Can someone break down armor plates in simple categories with a very brief explanation why they are in that category?

A. Don't bother:

B. Good Value:

C. How much is your life worth? $$$:

Trying to understand so many different things about gear all at once and figured this would help. Thanks in advance.

Personal opinion with an extra category:

Don't bother: Steel, chinese trash like LAPG, any SAPI medium or 10x12 plate over 8.5 pounds per
Try really hard to avoid: SAPI medium or 10x12 plates over 6 pounds per, single curve plates
Good Value: RMA 1091-1094, Velocity Special Threat, some of BulletProofMe's LTC plates, Tencate CR2000/AT Armor STOP
$$$: Hesco 3810, 4800 and U210, Tencate CR6450/Velocity Systems API-BZ/AT Armor STOP-BZ, Highcom RSTP

I'm sticking with almost exclusively Tencate and Hesco, because those are what Saber Solutions carry and they're the ones I'd recommend buying from.

All prices and data will be for SAPI M if possible or SC L (10x12) when not.

A. Don't bother:
Steel - it's heavy. It doesn't protect properly. It's shit. You are better off with just a chest rig than you are a plate carrier stuffed with steel.
Anything over 8lbs/each. Lighter is always better, <6lbs would be a good goal, but if you're pushing past 8lbs you're lowering mobility and increasing joint risk by significant amounts.
Anything square cut. Just don't.
Anything that's not curved. Single curve is acceptable, multi-curve is the goal.
Anything that doesn't handle both M193 and M855. These are extremely common threats, but not even all rifle-plates stop both.
Almost anything that's "NIJ tested" and not "NIJ certified." This certification is difficult and expensive, but that's for good reason because it's also extensive. People going to the range, duct taping their plate to a 5gal bucket of water or some clay and then shooting it is not proper testing. The exceptions are...pretty much what you'll see below. Special Threat plates have their applications, but only when from a known company that puts out multiple other NIJ certified plates. "Special Threat" plates from bumfuk nowhere that a manufactuer is just using to skirt NIJ requirements or queries are not a viable option.

Somewhere between A and B:
Tencate Cratus CR-4400 SA - $322/plate - 7.3lbs - Lv IV - a perfectly solid plate, just heavy and thick.
Hesco 4400 - $210/plate - 7.9lbs - Lv IV - a perfectly solid plate, just heavy and thick.
SKD 10x12 Level IV - $200 - 6.75 - Lv IV - A perfectly solid plate, and a bit lighter than the others. The reason I don't put it in "Good Value" is because SKD's sales policies are, IMO, shit. To the point that I won't buy from them. But it'd be disingenuous of me to not include this plate given it's price for performance and commonality. Review their policy and decide for yourself, I personally don't support them, but if your budget is <$500 for a set of plates I'd rather you deal with their stupid requirements than get steel, and the 2.3lbs savings over the 4400 is notable.
Hesco L210 - $178 - 5.5lbs - Special Threat - This is the 'meta' currently. It'll handle all primary carbine threats, but it's not going to stop 308, and it's only a single curve which isn't going to be as comfortable or concealable for most people. If price is a concern and 308 isn't, this is your go-to.

B. Good Value:
Hesco 3810 - $622/plate - 4.1lbs - Lv III+ - This is what I have personally. Not rated for proper AP, but they handle 308, M193, M855, and they do it at (barely) under an inch, under 5lbs, and under $1k/plate. If you do shooter cut front and rear you'll be under 8lbs and $1200 combined.
Hesco 3810B - $631 - 4.3lbs - Lv III+ - The same as the above but with a slight bump to weight and thickness to add buoyancy. Go with this if you actually intend to use them in maritime conditions, but make sure you're also pairing them with a quick-release carrier. Buoyancy helps, but a ton of nylon, mags, and other equipment is still going to drag you down fast.
Hesco 4601 - $543 - 6.6lbs - Lv IV - Essentially the 4400, but 1.3lbs lighter, which is a notable amount. If you have the budget, I'd swing the extra.
Hesco 3611C - $515 - 4.3lbs - Lv III+ - Very similar to the 3810s, but drops x54R coverage and increases weight/thickness slightly to cut the cost down.
Tencate Cratus CR-3200 SA - $470 - 4.7lbs - Lv III+ - Competitive to the 3611C, but for about a half pound more and $45 less.
Tencate Cratus CR-2000 SA - $470 - 4.7lbs - Special Threat - Comparable to the L210's, but this one's multi-curve and only 0.55" thick. This would be my go-to for concealability, though it is more expensive than the L210's the multi-curve and lower weight are significant advantages. If concealment isn't a concern though, step to the 3200 for better protection (at twice the thickness).

