Systems, kits, and methods for testing a combustion arrester are disclosed. Systems include an upstream chamber, a downstream chamber, and a combustion arrester between the upstream chamber and the downstream chamber. The upstream chamber includes an ignition port configured to receive an ignition source. And, the upstream chamber defines a convergent duct that converges toward the combustion arrester and terminates at the combustion arrester. The upstream chamber may include a hierarchical series of modular shell sections that define the convergent duct. The downstream chamber may include a series of modular shell sections.