Plate Carrier Recommendations

[eazy]

Last year, I bought a Large Blue Force Gear Plateminus v2 plate carrier for $175 on closeout and I ordered some AR500 Level III+ Lightweight 10" x 12" ALSC Multi-Curve plates with trauma pads on Black Friday for $200. Unfortunately, after 10 weeks of waiting for the plates to come in, I found that there is too much vertical play in the carrier to keep the top of the plate at the sternal notch (see pic for vertical play).

My options were to either get new plates in ESAPI 10.125” x 13.25” dimensions, or get a new carrier designed for 10"x12" plates. Given the wait time on armor, I ordered a new plate carrier.

After trying on the BFG carrier with the cummerbund, I decided I wanted a carrier with side buckles instead to throw on quickly.

I ordered a Grey Ghost Gear Minimalist Plate Carrier in early February from OpticsPlanet for $120. Unfortunately, my projected ship date has moved out about a dozen times. I contacted Grey Ghost and they're not anticipating their next shipment to arrive until mid July.

So my question is, what would you guys do at this point, just wait, or cancel the order and find another carrier?

If cancel, what carrier would you recommend?

 

[M8541Reaper]

I'd look for a quality carrier that's specifically designed for shooter's cut plates. Even with a carrier that's designed for a traditional 10x12 plate, you're going to have some slop due to the cut style. Another option is having additional velcro sewn into the pocket so you can tuck the bottom flap in tighter to the plate, which will allow the plate to stay riding high. When you move away from the traditional ESAPI shape/size styles, it gets a bit harder to find a solid fitting carrier (as most are made around that style).

Hope ya find something that works man.

 

[TheGerman]

Do not buy plates that are larger than you need as they will never sit right and you'll run into even more sizing problems.

Your problem stems from the fact that you have medium plates and a large carrier. Carrier size is determined by the plate size, not your body size.

So are you a medium or a large as far as plate sizing? If large, keep the carrier (or look at a Crye SPC) and sell the plates, or if a medium, keep the plates and get a medium carrier.

If you're a medium, I'd cancel it and buy a SPC or JPC.

 

[Stonebridge]

You might also find that ESAPI Medium carriers work better at 9.5"x 12.5". Most carriers can flex to fit the additional 0.5" in width, and there's not so much vertical play.

 

[Lakai808]

Crye Precision or Velocity/ mayflower are great choices.

 

[Stonebridge]

If you're trying to keep costs down (which I'm guessing, with the AR500 plates), Velocity Systems is good bang-for-buck.

 

[XLR Industries]

The Velocity Systems LWPC has an internal plate adjustment band that will orient plates towards the top of the carrier. I run 10x12 lvl 4 ceramic multi curve shooters cut plates and that band really helps put the plate in the correct area with no jostling. In my opinion if I was running ar500 plates I'd definitely get trauma backers.

 

[CrabsandFootball]

Surprised no one has sugjested to roll your own yet:

 

[Spooky68]

Surprised no one has sugjested to roll your own yet:

View attachment 7341821

Oh sweet jeezus... that is some fuckin quality kit right there

 

[Lakai808]

I’ll take a medium. Lol

 

[eazy]

I returned the grey ghost gear. The plates fit well, but I couldn't get the carrier itself tight enough on my body. I'm looking at the Crye SPC.

Is the SPC Swimmer the same as the SPC but for swimmers cut plates?

 

[toeheadAR]

I have Battle Steel Level III+ plates and a Blue Force Gear PlateMinues carrier. My plates are single curve and fit my body well although Battle Steel has a multi-curve III+ version now. Everything fits perfectly. I have the v1 PlatreMinus without the cummerbund which I prefer for minimalist fit and I can throw it on in and clip the bottom buckle in no time at all. I'm just waiting for BFG stackable tenspeed mag pouches in ranger green to come back in stock. All in so far is less than $300.

 

[Lowdown3]

Another second for the JPC. Most comfortable plate carrier I've owned. Couple that with some lightweight Shot Stop Duritium GT plates or similar and you have a low weight comfortable setup.

 

[lts1ow]

Any suggestions for adding some molle mag pouches on a minimalist plate carrier?

 

[Rant Durden]

Surprised no one has sugjested to roll your own yet:

View attachment 7341821

You need to write SWAT or TACTICAL on it.
Preferably in black crayon.

 

[Wading]

The DARC strap is fairly basic, they got some dudes I’ve trained with that had loops with cobra buckles sew up and put on there belts along with the other end of the buckle sewn into the strap on the plate carrier, that was pretty neat to see, then Spiritus Systems is making a DARC strap now.

 

[Jigstick]

JPC 2.0 with a Haley chest rig clipped up front

 

[eazy]

I ended up going with the Spartan Armor Systems "Spartan" Swimmers Cut Plate Carrier for $94. The plates fit perfectly and it fits me well, but the stitching is meh.

Eventually, I'd like to get a set of medium Hesco 3810s and either a Ferro Concepts slickster, Crye SPC, or Spiritus Systems LV-119 Overt.

 

[Spydey225]

If youre looking at the Ferro Concepts and LV119 Overt, take a look at the Ferro PC Gen 5. The FCPC Gen 5 blends most of the feature s between the Slickster and the LV119 Overt. I loved mine.

 

[eazy]

I decided to go with a more slimmed down plate carrier.

I ordered a T. Rex Arms AC1 plate carrier, an Esstac 7.62 AK Triple Daeodon Front Panel for AK mags, and a Spiritus Systems SACK Pouch Mk3 for medical/misc. A friend of mine has an extra Ferro Concepts Turnover Triple 556 that I'll use for AR mags under the cummerbund.

Just need to get those Hesco 3810s now.

 

[Real_Payne]

Really can’t go wrong with the LV-119. It’s quite scalable. It fits the need of a jack of all trades. It doesn’t do anything amazingly, but does most all things well. You can scale up to have sack pouches, placards, side armor, radios, back panels. Or you can run the plate bags only. There isn’t much else you would want other than carrying lots of unnecessary gear (in the civilian world).

 

[CrabsandFootball]

The 119 is really nice. I almost bought a woodland one from ebay a few weeks ago.

I have come back to protection. Would rather have something with BALCS or at least MBAV cut soft armor/cummerbund armor.

Getting shot sucks and its really not that much additional weight/bulk with modern soft armor coupled with good plates like the U210.