I was able to find one with the pads underneath the release. Not as many pouches, but some.

https://www.temu.com/-quick-release-laser-cut-pals-system-outdoor-vest-suitable-for-running-hiking-seasonal-nylon-material-adult--for-sports-and-festive-celebration--vest-for-hiking-running-gear--sporty-design-g-601100106917946.html?

No pounches

https://www.temu.com/-quick-release-weighted-vest-for-dults-training-vest-with-weighted-plates-season-hunting-fishing-gear-m4-like--buckles-zippers-machine-washable-design-no-bullets-fishing-vest-camouflage-clothing-hunting-vest-hunting-g-601100009349527.html?

All are a bit cheaper. 

Also one with more pouches but the less optimal (breakable) release buckle. Although my last agency issued something like that and mine never broke, I saw plenty of others that did break.

https://www.temu.com/--vest-quick-release-design-breathable-for--sporty-style-suitable-for-hunting-hiking-running-and-casual-outdoor-activities-perfect-as-a-gift-for-friends-or-a-birthday-present-g-601099574296987.html?

Next up we have a magnetic release. Their video is hilarious. If I saw someone wearing one I would have to push the button just because. The last thing I would want when wrestling with some naked tweaker is my vest randonomly flying off mid joust.

https://www.temu.com/magnetic-quick-release-with-molle-system-adjustable-size-and-durable-1200d-nylon-fabric-multiple-pockets-for-outdoor-use-g-601101807438929.html?

Going to go with this one though. It has all the pouches, QD releases (the video shows clearly it is supposed to lay on the chest no the shoulder) and is dirt cheap. I don't think it is 1000D though, looks like 600D in the photo. Guess we will see.

https://www.temu.com/-quick-release-multi-function-training-vest-durable-1000d-nylon-molle-compatible-for--back-pouch-machine-washable--hiking-outdoor-activities-g-601099666951928.html?

For comparison I will also get this one.

https://www.temu.com/goods.html?_bg_fs=1&goods_id=601100009349527&sku_id=17594309704331&_oak_page_source=501&_x_sessn_id=ttxsd31mzo&refer_page_name=shopping_cart&refer_page_id=10037_1765397039353_9g8vof6w7u&refer_page_sn=10037

And so long as I am there I will pick up a 5 gallon hand washing station for $20. After all I am much more likely to die from germs than gunfire in the PAW.

https://www.temu.com/-large-capacity-portable-water-bucket-heavy-duty-collapsible-expandable-olive-green--with-lid-tap-compatible-with-5-gallon-20-jug-size-for-camping-rv-emergency-outdoor-drinking-water-storage-g-601104764963799.html?

It also looks exactly like the one for $42 over at Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Water-Dispenser-Sanitizer-Leak-Proof-Container/dp/B0FRY45HPF/ref=sr_1_4?

Nothing wrong with buying from China. Just take it from someone who's literally purchased 200 items a year from China. Temu has had massive numbers of complaints filed against it. The business is set up that way. You will find normal decent China products on there. But also a massive percentage of very low quality or lied about in their ads products. 

The largest top level China platform is Alibaba. Most every manufacturer in China is listed on Alibaba. That is the site you can actually buy large shipments of wholesale quantities. But many distributors and manufacturers sell MOQ of 1. (MOQ =  minimum order quantity) But alot require a high MOQ and it's difficult to vet suppliers.  Alibaba is where you're likely to find the best deals and closest to the larger, best quality manufacturers. 

They own AliExpress which is a retail arm of Alibaba. Just about anything on there is MOQ of 1. You don't have filter it to MOQ of 1 like on Alibaba. And it's easier to find products. 

I don't share this to debate you. I share this to help you out. Buying from China is a sound financial strategy as a prepper. As you've seen. Absolutely everything you already buy whether local or online is from China. By buying from AliExpress you're cutting out the middleman. 

From Chatgpt. Another service I highly suggest any prepper use:

"Here's the simplest, most practical ranking — based on reliability, product quality, seller honesty, dispute resolution, and usefulness for someone like you who buys tools, electronics, automotive parts, and building materials. 

