Unpack This Article's Arsenal
Tactical vests are an invaluable piece of gear to have in your personal protection setup. But beware, not all tactical vests are created equal. There are several kinds of vests on the market, but today, we are going to be looking at, and reviewing our favorite kind of tactical vests; or said otherwise the best plate carriers.
No Plates, No Protection
Plate carrier vests provide you the most protection possible thanks to their ability to hold bulletproof metal or ceramic ballistics plates. As an added bonus, the majority of them also double as modular vests. Allowing you to expand your load carrying capabilities.
Whether you are looking for your next plate carrier or this is going to be your first piece of body armor, we hope we can help make your decision just a little easier.
Get Great Guns And Ammo Deals!
SAFEST NEWSLETTER - WE WILL NEVER SELL YOUR EMAIL
No Spam - No Selling Your Email
Best Plate Carrier Tactical Vests
Theses are top picks for plate carrier vests based on material, plate capacity, weight and fit.
| Product Name | Where to Buy | |
|---|---|---|
 | Condor Modular Operator Plate Carrier |  |
 | Crye Precision Jumpable Plate Carrier 2.0 | |
 | RTS Tactical Premium Plate Carrier | |
Condor Modular Operator Plate Carrier
The Condor Modular Operator Plate Carrier MOPC provides excellent protection, mobility and customization with a breathable mesh lining.
There is a MOLLE webbing for adding modular attachments. In addition there’s also hook and loop webbing for further mounting capabilities. The removable anti-slip shoulder pads deliver comfort when on the move with a heavy load.
Plate Carrier Capacity:
Side plate compatible up to 6″ x 8″
Accepts Medium or Large Swimmer/ESAPI plates up to 10.25″ x 13.25
The vest comes with several other features that make it our top pick for the best plate carrier vest.
| Features |
|---|
| Emergency drag handle |
| Removable anti-slip shoulder pads with hook and loop guides |
| Adjustable shoulder straps |
| MOLLE webbing for modular attachments |
| Hook and loop webbing |
| Front map pocket with snap, hook and loop closure |
| Breathable 3D Mesh liner |
| Adjustable cummerbund with built-in plate pockets |
| Side release buckles on shoulders and internal waist strap |
| Easy access plate pockets |
Crye Precision Jumpable Plate Carrier 2.0
The Jumpable Plate Carrier (JPC) from Crye is a lightweight plate carrying vest that is designed to give you the maximum level of mobility, packability, and comfort you will find in any tactical vest on the market. And weighing in at just over one pound, the JPC vest adds hardly any weight to your total load.
One of our favorite features of the JPC vest is the Skeletal cummerbund system. This is a patented integrated attachment system designed to let you mount your pouches on both the inside and outside of the cummerbund. This system allows you to get rid of some of your total load weight and bulky profile, while also improving ventilation.
With the fully integrated administrator and magazine pouches found on the front of the carrier all of your ammunition and your sidearm are always easily accessible. No more fumbling around trying to get your pouch open. They are velcro secured and easy to get into when you are in a hurry.
In addition to all these great features, the carrier is completely MOLLE compatible and has a velcro chest pad.
The Crye Precision JPC plate carrier can hold up to 10⅛” x 13¼” ballistic plates.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Revolutionary cummerbund system for carrying more gear | Adding more items to inside of vest can make it very bulky |
| Fully integrated admin and magazine pouches | Shoulder pads are uncomfortable |
| Velcro chest pad | Side torso MOLLE webbing is poorly integrated |
| Very lightweight |
RTS Tactical Premium Plate Carrier – (Top Pick)
The RTS Tactical Premium Plate Carrier provides excellent balance when needed most. The vest uses 500D Mil-Spec Cordura.
