Choosing
How to Choose a Body Armor Size and Check the Fit
· updated · 7 min read · Andrey Sokolov
Concealable body armor is sized by two measurements: chest circumference and height. Your clothing size only tells you the chest, and the length of the vest cannot be adjusted later. Take your measurements, check them against the model's size chart, and when the vest arrives, test it standing, sitting, bending over and with your arms raised.
Step 1. Take your measurements
Measure over a thin T-shirt. The tape should sit snugly but not squeeze.
- Chest circumference - around the fullest part of the chest, with the tape level under the armpits.
- Waist circumference - at navel level: this is what the lower straps are adjusted to.
- Height.
- Torso length - standing, from the notch between the collarbones to the navel. This measurement tells you whether the vest will cover your stomach and whether it will press into your throat when you sit.
People often write to us: "I'm 196 cm tall, clothing size 48-50 - will the length fit?" The answer comes from height and torso length, not from shirt size.
Ordering for your husband, son or father? Ask him to take the measurements from the list. If that is not possible, lay out one of his T-shirts that fits him well and multiply the width across the chest by two. You get a chest circumference with some allowance: rougher, but more reliable than a jacket size.
Step 2. Check your measurements against the size chart
Body armor has two axes: chest circumference determines how the front and back panels meet at the sides, and length determines the protected area.
In October 2026, the Philippine government council for science and technology DOST-PCIEERD described the AeroComp vest project. The developers surveyed police officers, soldiers and security guards, and almost three quarters named bulky vests as a problem. The authors see the cause in the cut: off-the-shelf models are made to someone else's anthropometric data, so they fit local users poorly. The takeaway for a buyer: a lightweight vest that does not fit your body still gets in the way.
| Model | Sizes | How it is adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| COYOTE | M (48-50), L (50-52), XL (52-54) | stretch straps with hook-and-loop on the shoulders and waist |
| DARK ARMOR M-3 | S-L (44-48), XL-2XL (50-54), 3XL-4XL (56-58), two height options | shoulder straps and hook-and-loop cummerbunds at the waist |
| DARK ARMOR M-3 Big Size | 5XL-6XL (60-62) | same as M-3 |
| DARK ARMOR M-5 | S-L (44-48), XL-2XL (50-54), 3XL-4XL (56-58), two height options | same as M-3 |
Look at length first: straps and hook-and-loop let you raise or lower the vest and tighten it around the chest, but they do not change the length of the ballistic pack. Then chest circumference: when you are between two sizes, the amount of side adjustment decides. On the DARK ARMOR M-3, the ballistic packs run around the entire perimeter, so the side overlap is especially important.
How body armor should fit
Length. The bottom edge sits two fingers above the navel. When you sit, the vest does not press into your throat or ride up over your stomach.
Width. The front panel covers the whole chest instead of lying as a narrow strip down the middle.
Side overlap. The front and back panels meet at the sides with no gap. The side packs lie on your sides and do not slide under your arms.
Position. The pack sits close to the body, does not flap, does not press when you breathe in and does not slip off the shoulders.
Step 3. Check the fit in motion
Put the vest on over a T-shirt when it arrives and adjust the straps. Then do five checks, about a minute each.
- Standing. The chest and upper stomach are covered, with no gaps at the sides.
- Sitting. Sit on a chair, then behind the wheel, and lean back. The top edge does not press into your neck, and the bottom edge does not dig into your stomach.
- Bending over. Bend down as if tying your shoelaces. The vest does not shift and the hook-and-loop holds.
- Arms up. Raise your arms above your head. The vest does not ride up to your chin.
- Deep breath. If it feels tight, loosen the side straps. If the straps are already at their limit, the size is too small.
Finally, put a shirt, sweater or jacket on top and look at yourself sideways in a mirror. What gives a vest away under clothing and how to hide it, we covered in the article "How to wear body armor under clothing".
Signs the size is wrong
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The straps are fully tightened, but the vest still hangs loose | Too big around the chest | You need a smaller size |
| The hook-and-loop barely meets at the edge, and it feels tight when you breathe in | Too small around the chest | You need a larger size |
| Your stomach is exposed and the vest sits "like a crop top" | Too short | You need the tall option or made to measure |
| It presses into your throat when you sit | Too long or set too high | Lower the shoulder straps; if that does not help, choose a shorter size |
| One side is higher than the other and the vest is skewed | The straps are tightened unevenly | Refasten the hook-and-loop symmetrically |
Never cut or re-sew the ballistic pack: that changes its protection. Only the straps and hook-and-loop may be adjusted.
Fitting checklist for yourself, security staff and corporate purchasing
For yourself.
- Write down your measurements: you will need them when ordering and when calling us.
- Check the vest under both summer and winter clothing: a shirt and a sweater change the fit.
- Set the strap positions once so you do not have to readjust the vest every morning.
For a security guard.
- A shift often lasts 12 hours, and the guard spends most of that time sitting. Sit in the vest for half an hour.
- Try the vest on together with your duty belt and gear: nothing should press against the bottom edge.
- If you work behind the wheel, check the fit in the car.
For purchasing on behalf of an organization.
- Collect each employee's measurements: chest circumference and height, not uniform size. This is also how size ranges are set in government procurement.
- Distribute the batch across the model's size chart, and list employees with non-standard builds separately.
- Before ordering the batch, try the vest on two or three employees of different builds using the checks above.
If a standard size does not fit
The people who most often struggle to find a size are those close to two meters tall, heavily built people, slim men, and women. For a large build there is the DARK ARMOR M-3 Big Size. For everyone else, we make any model to measure, for men and women, at no extra charge.
Not sure about the size? Call our toll-free number 8 800 101-76-37: give us your measurements and tell us where and for how many hours a day you will wear the vest. We will recommend a model and size or make one to measure. Have not chosen a protection class yet? Start with the article "Br1 or Br2".
Frequently asked questions
How should body armor fit? Snugly, with no gaps at the sides. The front covers the chest and upper stomach, the bottom edge sits two fingers above the navel, and the vest does not press into your throat when you sit. It does not feel tight when you breathe in.
How do I find my body armor size without a fitting? You need a tape measure and five minutes: chest and waist circumference, height, and the length from the notch between the collarbones to the navel. With these numbers, check the model's size chart or give them to the seller.
Which size should I take if I am between two? Torso length decides. If the smaller size fits in length but is borderline around the chest, check how much adjustment the side straps have left. If neither size has enough adjustment, order made to measure.
How do I adjust body armor to fit me? Fasten the shoulder straps so that the bottom edge sits two fingers above the navel, then tighten the side straps symmetrically. Check the fit sitting, bending over and with your arms raised. The ballistic pack itself is never cut or re-sewn.
