One of the significant questions that really needs to be answered in our industry is whether backpack ballistic armor works. 

There are dozens of new companies that are producing armor inserts that go into backpacks and briefcases, but rarely do they provide independent testing results. 

There’s no denying the impact that gun violence is having in our communities, with thousands of children being shot each year. In 2021 alone, there were 1,063 children from 0-12 years of age that were shot by guns. 

The violence only increases when we get to the teen years, with 4,627 (12-17) teenagers shot in 2021. 1,247 teens were killed last year with no evidence of those teens wearing ballistic protection. 

Our company motto may be, “We Protect The Protectors®”, but our children our are lives and there’s nothing ‌we wouldn’t do to protect our children.

For this reason, we created our BallisticBoard® Backpack inserts. If you’re interested in discovering whether bulletproof backpacks are legit, you’ve come to the right place.

Are Bulletproof Backpacks legal?

Bulletproof backpacks are legal for anyone in the U.S. to wear and own, as long as you’re not a convicted felon or use the backpack while committing a crime. 

I’ve written extensively about the legalities of body armor, so read, Is it legal to wear body armor in Public? Blog. Backpacks don’t differ as far as the law is concerned. 

However, some school districts in states like California, Massachusetts, or Washington may have conflicting rules. It’s something worth bringing up to your school if you live in a more liberal state. 

What is the Threat-Protection of Backpack Armor?

One of the few consistencies I see in backpack armor is the threat-protection levels of each backpack insert. For example, there are 2 threat protection levels for all inserts, including Level 3A and Level 3. 

There are 2 forms of backpack armor; soft armor inserts (Level IIIA) and hard plate inserts (Level III).

Most companies only offer a soft plate insert, but our goal is to provide the best possible protection for our customers, not the “standard” level of protection that our competitors offer. As far as I know, there is no other company that can provide evidence of legitimate Level 3 backpack armor. 

Is Bulletproof Backpack Armor NIJ-Listed?

This is a tough question to answer because, according to the 0101.06 ballistic protection standards, there is no standard for backpack inserts, bulletproof hoodies, and other clothing options that offer ballistic protection. 

However, if you’ve heard anything about the newest NIJ 0101.07 standard, the NIJ includes backpack armor and bulletproof clothing options, such as hoodies. 

Do bullet proof backpacks work?

As simple of question as it is, there are few simple answers to whether bulletproof backpacks work in real-life applications. 

My father spent 25 years in the U.S. Army and another 30 years as a DOD civilian for the Army. He always told me that no matter what, only focus your time and energy on things you can control. With that being said, we can only control what we do and how we operate.

ShotStop® provides all ballistic testing from independent NIJ-Listed laboratories to ensure our customers buy with confidence and peace of mind. 

What is the Best Level IIIA Bulletproof Backpack Insert?

Anytime we discuss the best products, it’s unfair to our competitors if we don’t list reasons and evidence of why our Duritium® armor is superior. I’d like to compare the ever-popular Armored Republic and Premier Armor with our Duritium® technology. 

BallisticBoard® Level IIIA Soft Insert Vs. AR 500 

 When comparing Duritium and steel armor, we understand how that can be viewed as an unfair comparison. Comparing our soft armor BallisticBoard® with the soft armor for AR500 leaves no questions about the better product. 

Our BallisticBoard® is almost 1 lb lighter (0.84 lbs) than the AR500 Rimelig Backpack soft insert. We have 2 sizes to accommodate any sized backpack, suitcase, or briefcase. 

If you’re at the point where you think you need to protect your children from ballistic and spike threats, ‌‌trust the product with your life.

 As grandparents, parents, brothers, and sisters, we’d never suggest buying a product without knowing if it works or not. We provide all of our NIJ-Listed laboratory test results on our products page because we have nothing to hide. 

Why is The BallisticBoard® Better Than The AR500 Backpack Insert?

Our BallisticBoard® is 0.3” thinner than the AR500and ‌we prove our multi-hit capability with all ShotStop®  ballistic protection.

The upfront cost of the AR500 backpack insert is noticeably less than our BallisticBoard®. If you look a little closer, you’ll notice that our warranty lasts twice as long as AR500.

So the difference is $40 in favor of the AR500 insert. As parents, we often ask ourselves, are we doing enough to protect our children? 

Is having the independent ballistic report on the product you’re trusting your life on worth a $40 difference? I know for us, we love the peace of mind BallisticBoard® gives us as our children are at school.

We make our BallisticBoard® of superior materials, it’s also lighter, thinner, and proven to stop at least 6 shots to the insert with a .44 Magnum. 

BallisticBoard® Level IIIA Soft Insert Vs. Premier Body Armor Soft Insert

The Premier soft body armor backpack insert is much closer to our Duritium® BallisticBoard® in specifications. 

Kevlar with Cordera will stop a couple of .44 Magnums, but will it stop 6 or more? Premier Body Armor can’t answer that question definitely because they don’t offer their ballistic testing results on their product pages. 

In short, we can’t determine for sure if Premier Body Armor will protect you against handgun threats, such as 9mm and .44 mag. In fairness, they may have that testing at their headquarters, but I would never buy body armor that didn’t show me proof it worked. 

That would be like buying a car without being able to turn it on before you sign the contract. What if that car doesn’t work? Well, best case is it doesn’t turn on, worst case it causes a car accident. 

What if body armor doesn’t work like it’s prescribed? Best case, you never have to find out. Worst case, you trust a plate insert and get shot because you trusted a company that couldn’t provide evidence. 

Why is Duritium® BallisticBoard® Better Than The Premier Body Armor Backpack Insert?

It’s rare when we don’t have a weight advantage over our competitors, but the durability of the BallisticBoard® is second to none. Our soft armor insert boasts a proven 6 fair hit stop of the heavy 240 Grain .44 Magnum. 

Judging by the new 17 million gun owners since 2019, most of our readers know about the advanced capabilities in modern firearms. Having a multi-hit plate insert is a must-have to combat the lethality of striker-fired pistols. 

The 10 year warranty we offer is unmatched with any of our competitors. Simply put, we know the market is saturated and we have great competition. 

ShotStop® Flash Sale!

10% off all ballistic rifle and handgun backpack inserts and handgun-rated clipboards.

This is a rare opportunity for every customer to save $50 on a pair of Level IIIA Clipboards that weigh only 1.3 lbs per item. 

Use code SSBINSERTS4242

Good through May 31, 2022

While supplies last. Limit 6 per customer. Please be aware that rifle-rated inserts may need a longer lead time for delivery.