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I'm currently looking into purchasing body armor and came across this unfavorable review of the body armor made by the company AR500 (Armored Republic), an option I was initially considering. The reviewer would appear to me to have some valid points, making me reconsider AR500. What do you think?

Here's the review.

And here's a related video:
 
AR500 armor serves a purpose and is totally viable as long as you are ok with its limitations.

Steel armor is better in some ways, and not in others. Probably the biggest plus is that in 20 years it will be as effective as it was when it was new.
 
Actually AR500 company have rebranded RMA1155s, Hesco 4400, and a few other ceramic armor plates on the NIJ Compliant list. But I am unable to confirm the specific model numbers/names to the retail site's listings so buyer beware. They do also sell polyethylene/UHMWPE armor and I believe aramid soft armor too?
 
I got Multi-curve plates with anti-spalling and carrier for $380.00 as they typically run 20% off specials.

Plus steel lasts forever if you take care of it....YMMV
 
Repeating this. The "expiration" date is not meant to mean that the armor goes bad after a set period of time. It only means the warranty expires on that day.
How many of y'all own vehicles, guns, appliances that are past their warranty expiration dates?? ;)

With proper care and storage; kevlar, aramid, ceramics all can last a ridiculous length of time. The NIJ0101.06 certification process requires a drop test onto concrete surfaces before shooting with at least one .30-06 M2 AP round at 15 meters for Level IV plates. And that's after a thermal cycle test, and conditioned... not necessarily right out of package.

Edit. I know of no one who warranties their armor for more than 20 years.
 
That's just it... a person should train in his gear, not just park it in the closet for 'some day.'

I've worn heavy body armor as a professional. In my Army days, we often did body armor PT, buddy carries, dragging each other, ground combatives, rucking, running, grass drills, you name it. Effective training should include walking, running, hiking, jogging, stairs, exercise, diving to prone position, hand to hand including ground fighting and grappling, quickly removing the gear (for water survival, fleeing a fire, vehicle rollover, medical trauma, etc.); basically having absolute familiarity with the equipment and wearing it in reasonable circumstances. Training will subject the plates to the elements and damage, like dropping, moisture, etc.

I deployed several times to Iraq, and have been issued at least a dozen sets of ceramic plate (front and sides) armor and various carriers in different units on different rotations. Our units collected and replaced plates at the end of every deployment and sometimes mid-deployment. The old plates were returned to the manufacturer for hairline fracture x-ray and other inspection, bad plates destroyed and good ones recycled into use. Plates routinely had cracks, damaged corners, etc. from routine wearing and hard use. Most civilians don't have the budgets to be replacing plates often.

So, yeah, if you're the type to buy plates and throw them in a drawer then ceramic will last ages. But that's not the best method. So that leaves the option of... you guessed it. A set of steel plates for training. And then you're back to the point of just owning steel plates INSTEAD... Or having a dedicated training steel set, along with a set of ceramics if you want the different qualities.

Like I said, I own several sets and have steel and ceramics. Both have use, but I don't subject my ceramics to the abuse of training.
There's a reason to get weighted training plates ;) or steel plates just for training.
 
That's just it... a person should train in his gear, not just park it in the closet for 'some day.'

I've worn heavy body armor as a professional. In my Army days, we often did body armor PT, buddy carries, dragging each other, ground combatives, rucking, running, grass drills, you name it. Effective training should include walking, running, hiking, jogging, stairs, exercise, diving to prone position, hand to hand including ground fighting and grappling, quickly removing the gear (for water survival, fleeing a fire, vehicle rollover, medical trauma, etc.); basically having absolute familiarity with the equipment and wearing it in reasonable circumstances. Training will subject the plates to the elements and damage, like dropping, moisture, etc.

I deployed several times to Iraq, and have been issued at least a dozen sets of ceramic plate (front and sides) armor and various carriers in different units on different rotations. Our units collected and replaced plates at the end of every deployment and sometimes mid-deployment. The old plates were returned to the manufacturer for hairline fracture x-ray and other inspection, bad plates destroyed and good ones recycled into use. Plates routinely had cracks, damaged corners, etc. from routine wearing and hard use. Most civilians don't have the budgets to be replacing plates often.

So, yeah, if you're the type to buy plates and throw them in a drawer then ceramic will last ages. But that's not the best method. So that leaves the option of... you guessed it. A set of steel plates for training. And then you're back to the point of just owning steel plates INSTEAD... Or having a dedicated training steel set, along with a set of ceramics if you want the different qualities.

Like I said, I own several sets and have steel and ceramics. Both have use, but I don't subject my ceramics to the abuse of training.

Yep, if I did invest in some ceramic eventually, I would still train in steel almost entirely because if I land hard on the ground in steel it won't matter, but 300 pounds hitting the dirt on a ceramic plate might.
 
I have a T-shirt with soft panels ft and rear. Obviously not great, but better than nothing. I acquired it back when pterodactyls filled the skies, and have worn it about twice. It has been stored in the original packaging away from light and temperature extremes.
My question is whether time causes significant deterioration under such conditions.
 

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