Plate carrier and armor?

simmoag · May 10, 2012, 05:28 PM

Any recommendations for a plate carrier and armor? I am trying to decide on plate armor versus soft armor or should you have both. Thinking of this in case the s$%t hits the fan. Thanks for the advice

insomni · May 10, 2012, 05:48 PM

Paraclete, TAG, Eagle all make really good plate carriers

The Eagle one is actually VERY similar to the one the Army is now issuing to troops in Afghanistan instead of the IOTV which replaced the IBA which was a really good vest (actually I know in the field trials, the Eagle submission was definitively the favorite). This is evidence that SOMEWHERE in Acquisitions, SOMEONE has removed their head from their 4th point of contact and realized that soldiers benefit from being able to actually move in their armor. The Eagle is a really good system. I've also used the TAG plate carrier, and like it as well. Paraclete or London Bridge if you want pricey quality
http://www.eagleindustries.com/produ...?productid=246
http://www.tacticalassaultgearstore....tecarrier.aspx
http://www.paracletearmor.com/
http://lbtinc.com/

pvt.Long · May 10, 2012, 06:25 PM

I would go with eagle, its much more comfortable and rides easier then the IOTV which was a vast improvement to the the IBA, its aqward and is difficult to maneuver in. Its ok when its by its self, takes a little while to adjust but when you put all the necessary equipment on it, it becomes a real pain, especially when you get contact

simmoag · May 10, 2012, 08:35 PM

Sounds good. Is it best to use soft armor with plates or the stand alone plates? Does plates have a life span like soft armor? Recommend an particular company for plates and soft armor?

ClydeFrog · May 10, 2012, 11:59 PM

For military/tactical type systems, I'd check these top brands...

Blackhawk, 5.11 Tactical, CSM Gear, Crye Precision, VooDoo Tactical, TangoDown.

Blackhawk was started by a former SEAL. Crye Precision markets the Multicam digital camo & a high tech helmet for SWAT-spec ops(I call it a hockey helmet

).

ClydeFrog

zbones6 · May 11, 2012, 09:45 AM

Check out a type of body armor called Dragon Skin. I guess its technically plate armor, but its flexibal. They have hundreds of ~1 inch round boron plates that overlap each other, looking like the scales on a dragon. I saw a test in which an AK type rifle emptied its mag of 7.62x39 into the vest and not 1 bullet made it through. Be wary though, its expensive.

pvt.Long · May 11, 2012, 10:28 PM

soft armor vs plates is basically mobility vs protection. the best protection would be soft armor with plate inserts. If you want to shoot and scoot go with just soft kevlar. The more and the thicker layers the better. Everything has a life span. Don't go to the army navy store and buy surplus plate armor or any armor for that matter and expect it to protect you. With any armor you get exactly what you pay for. Dragon skin is great, I would like to personally test it but don't have the funds to see it it holds up to what the company says it can. The military doesn't have it because it failed the environmental tests. The resin holding the disks would melt in extreme heat and it would freeze in extreme cold. It is great for civilian body armor if you want to shell out the $$$.

**Bud Helms** · May 12, 2012, 05:31 AM

The Army also claims Dragon Skin failed penetration tests and without saying so outright, alluded it to the delamination of the glue holding the "scales" in place, due to environmental testing. Apparently there was a brouhaha over the test results and Pinnacle Armor claimed unfair testing.

The problem with that claim at this point is the Army has contracted an independent testing lab (H.P. White, as I recall) to conduct the tests for exactly that reason: to eliminate any claim of prejudgement or favoritism. H.P. White Labs has a good reputation so far.

I think the future of body armor may well be in some version of articulating small plates (as in the "scales" of the Dragon Skin). Apparently, it's just not there yet.

simmoag · May 12, 2012, 08:33 AM

What is the life span of armor? I have read that soft armor should be discarded after 5 years from the manufacture date. Is this correct? What about plate armor?

pvt.Long · May 13, 2012, 09:35 PM

Well I can see how there were failed penetration tests since the manufacture tested up to 7.62x39mm (ak) round and the army's standard armor is designed to defeat the 7.62x51 (.308) slight difference. the army has contracted a reputable lab to test pretty much everything. As to eliminate any bias claim. The life span of the armor is basically up to the manufacture.

