Protective Rescuer Vest – BC Arms Archangel

The Archangel rescuer vest is a design intended for both concealed and external wear, primarily created to protect the user from blade and spike attacks, as confirmed by the NIJ 0115.00 standard at Level 1.
Such gear weighs a bit – in this case, 1650 grams.

The vest catches the eye with its combination of black elements and Hi-Viz Fluo Red fabric. The outer shell is provided by Currahee, and – as expected – it is of excellent quality. After all, the manufacturer from Sosnowiec has a long history and significant experience in the world of uniforms and tactical gear. Quality is a must.

The interior of the vest is lined with a soft-to-the-touch material that effectively wicks away excess heat. On the outside, it features adjustable side straps and shoulder straps with vertical adjustment, allowing for a high level of fit and comfort.

A major advantage is the idea of equipping the vest with attachment points for unit insignia, allowing them to be clearly displayed — assuming, of course, the vest is worn on the outside.

The Archangel gives the impression of a well-thought-out design, with the option to choose the right size and adjust the vest to fit the user’s body shape.

There is, however, one aspect that simply cannot be overlooked. It concerns the core function the vest is meant to fulfill – protecting the most vital organs from stabs with a knife or other sharp objects.
And in this regard, the Archangel performs exceptionally well. I verified this thoroughly by delivering dozens of knife thrusts. It passed the test with flying colors – not a single strike penetrated the vest.
As long as the vest stayed in place, that is.

And this is where some concerns arise. The manufacturer decided that using wide elastic straps for the shoulder harness would be a good solution. In my opinion, this isn’t the most fortunate choice. It’s important to remember that most attacks on medical personnel happen at close range, which means that, in theory, an assailant could grab the vest and easily pull it downward — precisely because of those elastic straps. Such a pull could expose vital organs and compromise the vest’s protective capabilities.

Fortunately, the manufacturer is open to suggestions and feedback from practitioners, and after we shared our concerns about this shortcoming, we received the following response:

Thank you for testing our vest and for pointing out this aspect. The original concept involved using elastic straps in that area to improve user comfort during operation in awkward positions. However, taking your experience into account, we have decided to incorporate your feedback, and the final model will feature straps made from a rigid material. Once again, thank you for your input — we’re glad that together we were able to further refine the Archangel.

Bartosz Kuźnicki – CEO BC Arms

Archangel – true to its name – fulfills its role very well. The vest is a well-tailored product, made from high-quality materials and meeting high standards. During daily use, it performed excellently. It did not interfere in any way with performing tasks, it dissipated heat adequately (as expected from this type of product), and despite its weight, it turned out to be light enough in practice that I would rate its wearing comfort as high.

The manufacturers focused on practicality just as much as on safety. And in both areas, they delivered. The inserts that meet stab/spike-resistance standards leave nothing to be desired. They’re solid and… resistant.

One could say that the only fly in the ointment, for me, are the elastic straps. Yes, I believe a rigid material would work better here — something that, in a worst-case scenario, would prevent the vest from shifting and exposing protective elements. And I’m genuinely glad the manufacturer has declared they’ll replace the elastic with a rigid material. With that change, the Archangel will go from being a very good product to an almost perfect one.

All in all, the Archangel medic vest is definitely a noteworthy option for anyone working in rescue services — especially in times when, unfortunately, we’re hearing more and more about disturbing attacks on paramedics and other healthcare workers.

We thank BC Arms for providing the Archangel vest for testing. The vest was developed in collaboration with Currahee. Archangel is available on Currahee’s website at the price of 2,449 PLN – ARCHANGEL Medic Vest (M) with BC ARMS Currahee Soft Ballistic Insert.

Sponsored collaboration. Product tests are conducted independently, and opinions expressed are solely those of the author. The advertiser has no influence over the content of the review.