Guide to CARING FOr YOUR BODY ARMOUR
It is important to understand your body armour is made up of several components
You may have received the body armour pre inserted ready to use. If you have chosen to purchase hard armour plates, these are often packed separately to arrive undamaged. Insert these plates into the pockets in the outer cover.
Assembly and storage
It is important to ensure the panels are inserted into the outer cover with the label (wear face) facing the body. VestGuard body armour achieves the protection stated using different layers of materials assembled in a specific order, so it is important to wear the panels correctly so it performs as it should.
If the vest has come with the soft armour already inserted you may want to double check the panels have been inserted correctly by locating the opening for each component on the inside or outside of the vest, opening it, and checking the labels all face the body.
Each vest has a different method of adjustment and you should familiarise yourself with the way the vest opens, closes, and adjusts before putting on. Your vest should sit 1 inch above or below the belly button area. This ensures a free range of movement for sitting, standing, and bending. Your body armour should ideally meet at the sides to offer full wrap around protection. If it does not, and the armour sits correctly around your belly button, please contact our team, as we can offer options to help.
We do not recommend over tightening the vest as this can cause undue stress on both the outer cover fabrics, and the soft armour fibres inside.
When not using your body armour, we recommend storing flat, inside one of our armour bags for protection. Loosen any Velcro straps so the soft armour lays flat as possible. You should never place heavy items on top of the soft armour panels for extended periods as this may cause undue tension on the ballistic fibres inside and potentially artificially age the equipment. We also recommend removing any hard armour plates from the carrier and storing these separately. Store in a cold dry location away from moisture, light, and excessive changes in temperature. We do not recommend storing in a vehicle as the temperature can fluctuate in any season.
Use and Care
Body armour comes as one unit made up of several components. Separate the cover from the soft armour and hard armour plates, including any components in the sides, shoulders, collar, groin etc. To access inner armour, locate and open the Velcro or zip and withdraw the armour panels.
Outer Covers
Once the inner panels and plates have been removed, the outer cover can be handwashed or machine washed on a short cold cycle using mild detergents to preserve the longevity of the cover. Each cover includes a label on the inside of the cover where the soft armour panels are located, which outlines the washing instructions.
Regular washing may cause some colour fading on darker fabrics. Daily use for long periods may also cause excessive colour fading, and wear and tear. We would recommend that spare covers are purchased to prolong the aesthetic longevity of this product when in regular use.
Never use harsh chemicals or bleach as this can impact the performance or colour of the materials.
Place outer covers inside a wash bag or pillowcase to avoid debris sticking to Velcro parts.
Line or tumble dry at a low temperature.
Wash outer covers with similar colours to prevent colour run
Soft armour
Using a damp cloth or sponge with mild detergent, wipe down the surface of the panels to remove dust and dirt. Do not use any harsh chemicals or bleach on the panels. Do not machine wash, tumble dry, or iron armour panels as this will artificially age the panels. Use the opportunity to examine for any rips of tears in the outer PU bag. Also check the sonic welded seams for any separation. If you identify any of these, report this to your supervisor, or to your VestGuard representative. Although the outer bag is sealed and waterproof, do not intentionally submerge armour in water.
Hard armour
Using a damp cloth or sponge with mild detergent, wipe down the surface of the Plate to remove dust and dirt. Do not use any harsh chemicals or bleach on the panels. Do not machine wash, tumble dry, or iron armour panels as this will artificially age the panels.. Inspect the plates for any damage, and report this to your supervisor, or to your VestGuard representative, if you find any. Do not intentionally submerge plates in water.
Using Body Armour
Finally you should familiarise yourself with the capabilities of your body armour by reviewing the labels on the soft and hard armour panels. Body armour is bullet resistant and not bullet proof. It has been designed to stop specific threats, not all threats. Body Armour will only protect you in the areas where the soft armour is located. A cover will offer no protection on its own. Hard armour is available in a standalone or ICW (In-conjunction-with) solution. ICW will only achieve the level of protection stated on the label when used with specific soft armour panels behind the plate. ICW plates are often lighter, thinner, cheaper and designed for users that need soft armour coverage beyond the hard armour plate offering handgun and fragmentation protection to a larger area of the body, and the hard armour then provides protection to the vital organs of the body. If you are unsure about the compatibility of the products please contact our VestGuard sales team. Do not mix and match soft armour from different suppliers and manufacturers as VestGuard products have been tested to work together and we are unable to confirm the effectiveness of our products with other suppliers products.
If you have any further questions regarding the care of your product please do not hesitate to contact us.
YOUR BODY ARMOUR IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR KIT. BE SAFE