$250 Body Armor That Works... And it Comes in a T-Shirt!

As someone who's worn body armor for over 30 years—on SWAT calls, narcotics raids, and now while standing post in church—I'm skeptical of anything that claims to be both affordable and effective. But when I came across the Premier Body Armor Everyday Armor T-Shirt 2.0, I decided it was worth putting it to the test. Literally.

In the video below, I take this armor into my backyard range and hit it with everything from a .22 LR to a 12-gauge shotgun—plus a bayonet thrust for good measure. The results were surprising.

---

Why This Matters for Church Security

Most church shootings involve handguns at close range. The threats are real—and often unpredictable. Your armor doesn’t need to stop a sniper round from 300 yards. It needs to protect you during a face-to-face confrontation while you’re protecting your congregation.

This vest is rated NIJ Level IIIA, which means it’s built to stop most pistol rounds, including .44 Magnum and 10mm. As I’ve said before, bullets are full-time—even if you're only wearing armor part-time.

---

Real-World Testing: Calibers & Results

I conducted this test at realistic church encounter distances (about 5 feet). Here’s how the vest held up:

✅ .22 LR (Suppressed)

Minimal deformation. No penetration. No surprise there.

✅ 9mm (Glock 19)

Ball ammo—no issues. Vest absorbed it with ease.

✅ .357 Magnum (Hollow Point)

Some trauma to the vest panel, but no pass-through. You’d feel it—but you’d live.

✅ .45 ACP (SIG P220)

Visible slug recovery, excellent absorption. No penetration.

✅ .44 Magnum (Hollow Point, Suppressed)

This is where things got real. The vest took it—barely. Deformation visible, but no exit.

✅ 10mm (Glock 20)

Still held up. Bullet was recovered inside the vest layers. No penetration.

✅ 12-Gauge Double-Ought Buck (Short Barrel Shotgun)

Pellets embedded in the layers. No back-face signature. That's impressive for soft armor.

⚔️ Bayonet Thrust (AK-47)

While not stab-rated, the vest held up under aggressive thrusts. Fibers resisted penetration, though I wouldn't bet on repeated knife attacks.

---

Comfort and Concealment

I wore the vest under my typical church attire. It hides well under a button-up shirt and doesn't scream "tactical." Like any body armor, it rides up slightly, but for a couple of hours on Sunday? It’s completely manageable.

This is not $1500 custom police armor—but for church safety team members on a budget, it’s an outstanding option.

---

Final Thoughts

If you’re serious about protecting your church, but you don’t want to drop a mortgage payment on gear, this Premier Body Armor T-Shirt Bundle is worth your attention. It handled more than I expected—and it did so at a price point most church teams can afford.

I trust it enough to wear it. You might want to consider it too.