1. Alibaba — Best for Serious Purchases / Worst for Casual Buyers

Rank: #1 for business, #3 for normal consumers

Strengths

Direct access to factories and manufacturers

You can negotiate custom specs, bulk orders, shipping terms

Best platform for MLV, CCF, automotive parts, metal fabrication, plastics, etc.

Many sellers offer DDP shipping (no surprise fees)


Weaknesses

Filled with trading companies pretending to be factories

Requires experience to avoid scams

Many listings are meaningless keyword spam

Minimum order quantities (MOQ) often high

Communication quality varies massively


Use Only When
You want serious materials (like MLV, CCF, bulk adhesives, hardware, plastics) or a specific factory-level product you can't buy retail.


---

2. AliExpress — Best Balance of Price + Safety

Rank: #1 for normal consumers

Strengths

Most sellers are legit small exporters

Escrow system + buyer protection works better than Temu

Better product variety for tools, electronics, automotive parts

Good for Jimny mods, wiring, connectors, brackets, solar parts

Sellers often ship via Cainiao, which minimizes surprise duties


Weaknesses

Slightly more expensive than Temu

Still many low-quality items

Shipping can be slow if seller uses cheap lines


Use When
You want cheap but not bottom-tier items, especially automotive, electronics, solar, and building-material accessories.


---

3. Temu — Cheapest / Worst Quality Control

Rank: #3 overall

Strengths

Insanely cheap

Fast delivery

Good refund system because they expect high returns


Weaknesses

Sellers are anonymous, often unknown and with no track record

Quality control is poor

Specifications are often fake or exaggerated

Tools, electronics, wire, adhesives = unreliable

Not good for anything mission-critical (automotive, wiring, inverter, power tools)


Use Only For

Household junk

Organizers, plastic bins

Low-risk items


Never buy electrical, automotive, load-bearing, or safety-critical parts from Temu.


---

⭐ Final Ranking (Practical, Realistic)

For Quality + Safety

1. AliExpress


2. Alibaba (only if you know how to vet suppliers)


3. Temu



For Lowest Price

1. Temu


2. AliExpress


3. Alibaba



For Automotive / Solar / Tools (your needs)

1. AliExpress – safest balance


2. Alibaba – best if buying from real factories


3. Temu – avoid for anything electrical or structural




---

If you want, I can break this down by specific category (MLV, adhesives, connectors, tools, brackets, wiring, Jimny parts) and tell you which platform to use for each.

Quote from: Uomo Senza Nome on December 10, 2025, 12:00:31 PM

Quote from: MacWa77ace on December 10, 2025, 11:50:05 AMYeah, but remember, as a prepper/civilian, you don't have backup you can call in for resupply. So the loadout is different. You have to consider that all you have is what you're carrying. [and like you said, you don't have to have them all in pouches for easy access, you can keep some in a backpack or bandolier or close by]

You're dead on with mag count, in a single one on one encounter, if you don't win within 1-2 mags, you died. And there's really no suppressing fire scenarios in an individual's playbook either. But in the scenario where you did win, is that the last situation you'll encounter before getting back home or to your car to resupply?

If I don't have any friends with guns to call for help anymore I am staying the hell away from everything and everyone.

@MacWa77ace is right. Your confusing what use case you're in and what assets you have available to you. 

Mechanized/resupplied military, local law enforcement and prepping/bugging out/operating in a PAW are three very different situations. 

I was in the Marine Corps and also owned a successful Private Investigation firm performing primarily vehicle and on foot surveillance across the West Coast. In great areas to the worst areas. This isn't to toot my own horn. This is to say I misunderstood alot about my gear needs early on as well. Because my experience was similar to yours. 

I highly suggest looking into the Balkans survivor Selco. Or other real world people that have found themselves in a real long term disaster situation. 

But it's best if we identify the "use case" first or we will be talking about two or three very different situations. 

Let's call it a grid down, long term disaster or even a post apocalyptic world. This could include everything from a large scale natural disaster to a government collapse. 

