I really don't know much about Body Armor , just what I read or watch on video's & my own testing on what a particular cartridge will & will not do , but watching the Video's on the AR 500 plates , I can see & hear the projectile or pieces of it , going some where & that coating on the plate is not stopping it . Those deadly pieces of bullets are going some where & I for one would not like to be next to someone that is wearing that system when they take hits .
Also in their own Video showing a 15 ' drop test , OK they win that one , a hardened metal plate being dropped & not hurting it , that's a no brainer , to me , what was expected , it shattering into pieces ? I know what they are comparing it to , but if I drop my plate from fifteen feet , I sure hope I'm not with it & if I am , I most likely not be worried about the plate at that time , I would be looking for medical attention . My body would break the fall & save the Armor plates any way .
I think that as described by 98 ,is in the right direction & if the soft Armor wraps around the curved AR500 plate , it would subdue the fragmentation .
I watched hours of video's & read volumes of data from many sources ( including testimony of actual survivors ) before I made a choice on personal Body Armor . My life & maybe those next to me may depend on it .