School Me On Body Armor

[Good Ol' Boy]

If this needs to be move mods feel free.

Lets not argue the merits of BA here, the discussion at hand is details.

I'm familiar with the different "levels" and the difference between "soft" and "hard" armor.

What I'm wondering is advice in brands as well as characteristics to look for in a carrier.

Currently I'm looking at a level 3 steel setup with front/back and side plates from RTS. Whole rig runs around $350 shipped.

I dont have money for "high speed" gear like FRAS so that's not an option. And no need to say you're late to the game as just about everyone is still shipping, albeit some lead time.

Not having any experience with vests of any kind what do "moly" hooks do for me and whats the best way to look for setting up accessories for them?


Whortwhile advice is welcome.

 

[Robert]

I wear a Voodoo Tactical Heavy Armor vest for work. I have a spare set of Lvl II soft armor in it and will be getting some plates soon. You can put side plays in it as well. I like it. It's comfy, fits me well, and wasn't overly expensive. I'm 5'9" and 230 or so. Still has lots of room for expansion.

It uses standard webbing so pretty much anything should attach to it. Though mine is slick. I really like the ability to run soft armor under the hard plates. And it is a well thought out, comfortable vest.

 

[trekker73]

I am not up to date with the latest but wore body armor in the military and also as a security contractor in the middle east many years later. The militay stuff was the soft armour with ballistic inserts, we had chest rigs over the front with the typical pouches hanging off it. For security contracting it was similar but varied from pouches on the front to bare depending on the task. My era was actually hip belt webbing, which I consider superior fighting equipment. Only as you can get lower and crawl better.Fighting these days you are not as worried about comign up against compnay level small arms fire, artillery regiments or aircraft as our opponents are scattered 3rrd world forces. Policing or 'swatting' around upright, and in and out of vehicles chest rigs are more conveniient, no doubt.

 

[CapnMac]

Are you looking at concealed or exposed armor?
In the latter case, there are a number of options in plate carriers and the like. That tech is getting pretty mature. Robert's Voodoo rig is probably as close to state of the art as a person is like to ask for. The side plates are a good idea for real-world applications (less so for run-n-gun competition). You will have to judge whether you want to use steel or ceramic hardplates.

For concealed armor, it's a push-pull. Level II is far easier to wear; but Level III with plate pockets offers better protection. But, all concealed armor winds up against the hard reality of human sweat. And, sticking the thing in the freezer overnight only works for a while.

 

[JShirley]

I am looking for cheap but heavy-ish armor options. I have a TacProGear plate carrier set up with mags and a knife, and will be issued body armor if I need it, but I want a cheap armor set for PT. The cheap AR500 plates I've seen recently online have a 10-12 week delay.

Thanks,

John

 

[hso]

Currently I'm looking at a level 3 steel setup with front/back and side plates from RTS. Whole rig runs around $350 shipped.

Is it this kit?
RTS Tactical Body Armor Level III Steel Active Shooter Kit

Do you want to festoon the carrier with pouches and holsters or keep it low profile? Do you plan on wearing it in a vehicle or just at work/home? Do you expect to crawl in it? What is the longest you will wear it continuously?

My light weight set is the Voodoo ICE. I have a flashlight pouch and a single mag carrier for AR and a blow-out pouch on it.

 

[FL-NC]

I have more experience than most people would ever want wearing that stuff on active duty and as a contractor. Its all hot, its all uncomfortable, its all horrible for your body, but it will save your life. Some of the brands I used over the years: Paraclete RBAV, Shellback banshee, Crye jumpable, Mayflower. These are all higher end ($) setups. In the case of a carrier, you get what you pay for. There are lots of cheaper carriers on the market. Some are fine, many are garbage. By its nature, plate carriers end up carrying lots of weight. There is also the basic assumption that they will be a "hard use item". Low quality materials and poor construction/stitching will insure that a cheaply made one will not last. The stitching or Velcro may fail at a critical time, and the shoulder straps snap and the whole thing ends up around your feet, or a plate drops out while you are running and LANDS on your feet. Or a pouch fails and the contents come spilling out. There is also a tendency amongst newbies to overload them. We were issued a large bag of components and pouches for our setups, and the new guys often felt it was their duty or otherwise necessary to attach every item to the carrier and fill every pouch with whatever. Then they realized that they couldn't even move or fit in a vehicle. Answering this challenge comes from experience and recognizing what is truly needed for YOUR mission/situation. As a general rule, items like ammo and a knife must be accessible to do you any good. Some items like a blowout kit or breaching tools go on the back in order for someone else to access them. We normally kept a smaller blowout kit and CAT tourniquet on the front for self-aid. We also found that it is best to keep the front as thin as possible (single M4 mag pouches) as it makes it less front-heavy and easier to get low, climb over walls, and fit in a vehicle. You also need to train in your kit, not only to get used to the weight, but to make sure the design of your setup works- because if you are unable to access your pistol because your blowout kit is in the way, that needs to be figured out and fixed. We also did some other things like played soccer or ultimate frisbee or volleyball in out kit- even hand to hand combat training. I even did yardwork in mine. The MOLLE attachments are a huge plus. when used correctly, they do a great job at keeping your stuff on the carrier with no movement or risk of items falling off.

 

[CapnMac]

For just PT, all you need is metal plate in about the right shape.
Which you could probably source from a local metal/welding shop.

The plates could then be wrapped with duct or similar tape to keep them from cutting up the PT carrier.

Another option to try might be velcro straps and weave dive weights on the MOLLE of the carrier.

The first method might be off for weight, but would be "right" for shape and fit.
The second method gets you to exact desired weight, but not necessarily fit and shape.
That's 2¢, spend it well.

 

[Telum Pisces]

Buy what you can afford and is comfortable and has Molle options to add more. Have a cummerbund system! You'll thank me later when you want to add the kitchen sink.