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Posted: 4/6/2026 2:57:39 AM EDT
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The last time I owned something like that was a soft PACA vest which I rarely used in South Florida. But seems like plates have gotten pretty light and plate carriers are less involved than the tac vests we used to use. I don't want to drop a ton of money into this, but something is better than nothing. Figure my total budget is $500. I'm not a war fighter, I'm not gonna be invading Iran, it's basically gonna replace a tac vest and be my new magazine carrier with the bonus of a plate. Looks like I'm going Level IV if I want to stop 5.56 rounds which is probably the most common. |
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Someone will come along and tell you what the new hotness on budget plates are. 1. Don't skimp on the plate carrier. Comfort is a HUGE difference between them, and the cheap ones will eventually fail. You don't need to go super $$$$, but don't go buy an amazon special or an airsoft carrier. There are deals out there if you wait for them, and the used market is actually worth looking into for this. 2. Make sure to figure out what size you need to get. Sizing on carriers is not how fat you are, but on the size of the plates you need to use. And those plates are sized by how big your upper torso is, mostly how tall it is. Hint: most men end up needing a medium. There are guides out there to get proper sizing. 3. Don't buy steel plates. Just don't. I'd look around on ebay and the EE here on arfcom. To see what's out there new, basically everything that optactical is good to go. You can see what all the cool guys are wearing. https://www.optactical.com/product-category/armor-carrier/ AWS has crappy customer service and is slow to ship, but they make good stuff. I have their operator's choice carrier. Their prices are good and they run good sales occasionally. A little more old-school, last gen stuff, but they're well made. https://awsin.com/gear/vests-plate-carriers/ You're probably going to end up spending most of your money on a decent set of budget entry level plates. Just a heads up on that. I'm not sure what current pricing is going for, but I doubt you'll get a decent set of plates for less than $400. You may want to raise your budget a little to get a decent carrier. If you can't find a deal on a decent carrier, let me know. I have a new TAG carrier in size medium that I'd be willing to let go to help a guy out, it will fall in your budget. I picked up a couple when TAG got sold and the new company blew out their old stock awhile back and don't have plates for one of them. |
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You can piecemeal a carrier together from a quality company....mine is a shellback rampage or skirmish, which is basic and inexpensive. My first real purchase other then pouches was a qd cumberbund. Agree on the plates, buy em once it's not something you can upgrade bit by bit, just do it right out of the gate. |
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Look at level 3 and 3+ plates, good for 5.56 and 308, and can save you a lot of weight over level 4 plates. Weight matters a lot. When it comes to carriers they’re kind of like shoes. They can all have different fits and different amounts of adjustability/padding venting etc. remember carriers are sized to plates, not body size. Since you’re in Florida I’d look at some of the minimalist carriers and something with a “skeletal” cummerbund to help with ventilation. Different pads/pylons/magic mesh attachments are also out there to go under plates to help with ventilation. Agilite also makes carriers with a lot of thought to working in the heat. I got one of the TAG carriers cheap a while back and I’m really happy with it. It’s comfortable and stable for athletic things. Unfortunately now they are pretty much only available second hand. Be realistic with what you’re going to do with it, if it’s mostly going to be in the closet or under the bed for “just in case” vs regular training or work in it, adjust budget and requirements to suit. I’m ok with a cheap carrier and battle steel (cheap botach brand ceramic plates) because it has a low likelihood of being used outside of a workout in the yard. The plates have been tested to stop m855 and 308 ball, are thin, light, and cheap. Good enough for me. |
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Get the set up for the rounds you will very likely be seeing, not the set up that will stop every round. The vest you wear is worth 1000 times more then the vest that sits at home because it's such a pain in the ass to wear even if it's rated lower. My son has a T shirt carrier set up with level 3 inserts. I have to say that the next set up I by will be probably VERY similar and I have multiple other stuff that'll stop anything I'd likely ever see outside of actual war. But........it's a PITA and kept for home use and such. |
Liberals are a curious mix of communism and fascism, they want to destroy you but want to use your own money to do it.
