Ceramic vs Steel: How HESCO Engineers the Best of Both Worlds

Since the dawn of civilization, people who have gone in harm’s way have donned some sort of armor to protect themselves on the battlefield. Gradually, crude copper plates evolved into iron chain mail, then to steel breastplates and cuirasses. 

For many centuries, steel was considered to be the apogee of personal body protection since it was far tougher and easier to maintain than copper, brass, and iron. 

Eventually, it too was surpassed by modern inventions such as ceramic body armor plates. Specifically, plates that rival steel for toughness while staying light enough to be worn for extended duty hours. 

Here, HESCO offers a strong lineup of modern body armor solutions. Their body protection plates are tailored to a wide variety of missions, and they offer protection accordingly. 

HESCO offers NIJ level 3 to 3+ and even level 4 front and back plates coupled with side plates to provide full spectrum protection against a wide variety of threats. Some of their most sought-after plates include the following:

HESCO L211 Series: The Ideal Compromise between Concealability and Protection

HESCO’s L211 plate offers strong protection against various types of firearm projectiles, while also ensuring a high level of concealability. This discreet yet effective body armor plate offers a lot of protection relative to its thickness, size, and weight. The L211 has demonstrated effectiveness against several types of light armor-piercing rifle ammunition.

The L211 has been designed for low visibility and high efficacy. These affordable front and back plates are capable of defeating even the Kalashnikov’s 7.62×39 armor-piercing (AP) round. (The earlier L210 has been discontinued by HESCO and replaced by the current HESCO L211.)

HESCO 800 Series: Formidable Protection in a Lightweight Package 

HESCO’s 800 series body armor plates have been purpose-built to provide a high level of protection in combat environments where mobility is a critical factor. All 800 Series plates are engineered for enhanced security and strong performance in a lightweight package. 

Built on HESCO’s 800 Series advanced composite construction, which is much lighter than steel, these plates offer an excellent combination of freedom of movement and strong protection.

HESCO 400 Series: Level IV Protection

The HESCO 400 Series Level IV plate is capable of stopping a very wide range of projectiles, from enhanced 5.56 NATO green-tip rounds all the way up to the .30-06 M2 armor-piercing rifle round. You can rely on your HESCO 400 Series armor plates for robust protection in the Level IV NIJ class. 

The 400 series offers seamless compatibility with similar level IV side fitting plates. Wearing all of them together would provide you with the full-spectrum protection you would need in a hotly contested warzone. 

All HESCO personal products are proudly manufactured and rigorously tested right here in Aberdeen, USA. They are trusted by professionals and agencies for front-line protection. You can count on your HESCO Body Armor as part of a serious personal-protection setup.