There is a pretty insane sale going on right now, if you can find a pal to go half with you, or hell if you want two full sets:
https://www.ar500armor.com/testudo-bogo.html
I've been kicking the idea around with a guy at work to go half on it with me, i'm just kind of thinking maybe it's going over the top and how practical is it really...lol.
Anyone have their own set up, if so what do you think? Probably im just pissing money away, but a small part of me can't help but wonder if I could ever really wind up needing it.
You can do better, for not much more.
HESCO 4401 plates are currently readily available (read: in-stock) from a number of trusted industry vendors. These are
NIJ certified Lvl4 standalone, for around $150-$170, nominal, and it's not unheard-of for them to be available on sale at the $100 to $125 range. These are ceramic-composite with a nylon overwrap, and are very durable.
Their threat matrix is impressive, covering both the major CONUS threats of 55 gr. M193 and 62 gr. M855, as well as the usual 7.62.
AT Armor's website's listing is the most concise that I can find to describe its attributes:
AT Armor is your source for tactical gear in the US. We are a US Army veteran-owned small business that that offers only the best kit available for professional use.
store.atarmor.com
They are on the heavier side, and yes, they are also on the bulkier side (and are also only single-curve) - but for my usage (more on this in a minute), I felt that these were reasonable compromises, given the very reasonable cost of these plates.
Overall, for actual *_
USE_* I would advise folks to really, really pay attention to what they're getting, to not fall for flashy advertisements and instead to seek out true NIJ certified armor, from reliable manufacturers (in case recalls are necessary or warranty needs to be filled), and to buy from trusted vendors (to prevent shipping damage).
AT Armor has an excellent and short write-ups on armor basics:
AT Armor is your source for tactical gear in the US. We are a US Army veteran-owned small business that that offers only the best kit available for professional use.
store.atarmor.com
I use a set of the 4401s for training, specifically in that an excellent venue available to me locally - the Alliance Police Training Facility (
alliance police training) requires armor that is appropriate-for-risk, due to the city's liability concerns. While they do rent armor on a limited, first-come-first-serve basis, since I frequent the facility, it just made more sense for me to buy outright. Since this armor is to be used in training classes where the M193 is most prevalent (facility rules disallows 62 gr. M855 and other "penetrating" ammo) and 16-inch guns common, this consideration was high in my threat matrix.
FWIW, while the AR500 "Lvl3+" have been independently tested (and filmed on YouTube) by many trusted hobbyists and enthusiasts, I just don't feel that level of "testing" is par with the rigors of NIJ certification. Towards this end, I do have a set of those plates (with anti-spall/frag build-up) from AR500.com, which I keep staged as true emergency (this would really be SHTF-TEOTWAWKI kind of stuff....) gear, along with an older carrier (TAG Mayhem - this is USA made, high-quality gear that I got on-closeout, so I spent very little for it: I wanted it for absolute durability, so that in case of that true-emergency event, this carrier's durability would not be a worry - same for my TAG Havoc soft-armor carrier). In-truth, as many such independent reviews note, built-up Lvl3+ steel really aren't
that much lighter or thinner than entry-level NIJ certified composites, with their only real advantage being the ability to take more abuse in terms of storage conditions. This latter isn't something to be overlooked for those of us who are making the purchase for a "just-in-case" context. Steel is able to take much more storage/handling-effected as well as environmentally-induced damage than the ceramic or poly composites (although in many cases, the Internet-hysteria around their supposed fragility is just that
).
In terms of carriers, there's a dizzying array that's available. Truthfully, for occasional use -even for what I noted as my level of need- even "airsoft grade" stuff will be just fine. As with many modern goods, the usual southeast-Asian imported items can range widely (and oftentimes wildly!) in terms of quality, but even "airsoft gear" will hold up to light/occasional use. Investment in higher-quality imported gear or quality US-made gear can provide not only significantly increased durability, but also both increased functionality as well as -v
ery important for something that's typically worn on the body for hours-on-end, ostensibly in some of the worst conditions possible-
COMFORT. Here, I liken your investment to that of optics: you will get what you paid for, and it will be very evident as soon as you start to actually use the gear.
Personally, I again split the difference. I opted for the ESSTAC Daeodon and optimized for comfort (the Daeodons have the reputation of a very comfortable configuration already, but I supplemented with PIG AFC Pontoons to get a bit more circulation going underneath), but because I knew I wouldn't be constantly jockeying in and out of them for training classes, I saved some money by opting out of fancier closure systems. There's more high-speed kit out there, but for what I needed the carrier for, it struck the balance I needed. And instead of a placard full of extra mags or other go-fast stuff, I equipped it to facilitate learning - with a multi-purpose pouch that can hold note-taking material and snacks, as well as additional first-aid items and some additional administrative lighting attachments.
Towards that last, I always encourage everyone to follow the age-old wisdom of "mission drives the train." I'm somewhat of a geardo, so I don't mind spending dough on quality items - but even so, I'm limited by the usual real-world constraints of an average-Joe family-guy who has an actual budget to meet.
Half the battle is won by really researching and understanding what you're buying, and the other half by understanding the compromises that you're making, so that your gear actually works for you. As
@Keystone19250 noted, if you have an occupational (or even perspective) requirement for this type of equipment, it'll be worth your while to first talk to your employer (and their employees) before you buy, to see if there are any specific requirements that need to be filled, be it options/preferences or in terms of uniform regulations and the like.
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Aside: for those thinking about buying "backpack armor" for their school-children, this write up presents some excellent real-world considerations to counterbalance marketing hype:
AT Armor is your source for tactical gear in the US. We are a US Army veteran-owned small business that that offers only the best kit available for professional use.
store.atarmor.com
