Ceramic body armor, does it really "expire"?

[Bushman]

Stored in a bin, cool dry place. I bought some extras since this is a potential ban item and illegal in some states already.

What I've read online says no. Anyone know any different and have a credible source to back it up?

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[Knobgoblin]

Good luck seeing this answer.

It's most likely a liability decision to list an expiration date on life saving equipment. What could possibly change in any ceramic compound without use or exposure to the elements?

 

[Certaindeaf]

Good luck seeing this answer.

It's most likely a liability decision to list an expiration date on life saving equipment. What could possibly change in any ceramic compound without use or exposure to the elements?

The binder or the way the atoms are bound? Given enough time and man's folly..

 

[Kruel J]

I've worn out a few coffee cups. Just sayin.

 

[Knobgoblin]

The binder or the way the atoms are bound? Given enough time and man's folly..

The ceramic figure " venus of volni destonice " is thought to be 25000 years old.
It's got some big naturals too.

 

[Kruel J]

Seriously though it's like expiration dates on food. The feds require it.

 

[Knobgoblin]

I've worn out a few coffee cups. Just sayin.

I feel like that's part of the explanation date equation.
Plates get dropped and bumped plenty.
Your supposed to "replace if dropped " ,but people don't like admitting to little mistakes.

 

[Stomper]

The ceramic figure " venus of volni destonice " is thought to be 25000 years old.
It's got some big naturals too.

View attachment 1000260

OMG… granny's knee-shooters!!

 

[Stomper]

I feel like that's part of the explanation date equation.
Plates get dropped and bumped plenty.
Your supposed to "replace if dropped " ,but people don't like admitting to little mistakes.

It's just .22LR mistake… no problem!

 

[FourTeeFive]

Good luck seeing this answer.

It's most likely a liability decision to list an expiration date on life saving equipment. What could possibly change in any ceramic compound without use or exposure to the elements?

Agreed. If you read between the lines it's a combination of companies covering themselves for liability, and wanting to sell more armor more often. I'm sure there are issues if you wear it every day, expose it to elements and sweat, etc. These are composites of ceramics and other materials. But stored away ceramic plates should have a VERY long lifetime.

Expiration Dates Matter: Why Body Armor Replacement Is Necessary for Your Safety

Congratulations! You just purchased your brand-new body armor or bulletproof vest. Now, you may think you’re set for life, but that’s not the case. This essential piece of equipment has a limited lifespan. There’s an expiration date by which your vest's life-saving components MUST be replaced to...

safelifedefense.com

 

[GWS]

How often do they need to replace the ceramic on an Abrams tank?

 

[Bushman]

Agreed. If you read between the lines it's a combination of companies covering themselves for liability, and wanting to sell more armor more often. I'm sure there are issues if you wear it every day, expose it to elements and sweat, etc. These are composites of ceramics and other materials. But stored away ceramic plates should have a VERY long lifetime.

Expiration Dates Matter: Why Body Armor Replacement Is Necessary for Your Safety

Congratulations! You just purchased your brand-new body armor or bulletproof vest. Now, you may think you’re set for life, but that’s not the case. This essential piece of equipment has a limited lifespan. There’s an expiration date by which your vest's life-saving components MUST be replaced to...

safelifedefense.com

That article doesn't say any of that, in fact the opposite.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Ahhh here we go again. According to the NIJ standards, body armor must have a warranty period, in order for police departments and DOJ/Federal Justice agencies to be able to ensure consistent quality. On the NIJ certified product list, you will not see "expiration dates" but you will see warranty lengths.

This means the armor is warranted for 5 to 10 years.. usually the warranty means simply "free of defects and quality issues".

Aramid/kevlar/soft armor do indeed degrade over time, depending on how often its been worn, how much heat its subject to, and how much UV its been exposed to. But there are plenty of tests where old Level 2 and 3A kevlar armor seem to perform the same as new.

The biggest enemy of soft armor is UV and sweat.

For hard armor? The biggest issue is cracking and improper storage.


Heres a story I've oft seen repeated on Reddit and other places...

The military X-rays the hard plates, and they'll stamp new inspection dates on them if they pass. That is why one could be issued SAPI plates dating from 2001, or Ranger Body Armor plates and carriers from 1989, and why you sometimes see old PASGT vests and helmets worn during Operations Iraqi freedom in conjunction with ACUs and LBVs.

If ceramic armor somehow degrades just from normal storage conditions, then there's no real reason the military would X-ray and inspect plates and reissue them if they're free of cracks and damage...

 

[Patriot1775]

I have multiple OIF 1- present ESAPI plates that still pass the x-ray test yearly. My oldest plate (Ceradyne 11-2002) was "sacrificed" two months ago. It stopped multiple 30.06 API. So if never dropped, left sitting in the sun for years, and or abused....you should be fine. Treat them like your life depends on them. I was told long ago in the Army.

 

[Bushman]

I have multiple OIF 1- present ESAPI plates that still pass the x-ray test yearly. My oldest plate (Ceradyne 11-2002) was "sacrificed" two months ago. It stopped multiple 30.06 API. So if never dropped, left sitting in the sun for years, and or abused....you should be fine. Treat them like your life depends on them. I was told long ago in the Army.

They don't issue you new plates? Just x-ray old ones despite expiration date?

 

[CamoDeafie]

They don't issue you new plates? Just x-ray old ones despite expiration date?

Its the military sometimes yes new gear gets issued but unless they're in combat/ airborne/ special operations... usually its a mix of old and new

 

[Patriot1775]

They don't issue you new plates? Just x-ray old ones despite expiration date?

They do. I was referring to the periodic x-rays for plates that are still "good". I was in SF, they don't issue plates every year. If they are not expired or damaged/dropped, you use them till they fail either expiration or x-ray.

 

[Neogeo]

A tiny portion of a %. Would you take expired percocet? Ok then. Put your armor on
G2G

 

[Neogeo]

A tiny portion of a % they have to. Would you take expired percocet? Ok then. Put your armor on and git out thar!!
G2G

 

[CamoDeafie]

A tiny portion of a %. Would you take expired percocet? Ok then. Put your armor on
G2G

Completely different things.
Ceramic armor does not degrade if properly stored.
This means out of UV exposure (more for the fabric covering); out of extreme heat or cold cycles; as in over 150+ degrees F or 70 below 0 F.

You don't store armor in an oven, nor a freezer. You simply store them at room temp, without any serious weight on tjem or dropped on them. NIH 06 requires a drop test onto concrete before testing to pass. Thats why newer plates have more foam on them. Older 04/05 certified plates didnt have drop test.

The warranty period is limited because of liability, and is not meant to be taken the same way as a "best by/before" date.

Only one armor type do degrade over time, and thats soft armor, dependent on conditions. Salt water and uv and heat tends to degrade soft armor over time.