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AR15.COM
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11/7/2012 7:15:07 AM EDT
Ok, so i need a new set of BALCS.

I found two reasonably priced on Ebay, one manufactured by ...

Rhino Armor
http://rhinoarmor.com/452.html

and the other by ...

Tote Systems AU
http://www.tote.com.au/

Neither manufacturer is listed as being compliant with the latest NIJ 0101.06 standards
http://www.nij.gov/nij/topics/technology/body-armor/compliant-ballistic-armor.htm

Would you trust a company that claims to test its armor to NIJ 0101.06 standards but never officially submitted them for testing?

Trust them and save the $200 or pay the extra and get the real deal from a brand name company?
11/7/2012 8:37:14 AM EDT
[#1]
I would never buy armor on ebay and only purchase armor from the major players.

Is your life or another worth saving $200?


It may be better than nothing or it may give you a false sense of security. Only you can decide.
11/7/2012 1:52:50 PM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
I would never buy armor on ebay and only purchase armor from the major players.

Is your life or another worth saving $200?


It may be better than nothing or it may give you a false sense of security. Only you can decide.


There is no secret to the construction of kevlar soft armor panels. I can tell you, since I have asked them, that Rhino Armor builds their BALCS panels with 28 layers of Style 706 Kevlar (the same flavor of KM2 used to build mil spec soft armor).

That being said, OP, if you really want a more established producer, check out the BALCS panels that bulletproofme.com sells.

Also, as the Rhino Armor website describes, official NIJ .06 testing is cost prohibitive for small companies and is in the range of $20,000. The recipes for well performing IIIA vests constructed from only woven para aramid fabrics have been known for years, and .06 certification for those recipes serves little purpose other than to give work to the labs that do the testing.
11/8/2012 3:26:05 AM EDT
[#3]
If its not NIJ certified, might as well buy some material off of ebay and make your own.
CHRIS
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