Just playing devil's advocate here.

There are those who argue that you should choose home defense weapons that don't look tactical or military issue in case you end up in court, whether criminal or civil. For example, using something that looks like grandpa's old Remington 870 with that wooden corncob fore end.

According to that logic, would any of us have the same kind of hesitation in a home defense situation (the OP mentions bump-in-the-night, not Katrina or WROL type situations) with a chest rig that looks like something our troops are wearing on the battefield right now?

Of particular concern is the "bad" shoot. Situations can go wrong very quickly, and by "wrong" I mean shooting someone in a heated, fast paced situation that in calmer circumstances you know was not legally justified according to the laws in your jurisdiction. Maybe you were startled or you dropped your glasses behind the nightstand or your flashlight had dead batteries or whatever and you shot someone. Maybe shot them dead. Maybe shot them dead in the back. Real life has a tendency of not unfolding the way that we role play in our imaginations.

If some lawyer wants to paint you as some trigger happy, Rambo wannabe who was just itching to blow away someone, the argument is that a rig like this could be a hindrance.

That said, I have never heard of a single case where just the look of a homeowner's weapon and the impression it makes on a jury or judge made any difference in a court case. But it's certainly true that perception can make all the difference in the world in court, too.

Of course, I hope you never have to get into a situation where any of this matters!