Power is gone. Communication is probably very limited. Water has been shut off or stopped working. Public utilities are no longer functioning. Gas will go bad or run out within a couple years. But most importantly people's children will start starving and people will die from simple illness normally taken for granted. Once people's children start starving the entire situation changes. And with almost 350 million just in the US. And maybe 5 million(?) prepared for a long term disaster? The number of days before this starts happening is very few. We are only a fews days away from the entire country runs out if resupply if just about everything. Trucking, trains and air shut downs? It's over very quickly. We become a third world country if very desparate survivors. 

More people died in the Balkans from disintery than bullets. Bleach was one of the most sought after items. Things quickly devolve into a third world, very desparate situation. Where people, watching their children starve, start doing things to survive they normally wouldn't imagine. 

You served. You know what I'm talking about. 

This isn't a situation where you can call a friend and he can show up with his loaded Humvee. Lay down suppressing fire and resupply you with goods and ammo. Your largely going to be on your own with the few friends that are by your side. Or so far away time wise - coordinated effort not pre-planned and in the middle of - is likely not going to change. Whatever plan you had for that day or week is what you have in front of you. 

So yes, the mag count while on patrol in the military or while on duty as a LEO is very different than what we are discussing. Because those use cases are very different. 

You have to remember all those military members and all those LEOs have family too. How long after all essential goods and services stop moving and stop working. Do military and LEO members choose to load a vehicle with as much as they can get their hands on and go to family? Rather than, granted stay with the supplies the military and LE has stockpiled, but also to protect anonymous families that didn't prepare. And everything is turning into chaos? Not long. 

This is just a low level discussion of what that works might look like. Hopefully you can see why 3 mags might not be enough. Why you might be on foot much of the time. Why traveling main roads might not be the best idea. Why staying hidden, by yourself or with your relatively small group, might be the best idea. 

Large coordinated movements are not going to be the norm. This is more like guerrilla operations. Long range patrols. Traveling quietly much of the time searching for supplies. Or the dangerous action of making trades with people you can trust. 

Once you realize the US only has a few days of food for it's 348 million people. And very few of them stockpiled anything. You begin to see what will likely happen once utilities stop working in top of that. 

I'm in no way advocating for carrying to much crap. Thats just as unrealistic. And probably the number one mistake most preppers make. But ammo, water, and food are going to be on the top of your list. Whether long term or on any given day. 

And the ability to get it in any way that you normally did? Is probably gone within weeks, if not days. 

Quote from: Uomo Senza Nome on December 10, 2025, 10:58:35 AMSure, it is $200 more and like I said, not as nice. But now we are in whole different ball park.

My agency paid nearly a grand for my Safariland vest (with armor). I would pick that over anything in this thread.

I would choose anything in that video over a plate carrier. 

Based on my comments above. I don't see a long term disaster as a situation where I'm performing CQB or getting into gunfights. Or doing anything that the military or LE might consider while trying to keep the peace. Again use case. 

Your not always going to be in a patrol vehicle. And your going to be avoiding confrontation as much as possible. Your actually going to put a premium on staying hidden. And never even being seen as much as possible. Those are going to be the people that survive. And the ones that have survived in total collapses before. 

Moving hidden, means moving quickly, and moving and avoiding confrontation is not helped by a huge plate carrier. 

What will help is a backpack with items that will support your survival. That's a given. Without a backpack how long are you going to survive? Even if just a few days movement to locate supplies, medical necessities, fuel etc etc. So you have a backpack. Then you have a long arm. And possibly a side arm. Associated ammo. Water. Food. Shelter. It adds up quickly. Fills even a medium sized backpack if your traveling light. And your trying to move quickly, hidden, not make alot of noise, your not confronting anyone, your not "enforcing" anything. Your just trying to keep your friends and family alive. 

Your not doing anything that supports the idea of half your carried weight in a cumbersome plate carrier that's ill fitting under a backpack, restricts movement, and your tectica best support survival by not doing anything that would require a chest plate. 

Don't be seen. Use camo. Stay off the roads. Use distance to protect yourself. Ya. You can throw a plate carrier in your vehicle if you have the luxury of driving to a known location that might require that. But I would be avoiding those locations like the plague. 

