Before one can figure out what is the perfect plate carrier setup, one must answer the question: What is a plate carrier? We can tell you it’s not something a waiter would use to serve tables, but a thing which is used to strike a preferred balance between mobility and protection from all sorts of nasty, high velocity projectiles buzzing through the air. Plate carriers consist of front and rear plate bags, and they are held together by shoulder straps and a cummerbund.
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▼Combat and Protective Vests
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▼Combat Belts and Accessories
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▼Pouches
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▼Helmets
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▼Eye and Ear Protection
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▼Other Protective Gear
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▼Camouflage
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●Tactical Combat Casualty Care
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▼Firearm Accessories and Maintenance
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▼Optics
![Kierto product](/media/kierto_icon_en.png)
![SADF Pattern 83 Battle Jacket, surplus](/pictures/thumbs240a/71305f2d603aca53c.jpg)
149.99 USD
![Kierto product](/media/kierto_icon_en.png)
![SADF Pattern 83 Chest Rig, surplus](/pictures/thumbs240a/119475e8c657a6e34b.jpg)
119.99 USD
![Särmä TST LVPC Plate Carrier w. Elastic Mag Pouch Cummerbund, MultiCam, S/M](/pictures/thumbs50a/sarma_tst_lvpc_plate_carrier_w_elastic_mag_pouch_cummerbund_mu-066727c45c879b.jpg)
![Särmä TST LVPC Plate Carrier w. Elastic Mag Pouch Cummerbund, MultiCam, L/XL](/pictures/thumbs50a/sarma_tst_lvpc_plate_carrier_w_elastic_mag_pouch_cummerbund_mu-066727c4b2014e.jpg)
![Särmä TST LVPC Plate Carrier w. Elastic Mag Pouch Cummerbund, Ranger Green, S/M](/pictures/thumbs50a/sarma_tst_lvpc_plate_carrier_w_elastic_mag_pouch_cummerbund_ra-065bcd7db101f8.jpg)
![Särmä TST LVPC Plate Carrier w. Elastic Mag Pouch Cummerbund, Ranger Green, L/XL](/pictures/thumbs50a/sarma_tst_lvpc_plate_carrier_w_elastic_mag_pouch_cummerbund_ra-065bcd7d490abd.jpg)
![Särmä TST LVPC Plate Carrier w. Elastic Mag Pouch Cummerbund, M05 Woodland Camo, S/M](/pictures/thumbs50a/sarma_tst_lvpc_plate_carrier_w_elastic_mag_pouch_cummerbund_m0-065c243eb32cb5.jpg)
![Särmä TST LVPC Plate Carrier w. Elastic Mag Pouch Cummerbund, M05 Woodland Camo, L/XL](/pictures/thumbs50a/sarma_tst_lvpc_plate_carrier_w_elastic_mag_pouch_cummerbund_m0-065c243f4343fd.jpg)
![Särmä TST LVPC Plate Carrier w. Elastic Mag Pouch Cummerbund](/pictures/thumbs240a/sarma_tst_lvpc_plate_carrier_w_elastic_mag_pouch_cummerbund_mu-066727c45c879b.jpg)
239.99 USD
![Kierto product](/media/kierto_icon_en.png)
![Dutch Modular Combat Vest, Green, Surplus](/pictures/thumbs50a/dutch_modular_combat_vest_green_surplus-0659d087e339b6.jpg)
![Dutch Modular Combat Vest, Black, Surplus](/pictures/thumbs50a/dutch_modular_combat_vest_black_surplus-0659d088d3748b.jpg)
![Dutch Modular Combat Vest, DPM, Surplus](/pictures/thumbs50a/dutch_modular_combat_vest_dpm_surplus-0659d089bc5202.jpg)
![Dutch Modular Combat Vest, Surplus](/pictures/thumbs240a/dutch_modular_combat_vest_green_surplus-0659d087e339b6.jpg)
