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Unfortunately, because of the nature of the materials used, all body armor eventually expires. It doesn’t matter if it’s kevlar, polyethylene, or ceramic. No material can survive the damages caused by time, daily wear, exposure to certain substances, or improper maintenance. However, proper care and how you use your armor can determine just how long the ballistic material lasts.
Selecting the material that best suits your body armor needs is important, but after you’ve made your decision it is critical that you educate yourself about its useful life and storage life. Each type of body armor material has pros and cons, and that extends to how long it can be worn or stored before it needs replacing to be on the safe side.
Body armor expires due to the fibers breaking down. This breakdown can occur for a number of reasons. The most common reason is simple wear and tear.
For certain law enforcement and military positions, daily wear takes its toll on the fibers that comprise the armor. Properly fitted body armor should move with the wearer, and this very flexing can damage the fabric over time.
The next most common cause of body armor wear is contact with liquids that either degrade the fibers directly, such as sweat or certain chemicals, or impede their ability to function correctly, such as submersion in water without careful drying out. The NIJ (National Institute of Justice) required expiration date presumes a given piece of body armor has not come in contact with damaging substances or been improperly cared for, so take care to replace your armor if you suspect it has been compromised.
All NIJ certified body armor should have the expiration date on it somewhere. If it doesn’t, or you can’t find it, contact the manufacturer. If it turns out they don’t put it on the armor anywhere, or if they can’t tell you where it is, you may consider taking your business elsewhere or getting your money back if you have already bought and can do so.
Premier Body Armor puts it on a label on the back of every plate, backpack panel, or ballistic package in a vest.
Depending on what material it is made out of, body armor typically lasts anywhere from 5 to 10 years. Manufacturers that make armor out of steel or with a steel core sometimes warrant their products for as many as 20 years, but such claims of longevity are mostly unverifiable and highly unlikely in any event.
Furthermore, any company that warrants or claims their armor lasts any length of time beyond 5 to 10 years either presumes regular standardized screening for damage and excessive wear or in reality only warrants against manufacturing defects for such extended periods of time.
Proper care, as with anything, can help extend the life of your armor.
While we would never suggest ignoring safety guidelines from a product’s manufacturer, it is worth pointing out that a body armor’s expiration date presumes you are wearing it full time. So, unless you’re wearing it 5 or more days a week, for 8 or more hours at a time, while possibly not letting it air out and be stored flat and dry between uses, it will probably continue to provide adequate protection beyond its expiration date.
Only you can truly judge when it’s time to replace a given piece of armor, but be sure it’s stored flat in a cool dry place until you choose to replace it.
It is also worth pointing out that ballistic inserts or body armor panels for bags, backpacks, etc. can often still provide their rated protection beyond their expiration date due to the nature of their use. Since they are not directly against the body and thus not flexing as much or being exposed to body heat and sweat, their fibers do not degrade at the same rate as worn panels, extending the time before you notice any signs of wear and tear.
A given piece of body armor’s shelf life is largely determined by the material it is made of. Steel can theoretically last the longest, followed by ceramic, both of which require protection from moisture.
Advanced fiber-based armors, such as polyethylene or kevlar, have shorter shelf life but are lighter and easier to care for provided they are stored flat and not exposed to extreme temperatures. In other words, don’t store them in a garage, shed, or a vehicle.
For the most part, if stored in a cool, relatively dry place any type of armor should reach its shelf life potential
Polyethylene, PE for short, UHMWPE to be shorter but more accurate, or its full name, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, is one of the two armor types with the shortest shelf life. That being said, it is still good for 5 years, so it’s not like its expiration date will sneak up on you.
Kevlar belongs to a class of fibers known as aramids. Short for aromatic polyamides, their structure is different from PE armor. Their warranty period, typically, is the same: 5 years. Kevlar is somewhat less durable when exposed to excessive or repeated abrasion and deformation than PE armor, so exercise care especially when storing.
Ceramic plates are highly resistant to deformation and abrasion, though it can crack if dropped or crushed. It is good up to 7 years as long as reasonable steps are taken to keep it clean and most importantly dry. If stored in a closet or cabinet that stays closed much of the time, consider using some sort of moisture mitigation product such as desiccant packs, a small dehumidifier, or something similar.
Steel armor will have the longest theoretical storage life of up to 20 years. That is, however, a very long time to be stored correctly and used minimally. Extra care should be taken to manage moisture long term, and to prevent exposure to many common chemicals that can deteriorate coatings or corrode the steel itself. After wearing, be particularly diligent to put it back away clean and dry.
Selecting the right body armor material for your personal protection priorities is essential. Knowing the limits of that material’s useful life and shelf life, as well as how to store it properly, is almost as important. To get the most time and use out of your body armor, be mindful of its expiration.
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