C. How much is your life worth? $$$:
Hesco U210 - $840 - 4.1lbs - Special Threat  - When it comes to concealable rifle plates, this is the top tier*. Coverage against 855A1, x39 AP, all standard carbine threats, and coming in at barely over 4lbs (under for SC), 0.56" thick, and multicurve.  If you don't need 308 coverage, this is as good as it gets.
Hesco 4800 - $1314 - 5.1lbs - Lv IV  - As good as you're going to find for a Lvl IV plate. Barely over 10lbs for the set while having coverage up to 30/06 AP, and including even the new M80A1 (the 855A1 in 308). This is your "price is no object" plate set.
Hesco 4800LV - $1301 - 4.9lbs - Lv IV....ish - so why is this an 'ish' when the standard is straight Lvl IV? Because it doesn't actually meet NIJ specs. It handles all the hits as it should, but in order to get the thickness down to 0.67 to make it a bit more concealable, they've forgone foam backers which increases fragility (won't pass drop tests) and means it won't pass back-face deformation requirements. This is the most niche plate on the list - if you don't need to be concealing armor that can handle 308, 30/06, and x54R AP ammo, go with the standard 4800 instead. If you do actually have to conceal against those threats....firstly why in the actual are you on arfcom for these questions, and secondly yeah I guess this is the plate to get.
Tencate Cratus CR-6450 SA - $925 - 4.3lbs - Special Threat - This is Tencate's competitor to the U20. It isn't cheaper, lighter, or thinner, but it is another option that's very close overall.

So that's your basic stats on those two brands. If you're looking at someone else, you can use that info to compare and see where it would land. Just remember: NIJ certified, not just tested, multicurve if you can, lower weight is worth the money, and much over ~0.6-70" isn't concealable. I can wear a hoodie over my 3810's (0.98" thick) and a normie isn't going to notice it, but anyone who's actually paying attention is going to see the line at the top of my chest and back. Not being a target to get shot at is a lot more useful than stopping hits because everyone's shooting at the guy that looks like he's there to fight.

*there are a few others. Paraclete has some pretty crazy stuff out there, but it's nigh impossible to source without a department letterhead, so for all intents and purposes this is as good as it gets.

This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks guys. This makes it easier to navigate the plate world for a newbie.

What's your total budget (carrier included) and expected threats?

The budget is whatever I say it is.

As far as expected threats, could be anything or nothing. My motto is "If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing."

Having said that, it sort of looks like the 3810 is the path I may take. Your post was pretty damn good, btw. I appreciate you answering the question in the format I provided. It makes it easy for me see, understand, and decide.

Someone almost wrote a book on the subject over at reddit.

Check it out.

https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityTacticalGear/comments/cmkton/armor_purchasing_guide/

While I am a fan of the 3810, the one caveat is that it's not rated for 855A1. See the link to the discussion on the L210's for further details. I'm not as familiar with their products but I know RMA is generally well regarded, their #1192 looks like it'd be a solid compromise between the 3810 and 4800 while giving you M855A1 coverage on price and weight. They're tested and not certified, but from what I've seen RMA carries a good enough reputation that it's likely acceptable. If you aren't somewhere that you think M855A1 is a concern, then I've nothing but good to say about the 3810's.

