This article will cover the technical aspects of choosing your ideal plates and vest.
SIZING
When choosing a vest and plates, one of the first considerations should be verifying your ideal sizing. Although sizing is fairly universal, there may be some variation between brands.
It is recommended to first figure out what size plates you should wear, and purchase a vest that matches that size. Plates must be a certain size to provide ideal protection of your vitals, while vests tend to be fairly adjustable.
Use the reference below for figuring out roughly what size plates you should purchase
Plate sizing is a balance between choosing a set with optimal vital coverage, and avoiding too much compromise on mobility and comfort. Generally, these sizing guides are designed for those who have to wear these plates for prolonged periods or in combat situations, such as LEO and military. You may be inclined to go for a larger plate size if coverage is more important than mobility or weapon shouldering comfort.
An important consideration is that military plates such as SAPIs and ESAPIs have slightly different dimensions. i.e. a size Medium plate is 9.50"x12.50," but these are still compatible with vests designed for "normal" plates that, in the case of size Mediums, use 10"x12" plates. This applies for just about all vests, so don't be concerned if your SAPI/ ESAPI plate size is slightly different.
Some vests also are compatible with multiple unique sizes of plates, such as the Gen 4 IOTV and others which have more forgiving retaining systems. Please don't hesitate to contact us for info about compatibility, or any other technical questions
Many will find themselves on the line between two plate sizes for their given body type, and it is up to your discretion and expected use case which you should choose.
PLATES
PERFORMANCE
PLATE CURVATURES & SHAPES
VESTS
VEST TYPES
Vests can be classified in a few different ways, with the main categories being overt plate carriers and covert low visibility vests. Plate carriers can be further distinguished between those that contain soft armor those that only have plate pockets. Low-vis vests tend to not be plate carriers and only generally carry soft armor, although most have additional small pockets for very low profile ballistic upgrade inserts.
These aren't steadfast rules, as there are many exceptions to these classifications with the options out there. There are also quite a few different names used to describe the same types of vests, and we list all the synonyms we know of.
PLATE CARRIERS
-Full Coverage/ Heavy/ Full Spectrum Armor Carriers
We consider full coverage/ heavy plate carriers to be those that contain a form fitting pocket for built-in soft armor, which extends past the plate and provides additional protection to the torso. While these generally aren't as breathable and comfortable as carriers that only have plate pockets. These excel when expecting pistol/ shotgun threats, or fragmentation. The majority of our inventory is composed of these vests, as they tend to be better for civilian use cases.
-Standard Plate Carriers
Standard plate carriers are vests that do not contain a pocket for wrap-around soft armor, and are designed to carry hard armor plates. Some have cummerbunds that accept soft armor or side plates. These are more common for people who have to wear their carriers for long periods at a time, or in situations where low weight and comfort is more valuable than coverage.
-Slick/ Covert/ Low-Vis Plate Carriers
While we generally use "covert" to describe vests that only contain soft armor and no plate pockets, there is a subsection of plate carriers designed to be as low-vis as possible, generally called "slick carriers." These are functionally the same as standard plate carriers, but tend to be made of thin materials and have little to no external molle straps, to reduce the profile. These are rarely ever as concealable as a true covert vest with only soft armor, but can stop rifle rounds when equipped with the proper plates.
LOW-VIS VESTS
Standard low visibility/ covert vests tend to be thin and light vests that only have soft armor inserts, and are not plate carriers. While these do not carry standard full size plates, many have internal pockets that carry small "ballistic upgrade plates," usually less than 1cm thick which do not provide rifle protection, and only provide slightly higher performance against center mass shots.
These low-vis vests are generally level IIA, II or IIIA, with IIA and II generally being the thinnest and most lightweight, with some reduced effectiveness against larger calibers or higher penetrating ammunition.
Thank you for reading. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us below.
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