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  • Darkpriest667

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    It's because they want to sell more....

    As an economist and capitalist I believe that to be true, but if there is a legitimate scientific explanation I'll look into it by actually testing it. I have 4 sets of plates. 1 is about a year old and the other is about 5 months old. I traded my steel plates in for these babies because of the weight differential.
     

    andre3k

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    Can you explain to me how plates stored in a dry and temperature controlled environment degrade in quality over 5 or 10 years? Like what is the scientific explanation.
    Soft armor takes a beating if you wear it daily, mainly from moisture and perspiration. I can see how the fibers would degrade over time. I guess manufacturers use the same logic for ceramic plates.

    From what I've read NIJ standards are based on an officer wearing that particular armor for 8 hrs a day, 5, days a week or more for years. Every piece of soft armor or plate I've turned in after five years was ready to be turned in. The plate carriers will wear out way before the plates will. My First Spear carrier is pretty ragged after 3 years of work use.

    If you're only wearing plates and carriers for classes or training a few times per year then they will probably last quite a long time, providing reliable ballistic protection well beyond the expiration date.

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    andre3k

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    Dont buy steel plates. Poly/ceramic plates are the same price, and wont spall you to death. They also float, and dont weight 20lbs.
    Lighter is always better but I threw my vest on a scale and it weighs in at 17.6 lbs with an 11 lb duty belt and I wore that 40 hrs a week for 5 years. I'm not a perfect specimen of fitness either. It was a comfortable setup for that time. I think weight is often over emphasized when it comes to plate use for the avg joe. I got into a lot of foot pursuits wearing all of that and I don't think it held me back much. I wouldn't go broke trying to get the lightest plates out there.

    I'm issued Hesco Level III plates. The department tested level four plates but got some complaints about the extra weight.



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    Dead Roman

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    Lighter is always better but I threw my vest on a scale and it weighs in at 17.6 lbs with an 11 lb duty belt and I wore that 40 hrs a week for 5 years. I'm not a perfect specimen of fitness either. It was a comfortable setup for that time. I think weight is often over emphasized when it comes to plate use for the avg joe. I got into a lot of foot pursuits wearing all of that and I don't think it held me back much. I wouldn't go broke trying to get the lightest plates out there.

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    Thats all well and good, but there are a dozen reason to buy lighter, and 1 reason to buy heavier. What plates were you running in your duty vest?
     

    andre3k

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    Thats all well and good, but there are a dozen reason to buy lighter, and 1 reason to buy heavier. What plates were you running in your duty vest?
    Hesco level III+


    Hell, after looking at the specs I guess I've been wearing lightweight plates this entire time.
     
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    Dead Roman

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    Hesco level III+


    Hell, after looking at the specs I guess I've been wearing lightweight plates this entire time.

    Yeah, it would have sucked balls running some heavy ass steel plates. Take your 28lb rig up to close to 40lbs. I guarantee you would be singing a different tune!
     

    cycleguy2300

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    I dumped the plate carrier. Back in motors now.

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    Happy for you man!

    Half of APD's motors (me included) started patrol three weeks ago and the other half will be back to patrol August 1. 2016-2021... 105 year and Austin goes and fucks it up. In a month Austin will no longer have a motor's unit.

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    andre3k

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    Happy for you man!

    Half of APD's motors (me included) started patrol three weeks ago and the other half will be back to patrol August 1. 2016-2021... 105 year and Austin goes and fucks it up. In a month Austin will no longer have a motor's unit.

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    Yeesh. Hopefully this passes soon and yall can get your unit back.

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    cycleguy2300

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    Yeesh. Hopefully this passes soon and yall can get your unit back.

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    Starting 2020 with around 80 vacanies combined with almost 200 separations in 2020 and being on pace for that again this year; and a class that will produce maybe 75 officers that are on their own mid 2022, and no additional classes scheduled, it will be a decade before APD is remotely staffed adequately *IF* we got approval and funding for additional academies TODAY.

    We are approaching 1998 staffing levels for a city that has exploded in population and has a DA who continues to release what he considers low level offenders without charges so they can go on to commit murders, robberies, agg-assaults, rape etc.

    One call at a time and I always carry a rifle and have my plates and helmet.

    Motors was the best job in the dept...

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