Tony Grist
When it comes to cutting-edge body armor, Adept Armor is raising the bar with their Thunder Plates. Lightweight, durable, and designed for real-world combat scenarios, these plates are a game-changer for military personnel, law enforcement, and anyone serious about personal protection.
Built for the Modern Battlefield
The Thunder Plate is engineered with a composite of Amorphoid, a next-gen toughened silicate material, and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). At just 3.45 pounds, it’s nearly 20% lighter than comparable plates while maintaining full edge-to-edge protection against steel-cored rifle rounds.
Jake Ganor, president of Adept Armor, explains, “Our goal with the Thunder Plate was simple: provide uncompromising protection without sacrificing mobility. Every ounce we can cut from a soldier’s kit is a step toward better performance and safety.”
Level 3+ / RF2 Armor Rating Explained
The Thunder Plate is rated as Level 3+ or RF2, a designation that offers enhanced protection beyond standard Level 3 armor. Level 3 armor is designed to stop common rifle rounds such as 7.62x51mm NATO M80 Ball. The “+” indicates additional capabilities, such as stopping threats like the 5.56x45mm M855/SS109 and 7.62x39mm MSC (Mild Steel Core). RF2, the European equivalent, similarly denotes armor capable of handling multiple hits from steel-cored and intermediate rounds with increased velocity.
This rating makes the Thunder Plate an excellent choice for scenarios where standard Level 3 protection might fall short. Whether facing lead-core, mild-steel-core, or steel-penetrator ammunition, the Thunder Plate ensures superior performance in a variety of combat situations.
Multi-Hit Capability
The Thunder Plate’s UHMWPE backer is thick enough to absorb multiple hits from lead-core and mild-steel-core rifle rounds, including the common threats of 7.62x39mm MSC and 7.62x54mmR LPS. Jake elaborated, “If impacts from those rounds are not stacked, you can probably put 12 shots on a plate, or more.”
“However, the glass-ceramic strike face does degrade upon impact, particularly with M855 rounds. While it’s built to RF2 specs—handling three spaced hits per plate—closely grouped impacts from M855 could pose a problem”. Jake clarified further, “Even in worst-case scenarios, tests show shots tend to be widely spaced, so the practical impact of this limitation is minimal.”
What’s Next for Adept Armor
Adept Armor isn’t stopping with the Thunder Plate. Jake shared with me several upcoming innovations, including:
Helmet Upgrades: Enhanced protection without added weight.
Gun/Pistol Shield Adapter: A unique adapter to convert their buckler into a gun shield, pending ATF clearance. (This might take a minute LOL!)
New Level IV Plates: One ultra-lightweight plate (~3.9 pounds) and one ultra-thin plate (~0.6 inches), designed for specific mission requirements.
Fragmentation-Fighting Foam: A lightweight foam designed to stop frag with a 17gr V50 rating of ~660 fps. Ganor noted its potential for use in gloves, boots, kneepads, and even helmet padding.
Side Plates Coming Soon
While the Thunder Plate currently doesn’t include matching side plates, Adept Armor offers alternatives from their Colossus and Storm lines. Jake confirmed that side plates for the Thunder series are on the horizon.
Why It Matters
The Thunder Plate represents a leap forward in body armor technology. Lighter gear translates to better mobility, reduced fatigue, and fewer injuries on the battlefield. As Jake puts it, “We’ve worked hard to ensure the Thunder Plate offers top-tier protection while being light enough to wear all day. It’s armor you can depend on when it counts.”
With these advancements, Adept Armor is proving they’re not just making gear—they’re redefining what’s possible in personal protection.
Garfield out.
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