My point is prepping is very different from the military or law enforcement. And while that training and experience can be extremely helpful. It's a completely different set of strategies and tactics. 

Just to be clear. I didn't post the original video as advocating for those equipment sets long term. Those set ups are just a great way to have "something" that is functional. While your planning, buying and perfecting your optimal load out. Or if your to poor at the moment to go all high speed. 

Better to have something that functions than nothing at all. Because your trying to put together the perfect system. That takes time. In the meantime have "something". 

Or if your poor? There is no excuse to not have "something".  These something's work. And that's better than not having anything that works.

Or if your overall budget dictates not spending $300 on each chestrig loadout. Which is highly likely considering the thousands that it costs to prep across the board. A chestrig is just one item in a long list of items that need to be prioritized.  

QuoteI would choose anything in that video over a plate carrier.

Moving hidden, means moving quickly, and moving and avoiding confrontation is not helped by a huge plate carrier. 

I must be looking at different plate carriers than you. Any would fit under a jacket without issue. If you put tons of pouches and bags on them then they can get bulky. With PE armor plates they weight is under 6lbs without magazines. I'll post something in a few weeks to show what I mean.

QuoteMore people died in the Balkans from Dysentery than bullets.

Yep, thanks for supporting my point. 

QuoteJust to be clear. I didn't post the original video as advocating for those equipment sets long term. Those set ups are just a great way to have "something" that is functional. While your planning, buying and perfecting your optimal load out. Or if your to poor at the moment to go all high speed. 

Better to have something that functions than nothing at all. Because your trying to put together the perfect system. That takes time. In the meantime have "something". 

Or if your poor? There is no excuse to not have "something".  These something's work. And that's better than not having anything that works.

Or if your overall budget dictates not spending $300 on each chestrig loadout. Which is highly likely considering the thousands that it costs to prep across the board. A chestrig is just one item in a long list of items that need to be prioritized.  

I think we are trying to get to the same place, just taking a different train to get there. My point is more along the line of, if you can do it for free, because you already have junk surplus, go ahead. But there are better options out there for the same money, that involve less work. 

QuoteThis isn't a situation where you can call a friend and he can show up with his loaded Humvee. Lay down suppressing fire and resupply you with goods and ammo. Your largely going to be on your own with the few friends that are by your side. Or so far away time wise - coordinated effort not pre-planned and in the middle of - is likely not going to change. Whatever plan you had for that day or week is what you have in front of you. 

You clearly don't know my friends. If things get bad we are simply going to the place, or the other place and sitting things out. Unless I move to the DR, in which case I'm either never coming home or going to the place.  

Quote from: Moab on December 10, 2025, 11:14:03 PMOnce people's children start starving the entire situation changes.

Most households have 3 days food and zero days water. Most big box groceries have 3 days worth of product in their retail locations. And a couple weeks in their distribution centers, but would they be able to distribute them or would they be able to convert those locations to the retail outlets? And then what type of exchange currency would work and for how long? [No internet or electricity]

Quote from: Moab on December 10, 2025, 11:30:15 PMBased on my comments above. I don't see a long term disaster as a situation where I'm performing CQB or getting into gunfights. Or doing anything that the military or LE might consider while trying to keep the peace. Again use case.

...
Don't be seen. Use camo. Stay off the roads. Use distance to protect yourself.

For plate carriers I'll say Home defense, work AO if you're caught there, traveling in your vehicle for whatever dumb reason.

Going out to fish, hunt, scavenge. Don't be seen.

Quote from: Moab on December 10, 2025, 11:30:15 PMMoving hidden, means moving quickly, and moving and avoiding confrontation is not helped by a huge plate carrier.

For me it's a weight, heat, and duration calculation on weather to use them or not. Not movement. Fast movement is easier to detect than slow.

I don't really see any reason in my AO to be moving for days in the short or longterm. I'm about 2 miles from the everglades, where I might end up going to fish/hunt for the day and then RTB. I'm not sure I want to overnite due to the mosquitos even with insect repellant.

