This product deserves this rating because it is a complete life saver.

have to agree with the first post, this gear is heavy and cumbersom. it has weak spots on the sides. we even had to wear the DAPS attachments and it was all around uncomfortable. guys wound up leaving parts of the armor in thier tents which defeats the purpose. dont get me wrong it will stop some bullets- only if its worn right.

I wore it and like MPDaddy said and the other person, it is heavy and it doesn't provide protection 100 percent of the time. They are adding so much to it that it is weighing down the soldier too much, there is a fine line between manuverability and protection... I couldn't even get down in the turret with the new daps i was told to wear.

It will stop just about anything, so for that I give it props. But it is heavy and bulky especially when you have all your ammo attached to it. It gets even heaver and bulkier when you add the side plates and sholder protection. It chafes your neck, and chokes you when you have the throat guard on, it is painful to wear for long peirods of time and absolutly sucks to wear in the heat (like say Iraq).

I HATED this thing until I went to Iraq

LOL uncomfortable yes... but it was better than the flack jackets we had whent i first came in!

i use over iraq really works and i buy one for me in part because my depart after a year dint issue one for me

it saves lives but before it has to be worn right and it has to be hit in the right places but me i would prefer dragonhide armor that stuff can take steel core rounds

I don't particularly care for it.....pushed on my bladder too much.......i give it props for the SAPI plates...stopping 7.62 and shanks all but the kevlar only stops 9mm....my second chance vest can stop a .45 and .350 low velocity....... the compnay cares more about quantity than quality......the Army is pretty much the only service using it now....Marines came up with their own and the Air force went to Dragon Skin.......we need to up grade.

i know 2 Marine who were KIA because their flaks failed them. But then again i know Marines whos flaks did their job. It is bulky, cumbersome, some assembly required, now they have side SAPIs for them and the Army has arm covers so these things just get heavier. my neck would usually hurt from the neck yolk, the "nut guard" could cause much pain if your not careful, or if you have people who like to play pranks. even though mine served me good, this system needs a bit more tuning.

I have to agree with some of the previous poster's on this product. It's cumbersome and uncomfortable and only does a marginal job of stopping bullets and/or shrapnel, but it's also better than nothing.

I have to say with having worn a Vietnam-era flak vest upon the invasion of Iraq, the IBA was a God send. It is cumbersome, it is heavy and I really don't care for all of the attachments they have now, as it limits mobility, but I feel very conident and protected when I wore it overseas. Especially after seein an enemy sniper shoot a soldier with a high-caliber rifle at less than 100 meters. The soldier fell and got right back up. The SAPI plates are heavy, but well worth the weight!!!! (Oh and those badgys, yeah they were, um, BUSTED!)

Survivability vs. mobility. It deffinately works but slows you down. I would prefer a plate carrier and light plates.

It wroked in Afghanistan

This has helped me on more than one occasion. Can get heavy and is rather hot but allows full mobility.

this go thot & heavy while in Irag but sure saved a few lives!!

Worn by myself and some of the FINEST people in the country.... US Army.. uncomfortable and some times a pain in the butt.... but if you wanna come home you best take care of her cuz she'll get you there

And its a great work out.....

This vest saved my life 3 times in Iraq. I f I were not wearing it I would not be writeing this review. This system realy works well.It might be a little bulky, but it will get you back home to your loved ones.

Would ya rather sweat or bleed? Hot and heavy, but I seen 'em stop some fast movers!!!

Not bad until they start adding on all of the extras that were after thoughts. The underarm protection and all of that. I prefer the IOTV that we are getting now. But the inerceptor works.
That is really all the discussion should be about the rest is just comfort issues.

Hot, uncomfortable, and cumbersome are all great ways to describe it. And I can agree but it works. The Air Force didnt go to Dragon Skin armour. I wish.

Heavy, uncomfortable and doesn't breathe. But MOLLE straps help to place mag pouches and stuff where I want them to be and it protected me from high velocity lead poisoning.

Heavy and uncomfortable, however, I have seen soldiers who lived because of theirs. I wouldn't go into combat without armor