BACKWARDS BULLET PROTECTION

In an era where mass shootings are a grim fact of life, a growing number of companies are offering backpack armor to consumers seeking protection. Some of the products, like a protective panel that can be inserted into a backpack, cost less than $100. Others, like a bulletproof backpack that unfolds into a shield, cost more than $200. Some companies, such as Guard Dog Security, have donated a portion of the proceeds from their backpack sales to a nonprofit started by the parents of a student killed at a high school in Parkland, Fla., in 2018.

ArmorMe, a personal-defense company founded by a former Israeli commando, is selling backpacks that fold into a cover to deflect bullets fired from handguns and shotguns. The company has also created a backpack insert that is designed to fit into most any backpack.

These ballistic backpack protectors are NIJ Level IIIA and are made from flexible, lightweight materials that are strong enough to reliably stop a variety of serious threats including 9mm and 44 Magnum bullets. They are also flexible enough to protect the wearer from strike and slash threats. Unlike Kevlar body armor, these school backpack inserts will not add too much weight to the pack making them comfortable for anyone to wear. These backpack armor panels have a 5 year manufacturer warranty.

For anyone considering buying a backpack armor, the most important decision is what kind of protection they need. While the armor offered by these companies can reliably stop common handgun bullets, it is not designed to resist rifle fire – the type of weapon used in most school shootings.