Protect Your Kid With a Bulletproof Backpack
Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:51PM EDT
See Comments (44)
If I didn't see the video I wouldn't have believed it, but an enterprising pair of Boston fathers have crafted a backpack lined with bulletproof material. Inspired by the 1999 Columbine shootings, the $175 pack can stop most types of bullets, including, they say, 9mm hollow points.
The idea is not just to protect junior from getting shot in the back. Rather, he can pick up the backpack in an emergency and use it as a shield or a chestplate of sorts, too. (The pack is said to weigh a tenth of what police body armor weighs but offers the same level of protection.) I'm not entirely sure how well it would work just hanging loose in front of your body, but it's certainly going to be better at stopping bullets than a Trapper Keeper.
Paranoid? The company says 328 school shootings have occurred since 1999, leaving 229 dead and 422 injured. It doesn't sound so crazy with that in mind.
As a side note, be aware that it is illegal in the U.S. to own body armor if you are convicted, violent felon. State laws also vary on the subject, so be sure to check your local statutes before you buy.
The backpacks are indeed on sale. I dug around and found their web store for you; the company is called MJ Safety Solutions, and it offers the pack in two sizes. (Strangely, neither mentions that they are "bulletproof," though the company tagline makes it clear. An alternate site offers more info here.) One even has a computer sleeve, so you can spare your laptop along with your life. Double win!
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7 Posted by johnlopes@rogers.com on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:39PM EDT Report Abuse
This will only stop a projectile if it hits the pack dead on. A projectile can and will graze the sides of the pack and still lodge itself into the side of you kids. You still have alot of vital organs on the outer edge of your bodies !!! Do not buy this, it provides a false sense of security for your loved ones. Teach your children to be street smart and get out of the line of fire if they can. I can see a kid feeling more brave and using this thing as a shield as they try to stop an assault in progress, remenber, your head and vital organs are still exposed. THIS IS ABOUT AS EFFECTIVE AS SELLING PARACHUTES TO PEOPLE WHO WORK IN OFFICE BUILDINGS (as such was the case after 9/11)
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8 Posted by mhinds@rogers.com on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:17PM EDT Report Abuse
Good idea, but the truth is that most people can't afford to buy a $175 backpack for their kids.
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9 Posted by eaglep2e on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:50PM EDT Report Abuse
Here's an idea...how about if we teach our kids to stop bullying and picking on weaker kids, and to respect each other. Maybe the lonely losers in school would be less inclined to shoot the place up if they weren't tortured every day by priveleged arsehole kids.
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10 Posted by borderhopper3689@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:11PM EDT Report Abuse
i think it's a great idea, and while i dont know if i would buy one, you certainly cant believe that "nothing" will ever happen to your baby. i'm sure the parents at columbine felt the same way, and look what happened there.
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11 Posted by borderhopper3689@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:11PM EDT Report Abuse
and i'd also like to point out that you do not have a lot of vital organs on the outer edges of your body. your lungs are protected by your ribs, as is your heart, your liver, stomach, spleen, and intestines are in the center of your body protected by various muscles, and your kidneys are in the small of your back, close to, but certainly not on, the edge.
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12 Posted by mcmillen66 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:13PM EDT Report Abuse
This is just another example of runaway paranoia. Chris, despite the numbers you posted, school shootings are extremely rare events and kids are often much safer in school than they are in their own homes, or in their parent's car on the way to school. I understand that you are just reporting on this product and not endorsing it, but I'm rather annoyed to see you use your column to comment on such frivolous merchandise. Maybe you should do a column on earthquack survival kits for Floridians next. I enjoy your tech articles, but this is useless.
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13 Posted by hotwheelsfan13@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:20PM EDT Report Abuse
Our schools do not allow children to take their packpack to class. It has to go in their locker when they get to school. Not much help if it's stuck in a locker.
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14 Posted by ryankeefer23 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:57PM EDT Report Abuse
As mentioned earlier, this will only provide a false sense of security and in some cases a dangerous amount of bravery for those who would try to "sheild" off gun fire and be a hero instead of using common sense and hiding or otherwise avoiding a gunman all together. Times are indeed changing, however, something like this is not the remedy for recent tragedies and could possibly be seen as provocative to potential future school shooters. I agree with those earlier who mentioned a better solution would be teaching children not to bully others, treat each other with respect and be a part of the solution instead of adding fuel to the fire.