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
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Two RMA 1155 will run you about $400-$500 Velocity System LEPC is another $200 Ferro Slickster is about $160 but not as comfortable IMO. |
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You’re not going to get what you want on a $500 budget. Yes, you’ll want Level IV plates if you want to stop 5.56mm rounds. The maximum rating for soft armor is IIIA and of course it cannot stop those. There are 2 types of plates: ICW (In Conjunction With) and Standalone. ICW hard plates need soft armor behind them (either IIIA or IIA) to meet their rated ballistic performance. Standalone plates do not require any backing to meet their rated performance. If you’re not interested in trying to stop handgun rounds or fragmentation where there is no plate coverage, you can just run a plate carrier with Level IV plates. The advantage is this will weigh less and be less bulky without the soft armor coverage. It’ll also be cooler in the summer. Lots of options and you’ll ultimately have to choose a configuration you’ll be comfortable with. I was also on a budget, and bought used stuff to save money. My SWAT setup was an old Diamondback Tactical FAPC (Fast Attack Plate Carrier) with IIIA cummerbund and I ran SAPI ICW plates with a IIIA plate-shaped backer behind each plate. This gave me a good mix of protection without being too hot, heavy, or cumbersome. If you’re super protected, but cannot move effectively, you won’t be able to fight effectively either. Unless you’re like a gunner in a vehicle turret. In that case, turtle up, by all means. In general the hard plates become lighter and/or thinner as the price increases, but the devil’s in the details so read the specs carefully. There are different shape options for both plates and pockets (in the carrier) such as SAPI, swimmer’s cut (non-standardized), etc. Single curve vs multi-curve doesn’t affect which pocket it’ll fit in (in general) it’s just a bend/comfort thing. BALCS cut refers to the shape of the soft armor (and/or carrier) and this is a standardized shape (per size). |
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If you're not in a rush I'd say wait until there is a big sale (4th of July). I prefer PCs with tubes for easy on/off. Crye has some good minimalist PCs. Also check the EE you can always score a good deal there. Don't go chasing the hype and name and overpay. Use the KISS method and don't hang a bunch of crap off your PC you don't need and makes things more cumbersome and heavy. |
Fuck Cancer. Love you Pop.
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I think your best bet in that price range is RMA I currently use a strandhogg with Hesco SRT plates, side panels, and softpanel backers, love the strandhogg. Its relatively light, very comfortable, and will stop m855A1 and M80 when combined with the softpanel backer. But thats well outside your budget. Probably 1k-1300 ish. Attached File Heres rma lvl 4 in an old lbt minimalist. Heavy. Not super comfortable. Really thick. But like 350 bucks and will stop 30-06. Attached File |
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Originally Posted By 6EQUJ5: I thought Level III will not stop M855. Lvl. III+ will stop all the 556 except M855. It's what I have, it's a good bit lighter than a Lvl. IV, especially at that price point you are looking at. Unless you are expecting to get into a firefight against the US military, odds are they won't have M855 and a III+ will stop what they are shooting at you. The recommendation above about getting a set of RMA plates is probably your best bet ($400ish), and looking for a good plate carrier deal in the $150-200 range, something used or on sale. And like I said, if you can't find a good deal, I have that extra TAG carrier I'll sell you for, I dunno, $120? |
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Originally Posted By KitBuilder: You’re not going to get what you want on a $500 budget. Actually, you can get close to that if you are patient and look for deals. I originally didn't even consider a plate carrier due to the expense but due to great timing I managed to build my plate carrier for $550. I upgraded it as time went by, but I did very well on my initial setup. |
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Originally Posted By SCR556: Actually, you can get close to that if you are patient and look for deals. I originally didn't even consider a plate carrier due to the expense but due to great timing I managed to build my plate carrier for $550. I upgraded it as time went by, but I did very well on my initial setup. Yup. I'd budget $600. You can shave it down a bit if you are lucky and patient. |
