Plate Carrier is essential equipment that is necessary for a weapon enthusiast as his life depends upon its suitability and working order. Professionals understand its necessity for facing world realities because a best plate carrier vest is designed to keep them safe from potential gun wounds. Advancement in technology has resulted in incredible gear with exceptional features. It is necessary to choose a vest that provides a perfect fit and is comfortable to wear.
Our Favorite Best Plate Carrier Vest
Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Following Reviews of some of the best plate carrier vest in the market.
1. Recon chest rig by Condor
If you are looking for a best plate carrier vest or a tactical vest that can hold a lot of ammunition, you’ll want to pay attention to what Condor has to offer with their chest rig. Being able to hold any combination of six M4 or six pistol mags, you won’t need to worry about running out of ammunition if you have Condor’s chest rig around you.
The ammunition is easy to get to as well, as it follows a kangaroo type design where the ammunition you place in it is right at your midsection, making it very convenient to reach for whatever you need very quickly.
Condor’s chest rig fits on similar to a backpack, which is also very preferable to other chest rigs which can be complicated to put on.
One thing about Condor’s chest rig that needs to improve is the way it tightens around the shoulders. Because it fits like a backpack, it is also very loose around the shoulders like a backpack is. In order to prevent this, you’ll need to use tape to immobilize it, which can be troublesome to do. The mag carriers on Condor’s chest rig are bound by elastic. For those who are used to just taking mags directly out of their rig, they may struggle with the elastic materials in the mag carriers.
2. Tactical molle apron by ThinkGeek
If you enjoy grilling outdoors and find yourself frustrated with not having all the tools you need for grilling on hand, ThinkGeek’s molle apron is something you should consider. You’ll be able to clear up a lot of space the next time you grill when you use it.
Containing five different pockets for anything you might need when grilling, you will be able to store nearly everything you could possibly need inside of ThinkGeek’s apron. It has spaces for practically all of the condiments and utensils you could possibly need.
ThinkGeek’s apron is reversible as well, which means both right and left hand dominant people can use it. This makes it just a little more versatile than other aprons of its kind. There are two things that prevent ThinkGeek’s apron from being perfect for grilling.
First, the apron is flammable. If you get too close to your grill and you are working with very high temperatures, take care not to get too close to the grill. ThinkGeek’s apron hangs very low and could catch fire if things get out of hand at the grill.
Also, ThinkGeek’s apron only comes in one color: Black. It is also very heavy. If it is really hot and bright outside, it will weigh you down to where you will probably be uncomfortable. This is especially true if you are carrying a lot of things inside the apron.
3. Breathable tactical vest with numerous pouches by Reehut
One of the biggest complaints anybody has when it comes to tactical vests is that they can weigh a person down, especially when worn for a long time.
This is especially true if there is a lot of equipment in the vest’s pockets. It can get to the point where the vest can actually slow a person down.
Reehut’s tactical vest solves a lot of these problems by being made of a breathable but durable oxford fabric material which provides insulation nearly everywhere but especially around the upper body, which is often the first thing that can feel weighed down by any other tactical vest.
Pockets are not sacrificed because of this, either. Reehut’s tactical vest still contains just as many pockets for the same kinds of equipment as any other tactical vest would. Not only can it be used during combat training, it can also be used during hiking or camping trips because of how many pockets it contains.
You might be disappointed if you are planning to place handguns in the front compartment of Reehut’s tactical vest. Because some pockets are attached with velcro, the chances of the pocket falling off after placing a handgun in it are pretty high.
4. Tactical vest for military combat training by Hotsung
There are two things that generally take away from the value of a tactical vest.
The first thing is the lack of ventilation. A lot of tactical vests are too insulated and can weigh a person down.
The second thing is that some vests are about as stable as backpacks in that they can fall off at the shoulders.
Hotsung’s tactical vest solves both of these issues. It contains mesh oxford fabric which us just as durable as any other tactical vest. As far as stability goes, Hotsung’s vest goes on like any other vest, but it zips closed. It also contains a belt at the waist which tightens as necessary. You will not need to worry about it coming loose at all because of this.
Another nice thing about Hotsung’s tactical vest is that nearly all of its pockets and attachments are removable. This is good for anybody who does only needs one or two of these and has no need for the other pockets or attachments. People with larger chests may struggle with the vest itself, however. While the belt Hotsung’s tactical vest has a maximum width of 53 inches, the upper part of the vest is not so adjustable.
Because the handgun holders are also removable by velcro, there is a chance that these holders could fall off if too the handgun itself is too large or contains too many clips.
5. Tactical vest with holster and pouches by Modern Warrior
Anybody who complains about tactical vests being too loose in their fitting or too hot from being weighed down will be pleasantly surprised with Modern Warrior’s tactical vest.
Having a tighter design than most other tactical vests, it guarantees a tight fit that will not come loose even when being extremely active. It zips to tighten and also tightens with a belt buckle. Modern Warrior’s tactical vest will not fall off or become loose.
The material of Modern Warrior’s tactical vest is not as thick as most other tactical vests. This makes it ideal for anybody who wants to use it for activities that demand a lot of activity.
There is also no shortage of pockets with Modern Warrior’s tactical vest. Containing six pockets on the front, you’ll be able to carry literally any kind of gear or ammunition that you need. The best part is that these pockets are removable by a much stronger form of velcro than other tactical vests. This means you will not need to worry about anything being too heavy for the pockets.
Modern Warrior’s tactical vest contains an adjustable buckle that secures any given handgun. With most other tactical vests, this is extremely tight and will not loosen no matter what. This is not the case with Modern Warrior’s tactical vest. It becomes easily loosened and this is troublesome.
