Protection Class SK1 Meaning Ballistic Vests Germany

Protection Class SK1 Explained

The SK1 designation refers to the German Technical Guideline, which specifies the requirements for bulletproof vests for the German police. You can legally purchase these bulletproof vests online here!

For testing German bulletproof vests, the German police use the following ammunition:

Ammunition Types

- 9 x 19 mm DAG DM41 SR: Standard full metal jacket NATO FMJ ammunition from the German manufacturer Dynamit Nobel with reduced pollutant powder gas
- 9 x 19 mm QD-PEP II/s MEN: Special hollow point ammunition from the German manufacturer MEN
- 9 x 19 mm Action 4 RUAG: Special hollow point ammunition from RUAG Ammotec

Important to know: The special police ammunition QD-PEP and Action 4 is harder than normal full metal jacket ammunition and penetrates deeper into softer, lower-quality bulletproof vests. That's why the German police have their own standards to counter this special, harder police ammunition.

Contact Shot

Describes the situation where the barrel is pressed against the bulletproof vest and a shot is fired. With a low-quality ballistic vest, the powder gases escaping from the barrel during a contact shot can create a large gap in the vest. This weakens the vest over a large area, in addition to the impact of the bullet, compromising safety.

Extreme Heat Test

The SK1 bulletproof vest is tested at high temperatures of 70 °C. These can occur if the bulletproof vest is left in a car in summer. Extreme heat can make the fabric stretchable, which can lead to more severe trauma.

Extreme Cold Test

The SK1 bulletproof vest is tested at low temperatures of -20 °C. These can occur in Germany in winter. Extreme cold can cause some inferior vests to become brittle and break upon impact.

FLEX-PRO-SK1 Bulletproof Vests

The bulletproof vests with the flexible ballistic packages FLEX-PRO-SK1 from Engarde are thin (4mm) and lightweight vests of very high quality, officially certified according to the German protection class SK1 with a 10-year warranty period required by the German police.

COMFORT-GEN7 SK1 / NIJ-2 Bulletproof Vests

The bulletproof vests with the flexible ballistic packages COMFORT-GEN7 SK1 / NIJ-2 from Engarde are tested according to the German SK1 standard for the 9x19 mm caliber, but are also tested according to the American Class 2 NIJ-0101.06 standard, which is also certified for the 9x19 mm and .357 Magnum calibers. These vests are slightly thicker (4.9 mm) and have a 7-year warranty period.

SK1 Corresponds to Class 2 NIJ-0101.06

The German protection class SK1 of Technical Guideline 2008 roughly corresponds to a protective vest according to Level 2 of the American NIJ-0101.06 standard, although there are important differences in the testing procedures.

SK1 Object Protection in Germany

Protective vests of the German protection class SK1 are popular in Germany because they offer protection against the most common handgun calibers, namely .32 ACP, .380 ACP, as well as the Russian 9 mm Makarov and 9 x 19 mm NATO calibers.

Illegal Russian High-Power Handguns in Germany

However, Germany cannot stop the trend of more powerful Russian handguns such as the 7.62 x 25 mm Tokarev and new Russian military pistols in 9 x 19 mm +P+ caliber, with a significantly stronger load than standard 9 x 19 mm NATO ammunition, being illegally smuggled into Germany. An SK1 German protection class bulletproof vest can in most cases stop a 7.62 x 25 mm Tokarev or a Russian 9 x 19 mm +P+ bullet. However, there is a high risk of traumatic injuries exceeding medically permissible limits, which can lead to broken ribs. The greatest danger is that rib fragments can injure the lungs or heart.

Category 3A NIJ-0101.06 with MT-PRO-GEN7

Therefore, we offer a higher protection level than just the German SK1 protection class. The Engarde MT-PRO-GEN7 bulletproof vests of Class 3A of the American NIJ-0101.06 standard are slightly thicker and officially certified against the heavier calibers .357SIG and .44 Magnum + 7.62 x 25 mm Tokarev + 5.7 x 28 mm SS197, as well as against the German police ammunition QD-PEP and Action 4 in 9 x 19 mm caliber, and offer a safer solution against high-power handguns.

Category 3A NIJ-0101.06 with FLEX-PRO

The FLEX-PRO 3a NIJ-0101.06 bulletproof vests are Engarde's flagship. They have gained international renown for being thin, lightweight, and offering high bullet protection. The 3A FLEX-PRO bulletproof vests also offer higher protection than the SK1 protective vests.