39.99 USD
![Särmä TST PC18 Plate Carrier w. PALS Cummerbund, M05 Woodland Camo, S/M](/pictures/thumbs50a/51437619fa5c035ff4.jpg)
![Särmä TST PC18 Plate Carrier w. PALS Cummerbund, M05 Woodland Camo, L/XL](/pictures/thumbs50a/51436619fa5e8d53cd.jpg)
![Särmä TST PC18 Plate Carrier w. PALS Cummerbund, Green, S/M](/pictures/thumbs50a/4347360f92b67e7cda.jpg)
![Särmä TST PC18 Plate Carrier w. PALS Cummerbund, Green, L/XL](/pictures/thumbs50a/4347460f92b70e5383.jpg)
![Särmä TST PC18 Plate Carrier w. PALS Cummerbund, M05 Snow Camo, S/M](/pictures/thumbs50a/5860563d927cb15dfd.jpg)
![Särmä TST PC18 Plate Carrier w. PALS Cummerbund, M05 Snow Camo, L/XL](/pictures/thumbs50a/5860663d927f865740.jpg)
![Särmä TST PC18 Plate Carrier w. PALS Cummerbund](/pictures/thumbs240a/51437619fa5c035ff4.jpg)
243.99 USD
![Särmä TST PC18 Plate Carrier w. Elastic Mag Pouch Cummerbund, Green, S/M](/pictures/thumbs50a/sarma_tst_pc18_plate_carrier_w_elastic_mag_pouch_cummerbund_gr-065c236fcb16d4.jpg)
![Särmä TST PC18 Plate Carrier w. Elastic Mag Pouch Cummerbund, Green, L/XL](/pictures/thumbs50a/sarma_tst_pc18_plate_carrier_w_elastic_mag_pouch_cummerbund_gr-065c23702ec220.jpg)
![Särmä TST PC18 Plate Carrier w. Elastic Mag Pouch Cummerbund, M05 Woodland Camo, S/M](/pictures/thumbs50a/sarma_tst_pc18_plate_carrier_w_elastic_mag_pouch_cummerbund_m0-065c237e8b1b73.jpg)
![Särmä TST PC18 Plate Carrier w. Elastic Mag Pouch Cummerbund, M05 Woodland Camo, L/XL](/pictures/thumbs50a/sarma_tst_pc18_plate_carrier_w_elastic_mag_pouch_cummerbund_m0-065c237ee91b8c.jpg)
![Särmä TST PC18 Plate Carrier w. Elastic Mag Pouch Cummerbund](/pictures/thumbs240a/sarma_tst_pc18_plate_carrier_w_elastic_mag_pouch_cummerbund_gr-065c236fcb16d4.jpg)
248.99 USD
![Sioen Ballistics Tacticum Plate Carrier, green](/pictures/thumbs50a/24845622091f4ecf12.jpg)
![Sioen Ballistics Tacticum Plate Carrier, Black](/pictures/thumbs50a/5480862209205b6f8e.jpg)
![Sioen Ballistics Tacticum Plate Carrier](/pictures/thumbs240a/5480862209205b6f8e.jpg)
358.99 USD
![Särmä TST LVPC Plate Carrier w. PALS Cummerbund, Ranger Green, S/M](/pictures/thumbs50a/57338641db6989c0db.jpg)
![Särmä TST LVPC Plate Carrier w. PALS Cummerbund, Ranger Green, L/XL](/pictures/thumbs50a/57340641db6a469a7e.jpg)
![Särmä TST LVPC Plate Carrier w. PALS Cummerbund, M05 Woodland Camo, S/M](/pictures/thumbs50a/5733964131efccb456.jpg)
![Särmä TST LVPC Plate Carrier w. PALS Cummerbund, M05 Woodland Camo, L/XL](/pictures/thumbs50a/5734164131f26ccf09.jpg)
![Särmä TST LVPC Plate Carrier w. PALS Cummerbund](/pictures/thumbs240a/5733964131efccb456.jpg)
234.99 USD
![Velocity Systems SCARAB LT Plate Carrier, M05 Woodland Camo](/pictures/thumbs50a/velocity_systems_scarab_lt_plate_carrier_m05-0648aa8e249ef1.jpg)
![Velocity Systems SCARAB LT Plate Carrier, MultiCam](/pictures/thumbs50a/velocity_systems_scarab_lt_plate_carrier_multicam-0648afd627a808.jpg)
![Velocity Systems SCARAB LT Plate Carrier](/pictures/thumbs240a/velocity_systems_scarab_lt_plate_carrier_m05-0648aa8e249ef1.jpg)
348.99 USD
![Mayflower UW Chest Rig The Pusher Gen VI, M05](/pictures/thumbs240a/mayflower_uw_chest_rig_the_pusher_gen_vi_m05-064887de2495d4.jpg)
288.99 USD
![Mayflower UW Chest Rig Gen IV, MultiCam](/pictures/thumbs240a/mayflower_uw_chest_rig_gen_iv_multicam-064ba35a8d6ed7.jpg)