6. 4XL Law Enforcement Tactical Airsoft Paintball vest by GZ Xinxing
No tactical vest accomplishes the feeling of tightness quite like GZ Xinxing’s tactical vest. If you encountered tightness issues with any former tactical vest, you will want to pay attention to what GZ Xinxing’s tactical vest has to offer.
Most tactical vests tend to undershoot its adjustable belts on the waist in that even if fastened extremely tight, it will come loose. This also happens with their handgun holsters.
None of these are problems with GZ Xinxing’s tactical vest. The belt has a heavy duty design and will not get loose. The handgun holster is also much sturdier than other tactical vests.
There are nearly dozens of pockets for all kinds of ammunition and other equipment in GZ Xinxing’s tactical vest. There are pouches for shotgun shells, flashlights, documents, phones or radios, there is no shortage of what you can store inside the front of the vest.
GZ Xinxing’s tactical vest claims to have a mesh design that allows for breathability. However, this is somewhat compromised because of all of the pockets and compartments it has. If you have too many things in it, GZ Xinxing’s tactical vest will weigh you down.
7. Tactical durable mesh vest with detachable belt and holster by Marmot
The problem with most tactical vests is that they come with belts, but the belt is permanently part of the vest.
A belt is not optimal for some situations and there come times where you may not want the belt to be part of the vest but you cannot remove it.
This is a problem that Marmot has fixed with their tactical vest by simply making their belt detachable. This is great for those who want to remove the belt and the handgun holster that is usually attached to the belt.
There are also a lot of pouches along the front and side of Marmot’s tactical vest. While this is very common in many tactical vests, Marmot takes this one step further by adding a second pouch for maglites and a paintball pouch underneath the shotgun shell holder.
The back of Marmot’s tactical vest also contains an open velcro label that you can attach anything to. This is nice for anybody who uses this vest for paintball or airsoft activities.
If you are intending to use Marmot’s tactical vest to carry shells for a 12 gauge shotgun, you will need to look elsewhere. The shotgun shell holder holds individual shells, and the spaces are a little small to hold 12 gauge shotgun shells.
How to choose a best plate carrier vest
Choosing a best plate carrier vest is very serious business as a life may depend on its suitability and specifications. Some essential features that help in guiding us through are as follows
Duration
Soldiers or military personnel have to wear vests for a long duration and they need vests with low weight and must have hydration unit-carriers. Law enforcement officers need vests for shorter duration and they can wear heavy-weight or lightweight vests according to their personal choice
Equipment
Weapons and other by-products that need to be carried have a direct effect on a vest as one has to be sure about a lot of things. Number of desired pockets decides whether product is heavyweight or lightweight. For intense situations and conflicts it is better to have multiple choices making a vest heavy-weight and if for less time light vest with minimum pockets is sufficient
Nature of environment
Sometimes outdoor terrain involves crawling in massive rough conditions, and then it is better to buy products that avoids premature rupture and provides sufficient durability. Weatherproof nylon vests are suitable for these conditions
Access
It is important to have easy and quick access to different pouches during emergency without any movement away from a trigger. Best vests have front and side pouches within comfortable distance to provide ease of use
Hydration
A good vest is one which enables carrying of provisions for body hydration especially during long combat periods where unavailability of water can cause health problems.
Soft Armour
It has been successfully tested and approved by NIJ and has now become an essential addition for law-enforcement officers. These are super light with exceptional ability to stop any incoming ammunition.
Hard armour
This plate carrier is made from material like metal or ceramic. It is necessary to wear qualitative hard-armour vest to perform well as it reduces the tension of being unexpectedly hit.
Essential features
Armour provides safety to back and front torso. In order to protect one must ensure essential features like Velcro straps for effectiveness, qualitative materials, strong stitching, good webbing, integrated qualities like pouches, belt, handle and holster strap, adjustable features for perfect fit, interchanging abilities, warranty period, services provided and removable accessories.
How to setup your plate carrier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlM6_XopulE
Frequently asked questions
Q: What does the term “best plate carrier” denote
- A: A plate carrier is a vest that is used to hold firearm based weapons. Determining the best plate carrier involves analyzing what is best for certain people in certain situations. For example, what is optimal for somebody who just wants a plate carrier to play paintball may not be optimal for somebody who needs one for military training. Plate carriers are also known as tactical vests.
Q: What are some reasons why anybody would need a plate carrier?
- A: Plate carriers are necessary for anybody involved in paintball or airsoft related activities. People who are performing armed forces training would also need a plate carrier. Other people who need plate carriers would be people who work in law enforcement and even people who go out hunting in places that may warrant the extra space for flashlights or weapons.
Q: Who wears plate carriers?
- A: Somebody who is doing paintball or airsoft related activities would probably not need to wear any complicated plate carrier, since their only weapon is a paintball gun. However, somebody who works in law enforcement will probably need a plate carrier that can hold a lot of different equipment, this way it can be easily accessed. This is also true for those in the armed forces.
Q: What is meant by a “jumpable plate carrier?”
- A: A jumpable plate carrier is simply a plate carrier that is a lot more intimately attached to the person wearing it than a tactical vest or a traditional plate carrier. Jumpable plate carriers are designed to hold together in one area whenever the person wearing it goes airborne in some way.
Q: How much does a plate carrier weigh with plates in it?
- A: The answer to this depends on the amount of plates and how much those individual plates weigh. If there are not a lot of plates in the carrier, it could way as light as 5 pounds. But if there are a lot of plates inside the carrier, it could weigh as much as 20 or 30 pounds. Again, this all depends on the kinds of plates and how many plates are in the carrier.
Conclusion
Nature of involvement is a deciding factor in purchasing a vest suitable to meet every demand. In order to avoid confusion one must opt for qualitative materials, good fitting, sufficient pouches and adjustable options.