Here's my personal setup (so far):

Ferro Slickster
3810 Shooter Cut L front, SAPI M rear
Haley D3CRM
90rds 556
41rds 9mm
Radio
Smoke
TQ
Steiner 8x30 Binos

All together, it comes to 16.8lbs. 6.5 of which is the front placard and 8lbs of which is the plates (3.9 front + 4.1 rear), which means even running this entirely slick I'm still adding ~10lbs to myself, and this is a fairly minimal setup. If you're running 4+ mags, a dangler with a whole med kit, accessory equipment, etc etc, you can get a lot of weight strapped to yourself very quick.

Weight and budget:
So you have a point of reference, since 3x mags on a slick carrier is the 'meta' now, you're looking at ~8-9lbs before adding plates. So whatever plates you're looking at getting, add that to it, and you'll pretty quickly see why everyone pushes for staying as far under 6lbs as possible. Here's some comparisons with that setup vs a couple different plates using the 3810's and the above setup as a baseline.

Plate - weight (difference from 3810) - cost (difference) - highest protected round

3810 - 17lbs - $1244 - M80
4400 - 25lbs (+8) - $420 (-824) - M2AP (+1)
L210 - 20lbs (+3) - $356 (-888) - 855A1 (-1)
SKD - 22.5lbs (+5.5) - $400 (-844) - M2AP (+1)
U210 - 17.2lbs (+0.2) - $1680 (+436) - 855A1 (-1)
4800 - 19.2lbs (+2.2) - $2628 (+1384) - M80A1 (+2)

Protective, Light, and Cheap - pick two.  The 3810's do hit a really good balance here. It's just the loss of A1 coverage that dings them in my opinion. But at the same time, if you *do* want guaranteed A1 coverage, you either have to give up 308 coverage (L210, U210), jump up 211% in price to the 4800's (which do cover M80A1 as well), or add a significant amount of weight (SKD, 4400). This is why it's important to figure out both budget and threat profile. While it's a great idea to protect as much as you can, throwing $3k at plates and a carrier isn't always realistic, and if no one in your AO is carrying M855A1/M80A1, it's largely wasted. But at the same time, skipping along with <$500 in L210's may leave you with a hole in your chest from an R700 because everyone in your AO has hunting rifles or you were on the wrong side of the street when a protest went south and an HRT sniper saw you as a threat for having armor on.

Don't bother: anything steel, or even the non-steel products made by AR500.

Good value: Hesco L210

How much is your life worth?: Hesco 3810 or U210.

A lot of people regard the 3810 as being the best plate money can buy, because it stops all the threats that almost anyone would ever realistically need to worry about while also being impressively light.

I hope someone else is helped as much as I am/was by all your replies, especially MiataMan's. Thanks guys.

Given the weight considerations, I think I'm going with the 3810s.

AFA the carrier is concerned, after narrowing it down to the Banshee and K19, I went with the K19 (which is on backorder).

Good choice.

Ben has recommended concealable plate setups in the past. I went U210 instead of 3810 because of that advice. The U210 will stop 308, the BFD is just a few millimeters out of the spec to be rated for them.

Just something to think about.

This is why I want to see whether the 3810 stops M855A1 with excessive backface deformation or whether it actually goes through.

I consider 308 and M855A1 to fall into a category right between "I don't need to worry about this" and "I need to worry about this". They're both unrealistic, but not that unrealistic.

If the U210 stops 308, but the 3810 fails to stop M855A1, then that would push the U210 up in my mind as a more desirable plate than the 3810 (since they both weigh the same and both stop all the firmly realistic threats).

The more I've learned the more I've become a fan of concealable plates. U210's in a Crye LVS Covert Cover would be an outstanding setup and likely help with the BFD.

I don't feel under-protected, incapable, or really at all disappointed in my 3810's setup, but suffice to say if I could walk things back and re-do it I'd have made some changes towards being able to hide it without needing a heavy jacket.

