Freedom IIA
The IIA panels are a bit heavier than I anticipated, perhaps because the panels themselves are larger than a conventional concealed set of soft body armor panels (SBA). I wear a concealed IIIA for work as a deputy sheriff, for reference. The zippered carrier does makes donning/doffing easier compared to a concealed set. I ordered a grey carrier, but mine seems more bluish in bright light. I may buy the black carrier to better conceal the interior panels carrier material, which is black. I often don’t bother to zip up the exterior vest, which exposes the interior panel pockets/carriers (which I do zip up for proper protection. I think most casual observers wouldn’t really notice; but even if they did, they likely won’t recognize that I am wearing SBA. Otherwise, the actual vest itself has an adequate number of zippered pockets and provides warmth (as though the ballistic panels don’t do that already!) The carrier does a decent job of concealing the panels. However the panels overlap in front to provide proper protection, thus making the overall fit bulkier (and heavier) compared to regular concealed SBA. I found myself asking: “does this vest make me look fat?”. Unfortunately, yes it does. I’m 5’7”, 170lbs. I fit a size 40 jacket, which leaves just enough space to conceal a small firearm in a shoulder holster. I purchased a medium.