229.99 USD
![Kierto product](/media/kierto_icon_en.png)
![Särmä TST LW18 Chest Rig, Green](/pictures/thumbs50a/28278637f6c65ae2ab.jpg)
![Särmä TST LW18 Chest Rig, White](/pictures/thumbs50a/56822637f3f96cb6e7.jpg)
![Särmä TST LW18 Chest Rig](/pictures/thumbs240a/56822637f3f96cb6e7.jpg)
69.99 USD
![Kierto product](/media/kierto_icon_en.png)
![US MOLLE II FLC vest, surplus, Coyote Brown](/pictures/thumbs50a/443365cc8027d5c05d.jpg)
![US MOLLE II FLC vest, with quick release buckles, Woodland, surplus](/pictures/thumbs50a/176555b050b9b00134.jpg)
![US MOLLE II FLC Vest, w. Zipper, UCP, Surplus](/pictures/thumbs50a/13945621f8ffab55ef.jpg)
![US MOLLE II FLC Combat Vest, Surplus](/pictures/thumbs240a/178705cc80242a895a.jpg)
39.99 USD
![Kierto product](/media/kierto_icon_en.png)
![Swedish SVS 12 Combat Vest With Pouches, Green, surplus](/pictures/thumbs240a/464965e33edfdcc139.jpg)
199.99 USD
![Kierto product](/media/kierto_icon_en.png)
![Dutch M93 ALICE-style Combat Vest w.o. Belt, DPM, Surplus](/pictures/thumbs240a/45955610a7aef9dbe7.jpg)
9.99 USD
![Kierto product](/media/kierto_icon_en.png)
![US LBV-88, Woodland, surplus](/pictures/thumbs50a/15885d42ad55be7e7.jpg)
![US LBV-E, Woodland, surplus](/pictures/thumbs50a/22255d42ad65e20a3.jpg)
![US LBV, Woodland, surplus](/pictures/thumbs240a/423855d42ad1c7e7df.jpg)
25.99 USD
![Kierto product](/media/kierto_icon_en.png)
![British Osprey load bearing vest package, Desert DPM, surplus](/pictures/thumbs240a/british_osprey_load_bearing_vest_package_desert_dpm_surplus-065ca1ff45a71b.jpg)
39.99 USD
![Blackhawk Recon Back Panel, MultiCam, Unissued](/pictures/thumbs240a/blackhawk_lightweight_commando_recon_back_panel-065e84c0911fd2.jpg)
69.99 USD
Before one can figure out what is the perfect plate carrier setup, one must answer the question: What is a plate carrier? We can tell you it’s not something a waiter would use to serve tables, but a thing which is used to strike a preferred balance between mobility and protection from all sorts of nasty, high velocity projectiles buzzing through the air. Plate carriers consist of front and rear plate bags, and they are held together by shoulder straps and a cummerbund.
The best plate carriers have various features, which makes them customizable to one’s needs. Some have a low profile, some have more attachment points for pouches and accessories. An elastic cummerbund is comfortable and adds to one’s agility. On the other hand, a PALS cummerbund extends the plate carrier's carry capacity. Most plate carriers can also be equipped with placards, front and back panels, and backpack modules aka plate carrier backpacks.
How about them recon folks? Troops that primarily operate somewhere outside of enemy contact usually wear lighter armor or no armor at all. They prefer chest rigs or similar combat vest systems. Chest rigs have either fixed pouches for magazines and other gear, or they have PALS webbing for a custom setup. Chest rigs and combat vests can usually be worn over an armor vest, so they are versatile that way.
Whatever your choice of combat vest or plate carrier will be, it is a sum of its parts, so you should give equal consideration for things like pouches, armor plates, and of course, flags and patches to boost fighting morale.