Armor in Disguise
An armored backpack that looks like a travel pack. Run the CARGO with no armor, the IIIA panel, or a hard plate.
Most armored backpacks look like what they are. The CARGO 48L looks like a travel pack, because it is one. Thirteen compartments, a laptop sleeve, and MOLLE inside and out. The armor is the part nobody sees.
The video below runs under a minute. It shows the three ways to run the CARGO, from no armor at all to a hard plate in the rear pocket. Tap any chapter to jump straight to it.
What an Armored Backpack Is
An armored backpack, also called a ballistic or bulletproof backpack, is a pack with a pocket built for a ballistic insert. The insert does the protecting. The pack decides how it is carried, how fast it goes in, and whether anyone can tell it is there.
The CARGO has two armor pockets. A dedicated compartment against the back panel holds the IIIA aramid panel, and a height-adjustable pocket behind the main compartment holds a Standard 10" × 12" hard plate. Both close up flush, and from the outside the pack reads as luggage.
Three Ways to Run It
The hard plate works on its own, and it works best over the IIIA panel. The panel stays in every day, and the plate goes in when the day calls for it.
Why It Does Not Look Like Armor
Because everything else about it is a travel pack. 48L, 21 in tall, 13.625 in wide, 12.25 in deep. Thirteen zippered compartments. A clamshell main compartment that packs flat like a suitcase, a luggage pass-through, and room for roughly three days of clothing plus a work kit.
The extras are the quiet kind. MOLLE on the front, both sides, and inside the main compartment, so you can configure the loadout without hanging gear off the outside. An NFC shielded pocket for cards and key fobs, and an RF shielded pocket for electronics. Nothing on the outside says what is in the back.
Tested, and How
Our armor is tested to NIJ standards. It is not NIJ certified, and we do not say it is. What we do instead is publish the protocol for each level, and pay you to check our work through the Test It Yourself program.
If you are new to protection levels, NIJ Ratings Explained covers what each level stops, and Body Armor 101 covers materials and how they fit the CARGO.
What It Covers, and What It Does Not
A backpack panel protects the area the pack covers, which is your back while you wear it. It isn't a vest. It doesn't cover your chest or your sides.
The CARGO's Armor Pockets
| Hard plate pocket | Rear compartment, zippered access, height-adjustable strap |
|---|---|
| Plate size | Standard 10" × 12" (25 × 30 cm) |
| Compatible plates | Silent Valor IIIA, III+, IV |
| Third-party plates | Any standard 10×12 SAPI-cut plate |
| IIIA panel | Own compartment against the back panel, separate from the plate pocket |
| Without armor | Fits up to 17 inches (shared with armor compartment) |
| Armor included | No, sold separately |
Common Questions
What is an armored backpack?
A backpack with a pocket built to hold a ballistic insert. The CARGO has two, a dedicated compartment for the SHIELD IIIA aramid panel and a height-adjustable pocket for a 10 x 12 hard plate. From the outside it looks like a travel pack.
Does the CARGO come with armor?
No. The pack ships without armor, and every SHIELD panel and plate is sold separately. Run it with none, one, or both.
Is the CARGO a bulletproof backpack?
With armor installed, yes, to the level of the insert inside it. The SHIELD IIIA panel is tested to NIJ Level IIIA standards for handgun threats, and a SHIELD IV plate is tested to NIJ Level IV standards against .30-06 M2 AP. With no armor installed, it is a travel pack.
Will any plate fit the CARGO?
The hard plate pocket takes a standard 10 x 12 inch plate, including the SHIELD III+ and IV and any standard 10 x 12 SAPI cut plate.
Is Silent Valor armor NIJ certified?
No. Our armor is tested to NIJ standards, and we publish how each level is tested. It is not NIJ certified. The Test It Yourself program lets you check our work.
What do I use the plate bay for without armor?
A second 17 inch device. With no plate installed, the bay works as a secondary electronics compartment with a floating shelf that keeps a laptop off the base.
Ready When It Matters
The CARGO 48L. A travel pack with two armor pockets, sold without armor so you choose the level.
See the CARGO See SHIELD Armor