# Gas Mask or Body Armor? Wich would you get?



## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

So if you could only get one right now would you get gask mask or body armor for you and your family? I would assume the answer has to do with what your preparing for but Im interested in the discussion.


----------



## FrankW (Mar 10, 2012)

Even though I make my living with CBRN I say Body Armor.
I would write a longer explanation but i am at work. I might revisit this thread later.


----------



## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

Body armor. No contest. In order for a gas mask to be effective, you have to have some knowledge about what it is you dont want to breath, have a lot of different filters, plus suits for different types of chemicals/gases. Its not a simple matter of buying some military surplus masks and putting them in your bag.


----------



## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

And I'd probably go with these. Ive read several reviews, but this video is pretty kewl


----------



## FrankW (Mar 10, 2012)

FatTire said:


> Body armor. No contest. In order for a gas mask to be effective, you have to have some knowledge about what it is you dont want to breath, have a lot of different filters, plus suits for different types of chemicals/gases. Its not a simple matter of buying some military surplus masks and putting them in your bag.


FT,

As someone who teaches filtration science, PPE guidlines ( personal protective Equipment) and has worn and test a large number of masks both during trianing and in real response situations I respectfully disgree.

A quality military protective mask such as the M40 works agaisnt 95% of all threats you will likely face in inhalation hazards including some of those its not supposed to work on.

And in _anything but_ an industrial repsonse environment or a huge nation state chemical rocket attack on your AO, vapor density will almost certainly be insufficient to penetrate skin for an operationally signifciant dose.

That means near 100% of the threat will be inhalation.
This is why a basic military mask (M17 or M40 style) is a great payoff for someone concerend about CBRN type threats.

Filters also last a LOT longer than adverised on the packaging (tested by yours truly)

BB: 
But if you can afford and wear body armor thats good for rifle bullets go for that instead.
This way when you run an scavenging errand etc. during TEOTWAWKI some random guy with an AK likely wont be able to give you a suprise bad day.

Probelm is, armor capable of stopping most rifle rounds is both heavy and expensive.

But unless you work as a cop in a current environment, which means you are facing primarily a threat of handguns, the lesser protection might not be worth it, $$ or weight wise.

Since in WROL, SHTF or TEOWAWKI we are looking at a lot of longuns being out and about, because now hiding your firearm is no longer imperative the way it was in an intact society...., so now long guns will replace handguns as the most common threat.


----------



## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

Body armor, I have masks.


----------



## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

Interesting blue.. that goes against a half dozen other sources I read n watched when I was looking into masks. Honestly I dont think theres much threat for me anyway. I still want the plates if I can only have one, but ill probably get a mask too


----------



## hitman3872 (Oct 21, 2013)

Mask, I can always build armoured outfits if needed. (Taped up phone books work well against 30-06rounds). I say mask not only for chemical threats but for clean out situations. You will be scavaging in areas of waste and dead bodies it will protect you from some of those nasty pathogens.


----------



## FrankW (Mar 10, 2012)

FatTire said:


> Honestly I dont think there's much threat for me anyway. too


I agree with the statement above.

BTW if you are truly interested in this subject feel free to PM me for my cell and I will gladly explain more/better.
You can ask any question about masks and filters for any specific situation.

Cheers,

Fred


----------



## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

Magus said:


> Body armor, I have masks.


 +1 me as well. Have masks, chem suits and everything that goes with them for wife and I. Body armor for me but it's older and I want newer as well as some for wife.


----------



## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Magus said:


> Body armor, I have masks.


Yup, I'm with Magus.

Ya really need both, but armour be expensive. It be on a wish list, just other thins have a higher priority fer my situation.


----------



## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Armour for us.


----------



## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

Neither. They are both uncomfortable to wear. 

Save your money or buy something else.


----------



## worldengineer (Sep 20, 2010)

Not get shot, and don't breathe. Currently what I am going with.

But honestly if I ever can it'll be armor.


----------



## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

I'd go with the vest. As far as respiratory hazards are concerned I am most likely to experience volcanic ash so an N-95 mask should meet my needs.


----------



## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

Lucky me got a bunch of the Israli masks way back when you could get the masks for ten bucks and filters were plentiful and cheap. have about a dozen filters each for a dozen masks so I"m good there have some 111A vests just a couple would love to get some of the new plates that will stop the rifle stuff there are some now that are light enough they will FLOAT!! and are inexpensive compared to the ceramics and stuff currently out there win win better lighter adn cheaper. But still not cheap but it is on the list as time and money allows I"ll pick some up. 

To directly respond to the question though Armor first that threat in my opinion is greater than the threat of gas. But the inhalation hazatds are not to be ignored Fires can put nasties out, truck wrecks train wrecks factory explosions tons of ways to be exposed to nasties without even starting factor in bad guys, so called good guys, just plain idiots.


----------



## jeff47041 (Jan 5, 2013)

My choice was masks. A few years ago I bought 10 adult masks and 20 childrens masks. 
I bought them on ebay. They are new and supposedly, The kind that Israel distributes to it's citizens. They each came with a new wrapped ABC(?) filter and I bought 1 extra filter for each.
They are the kind that have a drinking straw so you can stay hydrated while wearing the mask. 
I only have 5 of the canteens that accept the straw. I need to get a lot more of them.
I hope the masks and filters are a good "brand". Before I bought them, I tried to google different things to see if I was buying good ones, but I really couldn't find much help.
I do want some body armor too, and lots of it for my family. I just thought being able to breathe was more important than being bullet proof.