A buddy of mine has exactly this. Luckily hasn't needed to test the ballistic performance, but in an up-sized button down shirt or a shell jacket, it just looks like he gained 10 pounds. Doesn't even print that bad when he bends. You would have to be in personal space for many seconds to make him.

@Brian01 and @Wobblin-Goblin looks like we got great news - "3810's stop A1 under 3000fps" from a guy that knows a lot more than I do.

Full send on the 3810's without concern for nigh any urban CONUS threat it seems.

Good Value: LAPG.III or IV

Enjoy a set of u210s.

Which supplier is the "go to" for Hesco plates?

Saber Solutions or Esstac, both of whom are active on the site. Great people at each, you can't go wrong either way.

Thanks. Anyone have a coupon for either supplier?

Not likely, especially with the current market the way it is, but can't hurt to ask I suppose.

@StraightMiataMan

I've got a K19 on backorder. Would you recommend large Shooter's Cut 3810 in front and large SAPI 3810 in rear? I think they will fit, although some sites are providing different sizing data, so that's iffy.

I'm also considering going with the 3810 in front and L210 in rear. Thoughts?

Until you find out that 10X12 plate is really an 8X10 with 1" of foam around the edge.  They should stop what they're rated for though.

The nice thing about using the same plate for the front and rear, aside from the fact that your incoming threats aren't necessarily going to change depending on what direction they're coming from, is that you can swap the location of your plates. If any sort of damage happens to your front plate (for whatever variety of possible reasons), you can swap the back plate to the front with no change to how anything was before aside from just shifting the vulnerability to your back instead of your front.

If I had to mix a single and multicurve, the single curve hurts more in the back.

Personally, I'm a fan of SC front SAPI rear. There's no reason to give up coverage on the rear where it doesn't hamper my mobility and rifle handling, but the SC does help a bit with that up front, albeit at the cost of a bit of coverage.



If the plate carrier is sized by plate bag as 95% of them are, and if you took proper measurements to size your plates as you should've, then go with that one. Keep in mind though that the "large" (10x12) SC is equivalent to a Medium SAPI. If a SAPI L is what fits you properly, a 10x12 SC will be too small, and you'll need SAPI front and rear.



Nope. Same model front and rear. If you need to handle a threat level in front of you then you need to handle that behind you as well. Plus there's the potential need as mentioned to swap them front/rear, sizing and fitment, balance when unladen, etc. At least for the SAPI M 3810's the difference is only 0.2lbs total, but keep the same model on each even if it's not quite the same cut.

The foam ring on my two sets is 1/2", so 9.5x11.5, but you are correct that the Alumina is not a true 10x12. All my important bits are still covered at 6' 225...but bigger dudes should make sure.

Great info...should be tacked.

My rule of armor that I would tell any friend or family member is as follows:

Light weight + Large Caliber Threat Protection + Armor Piercing Protection + NIJ Protocol Compliant and Listed as Certified =  Ton of Money.

If you detract from any of those the armor will be more affordable, but wearing it will carry additional risk that you assume as a trade off to affordability.

There are no perfect solutions, only trade offs that leave much to be desired. Nobody has invented the perfect armor plate yet no matter what their marketing department has to say about it.  If you're searching for perfect, you'll be searching for a very long time.

Draw a triangle. Label the points lightweight, low cost and high protection. Pick two of three.

AWESOME Thread - Subscribed for sure!  

I was all set on the L210 and then I realized that this is most likely the only set of plates Ill be purchasing so I stepped up to the 3810.

Does anyone have an opinion on Chase Tactical 4SAS7 Level IV plates? I was looking at these for my first PC

Good choice. Stepping up from the L210 to the 3810 is definitely a great upgrade if you can afford the 4x price difference.

A lot of people consider the 3810 to be the best plate money can buy, because it's incredibly lightweight while also stopping every realistic threat and even a lot of unrealistic threats.

