A Buyer's Guide: 2 of the Best Plate Carriers
A reliable plate carrier plays a significant role in protecting military members and law enforcement officers from ballistic threats. There are key things to consider when purchasing a plate carrier, so let’s look at some of those and then look at a couple of the best plate carriers available today. But first, we need to understand what a plate carrier is.
What Is a Plate Carrier?
You may be familiar with the terms plate carrier, body armor and tactical vest and hear people use them interchangeably, and that can be confusing. Let’s clear all this up now.
Body armor refers to everything you wear that protects your body from ballistic threats. Plate carriers consist of fabric vests that essentially carry your armor plates. They have pockets in the back and front that hold the plates and often have some type of aramid lining material.
A tactical vest is a durable vest that has pockets to carry other essential items and most carry plates as well. Not all plate carriers have a lot of pockets, so the biggest difference is that the primary focus of plate carriers is on the ballistic armor plates.
The Most Important Factor to Consider When Purchasing a Plate Carrier
Plate carrier manufacturers design these to carry inserts which are created to stop ballistic threats. These plates protect the major organs in the upper body.
Some vests let you insert back and side plates as well for extra coverage depending on the purpose of your vest. Some may be geared towards active shooter events or even military operations, so they aren’t good choices for civilian use–mainly because of the extra weight these other plates add.
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Many have MOLLE pockets or attachments that allow you to carry other essential gear.
Plates and bulletproof vests have different levels of protection. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) sets body armor standards, including the threat levels that different armor stops. Here are those levels of protection:
Handgun Calibers
- Level IIA: Effective against 9mm and .40 ammunition fired from short barrel handguns. Does not protect against rifle rounds. This level is usually soft body armor.
- Level II: Effective against 9mm and .357 magnum ammunition from short barrel handguns. Does not protect against rifle rounds. This level is usually soft body armor.
- Level IIIA: Effective against .44 magnum ammunition and .357 from long barrel handguns. Does not protect against rifle rounds. This level is usually soft body armor.
Rifle Calibers
- Level III: Effective against 7.62 FMJ core ammunition. These are hard armor plates.
- Level IV: Effective against .30 caliber armor-piercing rounds. These are hard armor plates at the highest level of protection.
1. 5.11 TacTec Plate Carrier
The 5.11 TacTec plate carrier is one of the most popular plate carriers on the market at an affordable price. 5.11 designed the plate for law enforcement and military use. But the carrier is so comfortable that the CrossFit industry adopted it as the official plate carrier of the CrossFit Games.
It has a water-resistant coating, one-handed quick release and fits medium to large ballistic armor plates. One thing to note: It only fits Rogue Weight Vest Plates, but it fits men’s plates as well as women’s plates.
The oversized airflow channels help to keep you from overheating and minimize sweat buildup. No matter what climate you live in, carrying equipment and ballistic plates makes you hot.
Other great features include adjustable tension and waistbands, an extended GrabDrag handle for extracting someone in an emergency situation and allows you to move freely.
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2. Condor Modular Operator Plate Carrier
The Condor Modular Operator is another incredible plate carrier. Condor designed this plate carrier for modular attachments on the sides as well as mobility and functionality. This carrier has excellent features for a great price.
The Condor Modular Operator also has an emergency drag handle for extractions and removable shoulder pads that won’t slip with loop and hook guides. The heavy-duty webbing is perfect for modular attachments.
The plate pockets are easy to access for quick change-outs and can hold large or medium ESAPI plates up to 10.25 inches by 13.25 inches. The cummerbund adjusts for comfort. There is also an internal waist strap and side release buckles on the shoulder.
Now that you understand what a plate carrier is, you can choose the right one for you. These plate carriers mentioned are just a couple of the fantastic plate carriers that LAPG sells. Understanding the level of protection against ballistic threats is important when choosing the right armor plates and plate carrier for your needs.
