PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
LEATHERBACK GEAR… CONVERT A BACKPACK INTO A BULLETPROOF VEST BY BRAD BREWER WWW.LEATHERBACKGEAR.COM
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he world we live in has changed and personal safety has never been more on people’s minds. Everyone now carries a backpack of some sort with the sole purpose to carry and protect important things. But now, thanks to Leatherback Gear, the backpack has found its most important purpose yet: protecting you or your loved ones.
Leatherback Gear offers one of the world’s safest backpacks that converts into a bulletproof protective vest…in less than five seconds. By hiding armor within something that people are already used to carrying everywhere, Leatherback Gear has turned the backpack into a personal reactionary tool to a life-threatening problem called an active shooting. It provides front and back protection that goes wherever you go, ready for whatever comes your way. Leatherback Gear comes standard with two Level IIIA panels but offers options to customize with Level III and Level IV. Leatherback Gear is a line of carry products that offers ballistic protection, while maintaining a stylish appearance, without being obviously built for ballistic protection. Created, designed, and patented by a former US Secret Service Agent, who saw the need to hide armor in an everyday item to protect people caught in these tragedies, these high-quality backpacks are extremely well designed with laptop com-
6 Police Fleet Manager Fall 2021
partments, small electronic pouches, and custom-sized accessory slots. This includes a felt-lined sunglass holder pocket and front organizer for pens, pencils, and more. There are also several covert hidden pockets for specialized equipment, if required. The shoulder straps, with integrated detachable straps, transform into two makeshift tourniquets. These straps have the ability to be attached together to form a drag strap or door stop. The RFID protective lining, in a hidden pocket, protects the user’s identity cards, passports, credit cards, and can also hide valuable information from potentially being scanned or downloaded by electronic countermeasures. They use a water-resistant nylon material that is tear-resistant along with larger heavy-duty zippers that are covered with fabric protection. They come standard with two bulletproof soft armor panels, with NIJ threat-level protection IIIA that are discreet and securely housed. This was a key design feature that was important to the inventor to mimic the protection worn by the US Secret Service Agents. The heavy-duty internal Velcro and nylon straps are all part of the safety system that is clearly marked and identifiable for any user under stress to convert the backpack into lifesaving ballistic protection. The top-mounted handle is reinforced to 300 pounds. Leatherback Gear comes in four models: Tactical One, Civilian One, Sport One, and Sport One Jr. The primary difference is appear-