Let me ask you this: ever wear hard armor for long periods of time? As in, wear them all day with a pack, even sleep in them? Thick plates are more uncomfortable in vehicles and when carrying a pack. The 3810 is thick, and can not be concealed. That’s an issue. It’s a great plate, but there are no perfect plates. It is not “the best.”

You can hide an ESAPI or a 3810, just not as well. The 3810 is a top pick if you’re using a carrier without soft armor because the polyethylene backing is comfortable. It is not the best plate for any particular thing but it is probably the best value.

Yup did plenty of field ops in my issued SAPIs. Can't say I ever wore them to sleep though. I found the thickness to be perfectly manageable getting in and out of vehicles. Obviously not as comfortable as not wearing any plates, but it was manageable.

As long as you aren't trying to conceal your plates under clothing, the 3810 is a pretty ideal plate.

Pulled the trigger on a Set of 210s as a back up Rig.
HOWEVER- T-Rex suggests these Plates should be used in their "Medium" Carrier! I was under the impression "most" Carriers are sized universally unless stepping up to the 11x14" plates. Any L210 owners running their 10x12 in "Non AC1" carriers? If so, which ones please? I've already had to do the old "Pipe Insulation or Tube Socks" around a set of 10x12s in a Mayflower.  

Bumped to keep out of archives due to excellent post(s).

I looked around for lvl4 for awhile. And settled for RMA 1155s. Being made in Iowa was kindof a buying point from them. 8lbs a plate aint bad. With 3 rifle and 2/3 pistol mags. Both my plates are equal to one of my buddies steel plates he runs. 30lbs for just armour or so. Screw that lll

HUNDREDS of Carrier Opinions here and I fortunately added a new Shellback Banshee Elite 3.0 which was the best move I made! Phenomenal fit and adjustability for sure!

Armor Purchasing Guide

THIS IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE FOR PROFESSIONAL END USERS SUCH AS MILITARY SERVICEMEMBERS OR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY AND POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD FOLLOW ALL UNIT OR AGENCY GUIDELINES AND WEAR ALL ISSUED ARMOR AS DIRECTED.

Why Body Armor

Think of this as a nested diagram. It’s good not to get shot. The best way not to get shot is to not be where people are getting shot. If you have to be at a place where people are getting shot, you want to be as concealed and mobile as possible to avoid being hit. If you have to be hit, you want to be hit in an area covered by body armor. In other words, armor is not a substitute for tactics or mobility. If it imperils either, it’s not doing its job as personal protective equipment. It’s critical that armor not overburden you. No armor is comfortable, but some is much worse than others. If you take one thing away from this post, let it be this: you will wear the armor a lot more than you’ll be shot, so the armor has to be as comfortable as possible. Torso plates are not designed to prevent you from getting injured when you get shot, they’re supposed to keep you alive and in the fight until you can get CASEVAC. Therefore the type of armor and coverage you choose is dependent on your situation. The right plate is the lightest and thinnest plate in your budget that defeats the realistic threats you expect to face. Realistic does not mean all threats, you will likely have to concede some edge cases to keep your armor usable.

Sizing Paradigms

As for sizing, there are three main sizing systems. They all focus around measuring the distance between the wearer’s nipples (specifically the center thereof), and the sternal notch to the belly button. Here is a neat cutaway of the front and here’s the back.

The first, and slightly older system, was developed for law enforcement agencies. It is 8x10" for a small, 10x12" for a medium, and 11x14" for a large. These plates can be too wide and not long enough, there’s manufacturer differences in exact plate sizes, and there’s less granularity.

The second system is the SAPI or SPEAR cut, which is as shown here. This size system is the most widely applicable plate cut, and it is based on a military specification, so the plates will be more or less exactly the same size and cut between manufacturers. It also has more sizes, which is better, and almost always are sold as multi-curve plates, which are more anatomically fitted to the body and vastly more comfortable.

