If you are in law enforcement, the military or private security knowing you’re well-protected, is crucial in tough situations. This article explains the safety standards and testing for bullet resistant helmets, bulletproof vests and ballistic shields at EDI-USA and what ballistic protection levels mean. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) sets standards for body armor, ballistic-resistant materials, and products.

Today’s bulletproof products are lighter than previous generations, which makes all the difference for ease of use and staying focused on your task. The National Institute of Justice sets industry benchmarks for ballistic protective materials and body armor, but how these rules apply to tactical gear can be confusing to some people.

The NIJ administers a program to test commercially available armor for compliance with the standards to determine whether the products will perform as expected. In addition to being tested for NIJ compliance, body armor models must meet workmanship and labeling requirements. During compliance testing the manufacturers must register with the program, submit body armor application documents, send armor model samples to an NIJ-approved laboratory, agree to follow up inspection and testing and declare period of ballistic warranty.

At EDI-USA our bullet resistant helmets, bulletproof vests and ballistic shields are tested to NIJ level III-A (ambient) standards in an NIJ-approved laboratory, which means they protect against specific handgun threats and resist up to NIJ 0101.06 level III-A (ambient) ballistic threats.

In simpler terms: our bullet resistant helmets, bulletproof vests and ballistic shields are tested to protect against common handgun rounds (such as 9mm, .40, .357 and .45) including shots up to .44mag rounds; in accordance to NIJ III-A (ambient) specified conditions. Currently, most illegal shooting violence across America occurs from handguns, therefore our products are trusted by so many members of the police and military around the country and the world to keep them safe.

Also, our bullet resistant helmets, bulletproof vests and ballistic shields at EDI-USA go through STANAG 2920 (V50) Ballistic Testing by accredited laboratories, which is an additional ballistic testing standard that is used in the United States and tends to be used more for military applications, such as shrapnel and ammunition fragmentation. Given the importance we place on making sure our products keep users safe, you should only purchase body armor from providers that make sure their equipment is tested and safe.

EDI-USA provides strong bullet resistant tactical gear to police forces, the military and security personnel who understand the need for protection. The bullet resistant helmets, bulletproof vests and ballistic shields we provide offer strong ballistic protection to keep you and your team safe.

We provide our equipment to police & sheriff departments around the United States, individual police and law enforcement officers and to federal military and government agencies via quote and our GSA schedule contract. We also export to over 45+ countries. If you need riot gear or ballistic items, we’ve got you covered.

Looking for TAA-complaint body armor or TAA-compliant riot gear? Please contact us and we can help.

In an industry where people’s lives depend on the items we provide, EDI-USA takes quality very seriously. We have set ourselves apart with our strict EDI-USA Quality-Pro Program, which ensures quality from the inside-out. On a regular basis, we send our products to laboratories for independent testing, as well as maintain ISO 9001:2015 certification. We trust you to protect us, so why shouldn’t you trust us to protect you?