The State of Texas prohibits felons from possessing or wearing body armor per Texas Penal Code section 46.041.  Any other Texas resident may use body armor. There are two types of body armor, the concealment variety, worn underneath clothing, and the so-called "tactical entry" type worn over clothing. The type we'll talk about here is concealed body armor.

So, why should you even consider wearing body armor?  Road-rage. Car-jackings. Somebody using you for target practice because you're gay. Armed robbery. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Those reasons should do for starters.  Another good reason is that body armor has saved lives in major car accidents.  The whole point of  this exercise is to give you an edge in an increasingly violent society. You don't have to carry a weapon to wear body armor. In some instances, you may be going to places which prohibit concealed carry   

 Body armor is not, as the popular term says, "bullet-proof." It is bullet-resistant to some degree. The degree of bullet resistance is based on ratings and tests governed by the National Institute of Justice, a division of the Department of Justice.  Body armor ratings range from Level I--the lowest--to at least Level V, the highest the author is familiar with. Level I will defeat low-powered bullets fired from some of the smaller-caliber weapons. Level IV is designed for SWAT teams and is worn outside the body, rather than underneath clothing. Level V is designed to defeat high-velocity rounds from rifles. Wearing such an item resembles the feudal armor worn by samurai warriors in ancient Japan. You've probably seen the latter type in TV news reports where police SWAT teams were involved.

There are a number of manufacturers of concealment body armor.   Body armor used to be bulky, but with new synthetic fibers, the vests are significantly more flexible and lighter. Body armor weight can be a factor.  Although 3 pounds doesn't sound like a lot, wearing the extra weight can get a bit tiring and can contribute to what is known as "heat fatigue".  Simply put, heat fatigue occurs when your body can't get rid of the heat it produces as fast as it would like. Some of the newer concealment vests offer level II protection in weight that is not much over a pound. Additionally, here in Houston heat and humidity will be a problem during much of the year.  If you're considering body armor, try to keep the weight down as much as you can.

 Concealment vests have the body armor panels held within cloth "carriers". The protective portion of the vest can also be removed so you can wash the carrier, which like any other piece of underclothing will absorb body odors. The protective fibers of the vest can also pick up odors, but you can't wash this portion of the vest as water weakens the fibers and will permit a bullet easier entry. You can get cleaners that will eliminate the bacteria causing the smell without weakening the protective ability of the vest.  You can pick those up through some of the body armor manufacturers, some of the police equipment catalogs, or at some of the police equipment places here in town. As a matter of fact, " Central Police Supply" just across the street from the "cop-shop" at 1410 Washington carries vest cleaning materials. Very handy for those of us who reside "inside the loop."

 So, how much protection is enough? Here in Houston, the weapon-of-choice and status-symbol for the local "gang-bangers" is the Glock 9mm. However not every predator subscribes to that view and you may encounter heavier caliber firearms. Level I vest protection is considered too weak for police agencies, and Level II or IIA is considered the lowest minimum protection. That's probably a good rule of thumb. Level III is a good choice if you can afford it.  Some vests have pockets to add ceramic or metal "trauma" plates, which increase the vest stopping power. The plates are available from the body armor manufacturer. 

In the event that someone does take a shot at you and the bullet strikes the body armor you're wearing, don't think you'll walk away into the sunset smiling. As you recall from your high-school physics, the kinetic energy imparted to the bullet will have to go somewhere.  Depending upon the caliber and velocity of the bullet, the protection rating of the vest and the angle at which it strikes your vest, there is a good chance you'll come out of it with a bad bruise, or some cracked ribs. Not bad, considering the alternative.

For those who expect a significant threat from folks getting close enough to wield a knife or ice-pick, there are vests made specifically for that type of threat. Sometimes called "corrections" vests ,as they are used primarily by prison guards, the design of the vest differs in that it can stop a very sharp, pointed object, but is nearly useless for stopping "blunt force trauma" such as those inflicted by bullets.

A good analogy would be the "shields" used by the different Landsraad Houses in the epic movie "Dune." The shields could stop one type of attack, but could not stop another. Today, we're a bit luckier, as some body armor manufacturers make a combination vest. One such vest features both Level II bullet resistance and an 81 foot-pound (110 joule) sharp object test resistance

 If cost is a factor, some body armor companies sell "used" vests which have been turned in. Also be aware that some body armor manufacturers will not sell to the public, and will sell their body armor only to so-called "qualified" individuals, such as law-enforcement , security guards, etc.  As a general rule of thumb, body armor costs go up as the protection level goes up, say from Level II to Level III, and the body armor weight goes down. Concealment vest prices range from about $300 to well over $1,000 for a new, name-brand, lightweight vest.