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Originally Posted By marnsdorff: Lvl. III+ will stop all the 556 except M855. It's what I have, it's a good bit lighter than a Lvl. IV, especially at that price point you are looking at. Unless you are expecting to get into a firefight against the US military, odds are they won't have M855 and a III+ will stop what they are shooting at you. The recommendation above about getting a set of RMA plates is probably your best bet ($400ish), and looking for a good plate carrier deal in the $150-200 range, something used or on sale. And like I said, if you can't find a good deal, I have that extra TAG carrier I'll sell you for, I dunno, $120? I don't expect to get into a firefight with anyone. But if the "worst case" scenario happens where I actually need this stuff, I imagine there are plenty of people who stacked up M855 just like me and a lot of people here. It's not like it's an obscure round. I'm gonna put together a setup over time as soon as I feel like I understand everything involved and as things become available or affordable. |
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Originally Posted By PistoleroJesse: Op doesn't need lvl 4 to stop 5.56. Hesco M210 or L211 will do that just fine. But he didn't put down a weight requirement. I think he's more interested in budget. Which really limits what his options are with weight. But yea, the Hesco 210, 211, and 212 will stop M855. I'd look at those as options. They've kinda been the 'go to' for awhile. Though didn't Hesco stop selling the 210's? |
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Originally Posted By 6EQUJ5: The last time I owned something like that was a soft PACA vest which I rarely used in South Florida. But seems like plates have gotten pretty light and plate carriers are less involved than the tac vests we used to use. I don't want to drop a ton of money into this, but something is better than nothing. Figure my total budget is $500. I'm not a war fighter, I'm not gonna be invading Iran, it's basically gonna replace a tac vest and be my new magazine carrier with the bonus of a plate. Looks like I'm going Level IV if I want to stop 5.56 rounds which is probably the most common. @6EQUJ5 unpopular question, how’s your health & fitness? If they’re not decent I’d prob just get some of ultralight level 3 stuff if anything. I’d focus more on health & fitness, especially if you’re still in Florida. I’m in decent shape & my stripped down 3+ carrier is still about 20lbs, and out larping with my buddies in it is pretty tiring. |
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Originally Posted By bdover: @6EQUJ5 unpopular question, how’s your health & fitness? If they’re not decent I’d prob just get some of ultralight level 3 stuff if anything. I’d focus more on health & fitness, especially if you’re still in Florida. I’m in decent shape & my stripped down 3+ carrier is still about 20lbs, and out larping with my buddies in it is pretty tiring. In my 60s so compared to my peers, excellent. But reality is bad knees, a few injuries over the years and weight (plates and carrier) is a factor. I will probably do a single plate (something being better than nothing). Will come down to how much protection is actually provided and at what weight penalty. I'm really just looking into this stuff for the first time. |
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Originally Posted By 6EQUJ5: In my 60s so compared to my peers, excellent. But reality is bad knees, a few injuries over the years and weight (plates and carrier) is a factor. I will probably do a single plate (something being better than nothing). Will come down to how much protection is actually provided and at what weight penalty. I'm really just looking into this stuff for the first time. It's not just weight, but heat (wearing a plate carrier is like wearing a heavy fleece vest) and messing with your neck / back by dumping ALOT more weight up on your upper torso. And don't just do one plate, it will make it unbalanced and not work correctly. If you are going to do armor, then do armor. Otherwise just get a chest rig. |
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Originally Posted By 6EQUJ5: In my 60s so compared to my peers, excellent. But reality is bad knees, a few injuries over the years and weight (plates and carrier) is a factor. I will probably do a single plate (something being better than nothing). Will come down to how much protection is actually provided and at what weight penalty. I'm really just looking into this stuff for the first time. That is where I am at, so I chose some light weight Level III+ plates and a slick carrier I could scale up. Plates only give you a chance at survival - cover is what stops the bullets. Make sure your PC doesn't weigh you down so much you can't quickly move from cover to cover. |
