IMPORTANT TIP if you are buying body armor:

DO NOT purchase steel armor plates, whether they are labeled Level III, "III+", or IV

Steel armor is very heavy for its protection rating, and can deflect bullet fragments into your limbs, neck, or face, aka "spalling"

Steel armor manufacturers often claim that their anti-spall coating solves this issue. However, these coatings are basically glorified truck bed liner, and while they may catch fragments from a central hit, edge hits will often still send shards of metal towards your body.

If you are purchasing rifle plates for practical defense, go for ceramic plates if at all possible.

Just because a piece of steel can stop a bullet, doesn't mean it will stop you from being hurt.

Also be skeptical of so-called "III+” plates. III+ is not a recognized NIJ standard and there is no regulation on its use to market body armor. The sales pitch for this product is that it provides additional protection against M855A1 at close range.

M855A1 is only marginally better at penetrating armor than standard 5.56mm ball ammo. If a company's standard Class III armor can't handle M855A1 then that's a sign that they're barely meeting the NIJ standards to begin with.