First used back in the early 80s, PCs or plate carriers have been one of the greatest life savers when it comes to combat gear. Like all types of armour, a plate carrier is used mainly to provide protection. But it also has other uses like carrying your tactical gear such as magazines and a multitool. Unlike other types of armour, a plate carrier is quite versatile since it can be coupled together with a modular system of back panels. These systems allow you to use different types of attachments to carry additional gear such as a gas mask or a water bladder. A plate carrier armour vest is much lighter and thus makes it easier to move around while being compatible with handguns.
Types of Plate Carriers
General-Purpose
The majority of plate armour carriers used by the army are known as general-purpose carriers. They are made for direct combat and have protection and load-bearing properties as their most prioritised features. If you need to go on long missions then general-purpose plate carriers are the best option, otherwise, you're not going to need such an overkill solution.
Low-Profile
The least noticeable carrier is known as a low-profile plate carrier. These carriers are concealable, hence their name. They can be hidden under a jacket or even a shirt. You can also have a low-profile carrier that fits over your shirt and that can also hold a bit of gear. This type of plate carrier weighs the least and takes up as little space as possible. But guess what? It offers very little protection when compared to both general-purpose and training carriers.
Training
Made strictly for civilian use, a training plate carrier is a mix of a low-profile and a general-purpose carrier. This means that training carriers offer more protection than low-profile carriers but are less protective than general-purpose ones. Also, instead of MOLLE/ PALS webbing, training carriers come with placards and Velcro.
Maritime
With a maritime plate carrier, you can fall into water and avoid drowning. These carriers are made especially for sailors, the coast guard and marines as they feature a quick-release system that lets you dispose of the plate quickly. These mechanisms are made of laminate or thermoplastic materials which is why they don't absorb water
What Makes a Good Plate Carrier
Types of Plates
The material a plate comes made of can be steel, ceramic, Kevlar or polyethylene.
Steel armour plates are one of the more popular options since they are both durable and dependable. This type of hard armour has a long lifespan and it can take multiple hits without degrading and exposing you. Steel plates are cost-effective and quite discreet too.
Ceramic plates are mainly used as ballistic plates and tactical gear. This inorganic material is made from nitride and carbide. This makes ceramic plates lighter than steel and more effective at dispersing energy. Meaning it can save you from broken bones and collapsed lungs. These plates are also customisable.
Kevlar armour plates are also a popular plate choice since they are extremely durable and have excellent tensile strength. Kevlar, as a material, can be used together with ceramic plates and it's also able to absorb high-velocity impacts.
Polyethylene plates are chemically inert alongside being impact resistant. Polyethylene or UHMWPE (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) is the toughest thermoplastic material there is and it's able to reduce friction upon impact.
Scalable Protection
A plate carrier has what is known as scalable protection. This means you can increase or decrease the level of protection it offers. You just have to know which armour plate to use as every plate comes with a different NIJ level.
Modularity
The use of a modular pouch attachment system will make your plate carrier much more versatile. The ones mentioned above are the main systems and they offer the best level of modularity thanks to the layout of their straps and webbing. You can thus make it easy to attach different kinds of gear for easy access and more maneuverability.
Quick-Release System
The quick-release system found in maritime plate carriers may not be something you need but you never know when you're going to be close to a large body of water. Make sure you avoid carriers that use ripcords made of materials other than thermoplastics.
Cummerbund
The way you secure the plate is going to greatly affect your use of a plate carrier. Also known as a cummerbund, this system will usually use either plastic clips or Velcro straps. More expensive carriers have a cummerbund system that relies on buckles.
Comfor
While nothing screams comfort when it comes to plate carriers you can still look for comfort-related features in one. For example, it's good to have mesh lining used for ventilation and padded shoulder straps to make it less annoying to wear a plate carrier during the summer. You shouldn't ignore comfort features just because it's a piece of tactical gear in question.
