BulletSafe Bulletproof Backpack Panels

posted on March 31, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
backpack-panel_f.jpg

Tom Nardone recently conducted a crowd funding campaign that was so successful that the requested funding was met in just over two weeks, with 28 days left before the promotion was scheduled to end.

While the video that introduced the campaign is not very good, the lighting is poor and it is obvious that the people are not actors, the idea that it presented is quite awesome, which is probably why it has done so well. Nardone is the president of BulletSafe, a maker of bulletproof vests, and the product he introduced was bulletproof panels that fit inside of backpacks.

The panels are 10 inches by 12 inches, and weighs only 1.25 pounds. They are made of the same materials the company uses in its bulletproof vests, and are rated to stop all handgun rounds up to .44 Mag.

While the chances of ever being needed are quite small, a bulletproof panel in a kid’s backpack is a great idea. Nardone originally built the panels for his own kids, before realizing that other parents just might want these as well, and they are available for less than $100.

In addition to individual, Nardone has already received orders from stores that have had customers come in asking for this very type of product. Some comments on the campaign, though, have been less than complimentary, stating that kids have a higher chance of drowning than being attacked, which is absolutely true. In fact, kids have a higher chance of being hurt playing any sport, even golf, than from a firearm, thanks in no small part to the numerous safety campaigns of NRA, such as Eddie Eagle. That doesn’t, however, change the ingenious of this idea. Parents purchase all manners of equipment to keep kids safe-gates, monitors, socket plugs-so why shouldn’t we consider an item that could protect them in the unlikely event of an attack.

Latest

Chiappa Rhino Large Frame 01
Chiappa Rhino Large Frame 01

A Bigger Rhino: The Chiappa 60DS L-Frame In .44 Mag.

The Chiappa Rhino revolver design is "anything but ordinary," and for 2026, the company is upscaling the concept to handle the .44 Magnum cartridge.

Preview: Magpul MOE QD Bipod For M-Lok

Simple, inexpensive and supremely easy to use, the new MOE QD Bipod For M-Lok is Magpul’s fastest-mounting bipod model by far, as it takes only about five seconds for the practiced hand to securely affix it to an M-Lok-clad fore-end.

Gun Of The Week: Henry SPD HUSH

For its first design, Henry Repeating Arms' Special Products Division developed the HUSH, or the Henry Ultimate Suppressor Host. 

The Armed Citizen® Dec. 19, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

TriStar Arms Protégé X: A Pocket-Size Punch

Inspired by successful designs of the past, the TriStar Arms Protégé X is a pocket-size, M1911-style handgun chambered for the popular 9 mm cartridge.

Hornady Family Honored with Legacy Award

In October, the Hornady family was recognized by the Greater Grand Island Community Foundation for its contribution to the city that Hornady calls home.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.