Quote from: Moab on December 10, 2025, 11:36:19 PMJust to be clear. I didn't post the original video as advocating for those equipment sets long term. Those set ups are just a great way to have "something" that is functional. While your planning, buying and perfecting your optimal load out. Or if your to poor at the moment to go all high speed. 

I don't know if you've noticed in the movies and on TV, and even IRL some LEO's and ICE you see on the news etc, have plate carriers without plates. A plate carrier can double as a chest rig if you just remove the plates for weight reduction.

Quote from: Uomo Senza Nome on December 11, 2025, 08:14:23 AM

QuoteI would choose anything in that video over a plate carrier.

Moving hidden, means moving quickly, and moving and avoiding confrontation is not helped by a huge plate carrier. 

I must be looking at different plate carriers than you. Any would fit under a jacket without issue. If you put tons of pouches and bags on them then they can get bulky. With PE armor plates they weight is under 6lbs without magazines. I'll post something in a few weeks to show what I mean.

Right, that was the other reason I stopped doubling up mag pouches, the thinner profile lets you put an oversized flannel shirt or windbreaker over the entire setup.

@UomoSenzaNome

I wasn't talking concealment - in terms of why a plate carrier doesn't work. It doesn't work under a backpack physically. If you haven't hiked or backpacked I would suggest you do. Running anything except very thin straps for say a chest pack or minimalist mag carrier, under a pack for longer than a few miles, is inviting extreme discomfort.

It's sort of the same reason @MacWa77ace pointed out the exposed buckles on your plate carriers shoulder straps. Those will cut into your shoulders on a long hike. Just like trying to run any plate carrier under a backpack when your hiking. It doesn't sound like your planning much movement. But IMHO you really should.

But before we get into that I think it might be better to discuss what your preparing for? It sounds to me like you expect a local disaster your going to have to sit out a few days until it passes. Which is good to have a plan for. But most tend to plan for worse. Multi week, multi month, even multi year.

But if you don't see that as a reality we are discussing two different things. @MacWa77ace was concerned for your shoulders because we tend to prepare to be on foot in a true bug out. Or at least during longer journeys overtime as you search for supplies and other resources. We prepare but we also assume we will run out at some point.

A disaster that has probably closed roads because everyone tends to flee at the same time and turn highways into jammed parking lots. Or perhaps the disaster itself has impeded your ability to get a vehicle and just drive to wherever you need to go. But that's more of an evacuation than a bug out. A bug out tends to mean a much bigger disaster. Where your preparing for the worst. A dirty bomb. An EMP. A massive earthquake. A nuclear disaster. All come with difficulties getting transport. And often times are safer to travel on foot. Which can mean a decent backpacking trip.

But tell us what your preparing for? That might more clearly define the conversation.

I'm not going be running The Road and trekking across a pedo-cannibal infested nuclear wasteland of North America with my shopping cart and 11 year old boy in tow. Although if I had the shopping cart I wouldn't need a pack. Cormac McCarthy got that part right. 

If you are thinking the old school steel plates in the plate carrier, those are an uncomfortable bad idea. That is why PE armor is much better. The new light weight stuff is great. But I don't see anything presented in the video that would be more comfortable and none of it is in a proven design. That piece with the shock cord on the back looks like it would get downright uncomfortable after a bit of a walk.I say put that stuff together and run around wearing it for a week and let us know how it goes. 

Quote from: Uomo Senza Nome on December 11, 2025, 11:25:53 AMI'm not going be running The Road and trekking across a pedo-cannibal infested nuclear wasteland of North America with my shopping cart and 11 year old boy in tow. Although if I had the shopping cart I wouldn't need a pack. Cormac McCarthy got that part right.

If you are thinking the old school steel plates in the plate carrier, those are an uncomfortable bad idea. That is why PE armor is much better. The new light weight stuff is great. But I don't see anything presented in the video that would be more comfortable and none of it is in a proven design. That piece with the shock cord on the back looks like it would get downright uncomfortable after a bit of a walk. I say put that stuff together and run around wearing it for a week and let us know how it goes.