Lastly, there is the SOCOM Swimmer's Cut. These are a third system more suited to A) swimming and B) the physique of people who are in SOCOM. They're extremely hard to find, but that's what the Swimmer's Cut versions of the Crye JPC and a small number of other carriers are cut for. They are generally not applicable to civilian use.

Ballistic Rating

In the United States, quality civilian body armor is rated with the NIJ’s current (0101.06) level system. Just because a company claims a product “complies with” a certain NIJ level does not mean it’s actually NIJ certified. Only products on the NIJ Certified Products List are certified. Levels IIA, II, and IIIA are pistol threat levels and levels III and IV are rifle threat levels. Most but not all IIA, II, and IIIA armor is soft. All III and IV armor is hard plate. NIJ 0101.06 level III requires defeating 6 rounds of M80 ball .308 FMJ and level IV requires defeating one round of .30-06 M2 armor piercing ammunition. No other threats are tested for in NIJ certification. Testing for 5.56mm, 7.62x39mm, 7.62x54R or different types of .308 ammunition is often done, but it’s independent of NIJ listing. You are putting your trust in the company, because it’s not as verifiable as the NIJ database. A screenshot or PDF of a single unit’s test report does not tell you much about the quality of a product you might receive.

Soft Armor

Soft armor is made of multiple layers of ballistic fibers, either from the aramid family (such as Kevlar or Twaron) which can either be woven or laminated, or Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (trade names Dyneema and Spectra). Current soft armor is only effective at stopping handgun projectiles. Being flexible, soft armor more readily provides a higher surface area of protection (including side protection) and can be concealed much more easily than plate armor. It is more susceptible to damage than plate armor and must be treated more carefully. Using soft armor will always eventually wear it out.

Soft armor is much more difficult to manufacture correctly, it’s significantly easier for lax manufacturing protocols to produce defective soft armor than defective plates, and improper storage can damage soft armor quicker. As such, for any serious application it’s critical to only purchase brand new NIJ certified armor products from reputable manufacturers and reputable dealers.

There are a number of different cuts of soft armor available on the market. They range from minimalist/quick don systems, the traditional concealment cut armor designed for wear under shirts or in an outer vest, the military BALCS/SPEAR cut, and armor specifically designed for law enforcement entry use.

Level II Soft Armor

S Tier: Safariland Xtreme, Safariland SX, Point Blank Alpha Elite, Armor Express Razor, Survival Armor Paladin, KDH VLT-II

A Tier: KDH LTST-103-II, Survival Armor Paragon, Survival Armor Plexus, Armor Express Seraph, Survival Armor FalconFlex, Point Blank SP+2 LE, Safariland Summit, Tyr Tactical T52/SP, KDH LTST-102-II, Point Blank B, Armor Express Vortex

B Tier: Point Blank DX, Safariland Matrix, Point Blank GNX, Armor Express Halo, Renegade Armor 2BFA, KDH MD-101-II, Survival Armor Falcon

C Tier: Survival Armor Phoenix, Armor Express Quantum, Survival Armor Performance, Point Blank C, KDH STD-102-II, Armor Express FMS

F Tier: AR500 Rimelig

Level IIIA Soft Armor

S Tier: Safariland Hardwire 68, Safariland Hardwire 74, Crye Precision LVS, Point Blank Alpha Black, Point Blank Alpha Elite, Safariland Xtreme, Safariland SX, Survival Armor Paladin, KDH VLT-IIIA, Armor Express Razor

A Tier: Velocity Systems VS-33A, Survival Armor Plexus, Survival Armor Paragon, Survival Armor FalconFlex, Point Blank FLX, Safariland Summit, KDH LTST-102-IIIA, Renegade Armor 3BFA, Survival Armor Phoenix, Armor Express Seraph, KDH LT-102-IIIA, Armor Express Vortex, Tyr Tactical TXP3A

