I have the means to protect myself but did that with realistic goals. Armor is WAY too hot to wear for long periods of time in the Houston area.
Steel plates are very heavy and like others said, the anti spall coating is as important as the steel itself! I thought about having only a front steel plate to save money. WRONG! You need the rear plate to balance the weight of the front plate!
The industry standard is to reduce the size of the carrier and plates so they only cover vital areas. Don't fall for that! Cost is reduced that way, but are you willing to take a round to the gut to save some money? Get a full size unit that covers places that you don't want to be shot! I'm a big guy. My carriers are giant sized!
Wear the carrier correctly. It's not a "T" shirt. Wear it high enough to cover your upper chest and neck.
Soft armor has an expiration date (usually 5 years). Since I'm not an LEO or military, I disregard that. It's stored inside under moderate temp and humidity. That's as far as I go in preserving the armor.
Forget that "swing it over your head" approach to donning the carrier. I keep mine assembled and with the straps loose. I put it front side down on a table or bed, slide my upper body into it, straighten up, then pull the straps tight. In 30 seconds, I'm ready!
Do you need armor? Do you carry a spare tire in the car or truck? Hopefully, you'll never need it, but if you DO ........
While you're at it, send for a surplus helmet and gas mask. They're inexpensive! Like the spare tire, it will be there if you need it.
Flash