Properly cleaning and storing your plate carrier is a vital step to ensuring its longevity, durability, and that it continues to function correctly.
Maintenance and Cleaning
There’s a good chance your carrier will endure some dirt, sweat, and even blood. Even the best-ventilated carriers can start to smell and look a little nasty after a while. To restore it to its prior glory, just follow these steps:
- Do not wash. Meaning, do not throw it in the washer machine.
- Do a light hand scrubbing. Some warm, soapy water and a normal washcloth should be enough to get the job done.
- For tougher stains, you may want to just try a toothbrush with some warm, soapy water.
Don’t worry about the water. The Cordura and nylon are very water-resistant. In most cases, this should really be all you need. The antimicrobial foam on the inside of the plate carrier keeps things nice and sanitary. For some, a light spray of odor eliminator like Febreeze might do the trick once in a while.
Storage
Plate Carrier
A hanger is an easy solution to storing your plate carrier. We do not recommend hanging rifle-rated plates within a carrier due to the weight, which can result in unnecessary stress on your shoulder strap stitching and plate bag. Soft armor is the one exception due to its lightweight and recommended storage.
At the Armored Republic, we offer a hanger that is designed especially for armor storage.
Steel Alloy Body Armor
If you're running our steel alloy body armor, it can be stored however you want. It's extremely durable and has a 20-year shelf life. We recommend keeping your staged kit laying face down or face-up on the floor of your closet, or under the bed. This ensures your armor is close to you in the event of a bump in the night and it is in peak condition when it's put on.
Ceramic and Polyethylene Body Armor
When storing Polyethylene (PE) and Ceramic armor, each of which has a 5-year shelf life, you'll want to be sure you're not keeping it in any extreme cold or hot temperatures.
Keep in mind that PE is flexible and if stored in a condition where a large amount of weight is pressed on top of it, it's possible it can lose its shape. Ensure no heavy or large objects are stored on top of your armor plates.
Lastly, ceramic armor is susceptible to fracture from rough handling. It's best not to store it in an environment where it can fall off a high surface or make contact with items that could fall on it.
As for soft armor, which also has a short shelf life of 5 years, it is recommended that you take the same precautions as you would with PE and ceramic regarding extreme highs and lows in temperature. The main difference with storing soft armor is you should not lay it flat. One option is to stand it up on the ground, propped up against a wall, or place it within your plate carrier on a hanger. The fibers in soft armor are particularly susceptible to undue pressure over extended periods of time.
Conclusion
Your body armor and plate carrier are important investments for the safety of you and your family. The above tips are recommended ways to ensure the longevity of your gear.