preparedness
Body Armor for Urban Survival: Here’s What You Need

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One of the most overlooked pieces of tactical equipment for civilians, without question, is body armor.
Many people are under the impression that body armor is for the military and law enforcement only. This could not be further from the truth. Not only is body armor fully legal in all fifty states, it’s widely available, too.
When preparing for SHTF and disaster scenarios, body armor is definitely something you’ll want to have in your arsenal. Let’s talk about body armor and what it is in greater depth.
What Is Body Armor?
‘Body armor’ is admittedly a very loose term. It’s often interchanged with other terms such as ‘bulletproof vests’ or ‘bullet-resistant vests.’
However, body armor is not necessarily bulletproof. In fact, body armor can be used to refer to any kind of covering to protect the body. Even a helmet could classify as ‘body armor’ if you want it to.
Today, however, ‘body armor’ is sometimes used to refer to vests or other protective coverings made out of UHMWPE, or Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. These are essentially plastics that have been tightly woven to give them added strength. The fibers can also disperse a bullet’s energy as it travels through the various layers, so even if it can’t stop the bullet completely, it can at the very least slow it down by a significant margin.
Another type of body armor that is quite common uses steel or titanium plates that are carried around the torso in plate carriers. This type of body armor is much heavier, but it also offers significantly greater protection for UHMWPE body armor.
Fitting Your Body Armor
Regardless of which type of body armor you get, it is important for you to cover the main areas of your torso: your back, your front, and your sides. The armor will need to be properly positioned and correctly adjusted. Otherwise, it won’t offer you sufficient protection, especially for your ribs and vital organs.
Do You Really Need Body Armor?
The short answer to this question is that it’s up to you.
But in all seriousness, body armor can quite literally be a lifesaver in a defensive scenario. Just imagine that disaster has struck, the power grid has collapsed, and now you have to defend your home, property, family, and supplies against raiders and marauders.
Sure, you may be armed, but those raiders and marauders will be armed, too. Wouldn’t it be preferable to have at least some degree of protection to hopefully stop a bullet or shrapnel?
You decide.
Is Body Armor For Sure Going To Save Your Life?
The short answer to this question is no.
It’s possible that body armor will save your life, but it’s not guaranteed by any means.
For example, most bulletproof types of body armor that are sold on the market will do a fine job of stopping a 9mm bullet or a similar pistol caliber. But they can’t resist a much higher caliber such as a 5.56x45mm NATO or .308 Winchester round… at least if it doesn’t have a high enough NIJ rating, which we’ll get to in a second.
So while body armor cannot for sure save your life, it can at the very least increase your chances of survival, and that’s what matters.
NIJ Rating: What It Is and Why It’s Important
When you go shopping for body armor, the most important factor to consider is the body armor’s NIJ rating.
NIJ stands for National Institute of Justice Their rating system is today widely used around the entire world as the ballistic standard of resistance.
Any body armor that you can buy from a reputable manufacturer is going to have an NIJ rating. In fact, if it doesn’t have an NIJ rating, that’s good enough reason not to buy that type of body armor.
Here are the levels of the NIJ rating system and the bullets that they will be able to stop:
Level I – .22 LR
Level IIA – 9mm Luger and .40 S&W
Level II – .357 Magnum
Level IIIA – .44 Magnum
Level III: .308 Winchester
Level IV: .30-06 Springfield (armor piercing rounds)
The vast majority of so-called bulletproof body armor on the market will have a rating of Level IIA or lower, so if you want body armor that can stop a rifle bullet, you’ll want Level III or higher.
Types of Body Armor
There are many different types of body armor on the market, which we will go over now:.
Soft Body Armor
Soft body armor is designed to stop a round from penetrating through the armor by rapidly decelerating it, and hopefully resulting in it falling out (sort of like water coming out of a sponge).
Soft body armor can work, but it really depends on what condition the vest is in and what types of bullets are being fired. Many types of soft side body armor are rated for pistol calibers of 9mm Luger or less only (so NIJ Level IIA or less), and they can usually only take a small number of rounds before failing as the armor will weaken after each shot.
Ceramic Plates
Soft armor usually works for preventing handgun rounds, but it is far less effective for rifle caliber rounds, if even effective at all.
This is why you’ll want hard steel plates for resisting rifle rounds. Plates can be constructed from a wide variety of materials, but ceramic is the most common, which has been around for several years.
Ceramic works to fracture the impact of the bullet while simultaneously slowing it down. Meanwhile, the Kevlar (which serves as the backing material) will keep the round inside of the plate.
The only downside to ceramic is that it rarely works for taking multiple rounds, as the plate weakens significantly with each firing round that comes into contact with it. It’s also heavy and you’ll need an additional carrier of some kind to wear it.
Polyethylene Plates
Another type of plate that has become very popular in recent years is the polyethylene plate, also known as poly plates for short.
This is a high-quality plastic that has the ability to stop rifle rounds because it will stop the incoming round and break it apart upon impact. What’s more, it is far lighter than ceramic, which can add as much as fifteen pounds to your already heavy gear load.
Steel Plates
Steel isn’t used as often today, at least not by professional operators, because it is very heavy. Still, a strong enough steel is quite cheap and will reliably prevent rifle rounds, which can make them an effective choice for those on a budget.
Choosing A Carrier
When you choose to have body armor, you will also need to have a carrier, regardless of whether you go with soft armor or hard armor.
The best armor carriers are built out of either polyester or cotton and have Velcro straps as well.
There are two basic kinds of armor carriers:
- Plate Carriers
- Full Carriers
Plate carriers can only carry hard carriers like steel or ceramic, while full carriers can carry either hard or soft armor, which obviously makes them more versatile.
You can also buy carriers that are fully adjustable and that allow you to attach other gear with MOLLE webbing, such as extra pouches and whatnot.
As far as specific qualities that you should look for in armor, you will want the following:
- Multiple stitching: Especially on the attachment points and the seams. This greatly aids in the durability and longevity of your carrier.
- Drag handles: So a comrade can help carry you off the battlefield if you are wounded.
- Adjustability: So you can adjust your carrier to your body size and shape; both the shoulder straps and the band around your torso and waist should be fully adjustable.
- No Elastic: Elastic is a bad choice for carriers because it weakens and your vest will, after extended use, begin to sag, which exposes vulnerable regions of your body. You must ensure that your plate is always centered over your torso, and both the front plate and the back plate need to mirror one another.
Conclusion
You can greatly increase your chances of survival in a combat situation by investing in an armor that has a high enough NIJ rating. Just remember that you should never get too overconfident with the body armor that you wear. It doesn’t make you invincible, and it can still fail.
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This article first appeared on urbansurvivalsite.com See it here

