REVIEW: SHIELD Germany Plate Carrier & NIJ IV Stand-Alone Plates

Hard times require tough measures. The ongoing conflicts in Eastern Europe, but especially those in the Middle East – in October of this year – have once again reminded us of a fact: "Security" is an illusion.

At least the defensive aspect of our physical security can be somewhat improved - with ballistic protective vests. Just as a fire extinguisher or a first aid kit are almost standard in every household - without needing to be a firefighter or paramedic - this form of personal safety equipment is becoming more widespread.

In this article, our friend MAJOR FINDING has explored a possible option in this field and shared his thoughts with us. It is a bundle consisting of a plate carrier with ballistic protective plates. Both are from the German company SHIELD Germany and were provided to him for the article.

The Plate Carrier

The "BRAVO" plate carrier is a robust and innovative plate carrier designed primarily for police and military tasks. Therefore, it is also well suited for civilian use.

The carrier is manufactured using high-quality 1000D nylon, ensuring great durability. The front and back pockets allow for the insertion of 25×30x3 cm stand-alone plates.

The Features

The plate carrier offers a very good price-performance ratio and has some practical extras:

Laser-cut MOLLE loops surround the entire plate carrier and cummerbund - allowing you to attach additional pockets for equipment as needed.

You can find Velcro areas for patches or insignia on both the front and back, as well as an integrated small zippered pocket for IDs or smartphones on the front.

One of the most practical extras are the quick-release buckles on the sides and shoulders. These allow you to quickly put on and take off the plate carrier, while also preserving the velcro straps.

Editor's Note: The buckles appear to be copies of the FIRST SPEAR Tubes.

Optional Accessories

The MOLLE loops on the front offer the option to attach various types of pouches. For those who want to equip their plate carrier more aggressively, they can also opt for the suitable Click Module (FrontFlap) for three long gun magazines. The pouches are made partly of elastic material, allowing them to accommodate a variety of different magazines. The most common magazines, such as those for AR 15, AK, or AUG, fit easily.

For those who want more, the aftermarket offers several other options. You can expand your plate carrier with "Placards" from Spiritus Systems or Helikon Tex.

The BRAVO system can also be expanded with a 21L backpack, either attached as a CLICK module on the back of the plate carrier and can be detached at any time - or the rear panel of the plate carrier can be completely replaced by the backpack. A separate insert pocket in the backpack still allows for carrying a ballistic protection plate on the back area.

VPAM 7 Protection Plates

Only through the ballistic protection plates does the wearer receive the corresponding protection. The stand-alone plates from Shield Germany protect up to caliber .308 Win (7.62x51) according to their certification, which is used, for example, in the G3 assault rifle of the German Bundeswehr. However, the plates do not protect against armor-piercing ammunition in this caliber - only the higher protection class VPAM 9 can!

There are various standards for classifying protection classes with different designations. The American standard according to "NIJ Level III" is most similar to the European standard VPAM 7 or protection class (SK) 3. The European standards already use ammunition with a soft steel core, while the American standard only uses lead core for shooting.

Even though the values of the mentioned classes are somewhat comparable, they are still completely different standards, and accordingly, these standards or abbreviations should not be mixed up or confused with each other.

Note from SPARTANAT editorial team: The manufacturer's specifications on their protective plate are very contradictory. According to the plate's certification (VPAM 7), it does not withstand .308 Win (7.62x51) P80 ammunition, for that you need VPAM 9. Additionally, SK4 and NIJ IV are also included in the title. The plate is simply a VPAM 7 plate and nothing else, because only the certification counts.

This stand-alone plate protects up to caliber .308 Win (7.62x51) with non-hardened steel core. This is ammunition that is not available to civilians but is used by armies. The plate does not need to be combined with soft ballistic plates. Shield Germany's protection plates are CE certified, have a shooting certificate, and a declaration of conformity. The shooting certificate comes from the German Proof House in Ulm and confirms the protective effect of the plates.

Only the CE certificate allows sales to civilians. Therefore, you do not have to be a member of a law enforcement agency or soldier to obtain modern and high-quality ballistic protection.

The plates are manufactured according to current, modern standards and consist of several layers. Ceramic plates made of aluminum oxide combined with PE 1000 (also known as "Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene" or its abbreviation UHMW PE) offer very good ballistic protection and are 400g lighter than cheaper steel plates of the same certification. And of course, the plates come from brand new production and are not old stock from the Bundeswehr or similar.

CONCLUSION: With the bundle consisting of the BRAVO plate carrier and the stand-alone plates of protection class according to VPAM 7, SHIELD Germany offers a solid product that is manufactured according to the current state of the art, and is adaptable depending on personal requirements.

The bundle of plate carrier and two pieces of protection plates VPAM 7 is available from 699 euros at Shield Germany

Shield Germany online

All links to MAJOR FINDING