Ok seems to be a ton of options they can make your head spin. Ceramic, Steal, soft armour backers, trauma pad backers, shape of cuts etcs.


I purchased from SKD a Pig Brig with medium Esapi size front and rear and am now trying to find the best plate options and prices.
I also have the panel to add soft armpit behind the plates or trauma pads.

Was looking at ar500 originally because of price point but seems like they don't advertise the actual weight they are and only III rated.  They do offer a IV but want to see what all my options are.

I think I have decided on IV rating should I looking for hard/soft that equals this or a standalone. Since I ordered the pig brig with Med esapi size can I find other "shooters cut" plates that will still fit it correctly?

So many venders offer armour and it's hard to find what's good or bad.  I don't have a set budget yet but want to keep it light weight without spending a fortune.

Hi Com with coupon code.

AR500 plates aren't as horrible as people make it out, but they won't be useful if you intend on going all Punisher or happen to make me think in your basement.

+1 for HighCom

thread with discussion and test video

These will be used in classes mostly.

Was looking at hi com.

Seemes like 2 options for IV rated cheaper and more money and the only difference I could see was 8.7lbs bs 6.2lbs same thickness.  And I definitely wanted to get something that would stop M193 at close range that is another reason I stopped looking at the ar500 stuff.

Also been looking at BPme any other places I should check? Do people still use trauma pads or III soft under it to help with the blunt tramua broken ribs would still suck.

These High Comm's seem the right price/ weight for Lvl 4 standalone's. 6lbs / $479 multicurve shooters cut.

Guardian 4s16

You can get lighter lvl 4's but they are gonna run a grand or more a piece.

Just read the GD thread and watched the video reviews this seems like the best armor for the price. Next question will the 10x12 multi curve plate fit in my pig brig correctly. Becuase I order it as a Med Sapi they are roughly they same dimension but Hicom also list a med Sapi size (more money) what would be the difference between the 10x12 multicurve shooters cut and a Med size Sapi plate ?

From highcom s page.

Size Chart
All sizes are measured in inches and weights vary depending on cut. Please note: HighCom 10” x 12” shooters cut and multi curve shooters cut plates are considered nominal and the actual measurement is 9.5” x 11.5”.

So is the med Sapi a true 9.5"x12.50" ?

Also the med Sapi is Listed as 1.5lbs heavier than the 10x12 curved shooter cut.  That's 3 extra pounds I would much rather use the 10x12 multi curve shooters cut but don't won't them not fitting in my PC correctly.

By shooter cut I guess they're referring to the swimmer type cut but I can't say for sure because there is no photo but I suspect that the weight comparison between the SAPI cut confirms it.

If you were to go with the SAPI sized plates from High com I would just recommend getting the IV ICW / III standalone plates on bullet proof me. They cost less and they weight less in both cases even if you factor in soft armor.

Appalachian also has a stand alone 10x12 shooters cut plate for $143.95/ea and they're made by LTC but they weight more than the high comms.  9.9 in wide, 11.9 in long 8.25lbs

my highcom 10x12 plates flop around in my carrier,carrier says it fits 10x12 plates  front is swimmer cut back is single curve, I didn't like it like that, cut a pieceof wood and the medium sapi will fit (royal guard overruns on shellback) but I don't know if the sapi on the back is gonna feel okay any help?

Because they are smaller than 10x12.

OP if your interested I have a pair of medium ESAPI plates im looking to sell......IM me

I am in the same boat, I am interested in the AR 500 level III+, I feel that will work. I am waiting for a sale on the Pig before I shell out the cash for everything.

Just bought a set of plates and carrier from Armor Advantage. The "yellow" plates are rated level III. Their body armor capability chart shows what it is expected to stop. I'm going to contact them about their chart showing to stop a 7.61x51 AP round. The plates do have a layer of anti spall material that is wrapped around them. One 10x12 plate weighs 9lbs-3oz, not 10.36 lbs. as stated in their chart, I weighed one at the local UPS store. I guess that anything is better than nothing if it meets the NIJ standards. A lot of capable products to pick from.

Those are absurdly heavy. It's like someone took steel, which (in my opinion) is junk to begin with and said "Hey, let's make this even worse .

Sigh.

Related to highcom.

Insure you go find your birth certificate BEFORE you make your order.

They bill you immediately upon ordering, then request your certificate.

And are slow, slow, slow about answering emails.

I was watching a video of James Y and her has this guys from Armour-wear.com. Plates are as affordable as anything out there and weight 4.5 pounds.
I'm not affiliated to anyone but that is the way I would go if buying plates (which I will soon)
Check them out

Armor Wear and James Yeager are a good match for each other.

grey ghost gear level IV's are some of the best priced, and truest to size that I have found.