ASTM International

Standard Practice for Body Armor Wearer Measurement and Fitting of Armor
 N E3003

Annotation

This practice provides measurement and fit guidance for soft ballistic-resistant or stab-resistant body armor, or both, covering the torso. Proper measurement of the wearer and fitting of armor to that individual are necessary to obtain sufficient coverage of the torso and vital organs while allowing the full range of motion required for officer operations.

This practice is primarily directed toward law enforcement and corrections officers and addresses measurements for and fit of concealable (normal duty) body armor worn under or over the uniform for both male and female wearers. This practice addresses only body armor composed of front and back protective panels contained within a carrier that positions and holds the panels on the torso.

Female wearers require more measurements than male wearers to achieve proper armor fit; therefore, the minimum required measurements are specified individually for males and females.

In addition to the required measurements, optional measurements are recommended when necessary to accommodate the wearer’s body shape and dimensions.

Measurement guidance is provided in Section 5 of this practice. Section 5 may also be used to train individuals on proper measurement techniques.

In addition to measurement guidance, this practice provides two tools for assessing armor relative to the intended wearer:

(1) Comparison of wearer measurements and armor measurements in Section 6.

(2) Personal armor fit assessment in Section 7.

Units—English units are specified in this standard to be consistent with measurement units used in the United States body armor community. Approximate values in SI units are given in parentheses.