Plates

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Who are you guys liking for Level IV plates these days?

I wanna pick up some spare armour before someone gets the idea to restrict them and need some reputable outfits. Last set I got was from Shellback Tactical, but perhaps there are better offerings these days. Looking for something in the 10×12 dimensions.

30 thoughts on “Plates”

    • I’ve been happy with my plates from RMA. Just wish they were still at their “2 for $200” price. Like everything else prices have inflated over the last few years.

  7. You will find dozens of manufacturer’s and importer’s claiming LVL 4 protection, but most are not NIJ certified, although many claim to be. They will state that our plates are “Tested To NIJ Standards” which means nothing. Most are chinesium unless you purchase HESCO or USGI. Even some of the “Made In USA” brands have been proven to be chinesium and have that ‘imported smell’ and cheap packaging – BEWARE!!!

  9. Safelifedefense. They have a full line of body armour. Plus other tactical gear from punches to belts.

    • Good plates, just order from a different vendor “YOU MUST EMAIL US A COPY OF YOUR CURRENT VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE OR MILITARY ID BEFORE WE WILL SHIP YOUR ORDER. NAME ON THE ID CARD MUST MATCH THE NAME ON THE ORDER”.

      • Lol, if that scares you I hope you don’t use a credit card, surf the web or own a cell phone.

  11. I find the body armor industry frustrating, and articles and comments online evidence how difficult it is to understand what level of independent verification has been done on performance.

    Take for example some of the brands above in the comments. People will say NIJ Certified only and reference HESCO as on of the only ways to go, but less than half of HESCO’s models are actually NIJ Certified and CPL listed (and M210 is not one of them). Safe Life Defense is another, they only have ONE model, SLD-PLUS, that is actually NIJ Certified and CPL listed. The rest are just tested to NIJ Standards. But so what, is that important? Can you rely on these “independent” ballistic labs? I don’t know all the answers, but as I Dig Au said, this is one industry to definitely BEWARE of.

    NIJ publishes a list of current NIJ Certified brands and models if you want to reference: https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/equipment-and-technology/body-armor/ballistic-resistant-armor

  12. I’m still using level 3. I’ve been skeptical of the recent surge of relatively cheap Level 4 plates, as well as the weight (which is coming down).
    In my mind, if you get hit by a rifle round, you’re screwed with or without the plate. Sheer force alone will still do damage.

    • Well, yes, but theres damage-but-I-can-still-function-with-a-cracked-rib and theres damage-that-looks-like-a-hole-through-my lungs.

    • There’s a big, big difference between DRT (Dead, right there) and maybe dying in an hour or a day…

    • “Sheer force alone will still do damage”

      Good thing the guy in Mosul we had who was shot 11 times in the plates didn’t know that. Guess he was saved because he just didn’t know any better. Admittedly some of those impacts were bullet fragments but he was struck with two rounds from a long burst from a PKM and at least three rounds from probably as many AKs. You do realize the the force of recoil and the force at the point of impact on plates is, at worst, roughly comparable.

    • Friends don’t let friends buy steel. If you price out the cost of hood steel, with multi curve, and pads you’re going to be about the cost if ceramics.

  15. Anything coming from Point Blank Enterprises (probably their Paraclete division for hard armor) is going to be professional grade.

  16. RMA is my go to. I appreciate the documentation they provide and others have done in testing as well as my own experience shooting old plates and armor after my old plates took a good knock about from a shelf collapsing ontop of them. Figured for the price I’d get another set and shoot the suspect ones with some friends to end a range session.

  18. @CZ a few questions first.

    1. What’s your price point? I went deep down the armor rabbit hole a while back before I realize I wasnt willing to drop the $2500 on Hesco 4800s.

    2. Do you definitely need level 4 plates? I know you’re out west so you might have more bigger caliber concerns than some of us.

    3. Keep in mind with armor you get cheap, light, and high threat rated, pick 2. Once you get armor go ruck/run/workout in it.

    I personally decided on Hesco m210 bc my primary concern was AR/AK stuff. And a cop buddy was selling them cheap.

  19. I guess it comes down to what you want to protect against. Level III will stop everything short of 30.06 and some AP rounds. A Level IV will stop everything the III will and the 30.06 and listed AP rounds. Then you have to determine are you wanting muliti hit plates and/or stand-alone plate. Some plates require you to wear soft body armor under the plates. While pricier you get what you pay for with Safariland/Protec line of plates.

    https://safariland.com/collections/hard-armor-plates

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