Bulletproof backpacks

[sawinredneck]

I’ll start this here, but I’m pretty sure it will get moved to the pit.

So last night my wife hits me up, she thinks we need to get our 13yo son a bulletproof backpack. I was honestly at a loss for words, I’d never heard of such a thing! I bit my tongue and did some research on this, I was shocked, and disappointed at once. Everything available was class IIIa and $200 and straight up! Serious money, but only handgun rated, a waste of money imo.
We’ve tried for years to get this kid to use a backpack or bookbag, but all he wants to use is a “trapper keeper”, strike one! If he’s not going to carry it, why bother?
Then being only handgun rated, strike two, to me this is the just because, just in case scenario, if I’m carrying something that is “bulletproof”, well it’d better stop bullets!
Three, they do sell the Kevlar inserts, not much cheaper than the bags, and I can source 1/8”-1/4” titanium, which would stop about anything he’d encounter, but it’s still going to weigh a ton! Meaning it’d be left at home or a locker!
We live in a semi rural area, 15 miles outside of Wichita KS, crime is increasing weekly, unfortunately.
We’ve been married 25yrs now, but I’m not even sure how to go on this decision! I honestly get her point, but I’m thinking what’s on the market is pretty pointless as well, as it’s only handgun rated, and extremely expensive imo!
Thoughts, guidance anything is welcome and appreciated! This is not a conversation I ever dreamt of having!

[am44mag]

If he's not going to carry it, it's just not going to do any good period. I've read that a couple thick books can stop some bullets, but probably not for a rifle, and definitely not if he leaves them in his locker.

You also have to think about if he would even think to grab the thing if he ever found himself in an active shooter situation, or if it would do any good if he did. It's not going to cover his whole body, and it's not going to make him invincible.

Honestly, this is more than likely a nonissue. You may hear about mass shooting every few months on the news, but when you compare their numbers to population of 320 million, then you can see they're really not that common.

[Petrol & Powder]

For starters, I understand your wife's desire to do something. Honestly, this is far more about her than it is about your son. She can't stand the possibility of having the opportunity to have done something, ..anything, ..and letting that opportunity go.

So, my suggestion is to find an alternative that fills her need to do something and in the process, may be more effective.

Talk to your wife in private, away from your son, and develop a plan so that the two of you are on the same sheet of music.
Then, give your son some very basic mental tools to deal with the worst case scenario. You want to keep this very minimal and treat it like a home fire drill. It's not something he needs to dwell on and it's not something he really needs to talk about with others.

Some basic tools include knowing the difference between cover and concealment and how to identify those objects. Having a plan to flee, hide or fight. Probably most important thing is to encourage him to share information with you if he sees signs leading up to an attack - Other kids being bullied, statements that a student will seek revenge, students withdrawn from others, etc. This is the "if you see something, say something mindset.

This will make your wife happy and may actually give your son an advantage in a horrible situation. Make it age appropriate and don't dwell on it or make it excessive. Preparation NOT paranoia.

[Rick Hodges]

To make matters even worse there is a movement in school administrations to ban backpacks.....because it is too easy to conceal dangerous and prohibited items in them. Coming to a school near you.

[JSnover]

A backpack would only help if he was running away; not much good if he's trapped in a room. Books... maybe but only in the movies can you hear the shot and then move the book into the path of the bullet.
Best to take P&Ps advice, teach the kid about cover, concealment, evasion and escape.

[koehn,jim]

A back pack can be turned around to the front, instead of a metal insert try half inch lexan plastic as an insert, it will stop a 38 or 9mm.that with the backpack might stop a rifle. It depends on the range. The main thing is it might make your wife feel better, and that is worth it.

[nagantguy]

To make matters even worse there is a movement in school administrations to ban backpacks.....because it is too easy to conceal dangerous and prohibited items in them. Coming to a school near you.


This; there isn’t a single school in our entire state public or private that will let little jimmy or Suzy carry a backpack to class. And most other states are the same .

[sigep1764]

I grew up 15 miles from Wichita Ks. Your kid has no need for a bulletproof backpack unless you live in Oaklawn. Relax.

[blackthorn]

One idea I saw somewhere is for the kid to carry one of those triangle shaped door stoppers. If they have to hide in a class room they can block the door so the nut-case can't get it open easily.

[popper]

Solution looking for a problem. Get involved with the school board about school security, real security. I know, low probability of your kid getting hurt but it is your kid. Lots of emotions. Lots of violence everywhere these day, and will probably get worse. Truthfully we just have to learn to live with it. Start training him to be alert and aware of his surroundings. Kids are generally busy minded and not aware. Dress him in swat gear for school and he will get kidded by everyone.

[Walkingwolf]

I believe the odds are extremely low that a child will get shot in a school. Even with the seemingly high reports of shooting, those are still relatively low considering the number of schools, and students in this country. It is like riding a motorcycle in summer on a really hot day. Are you going to leather up, or grab the t-shirt, and jeans? A kelvar back pack for the bike does sound like a good idea though if a person uses one. Seems to me if one is worried about school shootings the answer is simple, home schooling.

