Field Evaluation of the Sizing and Tariff of the U.S. Marine Corps Interceptor Body Armor

摘要

This study was conducted to determine the most accurate initial tariff for the United States Marine Corps Interceptor Body Armor. The approach included determining the actual tariff of the units involved by issuing the Interceptor to individual Marines based on their chest circumference measurements, as well as a fit test and user survey to assess the sizing, design and fit of all sizes of the Interceptor. The unit tariff was compared to the anthropometric tariff based on the 1995 USMC database and a revised tariff was calculated for the Interceptor. The fit test and survey results were used to determine any design and sizing changes needed to improve the fit of the Interceptor. The predicted size was rated acceptable by 84.7% of the participants and was also the best fitting size for 70.4% of the Marines evaluated. The main reasons for someone's predicted size to be rated unacceptable were: 1. the chest/waist circumference was too big and 2. the vest was too long. Once the recommended design changes have been applied, further increases in acceptability can only be achieved by creating additional sizes for the Interceptor based on length in addition to chest circumference.