Thrifted motocycling gear is the way to go if you want decent protection for cheap and without standing out too much. Leather is a good idea in general. And don’t use a sling bag. Too easy to grab and swings around when you run. Use a daypack for hiking and keep the straps short for a tight fit. And preferably wear boots rather than sneakers.
If you need something heavy duty you can make bulletproof (to a degree) carrier plates from fiberglass welding sheets and epoxy. There are guides on youtube where you can also see the protective capabilities in action.
Here you can see it stopping 10mm and 12ga buckshot. It’s not a perfect replacement for military grade body armor but it’s the next best thing for a fraction of the price.
Thrifted motocycling gear is the way to go if you want decent protection for cheap and without standing out too much. Leather is a good idea in general. And don’t use a sling bag. Too easy to grab and swings around when you run. Use a daypack for hiking and keep the straps short for a tight fit. And preferably wear boots rather than sneakers.
If you need something heavy duty you can make bulletproof (to a degree) carrier plates from fiberglass welding sheets and epoxy. There are guides on youtube where you can also see the protective capabilities in action.
All the videos I’ve seen the homemade fiberglass armor only stops .22 LR and maybe .22 magnum which ain’t gonna do anything but still cool nonetheless
Here you can see it stopping 10mm and 12ga buckshot. It’s not a perfect replacement for military grade body armor but it’s the next best thing for a fraction of the price.