Female Body Armor

Do We Need Female Body Armor?

For years, the body armor world has neglected women when it comes to armor protection. But as the years have passed, the need became greater.

According to census.gov there are over 98,000 female police officers, representing over 13% of sworn law enforcement.

In the four main branches of the military, there are nearly 230,000 women on active duty according to a diversity study done by the Department of Defense.

Plus, these government studies don’t touch on the needs of women who work in high risk professions or simply want a kit for home defense to protect themselves and their families. The need for female armor in the United States among professional users and civilians is self-evident.

Suffice it to say, there is a GREAT need for female armor in the United States.

What Level of Female Body Armor Should you get?

When you decide on which level of female body armor to purchase, the most important consideration to make is the specific threat you expect to face. Body armor levels refer to the armor plate’s ability to defeat specific bullets from different types of firearms – handguns, shotguns and rifles included.

Other considerations to make when deciding on female body armor is weight as well as price.

What Size is the Body Armor for Women?

Through the research we’ve done at RMA over the last 2+ years, we’ve concluded that a nominal 9×11 plate is the right starting point when it comes to armor for women.

The 9×11 size is essentially the equivalent of the “medium” SAPI size that we’ve used for the last couple of decades in men’s armor.

As this female body armor division of our company grows, we will look to manufacture other sizes as well.

What Does Level 4 Female Body Armor Stop?

Level IV female body armor defeats what any other RMA Level IV body armor plate defeats. Notably, this level 4 female armor is multi-hit rated and defeats the following:

• 30.06 M2AP rounds
• M855A1
• .308 Winchester
• 7.62×39 MSC
• Plus many other common rifle rounds

What Does Level III Female Body Armor Stop?

RMA also builds Level 3 Women’s body armor to defeat the same rounds as men’s Level 3 body armor. Level 3 plates defeat multiple rounds of 7.62X51 NATO M80 Steel. Plus, many others:

• .223 FMJ
• 6.5 Creedmoor
• 5.56 M193
• 7.62×39 MSC
• 7.62X51 NATO M80 Steel

What Does SRT Lightweight Women’s Body Armor Stop?

RMA’s Lightweight Women’s body armor is as light as a feather. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t also rugged. As a standalone female armor plate, it’s been tested to defeat the following rounds.

• .223 FMJ
• 6.5 Creedmoor
• 5.56 M193
• 7.62×39 MSC
• 44 Magnum and other common handgun rounds

What is Female Body Armor Made Out Of?

RMA builds our Level 4 body armor for women to be the most rugged armor among all the body armor levels. As such, the main components of all level 4 body armor is a ceramic strike face and a composite backer.

RMA also builds level 4 female armor with an alumina oxide ceramic strike face and a polyethylene composite backer. The ceramic serves to break apart the armor piercing rounds. Thus allowing the composite backer to act as a catcher’s mitt. This catches the remaining bullet fragments and reduces the energy impact transferred to the body.

RMA makes SRT lightweight women’s body armor and also Level 3 women’s body armor from ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. They also weigh just 1.9-pounds and 2.4-pounds, respectively.

Can Women Wear Men’s Body Armor?

Women are wearing men’s body armor, but should they? Absolutely not. Simply put, body armor manufacturers don’t build for the female anatomy. This leads to a lack of comfort, mobility and protection.

While women can wear body armor built for men, it’s not advisable. RMA is the very first company to manufacture rifle-rated women’s body armor plates for Military, Law Enforcement AND civilians.

Can Civilians Own Female Body Armor?

Absolutely. We sell body armor to all law-abiding U.S. citizens, law enforcement officers, first responders, members of the military, etc.

There are a couple exceptions. Because of state laws, Connecticut does not allow online sales of body armor. It is legal to own armor in Connecticut as a civilian. However, purchasing it must be a face to face transaction.

New York state are also now restricts residents from purchasing body armor. Professional users are excepted (New York Body Armor Laws).

It’s possible that more states will implement laws restricting armor in the future. So, it’s your job to know your state’s laws regarding it.

However, federal law prohibits felons from owning armor in the United States.