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15 Posted by rexcavating on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:37PM EDT Report Abuse
I can't believe how many people are dissing this product! Do you not have children? I live in a small community that has the lowest enrollment in the public school system in the area. You know the saying "You can't do anything in this town without everyone knowing about it." I love this town, but we do have drug dealers and I'm sure there are some untrustworthy people here. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!!! I would sooner purchase this backpack than $100.00 shoes or designer clothing to give my child a "chance of survival". Lets not be naive IT could happen anywhere, anytime. Not only do I keep my children alert to the dangers but I watch them like a hawk. I however can not predict what other children are going to do. Take every precaution to protect our future and pray someone is going to step up and change the direction this country is heading.
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16 Posted by memaw57@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:16PM EDT Report Abuse
what else can we have to protect them with other than prayer!!!!!!
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17 Posted by mojofirst2004@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:24PM EDT Report Abuse
honeslty. it's a bad idea. infact this will increase backpack thefts to get the bullet proof metal sheets out of there. it's not worth it.
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18 Posted by theoriginalelwood on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:04PM EDT Report Abuse
Man, this would definatly have helped in the Comlumbine shooting and the Virginia Tech shooting. Students definatly need this in places with high crime. I like it.
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19 Posted by dandanthepartyman123@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:34PM EDT Report Abuse
Eh, it obviously can stop bullets, but what good is it if one kid buys it because his parents are well off, and so the killer just shoots someone else? High crime areas where this sort of thing would come in handy tend to be high in poverty as well, so I don't think this backpack will reach many people. It would be much more effect to teach kids what to do in school shootings, and of course to try and prevent the shooting in the first place.
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20 Posted by dcsoccer25 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:39PM EDT Report Abuse
On one hand, that is really cool, but on the other hand, it's terribly sad that something like that would actually be useful in schools these days. Crazy.
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21 Posted by clavere1995@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:26PM EDT Report Abuse
It's not just public school
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22 Posted by heywood277@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:18PM EDT Report Abuse
I can't believe how some on here say it is a bad idea. It is better than nothing if your child is put in a bad situation. It gives them some safety and combined with being prepared and using good judgement in violent situations, it can only help. I just don't understand how some on here say not to buy it or that it won't work, I just can't imagine what twisted logic they use to say such things. It beats begging on your knees.
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23 Posted by ryankeefer23 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:57PM EDT Report Abuse
Don't get me wrong, im all for protecting the kids...if it saves some lives great. But I think ultimately it will cost more lives as arming kids with bulletproof armor will only encourages these troubled kids and will create a more violent overall atmosphere in our schools. If we start arming these kids with these packs we might as well be taunting, challenging and inviting these potential shooters to "see what they got." It sends a message not only to society but more importantly to these potential shooters that we are expecting their rampage. We might as well declare war against every would-be shooter, give our kids a little backpack and pretend that it will make everything ok.
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24 Posted by tiffanykhamer on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:08PM EDT Report Abuse
The problem with that is in most schools (at least in my state) backpacks are prohibited in class because they dont want people bringing in concealed weapons. So in this case the bulletproof back pack would have to be left in the childs locker (per school policy) and that defeats the purpose. Also it is because of the schools located in high risk areas that this policy is in effect.
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25 Posted by 3rdjersey@att.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:42PM EDT Report Abuse
These backpacks are a wonderful idea, but parents need to understand that they are not guaranteed to protect our children. We need to educate our children, parents and school staff members to look for warning signs of grief and depression. Little things that we would "blow off" as adults are usually very important to our teenagers-how their peers see them is very important. A child that presents as troubled needs to be counseled immediately by a licensed profession or at least by a responsible adult. Bullies also need to be handled more sternly by the school system and put through counseling. If neither individual is helped by the couseling then they should be removed from the school system. There are alternative educational choices. Schools should be a safe haven, a place to gain classroom education and social skills-not target practice for kids that at one time needed a good spanking on their butts by their parents.
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6 Posted by girlguidesoxford@rogers.com on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:09PM EDT Report Abuse
The need to protect is strong but the best protection we can give is to be part of the solution. So take it upon yourself to be aware of what is happening around you, be responsible make the call to the authorities when there is trouble, watch out for your neighbour. The most important is be a part of the community in which you live. Don't hide indoors it gives the impression that you do not care about the people around you.