So I am in the process of constructing an armored collar to add onto my Interceptor Outer Tactical Vest and soon to be supplemented in addition to armored elbow and forearm protectors, thigh, knee and shin protectors. The purpose of this is to create an improved combined armored suit to mimic along the lines of a juggernaut like you would see in the Call of Duty series or the bulldozer seen in Payday 2.

These are my current schematics for a design and I am looking for constructive, intelligent and positive feedback regarding the design so far or on construction tips.

I will be constructing this using Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam combined with layering of resin or fiberglass to cure and strengthen the foam along with hardening it once it has reached a desired shape. I will then be stitching fabric or other material such as burlap around the outer collar shell, and reinforcing and coating the inner, taller collar with additional layers of resin or fiberglass and then panting it in an attempt at a metal appearance. Any advice at this stage would be much appreciated before I move on to physically putting the design to the foam and cutting it out, as any improvements or corrections would best be done now to save on foam.

So far the collar will be made up of two shells, the outer collar and the inner collar. The outer collar will be relatively easier than the inner as it will be smooth on the upper rim and will contain the inner piece which may be held in place with an additional armor plate along the front facing section running along each side and attaching to the inner collar with a pair of thick screws or bolts on each side.

The inner collar will be much more difficult but rather rewarding if the desired shape can be achieved. The plating is designed to protect the user's face as much as possible from side angles as well as past top of the head rear protection. The downside is the wearer's field of view is limited to directly in front anywhere from a 45-60 degree angle, also giving the wearer tunnel vision to focus on what is in front of them primarily. Beyond that the wearer will preferably have a helmet with a ballistic visor for some merit of additional frontal protection combined with ballistics full sealed goggles. Once the inner collar shape has been achieved and cured, it will be fitted inside of the outer collar and attached via the large screws with a washer and nut on the interior, as well as fastened to the front with velcro pads, which may allow some slight raising or lowering to make small adjustments as needed.

Additionally I need to find a way to attach all of this easily to the upper outer or inner layering of my OTV so that it can be connected and detached without too much hassle.

I am thinking about extending the side pieces that go over the shoulders in length to overlap the front and back collar pieces, and then I may get more strength in a gluing seal from there rather then from the smaller surface area of the end pieces. I could then wrap some tape around it as well after regluing the seam between the pieces to add extra reinforcement.

The image on the bottom shows a second way of approaching cutting out the plate design and I think I will be using that instead of trying to cut out the full shape as shown on the top image on the right side and the top. Just seems like much less hassle doing it in four cuts sectionals rather than two more complicated full cuts.

Currently I am estimating around a 44-50 inch circumference on the outer shell, and then the inner shell would just have to be a tad smaller to fit inside snugly to the outer collar.

Not certain yet what the the height of each would be from the longest points, so I still need to work out that magic bit of science. 8D

Any suggestions or improvement ideas to the design would be appreciated and conversation would help as well.

*This is not including any actual ballistic-protective properties, as I imagine eva foam is not going to stop any kind of serious projectile beyond airsoft BB's.

**I am also aware that the juggernaut suit and the bulldozer's suit are closely designed off of an EOD suit and then modified in a combative manner. The EOD suits themselves are not designed or capable of protecting the user from firearms projectiles, as much as everyone wants to think they do, but to resist and hopefully stop metal fragments from explosives. Even still, the chances of surviving a blast from defuse-range in an EOD suit are not all that great, as at point of blast even the suit cannot protect the user from the concussive force of a bomb blast if it is too potent.

Cheers and happy hunting! n_n

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