RTS Tactical Sleek 2.0 & AR600 Steel Plates Review: Budget Body Armor That’s Built to Last

Two years in, and this rig still holds up. No fraying. No weird warping. No excuses. The RTS Tactical Sleek 2.0 + AR600 Steel Plates Bundle has been a workhorse in our gear rotation, and for the price, it punches way above its weight class (literally and figuratively).

High-quality RTS Tactical gear with durable design, priced attractively at $370 MSRP.

The Carrier: Sleek, Low-Pro, Built for Movement

RTS wasn’t kidding with the name. The Sleek 2.0 Plate Carrier lives up to it. No MOLLE everywhere. No bloat. Just a low-profile, no-nonsense carrier that does its job without begging for attention.

• Wears tight to the body, which is great for training, home defense, or stashing in your truck.

• Feels solid, not cheap; no corners cut in stitching or materials.

• Lighter Weight than most Kits that are loaded down with MOLLE

• Elastic cummerbund holds two AR mags per side, giving you four total onboard without adding bulk or weight up front.

• Comes in 4 different Colors: Black, Coyote Brown, Ranger Green & Wolf Gray

• Comes in 3 different Sizes: S/M, L/XL & XXL

  

  The Sleek 2.0 Plate Carrier from RTS Tactical – Compact, concealable, and combat-ready.

  
  

Personal Loadout: My teammate Joseph has been running this body armor setup with two AR mags and a CAT tourniquet on the left side, and four Sig Sauer P365 mags on the right. It keeps weight distributed, draw speeds clean, and everything stays right where it needs to be (tight to the body, no flop, no bounce.)

After two years of use, the carrier hasn’t stretched out, worn down, or given us a single excuse to replace it. That’s more than I can say for some “premium” carriers that cost twice as much.

4 Pistol Magazines will Fit in the Magazine Pouch for the AR Magazines

The Plates: AR600 Level III+ Steel (Battle-Tested, Literally)

Let’s get one thing straight, these aren’t your buddy’s eBay mystery plates. The AR600 steel plates that come with the RTS Tactical Sleek 2.0 bundle have been personally tested, and they flat-out perform. These plates are NIJ Certified and deployed by US Agencies nationwide.

We tested them against:

• ✅ 5.56x45mm M193

• ✅ 5.56x45mm M855 & SS109

• ✅ 7.62x51mm M80 Ball

• ✅ 6.5 Creedmoor 140gr BTHP

• ✅ 6.5 PRC 147gr BTHP

• ✅ Pistol rounds from .22 LR up through .41 Magnum 265 gr hard cast*(*Underwood Ammo-This ammo ain't no joke!!!)

All stopped. No penetrations. Just scars.

RTS Tactical AR600 Plate – After Full Caliber Test

That’s what one of our test plates looked like after catching over 100 rounds from high-velocity rifles and hard-hitting magnum pistol loads. Notice the bruised center from repeated impacts, but no pass-through, no catastrophic failure. That’s why we still recommend these after two solid years of use.

Live Fire Test Results

We didn’t just trust the spec sheet; we lit this plate up. Here's the full round count and calibers we used during testing. The AR600 steel plate took everything it’s rated for without a single penetration:

Caliber	Round Type	Quantity Fired
.22 LR	40gr Copper Jacket Flat Nose	20 rounds
9mm Luger	115gr FMJ	34 rounds
.38 Special	130gr FMJ	12 rounds
.357 Magnum	158gr FMJ	12 rounds
5.56 NATO	55gr M193	10 rounds
5.56 NATO	62gr SS109	10 rounds
5.56 NATO	62gr M855 (Green Tip)	10 rounds
7.62x51 NATO	147gr M80 Ball	4 rounds
6.5 Creedmoor	140gr BTHP	4 rounds
6.5 PRC	147gr BTHP	3 rounds
.41 Magnum	265gr Hard Cast	6 rounds

Total rounds fired: 125 Total penetrations: 0 (for cartridges the plate is rated to stop)

⚠️ Side Note:After testing, we pushed the envelope even further with cartridges the plate is not rated to stop—and we did eventually get a couple to punch through. That’s not a knock—it’s just physics. The fact that it held up through everything rated and then some says a lot about how overbuilt these plates really are.

💰 Final Verdict: Still Worth It?

If you're a civilian preparing for real-world disruptions, an individual seeking reassurance, or simply wish to enhance your emergency gear without breaking the bank, the RTS Tactical Sleek 2.0 + AR600 Plate Bundle is a solid bet.

• Want just the carrier? Great.

• Need backup steel plates for another kit? Done.

• Want a full armor setup that’s battle-tested (by us) and built to last? Get the full bundle and call it a day.

Got questions or want to see how it rides with real gear? Drop a comment, send a DM, or hit us up on social. We don’t just write about gear—we run it.

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