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What Is Spike Protection in Body Armor?

Spike protection is a tested rating against pointed weapons. What NIJ 0115.00's spike class and the UK Home Office SP levels test, how spike differs from edged blade, and how to check a model.

ArmorList Editorial·February 27, 2025·5 min read

Spike protection in body armor is a tested rating against sharp, pointed weapons. Those in some professions, such as corrections, law enforcement and security, can face threats beyond firearms, including improvised spikes and other pointed tools. A vest has spike protection only if that model was tested to a standard that includes a spike test.

This article explains what the standards mean by spike protection, how it differs from edged blade protection, and what to check before you buy.

Understanding Spike Protection

Spike protection is resistance to penetration by a pointed weapon, as opposed to a cutting blade. NIJ Standard 0115.00, Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor (September 2000), sets minimum performance requirements for armor that protects the torso against stab threats, and it has two protection classes: an edged blade class and a spike class. NIJ describes the spike class as the threats it expects in a corrections environment, from lower-quality knife blades and improvised spikes.

The UK Home Office Body Armour Standard has its own spike-resistance (SP) levels, such as SP1, set alongside its knife-resistance (KR) and ballistic levels in one document.

Makers build spike-resistant armor from different materials and constructions. We found no NIJ or Home Office source that names one material or construction as the way to achieve spike resistance (checked 1 October 2026). What tells you a model resists spikes is its spike rating, not its materials.

NIJ develops standards for body armor and, through its Compliance Testing Program, lists compliant models. Stab-resistant models, including spike ratings, go on their own stab list, separate from the ballistic list. To understand more about how body armor standards are set, you can read about Understanding NIJ Body Armor Standards.

Why Spike Protection Matters

In our view, spike protection matters most where close-quarter attacks with improvised weapons are a real possibility. NIJ wrote the spike class of 0115.00 around the threats it expects in a corrections environment, which is why corrections officers are the users most often named for it.

A ballistic rating does not answer the question. A vest listed on the ballistic CPL at a handgun level is not stab-rated unless that model was also tested to a stab standard, and the UK's National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) advises that bullet-resistant body armour will not necessarily defeat a knife or a spike. For a broader understanding of the role of body armor in law enforcement, you might explore The Role of Body Armor in Law Enforcement.

Differences Between Spike and Edged Blade Protection

The difference lies in the threat each class is tested against. NIJ describes the edged blade class as the threats police officers face on the street, from high-quality, commercially made knives, and the spike class as lower-quality knife blades and improvised spikes, the threats it expects in corrections.

A rating in one class is not a rating in the other. A model can be listed for edged blade, for spike, or for both: check which class and which level the model is listed for on NIJ's stab list, with the date you read it. In the UK, a KR level and an SP level are separate results under the Home Office standard. Choosing the right class depends on the threats you are likely to face. For more on knives, see Can Body Armor Protect Against Knives?.

Materials Used in Spike Protection Armor

Makers name fibers such as aramid and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) in their armor. Kevlar is a para-aramid fiber that Stephanie Kwolek invented at DuPont in 1965 (the brand now belongs to Arclin), and Dyneema is a trademark for a UHMWPE fiber; the names identify fiber families, not the quality of a given product.

We found no NIJ or Home Office source that ranks these materials for spike resistance, weight or flexibility (checked 1 October 2026). The material list on a product page is not a spike rating. For more on materials, check out Materials Used in Armor Plates Explained.

Who Needs Spike Protection Armor

In our view, spike protection is worth considering for anyone whose work puts them close to people who may carry improvised pointed weapons. NIJ's spike class names the corrections environment; law enforcement officers and security personnel in similar settings may face the same threats.

In our view, staff at crowded venues, such as door staff at nightclubs or stadiums, may also weigh it as part of a threat assessment. The decision should start from the threats you expect, not from the label on the armor.

Benefits of Using Spike Protection Armor

The benefit a spike rating supports is narrow and useful: the model was tested against the standard's spike threats, at the standard's energies, and met its requirements. That is a record you can check.

Weight and comfort vary by model. We found no source that compares spike-rated armor with other armor on weight or comfort (checked 1 October 2026): compare the maker's stated weight for the exact model and size. If you're interested in how soft body armor wears, see Is Soft Body Armor Comfortable to Wear?.

Choosing the Right Spike Protection Armor

The steps below are our advice.

  1. Identify the threats: spikes, edged blades, firearms, or a combination.
  2. Match the class and level to those threats: the spike class and a level in NIJ 0115.00, or an SP level under the Home Office standard.
  3. If firearms are also a threat, look at combination armor. CJTTEC keeps a separate list for it: the models on it went through full testing in both the ballistic and the stab Compliance Testing Programs and received a separate Notice of Compliance for each.
  4. Confirm each rating against its own standard and its own list, with the date you read it.
  5. Check fit and coverage: the armor should cover the areas it was designed to cover without restricting movement.

For guidance on fitting body armor correctly, refer to The Right Way to Fit Body Armor.

Final Thoughts

Spike protection is a tested rating, not a material or a feature. NIJ 0115.00 tests it as its own class, and the Home Office standard as its own SP levels. Check the class and level for the exact model, on its own list, with the date you read it.

Sources

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