BULLETPROOF BACKPACKS CAN BE A LIFESAVER WHEN YOU’RE TRAPPED BY AN ACTIVE SHOOTER

STORY BY WENDY WILSON | PHOTOS COURTESY OF MANUFACTURERS

LEATHERBACK GEAR PHOTO

You’re carrying a daypack. Maybe you’re at work or in a business meeting. Maybe you’re walking down a city street or hiking a country trail. Or maybe your child is walking down a school hallway proudly wearing her new backpack. Then the worst happens. A crazed gunman opens fire.

Carrying a weapon isn’t allowed in many places and it’s not an option for your kids. And if you’re caught in the open or have nowhere to run, you need to find cover fast. Today, there are backpacks designed to hold more than a laptop, school supplies and a lunch. Besides being a must-have gear-hauling accessory, some backpacks now come equipped with bulletproof inserts, built-in or removable, that can protect you and your loved one when the bullets start flying.

UNDERSTANDING “BULLETPROOF”

The term “bulletproof” implies “impervious to bullets,” but not all bulletproof packs are impervious to all bullets. It’s important to understand the differences when it comes to choosing a bulletproof backpack.

The National Institute of Justice sets the standards for body armor worn by law enforcement and corrections officers. They also administer a program to test commercially available armor and classify it by levels of ballistic performance. Here’s how the levels break down:

•LEVEL IIA: Armor listed as “Level IIA” has been tested to stop 9mm and .40 S&W ammunition fired from short-barrel handguns. It offers no rifle ammunition protection.

• LEVEL II: Armor listed as “Level II” has been tested to stop 9mm and .357 Magnum ammunition fired from short-barrel handguns. It offers no rifle ammunition protection.

• LEVEL IIIA: Armor listed as “Level IIIA” has been tested to stop .357 SIG and .44 Magnum ammunition fired from longer-barrel handguns. It offers no rifle ammunition protection.