B Tier: Velocity Systems VS-63A, Applied Fiber Concepts AFCT3A-525/Sold by SKD & AT Armor among many others, Point Blank GNX, Point Blank KXP, Survival Armor Falcon, Safariland Matrix, Armor Express Quantum, KDH MD-101-IIIA, Armor Express Halo, Point Blank B

C Tier: Point Blank DX, Point Blank C, KDH STD-103-IIIA, Armor Express FMS,

F Tier: Tactical Scorpion Gear, Spartan Armor Systems, Safelife Defense, AR500 Rimelig, Bulletsafe, Safe Guard, Battle Steel

Rifle Plates

Ceramic Plates

Ceramic plates can defeat the widest variety of threats and can be reasonably light. Almost all new ceramic plates currently sold will defeat M855 and M193 5.56 and 7.62x39mm MSC. Most but not all will defeat M80 .308. The strike face on a ceramic plate is not fragile and just like all personal protective equipment, armor shouldn’t be mistreated. However, it is possible to damage a ceramic plate through severe impacts. Some plates such as military ESAPI and those with NIJ 0101.06 certification are required to have extra padding on the front and sides of the ceramic strike face and are less susceptible to damage.

Special Threat

S Tier: Velocity Systems API-BZ (ICW), Highcom RSTP (ICW), Hesco U210, LTC 28720

A Tier: Tencate Cratus 6400 (D1684)/AT Armor STOP BZ-IP/DKX M15, Highcom RSTP SA+

B Tier: Tencate Cratus 2000 (D1789)/AT Armor STOP/DKX M5, Paraclete SPEED Plate Plus, Hesco L210, Velocity Systems Special Threat Ceramic

C Tier:

F Tier:

“III+”

S Tier: Protech HW-ICW-HW-2015-10-SB (IC), SAPI (IC), Armor Express Abrams H III SA, Hesco 3810, Protech DT306C, Paraclete LV6900-X, Tyr Tactical HA3/7 (IC),

A Tier: Hesco 3611C, Protech DT206C, RMA 1091-1094, Hesco 3610, Tencate Cratus 6000 (D1472)/DKX M13 (IC), Protech X-CAL DT C1 (IC)

B Tier: Armor Express C-Shock, Paraclete 20260-X, Armor Express H-Shock SA, LTC 27105 (IC), Highcom 3S9M, Hesco 3410, Protech 2120-5, LTC 23706/Armor Express Harrier III+ SA

C Tier: Protech X-CAL US (IC), Protech X-CAL LP (IC)

F Tier: Tactical Scorpion Gear III+ Extreme

Level IV

S Tier: Paraclete 8800IC (IC), Hesco 4800/Armor Express Abrams H IV SA, Midwest Venture FM4

A Tier: Protech 9812-R1, LTC 28340 (IC), ESAPI (IC), Tencate Cratus 6200 (D1552)/DKX M14, Velocity Systems PB-ESAPI, Paraclete 9900IC (IC), LTC 26300/Armor Express Aries IV SA

B Tier: XSAPI (IC), LTC 27400 (IC), Highcom 4SSS2, Hesco 4600/Armor Express Harrier UL IV SA, Armor Express Delta III/IV ICW (IC), Paraclete 10048IC (IC), LTC 26135, Velocity Systems PSA4, Protech 2014G

C Tier: LTC 26125, Tencate Cratus 5200 (D1581)/DKX M12, Tencate Cratus 4400 (D1600)/DKX M11, LTC 26600/Armor Express Delta IV SA, Hesco 440, Protech 2014MC, Paralcete 10800, LTC 26120, LTC 26620/Armor Express Triton IV SA, Highcom 4S17m, Highcom 4SAS7, RMA 1155, Tencate Cratus 4200 (D1615)/DKX M10/AT Armor FFS4+

F Tier: Battle Steel, Tactical Scorpion Gear, Safelife, Bulletsafe, Any Chinese plate with “STRIKE FACE” and/or prominent tube edge padding

Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene

Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) is extremely light but cannot defeat mild steel core projectiles such as M855 5.56mm. UHMWPE plates are often neutral or even positively buoyant, and can be very thick.