The first couple times I watched that movie I thought that was a girl. Didn't he have a pack and a cart? And a revolver with two bullets? IIRC he left a bow and some arrows behind in one scene. Some scavenger.

Dude-uomo, PE? Ceramic? The word 'cheap' is in the topic title LOL. Expiration date and expensive and not really edge to edge or multi hit. You want to spend 600 every five years? What happens 5 years into the PAW?

I'm fine with 22lbs of lvl III+ multi hit last forever, for less than $150. That I could cache for 10+ years. If PE or Ceramic lasted 20 years maybe I'd invest in something that is that expensive.

That being said I know that ceramic doesn't die at age 5, and as long as its stored in a halfway decent environment, there is a 'tap test' to make sure its not delaminating and is still protective if not warranted. Could last years and years beyond the expiration, but not past the first hit.

Quote from: Moab on December 11, 2025, 09:44:14 AMIt doesn't work under a backpack physically. If you haven't hiked or backpacked I would suggest you do. Running anything except very thin straps for say a chest pack or minimalist mag carrier, under a pack for longer than a few miles, is inviting extreme discomfort.

So, I have a particular loadout strategy for one plate carrier that may contradict this but I haven't hiked 7 miles with it with an extremely heavy weight in the backpack. But its also not for long recon hikes. Tell me what you think.

I have a streamlined Tactical Tailor Rogue plate carrier that I keep rigged with ONLY a single mag pouch on each side cummerbund and a Velcro placard for an IFAK and a radio pouch on the back. The idea behind this base setup is that I can put my lightweight Tactical Tailer chest rig with X [not H] shoulder straps over the plate carrier, and then my 3 day pack over that. I did it that way because I can change the loadout in seconds that way. It's a 26lb plate carrier [including radio and IFAK and two side 556 mags] a 7lb chest rig overlap [4 rifle 4 pistol mags], and a backpack with at least 20lbs in it. [It's a modular setup so I could take the mag pouch placard off the chestrig and mount it directly on the plate carrier, removing one set of straps.]

That's three sets of overlapping shoulder straps. The plate carrier doesn't have padded straps, they are low profile and really comfortable and putting a padded shoulder strap over them isn't a thing. Putting the backpack on top of the chestrig straps isn't bad either cause they kind of don't sit in the same spot/way. AND I have those combat shirts that have the neoprene shoulder padding.

So it goes
base layer is long sleeve sweat wicking T
Combat shirt [with or without shoulder and elbow pads] or other depending.
Plate carrier with non padded straps
Chest Rig with minimal padded straps
Backpack with backpack padded straps.

I'm going to retry that setup and put about 60 lbs in the backpack to see if it cuts in, without the shoulder pads in the shirt.

The loadout strategy is that I can don the plate carrier in seconds for PD/home defense and have 3 rifle mags. Light and quick.

Or add a few more seconds and don the chestrig, IFAK and Radio over that, maybe for neighborhood block defense, now I have 7 rifle and 4 pistol mags, ~ 30 seconds.

Add the backpack which I keep 4-6 rifle mags in that, [among other equipment/gear] as a grab and go and I can jump in a vehicle or move farther away from base. Add another ~30 seconds. And don't forget I have those two grab and go bandoliers with 6 rifle and 4 pistol mags each, with padded shoulder straps, that can go over or under the backpack straps, cross chest strap to make an X.

That's a lot of weight to be hiking anywhere. I wouldn't do it if I wasn't in a vehicle.
26lbs plate carrier
7lb chest rig
15lb backpack minimum with pack, 3L of water, and 6 mags. Any other gear/food add lbs.
9lbs bandolier x2
[to be even more divisive, I have a breacher that has a strap running under the right shoulder strap of the carrier, it's thin nylon under the strap, and then flips back over the same shoulder with thin bungee strap, but that is sort of 'in the air' if attached to the breacher. If its not attached then it is on my shoulder. I kinda take that on and off depending and don't keep it on there for grab and go. It's mission specific equipment]


I have a second setup that keeps everything attached to the plate carrier except the backpack and hydration pack. I can put a hydration bladder inside the backpack, or attach it to that second carrier with its pack, or use its non padded shoulder straps over my shoulders. Water is heavy. That plate carrier has removable padding on the shoulder straps for low profile and removable side plate carrier and molle, so it can be streamlined. I don't have sideplates, they are 6lbs each. 

