Tried searching this with no previous threads found and no conclusive evidence elsewhere online. Do you have a preferred t-shirt brand, style, type, material, etc to wear under body armor? I am talking about body armor worn underneath a uniform shirt for those of us who don’t have the financial resources for outer carriers.
Been wearing the outer carrier for a few years now. Back in the dark ages (LOL) I always wore something moisture wicking/poly type. Cotton gets wet and stays wet.
I found these to be decent. They're not too tight and not too loose. Quality is pretty good and they're more affordable than Under Armour. Kept me reasonably comfortable when I worked in Florida. https://www.eastbay.com/product/mod...performance-training-t-shirt-mens/140821.html
Since moving to the Deep South, I've still worn body armor every work day. For your hot and humid days, a wicking type of t-shirt like Under Armour, Nike Dri-Fit, or similar is what you want. For *MY* hot and humid days...weeks...months... I have these: MAXX-DRI VESTS - Body Armor Ventilation They work, although it's still hot and humid.
Blauer B Cool undershirts. Best moisture wicking shirt I’ve ever worn. I can work 16 hours in the summer and the shirt is bone dry when I take it off. They stock them at AAA.
Nike Pro compression shirts are what I've worn for many years. How people wear a cotton t shirt under a vest is beyond me.
One of our training instructors used to keep a Tampax stuffed down his vest ! Said it was good to have since it was made to stop blood flow( part of his trauma preps ) plus soaked up the sweat during the summer heat
I just wear the polyester blend T-shirts from target. I get the thin ones so they don’t bunch up and get uncomfortable. I usually buy a size smaller than I usually would otherwise so they are not baggy. They are cheap and hold up for a year or more.
I like the Cool Max. I usually do black or dark navy but I get a couple white ones too for certain occasions. We wear dark navy uni's. They have all different colors. Coolmax clothing for less. Performance moisture wicking apparel Some day my dept will get with the times and allow outer carriers.
I know he might have been trying to be humorous, but given the prevalence of the misconception, and the potentially deadly consequences, I can't not say something when I see this idea come up. Tampons will not save your life from a GSW. Tourniquets and Quik Clot will! Severe Bleeding First Aid Misconceptions: Tampons https://havokjournal.com/fitness/me...n-is-useless-for-life-threatening-hemorrhage/ Heavy flow is not massive hemorrhage: Tampons don't belong in IFAKs - Crisis Medicine This should be a standard part of what every cop carries every shift: Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T) Combat Gauze LE I carry the combat gauze in the pocket on the front of my vest, and the CAT in a holder on my belt (AAA has a nice leather holder for CATs, much better looking than the plastic tek-lok holders, I also picked up the med supplies at AAA). Not trying to jump all over this post, but it's really starting to bother me when I hear about how a tampon can be used like this. I fear it's just a matter of time before a Cop will die because their partner jams a tampon in a GSW, when maybe having some medical supplies on hand could have saved their life.
He jumped over to the Fire so I'm sure he's turned in his vest and Tampax pad Although he might be still wearing the vest. Really loved that thing . Even wore it to training
Thanks for all your replies. Ended up going with some cheapo Walmart polyester/moisture wicking shirts. At $7 a pop, you can’t beat it.
I'm going to blow everyone away here. I don't wear my vest. I have several that have been issued but I don't wear them. I did for a while, but I got fatter and the shirts didn't fit over them. Then I got the carrier that fit OVER the shirts, but I still don't wear it. Why? Well, first off, I find them uncomfortable. Second, way too many cops these days seem to get hit in places the vest does not cover; the head, the thigh, the neck, under the armpit, etc. My chances of getting shot are not HIGH, and if I do, my chances of being shot in one of those places are better if for no other reason, criminals know most cops wear vests and will try to hit us in other places. And if nothing else, I figure Heaven is a better place than where I work, so, what have I got to lose? That does not mean I say everyone should forgo a vest. They have saved MANY lives and even some who didn't deserve it. Wear 'em. Don't be a pessimist like me, especially if you are just starting your career (unlike me who is praying for quick end). They DO serve a purpose and DO save lives. If your department won't pay for one (mine does-how ironic) spend the extra bucks and get one. I recall asking a MetroDade cop why he didn't wear a vest, his response was, "It's too damn hot!" was classic, but that was Florida.
