Procurement expert explained the rise in prices for bulletproof vests and helmets

With the beginning of partial mobilization in retail trade, prices for personal armor protection equipment, as well as for first-aid kits, have risen sharply. Sergey Demkin, who has experience in purchasing military equipment for the Donbass militias, told MK what things the mobilized might need, as well as why ammunition prices have risen.

– What advice can you give to the mobilized – the better to stock up?

– If you do not go into details, then you need to take the most necessary things, the rest will either be given out or can be obtained on the spot. But, probably, first of all, it is a complete first-aid kit. Filling is personal. There are common points with tourniquets, tourniquets, hemostatic agents, etc. The main thing is to be able to use all of these. And a normal commander should ensure this.

From my own experience, I know that not all items are comfortable enough in standard equipment. For example, an army knife-multitool. It has more cons than pros. The biggest plus is that it just is. The quality and ease of use of this product leaves much to be desired. So it’s better to take your own multitool.

Well, and most importantly – do not take too much. For example, now people themselves have created a stir, not understanding what and why they take. They buy equipment thoughtlessly, anyhow to take it. The same body armor. He should be issued in parts. You don’t volunteer to staff yourself. You should be given armor, a helmet, and other ammunition anyway. Perhaps not the most comfortable, but it’s not the worst. They didn’t give it out – write a statement to the military prosecutor’s office, to social activists.

– Due to the hype, prices have increased for items of equipment?

– In many ways, yes. In large quantities, body armor, knee pads, elbow pads, military first-aid kits are not needed in civil society. Let’s take bulletproof vests as an example. Their main consumers are the army, the police, and in civilian life – security companies, units are bought for personal use. That is, the circle of consumers of these products is very limited, and the main struggle among manufacturers is for government orders.

And having received a state order, the company’s management throws all its efforts into its implementation and considers its mission accomplished on this. The civilian market becomes of little interest to them.

With unreasonable rush demand, the laws of the market are activated: if demand exceeds supply, prices rise.

This applies to products that are now massively bought by citizens. Some do it in reserve, thereby depriving those who really need them of the opportunity to acquire the necessary and necessary things.

As Sergei Demkin explained, in Russia there are two or three major manufacturers of armor plates and body armor, and there are practically no new manufacturers.

When there is little competition in the country and, let’s call a spade a spade, the market is already divided, we get stagnation and degradation, the expert is convinced.

At the same time, according to him, the possibilities of small and medium-sized businesses are practically not used. Although many of the small firms have successfully mastered the production of vests made of composite armor plates, which are fully or partially copies of the “plates” of foreign manufacturers. These samples are often much more convenient and practical than combined arms.

– Now, after mass purchases at the time of partial mobilization, they bought up almost 100% of plates, armor plates, medical kits. Manufacturers have a queue of orders for two months in advance, and some will not supply products to the civilian market until the end of 2023.

If the “pliers” themselves from private, non-semi-state companies appear sooner or later, and I hope the manufacturers do not overcharge, then this is not to be expected from large companies working for defense.

And the prices for armored elements will grow, since during the course of hostilities armored plates are a consumable. And those crumbs that will appear on the market will cost as much as the seller has enough conscience.

I think that in the near future more armor plates and helmets from Chinese manufacturers will be imported. However, despite the certificates received and the test shootings being carried out, I do not have full confidence in this product.

The situation with protective helmets is about the same as with body armor and armor plates. Combined-arms helmets with protection class according to BR1 do not differ in this respect from their more “fashionable” helmets, made based on again American products. Manufacturers of domestic armored helmets have long copied the form factor of the helmets of the American company OPS-CORE, which are more convenient and practical.

Lugansk, LPR.