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preparedness
4 No Cook Meals For Surviving The Pandemic And Food Supply Shortages

When it comes to your food supply, you just can’t risk not having enough. These no cook meals will be a great addition to your food supply planning. Check out the recipes below!
No Cook Meals to Help You Through the Pandemic
As of the writing of this article, there are 20 meat processing plants that have been shut down due to COVID-19 infections. We have been worrying about these types of effects on our food supply for months now, and this is the first real sign of how infections can affect the food supply.
When you walk into a supermarket, you might not see all the choices you had in the past. An empty meat case is a humbling thing for your eyes to fall upon. It’s the shocking realization that the seemingly infinite supply of chickens, pigs, and cows that are butchered for us has begun to run dry!
To deal with this issue, we are going to present four no cook meals that will help you create dinners at home that will feed your family without worrying so much about what’s available, or unavailable, in the meat case.
1. Smashed White Bean, Avocado and Salted Pork Sandwiches
As preppers we get beans. There are a bunch of ways to use beans and this a great example of how you can pack a sandwich with great nutrition and protein.
Serving: Makes 4 sandwiches
Ingredients:
- Can of White Beans
- Olive Oil
- 1 Avocado
- 8 Slices of Whole Grain Bread
- 8 Slices of Salted Pork (Prosciutto, Ham, Virginia Ham)
Instructions:
- Begin by draining your beans in a colander then smashing them up in a bowl add a few glugs of olive oil, salt, pepper. This little mix is delicious. If you add some minced rosemary, you can even turn this into a delicious dip.
- Pit your avocado and cut it in half and then quarters lengthwise. Leave the skin on.
- Lay the bread out on a clean work surface for assembling the sandwiches.
- Spread your mashed bean mix onto one side of the bread.
- Peel your avocados and slice 1 quarter for each sandwich. Spread slices over the bean spread.
- Add a few slices of your pork to over the top of the avocado.
- You can finish this sandwich with some lettuces, fresh sprouts, or just eat it as is.
2. Delicious Crab Salad
Canned crab is a protein option that will likely be around through much of this meat crisis. It does have to be kept in refrigeration, but it’s delicious and this chipotle mayo salad is great in the spring and summer.
Ingredients:
- 1 Can of Crab Meat
- 1 Bunch of Asparagus
- Chipotle Mayo
- 1 Bunch of Green Onions
- 1 Bunch of Cilantro
Instructions:
- Drain your crab in a colander and set it in the sink.
- Slice your asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Throw them into a bowl.
- Thinly slice your onions and your cilantro and throw that into the bowl, as well.
- Gently toss in the crab meat.
- Squirt on enough Chipotle mayo to coat everything and toss gently not to break up the crab meat.
- Chill in the fridge and serve.
3. Simple Greek Salad
The combination of simple summer ingredients makes for an incredible quick salad that you could add other proteins, too, if you wanted. These could be canned meats.
Ingredients:
- 2 Large Tomatoes
- 1 Cucumber
- 1 Red Onion
- ¼ Cup of Feta Cheese
- A Few Sprigs of Fresh Mint
- ½ Cup of Kalamata Olives
- Balsamic Dressing
Instructions:
- I like to cut the tomatoes in large chunks and have them kind of be the main course in this salad. Peel and slice your cucumber in half. Remove the seeds and either dice or slice in half-moons.
- Peel and slice your red onion in half. Julienne your, or thinly slice, your half onion.
- Add all these ingredients to a bowl. Finely slice your mint.
- Add your olives, crumbled feta, and mint to the bowl and add enough dressing to coat everything.
- Stir it up and allow this to chill for at least an hour for the flavors to really blend.
4. Mediterranean Tuna Lettuce Wraps
Using some similar ingredients and adding a protein like tuna, you can create some delicious lettuce wraps. The key to a good lettuce wrap is to have most of the items around the same size. So, consider that when you are preparing this dish.
Ingredients:
- Iceberg or Butter Lettuce
- Canned Artichokes
- Canned roasted Red peppers
- Fresh Cucumber
- Feta Cheese
- Minced Olives ¼ Cup
- 2 Cans of Tuna
- Green Onions
- Basil
Instructions:
- Start by peeling all the full leaves from your lettuce. Set them on a plate either cover them with a wet paper towel or put them back into the fridge.
- Dice the peppers, artichokes, and cucumbers into cubes. Go no larger than ½ an inch.
- Thinly slice your green onions and basil and add them to a bowl with your diced vegetables. Add your loves to this bowl and mix them thoroughly.
- Crumble your feta cheese over the mixture.
- Drain your tuna thoroughly and then add that to the bowl, as well.
- Gently toss this mixture. Try not to break up the tuna and the cheese too much but incorporate it thoroughly.
- If you want, you can add some olive oil to the mix or a few glugs of balsamic vinegar. It’s also delicious just how it is.
- Scoop a few tablespoons into a lettuce leaf, wrap it up and eat up!
These no cook meals should help lessen the stress you feel when thinking of what to feed your family. If you don’t have the specific ingredients, use your creativity, and use what you have. You might discover a new recipe while you’re at it!
What’s your favorite no cook meal recipe? Please share it with us in the comments section!
Up Next:
- Essential Survival Fuel: No-Cook Overnight Oats
- Dehydrated Foods to Try This Weekend
- 13 Dried And Canned Foods With The Longest Shelf Lives
This Article Was First Found at survivallife.com Read The Original Article Here
preparedness
Billionaire Whistle Blower: Wuhan Coronavirus Death Toll Is Over 50,000

- Exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui recently revealed leaks from Wuhan crematoriums. He claims based on the number of bodies their furnaces are burning, the death toll could be as high as 50,000.
A Chinese billionaire and whistleblower who lives in U.S. exile says Wuhan crematoriums have burned 50,000 coronavirus victims. | Credit: Chinatopix via AP
- The official coronavirus death toll in China is a little over 800. But an exiled Chinese businessman says crematoriums are leaking the real figure.
- A billionaire whistleblower alleges Wuhan has crematoriums working 24/7. He claims they’ve cremated some 50,000 coronavirus victims.
- Guo Wengui is a Chinese billionaire living in exile in the United States.
The official coronavirus death toll is some 800 people in China. The current official death toll worldwide, outside of China, is 774. But a Chinese billionaire with a history of blowing the whistle on his former government says the real figure is much higher.
Exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui recently revealed leaks from Wuhan crematoriums. He claims based on the number of bodies their furnaces are burning, the death toll could be as high as 50,000. Wengui made the bombshell allegations in an interview with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.
Whistleblower: 1.5 Million Coronavirus Cases In China, 50,000 Coronavirus Deaths In Wuhan
He also claims to have inside information that there are 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases in China. Wengui is emphatic that these are not merely quarantined or “under observation” but confirmed cases of coronavirus infection:
China has struggled to contain the coronavirus. But it has also struggled to contain public outcry against censorship and tight control of information. Dr. Li Wenliang, who sounded the alarm about the disease, succumbed to an infection and died this week. The Chinese government arrested him for blowing the whistle.
Then officials tried to suppress news of his death. Afterwards, millions of Chinese citizens saw the hashtag #IWantFreedomOfSpeech on Mandarin language social media. But the Chinese government censored that too.
Are Wengui’s Crematorium Claims Credible?
Watch VICE’s 2017 profile on Guo Wengui. At the time, he published bombshell documents alleging corruption in the Chinese government. He got the attention of the media and reportedly the U.S. State Department.
preparedness
5 Types Of Ammunition To Stockpile For A Collapse

Every prepper knows it’s a great idea to stockpile ammunition when preparing for a major disaster.
You can use it for hunting, self-defense, or barter.
But which types of ammo should you stockpile?
If you plan on bartering, then you don’t want a bunch of calibers that nobody wants. And that’s just one consideration.
In this video, Reality Survival & Prepping talks about what he thinks are the 5 best types of ammunition to stockpile for a collapse.
Here are his picks:
- .22 LR – Very common, good for hunting small game, very light and small.
- 9mm Luger – Great for self-defense, fits in a wide variety of handguns.
- 5.56×45mm or .223 Remington – Also very common, cheap and effective.
- .308 Winchester – Widely used, works in AR10 and bolt-action platforms.
- 12 Gauge – You can do a lot with it — hunt, defend yourself, etc.
In the video below he makes a much more detailed case for each caliber. What do you think of this list?
This article first appeared on urbansurvivalsite.com See it here
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