The Spread of Bulletproof Backpacks

When Chris Null pointed out that there was a $175 bulletproof backpack from MJ Safety Solutions, I figured it was a one-kook phenomenon. (Actually, it was invented by two Boston dads who have been researching and designing the pack for a decade.) Now I'm not so sure. Last week I saw a second product, only this time it's not a full backpack, it's an expensive bulletproof insert that you can use to retrofit any backpack.

It's called the Backpack Shield and it's level IIIA bullet resistant; that's one level higher than the backpack that Chris reported. Level IIIA stops pretty intense bullets like .44 Magnum or 9mm full metal jacket. The designers claim that the backpack insert can be used with most ordinary backpack models. The shield is made from layers of Kevlar so it's lightweight and thin enough to insert into your child's backpack without them noticing the extra baggage. The price for the insert is $250.

Of course not every bullet comes from behind, so you can (if you're faster than a speeding bullet) take it off your back and use it as a shield. It comes in designer colors and can even be personalized with your child's name (in case it gets lost amongst the others in the class?).

There's something terribly sad about the fact that we're seeing multiple products in this space. I know the manufacturers are well meaning, but I can't imagine explaining to Johnny why he needs to be bulletproofed before school. Talk about being scared to go to school! In some ways these bulletproof schoolwares are analogous to the threat of terrorism-if you succumb to it, you lose.

What do you think? Would you dress your kids in a bulletproof backpack?