When to Choose Ceramic or Polyethylene Plates
Today, body-armor manufacturers create a huge range of bullet proof vests, offering protection against the majority of ammunition. With the National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ) current standard of evaluation, there are five levels of protection – IIA, II, IIIA, III, and IV, each able to withstand specific bullets.
While vests at levels IIA, II, and IIIA are classed as soft (due to their featuring mainly flexible materials), those at III and IV feature ballistic plates: these hard armors are designed to stop rounds of a higher velocity, primarily fired from rifles. These plates are made from different materials, including ceramics and polyethylene – each has its advantages and disadvantages. Understanding these can help you choose the vest best-suited to your specific needs with greater success.
Let’s take a closer look.
Ceramic Plates
For decades, ceramic plates have played a key role in ballistic armor. These feature different types of backing, which catch the bullet’s fragments after it’s broken up by the ceramic; as the materials used in ceramic armor (usually boron carbide, lumina oxide, or similar) have become lighter, these heavy-duty vests have also become thinner and more lightweight – providing you with a more comfortable form of protection that can more easily sit underneath clothing.
As ceramic plates are designed to break when struck by a bullet, this means they can only stop a limited number of rounds due to the damage those first hits cause. Once an area of the plate has been cracked or shattered, it no longer offers protection. Ceramic plates can also become cracked if dropped, struck, or thrown without thought – if you wear this in a dangerous situation without realizing, then you’ll face greater risk. However, these plates still provide reliable defense against the most lethal bullets during the first few hits.
Finally, ceramic plates can be fairly heavy: a standard 10”x12” design can weigh around 7-and-a-half pounds; if using a front and rear plate (which is highly recommended) this will double. While modern plates are more lightweight than those of the past, this may still give you pause for thought.
Polyethylene Plates
Polyethylene plates use a bullet’s spin to slow it: as a round’s friction generates heat, this melts the material until the bullet stops. Unlike ceramic plates shattering on impact, those made of polyethylene can successfully, safely stop multiple rounds – wherever space allows, the plate should prevent penetration. Also, dropping or throwing a polyethylene plate will not cause the same damage it would to a ceramic.
However, polyethylene plates are currently not available at NIJ level IV, and their cost can be significantly higher than ceramics. For those expecting to encounter armor-piercing rounds of 800+ meters per second, ceramic plates may be the best solution – in most cases, though, this may not be a viable risk. Are handgun bullets the most common danger you can likely expect to face?
Understanding your own risks is vital to choosing the right plates – selecting one on a whim may leave you without the protection you need. Either way, you should ensure your armor is the right fit for your shape, as wearing a vest which is too big or small can leave you without the defense you need – if it hangs away from your body, or clings too tightly, you will feel uncomfortable and possibly even restricted. Make sure to measure your height and chest before ordering armor, and compare your dimensions against your chosen supplier’s size chart for the most accuracy.