
     

    rhino

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    24   0   0
    Mar 18, 2008
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    Sounds like it's time to make Johnny and Susie's little jackets at home with some extra pockets in the front and back.

    Anorak style would work nicely.
     

    HoughMade

    Grandmaster
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    0   0   0
    Oct 24, 2012
    35,615
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    Valparaiso
    If I really thought that armoring up my child was necessary, there is no way my kid would be gathering with other kids in a GFZ unguarded by people with guns.
     

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