----------



## Cabowabo (Nov 6, 2012)

Body Armor. I'll take the risk with GAS.


----------



## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

My best friend is a black smith and my college roommate is a ceramic enginer, Im wondering if I can get the two of them together. LOL


----------



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Most "gasses" are used to deter you, cause you physical pain or to subdue you. None of which are pleasant and all of which are undesirable. But most of which are not lethal. Yes lethal agents do exist, but they are rarely used especially in a location that the gov't or invading group wants access to. For example; if I want the food stores in your home I am not going to fill your house with a biological contaminant that causes death. But I may throw in some CS/CN to clear you out of the house. I would submit that when you ran out they would plan on shooting you. Now a gas mask would certainly keep you from having to run out immediately, but a ballistic vest might keep you alive if you do. When I think through the variety of scenarios out there in which one or both of these items would be very handy and helpful, the body armor seems to win out time and time again. I suspect in a gov't take over scenario the gov't will have more guns and bullets deployed than they do chemical munitions. In a WROL scenario I think there would be even less chemical munitions in use. Of course the whole planet may become a toxic cesspool when safety measures and devices that currently protect us stop working when the grid goes down or the wrong kind of plan melts down, etc., etc. But this is all highly speculative. So my answer is body armor first and gas mask second. While I do have both, in my prepping efforts I have always considered them tertiary to water/food/medical/fire and guns/ammo/tools/blades. So if you are not rock solid in those areas, I would hold off on both gas masks and armor. Just my $0.02.


----------



## SmokeyNJ (Jun 12, 2013)

Body Armor I (my fat a$$) can run from a CS cloud, but I don't think I can do Neo 'bullet time'.


----------



## GrinnanBarrett (Aug 31, 2012)

Body armor all the way. For one thing remember gas masks will filter gases but for fallout you can use a good 3M painter's mask and goggles just as effectively. With body armor you have to consider the weight is going to limit you a great deal. If you have a forty to sixty pound backpack and then add anywhere from thirty pounds up of body armor you will be carrying a couple of Australian Sheppards on your back. 

Also remember with gas masks that the surplus ones are surplus for a reason. They are out of date. No country gets rid of masks because they are new. If the filter can is open the filter is worthless. If you are buying a mask be sure it fits you. They do come in sizes. Draegers for example have numbers on the forehead area to show what size they are.


----------



## Padre (Oct 7, 2011)

FatTire said:


> Body armor. No contest. In order for a gas mask to be effective, you have to have some knowledge about what it is you dont want to breath, have a lot of different filters, plus suits for different types of chemicals/gases. Its not a simple matter of buying some military surplus masks and putting them in your bag.


I would agree with armor, mostly because I have masks, and because I think that its more likely that someone shoots at me than gasses me.

That being said in most situations a cheap mask will work for naturally occurring pathogens. An N95 mask, purchased for a dollar a mask, is good for 95% of all pathogens when used properly. Military style masks are necessary for extremely virulent and/or militarized (aerosolized) chemical or biological weapons. Now granted if you run into one of these bugs you will want a great mask, particularly if you have to travel, work, or fight in your mask, but most of us will never have to worry about this.


----------



## Fn/Form (Nov 6, 2008)

I'm for gas masks first, plates second. I have both, have worn both on duty; perimeter and urban/rural patrol. Armed robbery to hunting poachers.

Smoke, natural and man-made, and CS will sap your effectiveness as much or more than plates ever would. Imagine simply tying to drive with mild smoke inhalation risk around you--eyes and lungs--let alone fight in it. SHTF urban/suburban burning atmosphere is going to be caustic at times. 

Plates make a third to half the max recommended fighting load for an *in shape* fighter. And you hope they hit you center mass.


----------



## Foreverautumn (Oct 25, 2010)

I can't really afford either, and I'm sorry to say I'm too out of shape to really consider either, but given my choice, I'd go with body armor.

Answers - $1
Thoughtful Answers - $2
Correct Answers - $3
Dumb looks are free


----------



## prepare_survive_thrive (May 7, 2012)

hitman3872 said:


> Mask, I can always build armoured outfits if needed. (Taped up phone books work well against 30-06rounds). I say mask not only for chemical threats but for clean out situations. You will be scavaging in areas of waste and dead bodies it will protect you from some of those nasty pathogens.


Unless you live where the phone books are a foot thick they won't stop 22lr. Plus you won't be very mobile with that taped to your chest. I put two together and it didn't stop my 22.


----------



## hpb13 (Apr 17, 2013)

go with a gas mask. many people train for head shots..


----------



## AfleetAlex (Nov 8, 2013)

C. Infrared


----------



## SuspectZero (Feb 3, 2011)

I think it varies some on the threat. If its teotwawki I would want my body armor first. Gases would be used by our martial law enforcers but the majority of the threats will be from john q public. Most of them do not have access to gases that will ruin my day however many have firearms that can. I have taken a round through my collarbone and I would rather choke on gas if I got the choice.


----------