May 10, 2012, 05:28 PM	#1
simmoag Member Join Date: January 17, 2007 Posts: 68	Plate carrier and armor? Any recommendations for a plate carrier and armor? I am trying to decide on plate armor versus soft armor or should you have both. Thinking of this in case the s$%t hits the fan. Thanks for the advice

May 10, 2012, 11:59 PM	#5
ClydeFrog Junior member Join Date: May 1, 2010 Posts: 5,797	Blackhawk, Crye Precision, CSM Gear, 5.11... For military/tactical type systems, I'd check these top brands... Blackhawk, 5.11 Tactical, CSM Gear, Crye Precision, VooDoo Tactical, TangoDown. Blackhawk was started by a former SEAL. Crye Precision markets the Multicam digital camo & a high tech helmet for SWAT-spec ops(I call it a hockey helmet ). ClydeFrog

May 11, 2012, 09:45 AM	#6
zbones6 Member Join Date: December 29, 2011 Posts: 91	Soft/Plate armor Check out a type of body armor called Dragon Skin. I guess its technically plate armor, but its flexibal. They have hundreds of ~1 inch round boron plates that overlap each other, looking like the scales on a dragon. I saw a test in which an AK type rifle emptied its mag of 7.62x39 into the vest and not 1 bullet made it through. Be wary though, its expensive.

May 10, 2012, 05:48 PM	#2
insomni Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2011 Posts: 342	Paraclete, TAG, Eagle all make really good plate carriers The Eagle one is actually VERY similar to the one the Army is now issuing to troops in Afghanistan instead of the IOTV which replaced the IBA which was a really good vest (actually I know in the field trials, the Eagle submission was definitively the favorite). This is evidence that SOMEWHERE in Acquisitions, SOMEONE has removed their head from their 4th point of contact and realized that soldiers benefit from being able to actually move in their armor. The Eagle is a really good system. I've also used the TAG plate carrier, and like it as well. Paraclete or London Bridge if you want pricey quality http://www.eagleindustries.com/produ...?productid=246 http://www.tacticalassaultgearstore....tecarrier.aspx http://www.paracletearmor.com/ http://lbtinc.com/

May 10, 2012, 06:25 PM	#3
pvt.Long Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2009 Posts: 433	I would go with eagle, its much more comfortable and rides easier then the IOTV which was a vast improvement to the the IBA, its aqward and is difficult to maneuver in. Its ok when its by its self, takes a little while to adjust but when you put all the necessary equipment on it, it becomes a real pain, especially when you get contact

May 10, 2012, 08:35 PM	#4
simmoag Member Join Date: January 17, 2007 Posts: 68	Sounds good. Is it best to use soft armor with plates or the stand alone plates? Does plates have a life span like soft armor? Recommend an particular company for plates and soft armor?

May 11, 2012, 10:28 PM	#7
pvt.Long Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2009 Posts: 433	soft armor vs plates is basically mobility vs protection. the best protection would be soft armor with plate inserts. If you want to shoot and scoot go with just soft kevlar. The more and the thicker layers the better. Everything has a life span. Don't go to the army navy store and buy surplus plate armor or any armor for that matter and expect it to protect you. With any armor you get exactly what you pay for. Dragon skin is great, I would like to personally test it but don't have the funds to see it it holds up to what the company says it can. The military doesn't have it because it failed the environmental tests. The resin holding the disks would melt in extreme heat and it would freeze in extreme cold. It is great for civilian body armor if you want to shell out the $$$.

May 12, 2012, 05:31 AM	#8
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	The Army also claims Dragon Skin failed penetration tests and without saying so outright, alluded it to the delamination of the glue holding the "scales" in place, due to environmental testing. Apparently there was a brouhaha over the test results and Pinnacle Armor claimed unfair testing. The problem with that claim at this point is the Army has contracted an independent testing lab (H.P. White, as I recall) to conduct the tests for exactly that reason: to eliminate any claim of prejudgement or favoritism. H.P. White Labs has a good reputation so far. I think the future of body armor may well be in some version of articulating small plates (as in the "scales" of the Dragon Skin). Apparently, it's just not there yet.

May 12, 2012, 08:33 AM	#9
simmoag Member Join Date: January 17, 2007 Posts: 68	What is the life span of armor? I have read that soft armor should be discarded after 5 years from the manufacture date. Is this correct? What about plate armor?

May 13, 2012, 09:35 PM	#10
pvt.Long Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2009 Posts: 433	Well I can see how there were failed penetration tests since the manufacture tested up to 7.62x39mm (ak) round and the army's standard armor is designed to defeat the 7.62x51 (.308) slight difference. the army has contracted a reputable lab to test pretty much everything. As to eliminate any bias claim. The life span of the armor is basically up to the manufacture.