the new TenCate Cratus™ 3600SA plate is available in 14 sizes, with a 10” x 12” Shooters Cut torso plate weighing 2.20 pounds and a 6” x 6” Full-Size Cut side plate weighing 0.80 pounds. This is a great reduction in weight for armor plates and it’s awesome to see companies continue to push the envelope.
The TenCate Cratus™ 3600SA (NIJ Model #D1652) is the lightest, stand-alone, NIJ 0101.06 Level III Certified hard body armor plate in the body armor industry. TenCate Advanced Armor USA combined their extensive knowledge of high-pressure manufacturing with advancements in unidirectional polyethylene materials to engineer and produce a family of plates that are 35% lighter than its predecessors. The TenCate Cratus™ 3600SA utilizes a hybrid design of DSM Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology in combination with trauma reduction materials. A 10”x12” Shooters (SH) Cut torso plate weighs only 2.20 pounds and 6” x 6” Full- Size (FS) Cut side plates weigh 0.80 pounds. The reduction in weight has not compromised protection level because the TenCate Cratus™ 3600SA has been tested against both the 7.62mm x 51mm FMJ (M80) and the 7.62mm x 39mm PS Ball (MSC).
TenCate Advanced Armor’s VP of Personal Protection, Mark Bajko, stated,
“We are really proud and excited to offer the TenCate Cratus™ 3600SA. It is an evolutionary leap forward for hard body armor. The focus on lighter weight body armor systems and plate carriers in the industry continues to drive our engineering efforts. It allows for more areas of the body to be covered by hard armor that protects against rifle threats. The availability of 14 sizes now allows for each person to be sized correctly without having to settle on standard 8” x 10” and 10” x 12” plate sizes.”
TenCate Advanced Armor adheres to a unique business model. They do not sell direct to wholesalers, distributors, dealers, or the end user. Their products are only available through armor manufacturers, either private labeled, or under the TenCate Cratus™ brand.
To learn more about TenCate Advanced Armor’s full product line visit www.tencate.com/amer/advanced-armor/applications/personal-protection/default or e-mail advancedarmor@tcaa-usa.com.
Tags: TenCate
“unique business model. They do not sell direct to wholesalers, distributors, dealers, or the end user.”
I can’t imagine why more companies wouldn’t want to use this business model.
AWESOME WORK TENCATE! I have had the pleasure of knowing Mark for years, can’t wait to get my hands on this piece of technology. His attention to detail and finally getting the market to “realize” what the end user needs/wants finally is coming to light. This has always been a huge “hole” in the hard armor industry.
MR
What I really hate about reading stories like this is you can never just go buy the darn thing. I swear, these companies make it so difficult to buy eir products, you would question whether they really want to sell anything at all.
Does it stop M855?
This.
all the magic super-light plates I want to buy are usually iffy on m855.
and what greg said. if it does stop m855 I wouldn’t even know who to throw my money at.
impressive weight numbers, and NIJ 06 to boot. Of course, its polyethylene, so its thick, 1.07″ according to the website. when someone gets the thickness to about 3/4 of an inch and the performance and weight in the same area, that’s a bigger deal.
to me.
Agreed.
Point Blank has this technology in a thinner, sculpted version. Check with your local rep…
When Level 4 standalone plates come out that weigh 6 pounds or less, are less than 2 inches thick, for under $400 (per set including side plates) that will be a great day. Of course it will probably be the same day that a derivatice of the Nemo Omen .300 Win Mag starts selling for less than $800, so we’ll all need some new level 5 protection that hasn’t even been defined yet. The war between iron plate armor and war hammer continues on forever.
@ Luke
M855 (US) and SS109 (NATO) as you probably know are the same round. These are both “green tip” which require a ceramic core to break up the penetrator. You would have to go to a Level III+ or Level IV to pick up that SS109/M8555 threat.
Hope that helps. They do make plates out there that are sub 4.0 lbs that stop the above rounds.
M