Body Armor Explained

In any high-threat environment, you will need both armor plates and a plate carrier to ensure adequate protection. Choosing the right body armor involves balancing the trade-off between weight and protection, as heavier plates typically offer higher ballistic resistance but can limit mobility and endurance.

The differences are outlined below, but I recommend you purchase a JPC style and good value level IV multicurve plates before looking at other options. This will allow you to conceal body armor better than a full IOTV and weigh less.

Common Plate Carrier Styles:

Armor Plate Inserts

NIJ Protection Levels: Level III, III+, and IV

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) classifies armor plates into various levels based on their ability to stop specific types of ammunition. Understanding these levels is crucial for selecting the appropriate armor for different threat scenarios. Here, we focus on NIJ Levels III, III+, and IV, which are designed to protect against high-velocity rifle rounds.

NIJ Level III

• Protection Level: Designed to stop rifle rounds up to 7.62x51mm NATO (commonly known as .308 Winchester) FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) rounds.
• Material Composition: Typically made from materials like steel, ceramic, or high-density polyethylene.
• Characteristics: Level III plates are commonly used in tactical scenarios due to their ability to stop a wide range of rifle rounds. They are available in both hard and soft plate options, with hard plates offering superior protection.
• Use Cases: Suitable for most law enforcement and military applications where rifle threats are prevalent. Often used in active shooter situations and direct combat.

NIJ Level III+

• Protection Level: Not an official NIJ rating, but commonly recognized in the industry. Level III+ plates are designed to provide enhanced protection over standard Level III, particularly against certain armor-piercing or higher-velocity rounds that exceed the capabilities of Level III plates.
• Material Composition: Often made from advanced ceramics, composite materials, or special steel alloys.
• Characteristics: These plates offer a middle ground between Level III and Level IV, providing additional protection without the added weight and bulk of Level IV plates. They are particularly effective against rounds like the 5.56x45mm NATO M855 (green tip) and 7.62x39mm armor-piercing rounds.
• Use Cases: Ideal for situations where there is a known or likely threat of enhanced rifle rounds, providing a balance between weight and protection.

NIJ Level IV

• Protection Level: The highest level of protection available under NIJ standards, capable of stopping armor-piercing rounds, including the .30-06 M2 AP (Armor Piercing) round.
• Material Composition: Primarily composed of ceramic with a backing layer of polyethylene or other composite materials. This construction helps to absorb and dissipate the impact energy of high-velocity, armor-piercing rounds.
• Characteristics: Level IV plates are typically heavier and thicker than Levels III and III+ due to the increased protection they offer. They are designed to stop a single hit from high-caliber, armor-piercing rounds, although some plates are rated for multi-hit capability.
• Use Cases: Best suited for high-threat environments, such as military combat zones or scenarios where armor-piercing rounds are a known threat. Often used by special operations forces and in situations requiring the highest level of personal protection.

Special/Nonstandard Plates

Flexible Rifle Armor System (FRAS) plates offer a groundbreaking blend of flexibility and ballistic protection, designed to provide a more comfortable and mobile alternative to traditional rigid plates. Constructed from overlapping layers of high-strength ceramics and ballistic fibers, FRAS plates can bend and adapt to the wearer’s movements, enhancing comfort and mobility. Despite their flexibility, these plates are rated to stop rifle rounds, specifically achieving an NIJ Level III rating. This rating ensures protection against threats such as the 7.62x51mm NATO FMJ rounds, making FRAS plates suitable for use in high-threat environments where both mobility and high-level protection are essential. This unique capability makes them ideal for special operations forces, law enforcement tactical units, and other scenarios requiring both agility and robust ballistic defense.

Special Threat Plates that exceed NIJ Level IV standards are designed to provide protection against particularly challenging ballistic threats that go beyond the standard testing criteria. These plates are engineered to stop high-velocity armor-piercing rounds and other advanced munitions, which may not be fully addressed by conventional NIJ Level IV plates. Utilizing cutting-edge materials such as advanced ceramics, composites, and polyethylene, these plates offer enhanced ballistic resistance while striving to keep weight and bulk to a minimum. They are often employed by specialized military units, law enforcement tactical teams, and private security personnel who may encounter severe threats, such as armor-piercing .50 caliber rounds or advanced rifle ammunition designed to penetrate standard armor. By offering a higher level of protection, Special Threat Plates provide a critical safeguard in scenarios where standard NIJ Level IV protection may be insufficient, ensuring the highest possible defense against some of the most lethal ballistic threats.