NIJ Body Armor Standards

NIJ Ballistic StandardsN.I.J. Ballistic Threat Levels

PDF Download NIJ Body Armor Standard Download the full Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor NIJ Standard-0101.06 - U.S. DoJ (Adobe PDF)
  • Level IIA offers increased protection (9 mm and 40 S&W)
  • Level II offers greater protection (.357 Magnum and High Velocity 9 mm)
  • Level IIIA offers the highest protection (most handgun calibers)

NIJ Spike ProtectionN.I.J. Spike Levels

The National Institute of Justice rates body armor on resistance to hand-delivered stab threats.

N.I.J. Standard 0115.00 For Spike Protection

LEVEL SPIKE CLASS 1 SPIKE CLASS 2 SPIKE CLASS 3
Strike Energy "EI" = 25 joules
(17.7 ft. lbs.)		 "EI" = 33 joules
(24.3 ft. lbs.)		 "EI" = 43 joules
(31.7 ft. lbs.)
Overstrike Energy "E2" = 36 joules
(26.6 ft. lbs.)		 "E2" = 50 joules
(36.9 ft. lbs.)		 "E2" = 65 joules
(47.9 ft. lbs.)

Penetration Testing

  • The new N.I.J. Standard 0115.00. Maximum penetration of 0.28"/ 7mm is allowed
  • An "Overtest" is also applied, to push the breaking point of the armor, where 0.79"/ 20mm of penetration is allowed
  • Testing is done in two different categories of threat: "Edged Blades" (standard knives) or "Spike" weapons (ice-pick or improvised)

To help you select your body armor, we've provided the appropriate N.I.J. Threat or Spike levels for each of our body armor products.

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