Body Armor Thread

[Freshly Baked Socks]

Speaking from bad experience, buying XL size (11"x14") plates, with XL sideplates is probably overkill if you plan on walking more than a few yards. For all the value of being uparmored, expect drastically reduced mobility. Dat shit is heavy, yo.

 

[Badungus Kabungus]

Couldn't find the NIJ tests, but here's some research done by the Canadians on the performance of aged soft armor : https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2011/dn-nd/D69-5-2010-eng.pdf

TL;DR:

Products displaying good performance at 13-17 years and other failing at 3 years suggests that the initial design and construction of body armour might play a greater role in bullet resistance than simple ageing.

 

[Doctor Love]

Duct tape and phone books. If you’re ever in prison this is the way to avoid being stabbed.

Despite being a bit of a mong, this is close to true. Overlapping sheets of reinforced fabric, or strong wire, also has a huge effect. Duct tape is impressive, especially when used in conjunction with other materials as a connection between plates.

If you have an abundance of materials, you can make casts out of your legs in the way that they do for broken bones, using gypsum plaster and fabric. Then, use that for custom reinforcements. Well-fitting and well-balanced armour, which you can customise, is nice to think about.

Shrapnel is a big risk, but so is everything else. Plates, chains - custom clothing and recycling is handy anyway but you can go nuts with it. Strong fabrics are more common than you would think.

As for the plates, combat plates are designed for soldiers in a one-size-fits-all fashion. If you can make your own, you can go full Ned Kelly and heave your way through heavy fire.

 

[Meat Target]

Kevlar is always stiff until it forms to the body

Speaking of "conforming to the body", since the military isn't gonna change his mind on letting women enlist, they should probably start contacting armor manufacturers to make boob plates.

 

[Badungus Kabungus]

Speaking of "conforming to the body", since the military isn't gonna change his mind on letting women enlist, they should probably start contacting armor manufacturers to make boob plates.

I think RMA has boob plates already. But I don't think they're rated for double D's.

https://rmadefense.com/product-category/female-armor/

 

[Devious Dave]

If you're on a budget there's people who sell expired kevlar vests on eBay theres been tests done that indicate kevlar is fine after its expiration

 

[Meat Target]

If you're on a budget there's people who sell expired kevlar vests on eBay theres been tests done that indicate kevlar is fine after its expiration

I mean, it's just fabric. Like really tough nylon.

 

[Stackbodiesbro]

I have Protech Maritime UHMWPE Level III+ plates that are top of the line and weigh 2.2lbs per plate and have an original msrp of around $1800 for a set.

I've seen the same model sell on Ebay for $400 a set because people didn't understand what they are.

It's also hard to go wrong with hesco 4400s they might be on the heavier side but they are rated to stop basically everything below 30-06 black tip and cost about $180 a plate.

 

[Devious Dave]

I honestly don't see the appeal of plates. It covers way less than soft armor that wraps around. If I absolutely knew I'd be getting into a gunfight, sure, I'd want plates. But to me, just wanting something for fun or prepping, I feel like soft armor is better. It's easier to carry a backpack and gear if you're wearing soft armor too

 

[Maori Kiwifruit Growers]

How do plates have a shelf life? Really bizarre

materials break down.

 

[Club Sandwich]

iirc through multiple agencies and deployments, i was always told that humidity and exposure to UV is what kills body armor over time, and for ceramics, it can be the kevlar backing material that's the problem, not the ceramic itself. if it's all epoxied in a fabric sleeve glued together than other than if you go swimming or if stored in shitty conditions it should be fine for decades, assuming it was made well to begin with and isn't delaminating or the fibers turning to dust or something (leaves off yellow stains, the yellow is oxygenation and a light yellow is okay but it should never be an obvious piss or gold color, that means it should be replaced).

 

[El President Camacho]

How do plates have a shelf life? Really bizarre.

Yeah lol, when I worked for the state it was always some bullshit about the Kevlar/plates degrading or whatever and it makes it a pain in the ass to resell. I always got mine from LA Police gear because they are reasonable and sell them in sets. (Compared to other places like Midway or Galls you're saving big if you don't have the pig discount). I also get my jeans from there (LAPG) because they're a knock off of 511 jeans which look and feel like Levi's 541's but around 40-60$ and just as good* unless you get the the factory seconds which they always have clearances for. I should make or patriciate in a thread just about EDC/hiking jeans vs cowboy jeans (don't get normie jeans). Thanks for what you do Null.

*always sold out of normal sizes

 

[(((Obar Lazcano Kamz)))]

I personally recommend full body armor (soft and plates) for arms, neck, chest, legs, stomach and genitals. Head is whatever because if you get shot in the head with a helmet on I really dont know what you can expect in terms of your skull not fracturing and your brain not concussing. You may survive but at what level will you be able to function after getting shot in the head with protection?

Also look into bullet proof shields as well as panelling for your car/walls. Think about using statistics if you are going up against light law enforcement or even military mobilization. If the local police show up to invade your property, think of what they will show up with and plan from there.