Level III/UHMWPE

S Tier: NP Aerospace LASA LWB Covert IC06 Plate (IC), Armor Express Abrams H UL III SA, Protech DT306P, Paraclete Omega (IC), Protech Hardwire Lightweight, Hesco 3800, Velocity Systems LWPE, Paraclete LV7000

A Tier: Paraclete 30260, Hesco 3600/Armor Express Harrier III SA, Protech DT106E, Armor Express Aries III ICW (IC), Paraclete 10260, Protech 2113MC-3, Highcom 3S11M, LTC 23526/Armor Express Aries III SA, Protech Hardwire Multi-Curve, Tencate Cratus 3000 (D1520)/DKX M6,

B Tier: RMA 1088, Hesco 3401/Armor Express Harrier III SA, RMA 1078, Velocity Systems PPE

C Tier:

F Tier: Covered6, other Chinese UHMWPE plates

Steel Plates

Steel plates are unacceptable for most use cases. Steel is extremely heavy and only expensive specialty steel plates are proper multi-curve to make them more comfortable to wear. Steel has problems defeating high velocity projectiles such as hot M193 5.56mm out of 16” or longer barrels. Steel is also susceptible to spall and fragmentation. High-quality steel plates like those sold by Tencate and Velocity Systems can be very thin (around two tenths of an inch) and can be concealed easily.

S Tier:

A Tier: Velocity Systems ULV (Model PULV)

B Tier: Velocity Systems Special Threat Steel (Model PSTES), Tencate Cratus 8075 SA (D1846)

C Tier: Paraclete SPLT555/SPLT600, Protech IMPAC-RT Plus

F Tier: AR500, Spartan Armor Systems, CATI, Tactical Scorpion Gear

Torso plates are much more comfortable to use when they’re under 6 pounds and preferably under 5 pounds for a SAPI Medium/10x12. To get a plate that defeats common North American threats (M193, M855, 7.62x39 MSC, .308 M80 ball) at a reasonable weight requires a ceramic strike face. Multi-curve plates are always preferable to single curve plates. Affordable level IV ceramic plates are very heavy and shouldn’t be the first choice unless absolutely financially necessary.

Military SAPI, ESAPI, and XSAPI plates and many non-military plates require properly rated soft armor behind them to defeat their rated threats. Always use soft armor if the plate directs you to.

TL;DR:

What do I, John Q. Public, buy for armor?

HESCO L210s (budget), 3610s (midrange) or 3810s (high end) and one of the plate carriers from the fantastic post by /u/ebsilon.

This thread has so much good information it should be tacked.

WHOA!! Now THAT was alot of typing!! Ive been ALL in on this gear since the Corps transitioned from the infamous "Flak Jackets" which makes me "Salty" as hell...!

If you are going to reference (or wholesale copy) the armor guide that I wrote and maintain, I would greatly appreciate if you would provide some sort of credit -- a lot of time and effort went into researching and writing the guide.

Hey everyone...

@AlasdhairM wrote what I posted. I figured that was obvious given the earlier post referencing the Reddit post. Great guide btw.

May want to take the 4600 out of Level IV B tier as it failed FIT in January 2020 and as of March 2021 was permanently removed from the CPL.

I would suggest a modification to the bit about swimmers cut plates. The point of the swimmers cut is to allow for a freer range of bodily motion (primarily for swimming) while still covering the heart and lungs. It does this by having steeper shoulder cuts and raising the bottom so it doesn't cover your liver, which isn't necessarily a "vital organ" in the same sense that the heart and lungs are.

You can survive more than a day without a working liver, lack of blood flow carrying oxygen to your brain will kill you in minutes.

And you don't have to be swimming for a freer range of bodily motion to be helpful. Less interference when bending over and moving your arms around is a good thing.

Yeah, I'm working on an updated copy.