QuoteDude-uomo, PE? Ceramic? The word 'cheap' is in the topic title LOL. Expiration date and expensive and not really edge to edge or multi hit. You want to spend 600 every five years?

I'm fine with 22lbs of lvl III+ multi hit last forever, for less than $150. That I could cache for 10+ years. If PE or Ceramic lasted 20 years maybe I'd invest in something that is that expensive.

That being said I know that ceramic doesn't die at age 5, and as long as its stored in a halfway decent environment, there is a 'tap test' to make sure its not delaminating and is still protective if not warranted. Could last years and years beyond the expiration, but not past the first hit.

$600? five years? Uh, nope.

$400? I mean maybe for Level IV. for seven years Maybe?

https://premierbodyarmor.com/products/fortis-iv-rf3?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22564962206&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjcLfu462kQMVByrUAR34gieMEAQYBCABEgJBKfD_BwE

Or maybe we just get Level III because we aren't worried about AP rounds? Good for say five years for $230?

https://lapolicegear.com/lapg-level3-plate.html

Or maybe we get a PE Level IIIa, because most of your threats are handguns and well, $59 a piece isn't bad. That is only $24 a year.

https://lapolicegear.com/lapg-liiia-10x12-soft-armor-panel.html

QuoteWhat happens 5 years into the PAW?

"Shop" at Home Depot for some ceramic tiles with a 5 level hardness and duct tape them together three thick. If you have some epoxy dump it on there till they stick, if not, don't worry about it. Make a video and post it on Youtube. Either way if you are alive five years into the PAW you are winning.

Not great examples but I get your point.

#1 is PE and made in Thailand
#2 is Lvl 3 ceramic plate won't stop AP and is MADE IN CHINA, so yeah, believe that 7 year expiration date, and rating.
#3 is Level 3A soft armor and doesn't stop much in the way of rifle rounds. Knives maybe? I wouldn't use it except for concealment in a soft underrig.


I was talking made in Merika stuff, but I guess cheap imported body armor is topic appropriate to put in a cheap plate carrier. I hear Russia is using compressed cardboard in their armor. It's level VI+ 50 cal one hit, $10 a plate, but don't get it wet. And there's no warranty so no expiration date.

LvL III+ steel will stop everything level IV ceramic or PE will except 30-06 at point blank. Lasts 3 times longer with edge to edge protection. The trade off is its just way heavier.

Quote from: Uomo Senza Nome on December 11, 2025, 12:17:57 PM

QuoteWhat happens 5 years into the PAW?

"Shop" at Home Depot for some ceramic tiles with a 5 level hardness and duct tape them together three thick. If you have some epoxy dump it on there till they stick, if not, don't worry about it. Make a video and post it on Youtube. Either way if you are alive five years into the PAW you are winning.

LOL I already saw I guy build homemade plates out of tiles and what not on Youtube. That was great. 

QuoteI was talking made in Merika stuff, but I guess cheap imported body armor is topic appropriate to put in a cheap plate carrier. I hear Russia is using compressed cardboard in their armor. It's level VI+ 50 cal one hit, $10 a plate, but don't get it wet. And there's no warranty so no expiration date.

Yes, but any will still do more than the stuff in the video which was all level 0. Any surplus military or police armor, if there were such a thing, would be well expired. 

In truth most armor, even when expired, still works to varying degrees. My last agency used to shoot our old expired stuff to test effectiveness. Even five years past expiration it held up quite well. This was of course US made stuff. 

Interesting was that the cheap ball 357 magnum ammo from Walmart tended to penetrate better than most other rounds. Most ganga bangers don't use magnums which is good news I suppose. Lesser threats like 9mm were nearly always stopped unless the armor was badly worn and had a lot of flex. 5.7 went through pretty much everything as expected.