We do not get affiliate commissions from Shellback Tactical. Make sure you understand your state laws.
Guide to Ballistic Plate Armor
- NIJ certifications
- Different rating levels of armor protection
- Sizes / dimensions have to match plate carriers
- Ceramic vs steel (notes about spalling)
We recommend you don’t go cheap on armor. The main question is: Is the plate NIJ certified? No matter how strong the manufacturer says it is, the National Institute of Justice is able to test its strength and give its official approval. (Full list of armor certifications. The data chart takes up to 30 seconds to load.)
We do not get affiliate commissions from Shellback Tactical. Make sure you understand your state laws.
Guide to Ballistic Plate Armor
- NIJ certifications
- Different rating levels of armor protection
- Sizes / dimensions have to match plate carriers
- Ceramic vs steel (notes about spalling)
We recommend you don’t go cheap on armor. The main question is: Is the plate NIJ certified? No matter how strong the manufacturer says it is, the National Institute of Justice is able to test its strength and give its official approval. (Full list of armor certifications. The data chart takes up to 30 seconds to load.)
How strong do you want the armor? Well, common sense says something that’s good against most bullets. Level IV armor plates are usually recommended.
The next question is whether to buy ceramic or steel plates. If you do this step incorrectly, your body armor could literally kill you if shot. Here’s some key takeaways.
- Ceramic is light-weight, but can only be shot once
- Steel needs anti-spalling coating
For the sake of simplicity, we recommend ceramic plates since they’re ready to go. Also, they’re lighter weight than steel! Just remember, with ceramic plates, once the plate is shot, don’t trust it to protect you a second time. The plate starts to crumble apart once it’s shot.
How strong do you want the armor? Well, common sense says something that’s good against most bullets. Level IV armor plates are usually recommended.
The next question is whether to buy ceramic or steel plates. If you do this step incorrectly, your body armor could literally kill you if shot. Here’s some key takeaways.
- Ceramic is light-weight, but can only be shot once
- Steel needs anti-spalling coating
For the sake of simplicity, we recommend ceramic plates since they’re ready to go. Also, they’re lighter weight than steel! Just remember, with ceramic plates, once the plate is shot, don’t trust it to protect you a second time. The plate starts to crumble apart once it’s shot.
The military uses ceramic plates and kevlar armor.
If you buy ceramic plates, make sure to test it with the “tap and torque test”. Check out this video to the left to see!
If you squeeze the plate with your fingers, and it feels like it’s breaking apart or makes a crunching sound, then it’s definitely no good.
SAPI vs E-SAPI? Depending on where you look for your armor, SAPI and E-SAPI are level protections for ceramic plates as well as size fittings by the USA military. Go with E-SAPI for Level IV protection. (For more details see this article on Legionary.com)
The military uses ceramic plates and kevlar armor.
If you buy ceramic plates, make sure to test it with the “tap and torque test”. Check out this video to the left to see!
If you squeeze the plate with your fingers, and it feels like it’s breaking apart or makes a crunching sound, then it’s definitely no good.
SAPI vs E-SAPI? Depending on where you look for your armor, SAPI and E-SAPI are level protections for ceramic plates as well as size fittings by the USA military. Go with E-SAPI for Level IV protection. (For more details see this article on Legionary.com)
Steel, on the other hand, can be complicated and dangerous if done incorrectly. If you have steel plates, you need to make sure they’re coated in an anti-spalling chemical compound mixture. Otherwise, if the plate is shot, the steel plate breaks apart dangerously! It can shoot fragmentation shrapnel pieces into your neck, killing you, when the armor was supposed to save you. You can usually order the manufacturer to put the anti-spalling chemical on for an extra charge.
(For more detailed info on armor plates, see this article on Officer.com)
Steel, on the other hand, can be complicated and dangerous if done incorrectly. If you have steel plates, you need to make sure they’re coated in an anti-spalling chemical compound mixture. Otherwise, if the plate is shot, the steel plate breaks apart dangerously! It can shoot fragmentation shrapnel pieces into your neck, killing you, when the armor was supposed to save you. You can usually order the manufacturer to put the anti-spalling chemical on for an extra charge.
(For more detailed info on armor plates, see this article on Officer.com)
OUR RECOMMENDATION
We recommend the Shellback Tactical Level IV Model 4S17 (NIJ 0101.06 Certified) “Prevail Series”.
Make sure you understand your state laws.
It’s Level IV armor, NIJ certified for most rounds, and light-weight at only 7.2 lbs per plate. It’s ready to go.
Buy the armor plates on Shellback Tactical!
See our recommended plate carrier for these plates!
Get trauma pads if you can afford them! They cushion the blow!
OUR RECOMMENDATION
We recommend the Shellback Tactical Level IV Model 4S17 (NIJ 0101.06 Certified) “Prevail Series”.
Make sure you understand your state laws.
It’s Level IV armor, NIJ certified for most rounds, and light-weight at only 7.2 lbs per plate. It’s ready to go.
Buy the armor plates on Shellback Tactical!
See our recommended plate carrier for these plates!
Get trauma pads if you can afford them! They cushion the blow!
