United Shield International: The UPT Armor Series
A catchy title? Checkout what this article is about
BLUF: United Shield International (USI) produces some of the best armor and carriers for the modern law enforcement officer. We think their products are an industry standard, so that is what this article is about.
J5 Rescue Supply is a United Shield International (USI) dealer located in Northern Illinois. We provide service in the Northern and Central Illinois area, as well as Southern Wisconsin, and Western Indiana.
As a dealer, it is our mission to help your department find the USI gear that works best for you. We are here to consult, present/demo, size, and advocate for your department when making this important life safety purchase.
Protective Equipment manufactured in The United States of America
As far as their ballistic equipment goes, USI uses a variety of products that are constructed from market leading ballistic materials, including the latest para-aramids (Twaron and Kevlar), high molecular weight polyethylene (Dyneema and Spectrashield), Goldflex, ceramic and other specialist ballistic composites.
Today we are going to talk about one of their carrier lines in particular, the UPT Armor Series and the UPT Moody
The UPT Armor Series
The UPT Armor Series, we consider to be one of the best carriers we have seen for modern policing. The UPT armor series includes thirteen different carriers. Each carrier varies slightly to provide the user with different functionality for different missions. There are many, but they all are comfortable, adaptable, and scalable.
We find that most departments tend to lean towards the UPT Moody, or one of its variants. Here are all the carriers in the UPT armor series
- UPT Moody (Round Badge Field)
- UPT Moody EV (Square Badge Field)
- UPT Moody AV (Dual Badge Field L/R)
- UPT Mountain Highland
- UPT Mountain Gurnee
- UPT Patrol
- UPT Uniform
- UPT Slick
- UPT Molle
- UPT Mountain Patrol
- UPT Mountain CLC
- UPT Mountain Uniform
- UPT Turnout
All these carriers… seems confusing? Don’t worry it is not. The differences between these different carriers is often small. It could be a different pocket layout (for your traditional departments), it could be a different shape for the loop/badge field, or it could be additional rows of PALS webbing.
Features
We keep saying this is for a modern officer, why is that? One reason, I like to refer to this as a system. It is not your traditional soft armor carrier that has been sewn or modified to accept pouches. Older carriers often tear and just look straight up unprofessional as they sag. The UPT carriers feature PALS/MOLLE that is bar tacked in place to ensure durability. I find that a lot of departments are still hesitant to adopt the PALS/MOLLE look, but it does offer the best versatility. Below are some additional features of the UPT Moody
- Front ID Placard 1″ x 5″
- Rear ID Placard 3″ x 11.5″
- 4″ Circular Badge Field
- Metal Tri-Glide Hardware
- Left & Right Mic Tabes
- Front and Back Wire/cord Runs
- Two Front Kangaroo Pockets
- Single Expandable Pocket on Front Plate Pocket Flap
- Dual Camera Mount
- UPT Internal Vent System
- G-Hook ladder adjustment system for cummerbund
- Reinforced Should Straps and Drag Handle
Additional Options
- Additional Ballistic Protection
- Cummerbund ballistic inserts
- Throat/Neck
- Bicep
- Shoulder/Delt
- Groin
- Extended advanced shoulder pads
- Upgraded cummerbund with internal pockets (magazines, radio, med kit)
- Upgraded closure systems
- Austri-Alpine Buckle (Single or Double Sided)
- Aspetto Buckle (Single or Double Sided)
Functionality
The functionality of USI’s carriers are industry leading in law enforcement protection. Any UPT carrier is able to quickly up armor for an incident which requires increased coverage. This is what we consider scalable protection The additional protection panels can be seen above under additional options.
These accessories can be quickly connected to the carrier using the G-Hook hardware. This allows an officer to quickly add ballistic panels to match the level of protection needed for the incident.
Soft Armor Options
USI has 3 different soft armor packages that are available with their carriers. When we sell the soft armor, the pricing includes the front and rear panels. IF you would like cummerbund panels that is an additional item. Typically when items are sold they are offered in a “good, better best” model, and this soft armor is no different.
Checkout the chart below to see the specs of each armor.
- Airius (Best)
- Araura (Better)
- Virtus (Good)
As you purchase higher quality armor you will decrease panel thickness and weight. This may not seem like much, but ounces add up. Some departments and officers opt for level II protection versus IIIa to decrease weight as well if needed.
Hard Armor Options
USI Carriers can quickly accept drop in hard armor (rifle rated plates) for when you need to match the level of the incident. See the pictures below. The Front flap of the UPT (pictured is the Moody), is what can be opened up and a rifle plate can be dropped in. We have other articles talking about different plates, manufacturers, and threat ratings. Generally speaking, these carriers will accept most plates. You don’t have to use USI plates, but we do highly recommend you purchase plates from a reputable U.S. based manufacturer.
The Buying Process
Click through the fields below to learn about the process of purchasing USI armor from J5 Rescue Supply. This process is not always the same, some steps may be skipped (for example the wear test) if the department doesn’t require it.
Contact J5 Rescue Supply and ask about United Shield International products. Whether you know exactly what your department is looking for, or if you need assistance deciding, we can help.
We can provide a clear and easy to read quote on the equipment you would like to purchase. Our quotes are completely transparent, with each item displayed in an itemized manner.
This may come before or after the quote phase. We can come to your department and present the USI product line. As a dealer, we have a variety of demo gear available. This demo gear includes sample ballistic panels so the departments can see the difference in USI ballistic soft armor. If the department is interested in a “wear test” and demoing USI gear we can size personnel at that time.
The “wear test” is optional if departments would like to try a carrier in service prior to purchasing. United Shield International will provide one carrier (with soft armor) for no charge to the department. At the end of the wear test if the department purchases armor, they simply keep the carrier. If they do not decide to purchase, the carrier can be returned to J5 Rescue Supply or to USI directly.
After a wear test or demonstration we will seek feedback from the department and it’s personnel. This feedback is valuable in helping us provide the best possible service to your department.
The final step is the decision to purchase. Once this decision has been made we will have your department sign a purchase agreement. Departments will be billed on Net 30 terms. This invoice will be generated when production is complete and your order ships from the factory.
Request a Quote
If you or your department are interested in switching to USI carriers/armor, feel free to contact us or click the button below and request a quote.
