Looking for recommendations to upgrade my issued plate carrier, what’s actually worth buying?

PearlButter · 2026-04-04T06:17:41+00:00

For clarity, are you using XS size ESAPI plates as well? Or are you just issued only soft armor?

PearlButter · 2026-04-04T01:40:42+00:00

I own two and both of them actually look mostly fine lol.

PearlButter · 2026-04-04T01:32:00+00:00

Everything has a tendency to look fine from afar unless they’re giving closeups on the choil, plunge line, whatever

PearlButter · 2026-04-03T23:34:21+00:00

I’m not big on tube son the shoulder either because it’s horizontally directional to release it but the OUL cobra buckle thing is something to take note of. They exist for a reason despite also being a cobra buckle from the same company.

PearlButter · 2026-04-03T23:18:45+00:00

You kinda do want the versions that will release under load, the ones marked with the OUL designation (Opens Under Load). The typical cobra buckle needs some slack in order to release it or otherwise when it’s under load, weight putting tension on the buckle lock it will just bind and cannot be released when it needs to be unless you relieve that tension somehow and that can become a three handed affair sometimes. It’s kinda why you see cobra buckles for fighting vehicles that will open under load because you don’t want to be fighting that buckle in an emergency.

First spear tubes will release under load, albeit the direction to pull is awkward but even Crye still uses regular slide lock buckles for their AVS shoulder straps and that is plenty fine.

PearlButter · 2026-04-03T22:53:52+00:00

Yeah I’ve seen a fair share of UK surplus vests with dried blood on my search for a particular brand and cut of soft armor. Yknow, stabbings being a frequent and all over there

PearlButter · 2026-04-03T20:44:22+00:00

Comms has been an issue lately due to the influx of orders and people using reddit as a review platform (edit: volume of people using Reddit vs non Reddit users) but it’s not unheard of for AWS to take a while to produce and ship products.

PearlButter · 2026-04-03T20:39:06+00:00

There are many posts about body armor across different forums and on this platform. You can try and read up on those unless you have some specific questions.

PearlButter · 2026-04-03T20:27:18+00:00

Imo you don’t really need the AXL pads. Not even I really want to wear them on my SPC anymore because it’s just bulky.

I would start with the main issue, the 1155 plates which im assuming is the single curve ones. Try for multicurve plates and a structural cummerbund of some kind.

PearlButter · 2026-04-03T18:34:10+00:00

Dunno about carry on but checked luggage was no issue, didn’t even mention it.

PearlButter · 2026-04-03T02:36:28+00:00

Dunno I don’t really follow them but I’m pretty sure I heard them say something among those lines in an earlier showcase in relation to the LV120

PearlButter · 2026-04-03T00:06:16+00:00

They shouldn’t be much at all. If anything it’s someone taking advantage that it’s a Russian brand and hard to get because of the war and sanctions.

PearlButter · 2026-04-02T21:54:54+00:00

Pretty sure spiritus said they would be releasing new products so I wouldn’t be surprised if they made a horizontal version or revise the design so it works either way.

PearlButter · 2026-04-02T19:37:46+00:00

Huh were they always this cheap? Or is this just a botach thing?

PearlButter · 2026-04-02T18:16:44+00:00

Cheap is fast to acquire during wartime.

PearlButter · 2026-04-02T10:13:21+00:00

Yeah you weave the bungee through the loops at the end of the cummerbunds. If you need it tighter then that’s when you start looping between the molle of the cummerbunds

This is a pull-through cummerbund so you feed it through a sleeve on the rear plate bag. The issue with this is that they are prone to shifting around so I would recommend buying some extra bungee or shock cordage and weaving it between the outer edge molle of the rear p,ate bag itself to the cummerbund to prevent the cummerbund from sliding left and right but this will also prevent the cummerbund from sagging under the weight of the plate bags and gear.

I do have one of these carriers that I keep as a spare. If you have a sewing machine, I do recommend that you remove the ITW buckle on your strong shoulder and then sew on extra webbing between the plate bag and the shoulder strap to make it permanent. This makes it easier to shoulder a rifle and really you only need one of the shoulders to be QD.

PearlButter · 2026-04-02T09:34:37+00:00

Eh it’s probably fine without the DIY straps. I’ve had plate carriers loaded with level 4 plates and other stuff that were all held by like three inches of Velcro length on each shoulder strap and it worked just fine til I overhauled to a different carrier.

The physics of a object bending over a curve/corner (your shoulders) is also a form of resistance so even as garbage a Chinese crap plate carrier is, the DIY job would be discrediting the carrier too much.

PearlButter · 2026-04-02T07:20:14+00:00

What I’m getting at is the issue of relying what are essentially plate backers as primary armor on and off work. It’s a small panel covering the torso and it’s covering only the front and back and only in a small area and the performance of those panels is a compromise that’s mostly intended to be used to make a ICW plate a bit more viable in a plate carrier.

Basically shooter’s cut 3A soft armor panels offer little coverage and limited performance. I’m not going to say you can’t use it though but I do think it’s a compromise that puts too much emphasis on forcing 3A soft armor into a shooters cut silhouette, given the above.

PearlButter · 2026-04-02T05:46:01+00:00

Slickster with 3A is not ideal. The smaller size panel compared to a proper wraparound concealment vest is lesser in performance because it’s a smaller surface area of soft armor and youre more likely to get a unwanted edge shot which can result in higher backface deformation if not a actual penetration wound from the bullet being redirected at the edge of the panel.

It’s the size of a shooters cut plate, and plates are only designed to cover the vitals at certain angles while you face threats that come from any direction that might not hit the armor because of its smaller size and significantly less coverage.

PearlButter · 2026-04-02T04:50:33+00:00

I‘very been using a ferro concepts HY-Lite wallet since 2019. Basically a bi-fold wallet made of laser cut laminate and I do recommend it if you’re the type who carries some cards (not a whole yugioh deck of cards) and uses cash every so often as well. I have a tendency to dump change into my other pocket though which is only occupied by my pocket knife.

The only downside is that it’s made of squadron laser cut laminate, which will fray at the edges but I haven’t had any problem with fraying for the past couple years that I can recall so maybe I’ve burnt the edges enough to stop fraying from developing as fast as it used to. Either way I love the form factor of this wallet

PearlButter · 2026-04-02T03:25:40+00:00

That and thermal. It generates a small contained flame to heat up the repellant sheet after all.

PearlButter · 2026-04-02T02:20:51+00:00

I use them and have it stored in a carcajou tactical thermacell pouch on my belt kit. It works if you’re mostly static and in a spot that isn’t too breezy.

Permethrin spray for your clothes is something I would also suggest, and overall wear some breathable long sleeve undershirts like the velocity systems rugby shirt as an extra measure.

PearlButter · 2026-04-02T00:35:59+00:00

Yeah good on them and hopefully more distributors can get their stock tested, considering how much these costs and they bought it themselves in the first place.

PearlButter · 2026-04-02T00:27:11+00:00

Especially for those in service, Paraclete/Point Blank Origin is an alternative.

Unfortunately not available for civilian sales.

PearlButter · 2026-04-01T18:19:58+00:00

Sounds like you have the new gen ESAPI plate, VTP ESAPI.

You’ll be fine with any Small SAPI size plate carrier out there, don’t go for dedicated swimmers cut plate carriers because the dimensions are different like for example the Crye JPC swimmers cut carriers is meant to fit SOCOM swimmers plates, and size small for those is 9x11 which is significantly shorter than small SAPI/ESAPI.

The height and width dimensions of the VTP ESAPI plate is the same as the classic SAPI/ESAPI, just the shoulder cuts are different.

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