Safariland has released two female models in the Second Chance line that "usher in a new era of female body armor" and satisfy the requirements of the National Institute of Justice's (NIJ) Voluntary Body Armor Compliance Testing Program under NIJ Standard-0101.06 (NIJ-06), according to the company.

The Second Chance SM01F Type II and SM01F Type IIIA arrive in the Second Chance brand. These new vests are hybrid designs that feature Core Matrix Technology, high-performance Honeywell Gold Shield, and radial offset pleating for 360-degree protection around the bust. The combination of these materials and technology offers advanced ballistic performance and trauma protection, which have long been synonymous with the Second Chance brand.

From a brand that has consistently offered advanced armor protection, the Second Chance SM01F Type II has been tested against the 9mm and .357 Magnum, while the Type IIIA has been tested against the .357 Sig and .44 Magnum. In addition, these models are the first NIJ-06 certified armor panels to feature the exclusive, waterproof protection of Gore-Tex fabric as a panel covering. The Gore-Tex fabric panel covering is form-fit to the armor panel, seam-sealed and provides odor and stain protection against environmental elements. Gore-Tex fabric can also be provided as an upgrade for other Safariland certified armor models.

"The SM01F is a tremendous female-specific package that exemplifies the commitment of the Second Chance brand to women in the law enforcement community," according to Tim O'Brien, Safariland's category director or concealable armor.

The NIJ introduced the "Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor NIJ Standard-0101.06" to establish minimum performance requirements and test methods for the ballistic resistance of personal body armor. The standard provides improved performance of body armor so that officers receive adequate protection against those threats likely faced over the next decade. According to the new NIJ-06 standard, body armor must now be able to defend against increased velocities of ammunition calibers to better reflect current street threats and law enforcement duty weapons. These new performance requirements are critical components to improving the life-protecting equipment being used by law enforcement today.

All Safariland concealable armor models are certified using NIJ-approved size templates C1 and C5, which offer law enforcement the widest range of production sizes available. In addition to these models, Safariland offers an array of concealable and tactical products, which are available and posted to the NIJ Compliant Products List (CPL).