The RTS vest is fully adjustable in about every direction. Shoulder aand side adjustments make this the best fitting vest on our list. Another unique feature is the RTS Tactical Side Plate Pouch. Giving this plate carrier a leg up when it comes to all angle protection.
| Features |
|---|
| Fully Adjustable |
| Fits Up to 52 Inch Waist |
| 3DX Mesh |
| Fully Compatible with any Molle Attachment |
How To Choose The Best Plate Carriers
When deciding on which plate carrier vest you should invest in, there are a few things you should probably consider first. Don’t worry though, we have done most of the legwork for you already.
Below, we have rounded up just a handful of our suggestions to help you narrow down your search. Of course, there are a lot more things you may want to think about before making an investment in a vest, but these are the most important.
What Material Is The Plate Carrier Made From?
Your gear is only as good as the materials that it is made from. And when it comes to a piece of gear that is designed to protect you from a possibly otherwise lethal gunshot, do you really want to skimp on quality?
Most tactical vests are made from a number of materials, most of which is a heavy-duty nylon. This is usually CORDURA or ripstop.
Apart from the main material that your vest is made from, you also need to pay attention to the stitching and the types of closures used. The stitching should be tight enough that it isn’t going to come undone with a little rough handling, but not so tight that it is going to affect maneuverability.
To test out the stitching of vest, simply tug on the seams a bit. If the stitching looks or feels like it may be coming undone or loosening up a lot, it’s time to look at a different vest. A little slack in the stitching is ideal but too much can spell disaster in the field.
As for the closures, such as zippers and buckles, they should be quick to release but hold sturdy at all other times. For zippers, look for YKK printed on them as this is the most trusted zipper used in tactical gear, and is of high quality.
How Many Plates does The Carrier Vest Hold?
Most plate carrier vests have more than one slot for your ballistics plates. They usually have one for the front as well as the back. Some like the RTS above have side pouches.
If you need a little more protection than what two full-size ballistics plates can provide, we don’t blame you. You want the most protection possible, and for that, you need a plate carrier that has slots for plates along the sides of your torso.
Keep in mind, however, the more plates you add, the more you may be affecting your mobility. And that’s not to mention the added weight to your load and increase in overall profile.
How Heavy Are Plate Vests?
Any body armor that is going to be carrying ballistics plates, whether they be metal or ceramic, are going to have a little weight to them. This is normal and it should be expected. But with all that weight to your total load, it is also bound to slow you down.
While there isn’t really much that you can do about this added weight, you can certainly try to keep it minimal. If you don’t need those extra side torso plates, don’t get them.
You could also try to buy thinner ballistics plates if you think they will work okay for your personal protection needs. Still too heavy for ya? Try ceramic plates instead of metal.
Any small adjustments that can be made to decrease the load without disrupting the overall durability of the vest should be considered. Less weight equals more mobility.
How Well Does The Plate Vest Carrier Fit?
It stands to reason that if you are a larger person, you are going to need a larger plate carrier. If you are smaller, you need a smaller vest. And while this may sound very remedial and simple, it is also probably one of the most important aspects of your vest.
Your plate carrier should sit on your body firmly and remain snug. A little slack is fine but keeps in mind that the more room it has to slide around your body, the likelier it is that it will fail to provide you the maximum level of protection.
When you buy a plate carrier vest, you do so because you need an extreme level of body armor. So much so that it should be able to take the kick from a bullet, and leave you alive.
What happens when your vest doesn’t fit snug is an entirely different story because you risk the plates being shifted from a gunshot which can leave you vulnerable.
Make sure your vest fits snug, with enough room for comfort, and you will be 10 steps ahead of the game.
Best Plate Carriers – Final Thoughts
In this review, we took an in-depth look at some of our top picks for best plate carrier vests and what we believe you should look for when picking out your vest.
In the end, we feel it’s safe to say that it all comes down to personal preference, quality, and most importantly, functionality.
If we have left out a plate carrier vest that you believe should have made it on this list, feel free to leave us a comment below. We’d love to hear your feedback, and who knows, maybe we’ll even find a few new toys to review in the future.