[starnbar]

Bullet resistant backpacks so say the shooter is making head shots got a remedy for that?

[country gent]

A few years ago I saw kevalar lined sleeping pads for preschoolers and kindergarten students. Several issues with these and back packs are threat level rating, can the student support it if hit, a lot of energy being dumped in them. and last is storage, sunlight degrades Kevlar over time. On the pads that stay at school how is the school storing them? In a closet or on a shelf out in the light?

[Riverpigusmc]

I got one of thw ballistic inserts for my sons backpack, then bought and cut to fit a piece of 1/4" Lexan to go behind it. We used lexan for windshields when I raced short track late models, and I shot an eighth inch thick piece with a .357 by the shop to see if it was bulletproof. It stretched it but did not penetrate

[Houndog]

What Petrol & Powder said +1! The only thing I can add is teach him to look for any alternative escape routes any time he walks into ANY room or meeting place, how to block doors, especially ones that swing outward, what can be used as a makeshift weapon and how to use it. He MUST learn to keep his head in a stressful situation or all the training in the world won't do any good. It's sad we must teach our kids this type of things just to go to school, but in today's world it's unavoidable.

[sawinredneck]

I grew up 15 miles from Wichita Ks. Your kid has no need for a bulletproof backpack unless you live in Oaklawn. Relax.

Since you know tha area, we are in Rose Hill. What got the wife was we had a shooting last year, kid stayed home and got shot with an AR15, the family claims it was an accident but I know for a fact it wasn’t. Anyway, the fact an 11yo got the gun got the wife wound up.
I suggested he could wear my old military flak jacket and we could buy him a Kevlar helmet. OR, I could just sit in the parking lot, all day, everyday and shoot anyone that looks suspicious? Trying to politely imply how carried away these things can get.
The lexan isn’t a half bad idea, I could cut a piece, drill some holes and fit it into his trapper keeper easily, and he will at least have it with him.
He’s had three or four years of martial arts training and is adept at self defense, when he’s attentive! But as stated, at this age......
I’ll propose the Lexan, see how that goes over with her.
The school is also doing training nine times, yes, NINE TIMES, this year for this type of situation so it’s not like I need to be low key with any of it. They are seemingly beating these into kids heads from here on. As a parent, it’s hard to remain terribly rational with all the hysteria going on.

[JSnover]

Rob Pincus did some great training videos about surviving school shootings. www.icetraining.us

[Petrol & Powder]

History has shown that there is absolutely no criteria that will make a particular school more or less prone to a mass shooting event.
Urban Schools, Rural Schools, Suburban Schools, Poor communities, Affluent Communities, Middle Class Communities, Predominately white student bodies, mixed race student bodies, high crime areas, low crime areas, etc. The odds are the same everywhere.

To say that a school shooting couldn't happen in a particular school because of location or some other factor is absurd. They can happen anywhere.
HOWEVER, despite the media coverage, school shootings are incredibly rare. There are tens of thousands of schools in the U.S. and millions of students. The odds are in your favor by a huge margin.

The best piece of equipment is always located between your ears.

Children take their cues from their adult role models. If a parent obsesses about something (like an active shooter scenario) the child will adopt that outlook. It wouldn't be healthy to obsess about something that is very unlikely to occur. The key is preparation not paranoia.

A few simple mental tools and some basic awareness will give a child a huge advantage. Don't go overboard and don't obsess. Keep it simple.

[Handloader109]

Tell your wife to get over it. At most get the lexan.

[popper]

http://www.huts.com/Huts'sBallisticTest.htm
Lexan doesn't do so well. Worked with a guy building bulletproof man traps in Puerto Rico. 1" thick and weighs a LOT.

[sawinredneck]

http://www.huts.com/Huts'sBallisticTest.htm
Lexan doesn't do so well. Worked with a guy building bulletproof man traps in Puerto Rico. 1" thick and weighs a LOT.
Great article, thank you Popper. I hadn’t thought about the shrapnel from the lexan being an issue.
Even more to think about now.

[reddog81]

If he isn't going to use it I'd pass.

Over the 20 years or so there an average of 15 people who die in school shooting every YEAR. 11 kids die every DAY in texting and driving accidents. 1,000+ kids are shot every year accidentally. There's a lot of stuff that could hurt a kid and it's impossible to protect all of it. The media loves to focus on the school shootings and they are a tragedy, but the threat isn't that great.

[sawinredneck]

If he isn't going to use it I'd pass.

Over the 20 years or so there an average of 15 people who die in school shooting every YEAR. 11 kids die every DAY in texting and driving accidents. 1,000+ kids are shot every year accidentally. There's a lot of stuff that could hurt a kid and it's impossible to protect all of it. The media loves to focus on the school shootings and they are a tragedy, but the threat isn't that great.

This isn’t about him, it’s about appeasing his mother! Happy wife, happy life!