Light armor = light protection, heavy armor = heavy protection. In most instances responding law enforcement (defensive situations involving home invasion) will not be trained in dealing with heavy armor such as a person with a shield or full body armor.

Your goal is to survive the engagement up until your inevitable death. You will be captured and will die eventually even with armor when you are outnumbered so plan on losing.

 

[Kheapathic]

One thing to keep in mind when deciding what to get, is to consider who your enemies are.

If you're in a bit American city like Los Angeles, you most probable threat are going to be gang-bangers who are probably going to be carrying a Glock 17 or 19, or other 9mm associated handguns. Go ahead and laugh at someone with a Hi-Point, just remember it'll still put holes in you. If you find yourself fighting the US or other NATO military forces (or domestic US Police), you're gonna have to worry about the 5.56 Green Tip; if you're a proud American and want to go fight the Russians in Ukraine, you're gonna be at the business end of 7.62x39. If your're a Californian and think you're gonna move to the mountains of Tennessee or Kentucky or West Virginia and don't like the mountain people who can trace their lineage back to the Mayflower, you're probably gonna contend with a WW2 Garand that shoots 30-06 and nothing will save you, they may have updated and shoot something in 300WIN, but you're still gonna get a large fucking hole blown through you. Kinda silly, but something to consider when you find yourself asking what to buy; know where your threat comes from and what they're most likely gonna carry. You (most likely) don't need Level IV while partying in Las Vegas.

 

[Steverambo]

About kevlar protection around neck, groin, etc. It's often not worth the weight. Even in the most IED heavy areas of Iraq we ditched that shit as soon as authorized to, opting just for the IOTV vest itself (personally I preferred the earlier IBA vest) with front+back plates. They forced us to wear the side plates though no one wanted to. Armor is there to protect the vitals. Your best protection is cover and movement.

 

[Doctor Love]

About kevlar protection around neck, groin, etc. It's often not worth the weight. Even in the most IED heavy areas of Iraq we ditched that shit as soon as authorized to, opting just for the IOTV vest itself (personally I preferred the earlier IBA vest) with front+back plates. They forced us to wear the side plates though no one wanted to. Armor is there to protect the vitals. Your best protection is cover and movement.

Infantry isn't quite the same - you are out, patrolling.

This is for when you need to Ned Kelly your way out of a corner. So the nard-guard is handy when the police only brought 9mm and you turned yourself into a human Killdozer.

 

[Procrastinhater]

I have 2 PASGT flak jackets I got for 80 dollars each a couple years ago I think they are cool if I ever needed to bug out that's what I got so that's what I'd wear they are about the same as level 2 I think

Those old flak jackets are good for lining the door of your truck if you're into that. Cheap enough and you can put it inside the panels so you don't even see it on the inside.
It won't stop plumb on 5.56 or 7.62 but it should stop most handgun calibers enough to stop it from hitting you.

As far as body armor goes, level 3 is enough imo. Not many people walking around with black tips and if you're in a situation where people are firing shit at you level 3 won't stop you're pretty much fucked. I don't think level 4 is worth the extra cost.

Also body armor supposedly degrades with time and exposure which is something to be aware of.
If you're investing in body armor you're maybe gonna have to keep swapping it out if you want maximum protection, although its arguable how much it degrades, again, ymmv.
At the end of the day even an out of date set will be better than a t shirt and pair of levis.

 

[Lord of the Large Pants]

This is some interesting shit that was recommended by a former military friend who I trust to know his stuff. I don't know much about this sort of thing, but the testing reviews seem fairly impressive.

https://safelifedefense.com/shop/hyper-concealable-vest/

 

[Napoleon III]

Using my knowledge of material science:

Ceramic Plates should be fine for basically forever unless they get cracked. Ceramic is an extremely durable material for certain kinds of stress and it doesn't corrode so it should be extremely durable even under moisture, heat(lul) and compressive loads.

Steel should be fine basically forever as well so long as it doesn't rust/corrode.

Polymers tend to break down and become weaker over time in a strength sense. Both Kevlar and The ultra high-density polymer are polymers so they will experience this.



I plan to get cheap and effective plates that will cover most of my body in case I'm ever in a home invasion or similar situation. Something I can put on in a couple minutes that will provide me with a lot of protection.

They forced us to wear the side plates though no one wanted to. Armor is there to protect the vitals. Your best protection is cover and movement.

The problem with this philosophy is that you have arteries. If one of those gets hit in your neck or legs or your arms you are likely not going to make it. As others have said it depends on why you are getting it and how you plan to use it. I am not going to be an infantryman in basically any situation so the stuff that is good for that use case doesn't apply to me.

 

[Stackbodiesbro]

As far as body armor goes, level 3 is enough imo. Not many people walking around with black tips and if you're in a situation where people are firing shit at you level 3 won't stop you're pretty much fucked. I don't think level 4 is worth the extra cost.

Not all level III armor is created equal. Just because it is rated to stop 7.62×51 doesn't mean it can stop the most common rifle round in America 5.56. Make sure to get armor rated for stopping 5.56 above all else for rifle rated threats.