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Originally Posted By SCR556: That is where I am at, so I chose some light weight Level III+ plates and a slick carrier I could scale up. Plates only give you a chance at survival - cover is what stops the bullets. Make sure your PC doesn't weigh you down so much you can't quickly move from cover to cover. I agree. Started down this rabbit hole because at the last shoot some guy had some really light weight plates (possibly ceramic) and I didn't realize body armor had gotten that light. No idea what level plates, he was showing them to somebody else. So I'm here investigating. Won't be a EDC thing, I'm just thinking for that "unlikely scenario" we all hope we never see but IF it happens I don't want to be the guy thinking "Damn I should have grabbed one, they were only about $500-750." |
| I recently picked up a set of RMA 1165 plates in the shooters cut. Level 4 protection, multicurve and 5.5 pounds each. I didn't realize how much I was missing out on having single curve plates until I got these. A set of them is $600. I would spend more money up front on comfortable plates with a cheap carrier rather than getting a better carrier with cheap uncomfortable plates. |
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Originally Posted By billygoat69: I recently picked up a set of RMA 1165 plates in the shooters cut. Level 4 protection, multicurve and 5.5 pounds each. I didn't realize how much I was missing out on having single curve plates until I got these. A set of them is $600. I would spend more money up front on comfortable plates with a cheap carrier rather than getting a better carrier with cheap uncomfortable plates. Yea, definitely get curved plates. All the ones recommended on here, btw, are curved. You can get a decent carrier that is comfortable and well made, for a budget price, if you shop around. I wouldn't skimp on either the carrier or the plates. And by 'skimp' I mean don't get airsoft grade carriers or steel plates or unknown quality plates. The higher end gear, the carriers approach a grand and plates are in the thousands. I'm not saying you gotta have the latest and greatest, just get a known quality item. |
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Originally Posted By 6EQUJ5: I don't expect to get into a firefight with anyone. But if the "worst case" scenario happens where I actually need this stuff, I imagine there are plenty of people who stacked up M855 just like me and a lot of people here. It's not like it's an obscure round. I'm gonna put together a setup over time as soon as I feel like I understand everything involved and as things become available or affordable. The 855 mostly being referred to is the a1 and not the green tip most of us have. Pretty much any lvl3 with a strike face will stop green tip. |
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Originally Posted By SCR556: That is where I am at, so I chose some light weight Level III+ plates and a slick carrier I could scale up. Plates only give you a chance at survival - cover is what stops the bullets. Make sure your PC doesn't weigh you down so much you can't quickly move from cover to cover. Imo this is the way for most civilians. A light slick setup that you can conceal under a hoody or jacket is useful in a lot of situations where a full battle rattle setup wouldn't be. You can slap a 3 mag shingle and an ifak for a light mobile overt setup. You can get acceptable protection in a light thin plate but it can get expensive. Lots of people have cheap heavy plates that they'd throw on if there was something going on in the neighborhood and that works fine. If you plan on training and running around in them spending more $$ makes a lot more sense. |
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Originally Posted By billygoat69: I recently picked up a set of RMA 1165 plates in the shooters cut. Level 4 protection, multicurve and 5.5 pounds each. I didn't realize how much I was missing out on having single curve plates until I got these. A set of them is $600. I would spend more money up front on comfortable plates with a cheap carrier rather than getting a better carrier with cheap uncomfortable plates. That actually sounds like a winner. |
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Originally Posted By marnsdorff: Yea, definitely get curved plates. Originally Posted By marnsdorff: Yea, definitely get curved plates. Multi-curved plates...not just curved plates. Originally Posted By bdover: 5.5 lbs per plate is good. Get a carrier of the EE & you’re good. Mine are 3.5 each and I consider them heavy enough. 11 lbs. of plates is a lot of weight. |
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Piggybacking off OP's thread, looking for III+/III++ recommendations. Currently have a set of Hoplite (LTC) 26605's and would like to drop some weight.
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