With a traditional vest, there's nothing holding the armor to the wearer's torso so the vest is free to move around independent of the officer's body. We all know how uncomfortable armor can be when you sit down and the panels end up in your throat. The Gabriel aims to eliminate that problem completely. As an added bonus, this design also gives the Gabriel a very low profile, making it ideal for undercover applications.
Each Gabriel is custom sized by a factory rep. Like for any other vest, they take your measurements and create a vest that is unique to your body for optimum fit. Mine arrived within a couple weeks and it fit like a glove. I opted for the black compression shirt, but the company offers white and tan as options as well. The carrier (or compression shirt?) is well made of very flexible moisture-wicking fabric and the seams are double stitched for durability. Each panel is removable for easy cleaning and the whole set-up weighs less than 5 pounds.
Similar to a traditional vest, the Gabriel is secured at each side with a heavy-duty zipper. Simply toss it over your head and zip up the sides. When Bullet Blocker says this is a compression shirt, they weren't joking. When zipped up, my vest was very snug and did take a bit to get used to. As I am no longer in a uniformed assignment, I wore my Gabriel for a few days under my normal work T-shirt and it was almost invisible. Bullet Blocker's claims of heat dissipation and a more secure fit both rang true and I can certainly appreciate the benefits of the Gabriel design in any law enforcement setting.
Like any body armor, the Gabriel is a life investment and priced accordingly. Bullet Blocker has set the retail price at just shy of $1,000, which is actually on par with most other top-tier concealable vests out there today. If you're due for a new vest and want to shed some of the problems of traditional body armor, check out the Gabriel Ballistic Base Layer from Bullet Blocker at www.bulletblocker.com.
Bullet Blocker Gabriel Ballistic Base Layer
Extremely concealable, nearly invisible footprint.
Tested to NIJ-STD-0101.06 IIIA standards
Smart Fabric High Performance technology is anti-microbial to keep you cool, dry and comfortable.
Anti-abrasion properties reduce impact acceleration to lessen the risk of injury
Adjustment-free for more mobility
No underarm cutting, shoulder bulk/pain, or irritation points
Velcro-free to ensure comfort and to prevent vest movement.
Weight: approximately 4.5 to 5 pounds
Colors: Black, white, nude, and custom colors available by request.
Price: $799 (Call for law enforcement pricing)
A.J. George is a sergeant with the Scottsdale (AZ) Police Department assigned to the Technical Operations Unit, Special Investigations Section. He has more than a decade of law enforcement experience in patrol, field training, and traffic enforcement.