Plate Carriers

The carrier:

The NIJ’s definition of “armor carrier” is as follows:  

“This is a component of the armor sample or armor panel whose primary purpose is to retain the ballistic panel and provide a means of supporting and securing the armor garment to the user. These carriers are not generally ballistic resistant.”

What this doesn’t capture is that there is a subtle distinction between the “armor carrier” and the “plate carrier.”

“Armor carriers” combine soft armor coverage over the upper body, with hard plate pockets over the torso.  The US Army’s Interceptor, IOTV, and MSV are armor carriers.  They are preferred when fragmentation and shrapnel are likely threats, and are uncommon on the domestic/civilian market.

“Plate carriers,” often abbreviated PCs, are intended for use with hard plates — typically in 10×12” or SAPI sizes — without more expansive soft armor under-layers.  When soft armor is worn with a PC, it’s usually in a 10×12” form factor, rather than a much larger BALCS-type or flak-vest-style design.

Plate carriers come in two basic varieties:  Overt PCs designed to be worn over clothing or a uniform, and covert or minimalist PCs designed to be, if not concealable, at least capable of being worn underneath clothing.

PCs are usually of the former, overt type.  These are usually made of heavy nylon, often Cordura brand nylon, and are of fairly robust construction.  Over the years since their introduction, they have come to include many features, and modern plate carriers can feature:

– Quick release buckles or pullcords

– Webbing, so that accessories can be mounted to the carrier 

– Kangaroo pouches

– Hydration pouches

– Velcro panels and placards

– Cable guides

– Drag handles

– Load distribution systems, via integration with a belt

– Fabric treatments to reduce infrared reflectivity

And that’s not an exhaustive list by any means.  Some carriers indeed include all of those things.  Current-generation military-issue plate carriers, such as the USMC’s “Plate Carrier Gen III” are generally of this fully-featured variety.

On the other extreme, there are PCs like the Tasmanian Tiger LP, which consist of little more than a light fabric bag with shoulder and side straps.  Covert, and extremely light at less than a pound in weight, but also light in functionality.

There are many plate carriers that are in the middle of the spectrum, and fall in between fully-featured overt carriers and light covert carriers.  One such example is the Ferro Slickster.  There are many others.

So, ultimately, there’s a carrier for every taste.  

When selecting or inspecting a carrier, be sure to inspect the stitching.  8 stitches per inch is a good target.  Load-bearing points and interfaces should be substantially reinforced.  The MOLLE/PALS webbing, if there is any, should be regular and within military specification.  Stitching, rather than options or materials, is often the difference between a $50 and a $300 armor carrier — and it can make that much of a difference.  The plate carrier, like the helmet, has become a platform for mounting accessories and gear; in some cases it’s more valuable as a platform than it is as protective equipment.  In this respect, it can bring to mind the “bump helmet.”  And just as bump helmets are judged on their accessory-mounting platforms, plate carriers are often judged on the quality of their webbing, stitching, and feature set.   

We recommend the Adept Dragoon plate carrier, which, at a reasonable price, combines a generous featureset, rugged build quality, and compatibility with all operational environments including maritime environments.

Setting up the plate carrier:

Positioning:
The most important thing is getting the plates properly positioned.  Ideal fit and positioning is indicated in the image below.

The top edge of the front armor plate should reach the clavicle, but should not ride all the way up to the neck.  The sides of the plate should cover each nipple.  The bottom edge of the plate should terminate at or slightly above the bottom of the ribcage, and approximately 3 to 4.5 inches above the belly-button. The plate should not hinder or interfere with the shouldering of a weapon.  

The rear plate should be positioned exactly opposite the front plate, and no lower.  Some recommend that, ideally, the back plate should be one size larger than the front plate, because larger back plates are far less likely to hinder arm and shoulder mobility.  For the same reason, it’s common for European military and police operatives to wear SAPI cut or Shooter’s cut plates in front, and rectangular plates in back.  But as you’re far less likely to be shot through the back than through the front, and as there’s clearly an additional weight burden associated with larger or rectangular armor plates, I don’t believe that these rear plate practices are very well thought out. They may also be difficult to put into practice, for modern plate carriers may not accept rectangular plates, and carriers are sized in such a way that they may not accept a size L rear plate alongside a size M front plate. 

Though not indicated in the image, the armor carrier’s shoulder straps should ideally be positioned over the shoulder midline, so that the clavicle can provide mechanical protection and support to underlying soft tissues.  This can reduce shoulder discomfort and injury risk.

Side plates are also not indicated in the image.  These come in two standard sizes:  6×8” and 6×6”.  Only people exceedingly small in stature should select 6×6” side plates.  The function of the side plate is to protect the vitals — the heart, lungs, and diaphragm — not to protect the side of the gut.  The taller the side plate is, the more vital coverage it will offer, and the better it will perform in its intended role.  Side plates should also, for this very same reason, be worn as high as comfortably possible. 

Needless to say, an ideal fit isn’t always possible.  For while human builds vary widely, body armor plates are only available in a handful of standard sizes.  What’s necessary is that the armor plate’s top edge reaches the lowest part of the clavicle.  What’s also necessary is that the plate is secured to such an extent that it doesn’t move when its wearer is in motion — but, at the same time, isn’t so tight that it squeezes the torso and restricts its wearer’s breathing.  

Accessorizing the overt plate carrier:

Unlike plate positioning, there are no hard-and-fast rules here.  It comes down to personal preference, mission requirements, etc.  Some people like wearing backpacks over their plate carriers, so they keep the rear panels slick; some others carry most of  their bulky items –such as IFAKs and water-pouches for hydration — over the rear panel of their carriers, and keep the front panels slick (save perhaps for magazines) so that they can more easily get into prone.  Some people wear side plates, whereas others don’t think that they’re worth the additional weight and burden.  We recommend that you experiment and find what works for you and your mission requirements, but please don’t hesitate to contact us for advice and feedback.

As an aside, it’s always worthwhile to carry a small knife like a clinch pick on your carrier.  This is primarily a tool, but can also be used as a weapon to create space between you an your adversaries, in case you need to transition to a secondary gun.