Originally Posted by
Tom Fineis
For civilians there are three reasons to buy one:
1) You intend to use it during a SHTF scenario.
Pros- Lots of fighting gear available to you. Potentially armor in it as well. If I know I'm going to be in a gunfight, armor is right behind "rifle" in my lists of wants.
Cons- Slow to put on, makes you stand out (could be good or bad). Many people have a fantasy of suiting up and taking to the streets dropping tangos at every street corner. History shows us it happens a bit differently than that...
2) You want to take a training class that requires it
Many people think they need one for a rifle class, which isn't always true.
Some classes (shoot house classes mostly) require armor.
3) You want one because you think they are cool
This is what most people buy them for.