Best Budget Plate Carriers of 2022 – Ultimate Guide

 Are you a working law officer? Fitness freak? Or simply a hunter? These professions and hobbies require a plate carrier that would help you ease your work and how great would it be if you find one that falls right into your budget. So looking for the best Cheap plate carrier that has the ability to quick-release ballistic plates is a daunting task. 

Sometimes athletes, gymnasts, and law enforcement officers are required to wear a plate carrier and it gets tedious if the plate carrier is costly. 

So after tons of extensive research, we have compiled the list of the top 6 best budget plate carriers after the considerations. So without further ado, let’s get started!

Best Budget Plate carrier of 2022 – Comparison Table

1.YAKEDA Tactical Vest – BestPlate carrier Under $100

The Yakeda vest is one of the best tactical vests in 2022 these days and is under budget. This vest comes with a lot of features that you don’t normally find in costly plate carrier vests which makes it an amazing choice for you.

The good quality of this vest is that it comes in several various colours but what makes it stand out the most is its availability in different sizes. It goes from a range of people with short stature to people who are obese. 

The Yakeda Tactical vest comes with adjustable shoulder and side straps so you can fit it according to your body shape and it gives you a snugly fit around your body. It is made of a highly durable fabric that prevents wear and tear and ensures longer use. This cheap plate carrier under $100 comes with a lot of pouches that can be added or removed according to your requirements. It also comes with a zipper that makes it easy to wear and highly breathable and it is very light in weight. 

2.ProCase – Best Plate carrier for money

The ProCase tactical vest is made of high-quality cloth which makes this vest long-lasting and highly stretchable. It has mesh inserted in the cloth making it lightweight and breathable for you, allowing free movements at the same time. 

The ProCase tactical vest comes with removable pouches that can be added on accord and you can put whatever you want in this vest. Starting from magazines to your belongings such as keys and cellphone. This would take one worry away from you during your task. 

It comes with an adjustable shoulder strap that makes it easy for you to customize according to your body shape and size to fit snugly around your body. This vest is highly durable because it has extra stretching to assure that it lasts for a long time. The addition of a zipper makes it really easy to wear and breathable. 

It comes with extra webbing on the back so you can put an extra plate carrier on the backpack if you want to take on some extra equipment during a task. This tactical plate carrier vest under $200  also comes with an extra pouch in which you can put your flashlight or water bottle.

3. Lancer Cross Draw Vest – Best under $50

The Lance Cross-Draw Vest is obe of the heavy-duty plate carrier that is available for under $100. This tactical vest comes in many different colors that you can use in different tasks. It is also available in camouflage design so you can easily blend in with nature and can hit your target without giving yourself away. 

It comes with an adjustable belt so you can adjust it around your body according to your needs with 2 pistol magazine pouches. There are different panels in this tactical vest for you to put in different things. 

These have meshwork built in them which makes them lightweight and easy to carry. Having an adjustable velcro makes it even better. These vests are highly adjustable as they come with shoulder straps. You can take the pouches off of the vest. 

It is really good for even children and people who are short to wear and have a lot of places to put the gear in. You can take this vest out on a mission easily as it has a lot of storage space for your maps and food backup. This makes your task at hand easy for you. 

4.Barbarians MOLLE – Best plate carrier under $300

The Barbarians Molle tactical vest is a personalized vest. A vest that is cheap & affordable as it is highly customizable. There are a lot of pouches that can be added or removed according to your preferences which makes it worth having. 

This cheap plate carrier vest is really easy to carry and comes with shoulder straps so that you can adjust it according to you. It also comes with shoulder pads that are removable. It is very lightweight which makes it easy to wear on different occasions. 

Even if it is a low budget, it is made of high-quality fabric. The 600D oxford cloth makes this vest super breathable and easy to wear. This particular cloth is also worn and tear-proof. The standing out feature is the sponge lining in it which makes it comfortable around your body and absorbs your sweat so you can wear it for a longer period of time.

The mesh interior makes these vets light in weight and breathable. Pockets on the sides are just an added bonus. You can store your torch, water bottle, maps, and other accessories in these pockets. Pockets are also present on the front. 

5.DLP Tactical Chest Rig Vest

The DLP tactical chest rig vest provides a high level of comfort and free movement of the body. This affordable plate carrier is lightweight and is highly adjustable. There is webbing on the front for you to attach different items. Even more, is the place where we can attach other pouches. 

This cheap plate carrier vest comes with an extra bib that can be folded down in order to set lower areas. This tactical plate carrier vest comes with four different pouches so you can put different kinds of magazines in your pouches. 

The pouches that it comes with can be easily taken off. The material that this vest is made of is long-lasting and durable. The pouches that come with this vest have so much place in them that you can easily add lots of material. 

The DLP tactical vest comes in camouflage colors and as we have already mentioned multiple times that having a camouflage vest can make your quest easy for you as it helps you blend in with nature. 

6. RAPDOM Tactical Molle Chest Rigs

The Rapdom Molle chest rig is a high-quality plate carrier. This under budget chest rig is made of high-quality nylon material that makes it wear and tear-proof, and long-lasting. The cloth material makes this vest highly durable and breathable.

This under $100 chest rig has heavy webbing so you can add different stuff in your rig to make it function even better. The shoulder straps also come padded, no extra shoulder pads are needed to be ordered even in this budget limit. 

These vests come in 3 different colors. You can choose whichever you prefer or whichever is suitable for your work environment. The standing out feature of this vest is the amount of pouches that it comes with. Usually, there are 9 but other than those 9 there are extra 5 hidden pouches for you to hide your belongings and put in extra gear without having to worry about it. 

Best Budget Plate Carriers of 2022 – Buying guide: 

Before buying a vest there are a few things that you need to check so that you don’t get the wrong vest. Getting the vest that is not made for you or is simply not suitable for you can jeopardize a lot of things for you. Including your profession as it would create problems with the task that you are performing whether its hunting or a task on the battlefield. 

So to help you choose the best cheap plate carrier vest we have not only assembled your best options but we are also mentioning things to be considered before buying your tactical vest to make your task easy for you. 

Following is the list of things to look at followed by a detailed explanation as to why you need to ensure that you are aware of these things.

• Size
• Weight
• Material/Durability
• Adjustability
• Accessories
  
  1. Size:

Usually, vests come in different sizes and some have just one size that can’t be adjusted. So, you need to make sure that you know the size of the plate carrier that you are buying because if it doesn’t fit you, it would be good for nothing because it would keep hindering your task. 

           2. Weight:

Depending on the type of your task you need to see what vest would suit you the best. Whether it would be a heavy-duty one or a lightweight vest. Heavyweight vests are good for people who are working in deployment or law officers. Whereas, lightweight is good for you if you are exercising or hunting. So, you need to check the weight of the vest before buying it. 

           3. Material/Durability:

The material of a plate carrier is very important. You need to check what cloth is being used and if it promises durability. Some people prefer a built-in mesh as it maintains breathability and some need stiff cloth for heavy training so you need to figure out your preference and buy accordingly. 

            4. Adjustability:

Before buying your plate carrier vest you need to ensure that it can be easily adjusted so that it can fit you. If it is not adjustable, you would find it difficult to be able to move freely and restricted movements would hinder your performance.

            5. Accessories:

The last thing you need to see is what kind of accessories is your plate carrier coming with and whether or not it has the required accessories. Depending on the kind of work you need them for, you can look for shoulder pad fillings, hydration packs, pouches, and if there is a place for adding more things or not. This would enhance your performance.

FAQs

What is the perfect color for a plate carrier? 

Actually, the best color depends entirely on your choice. Some of the plate carriers don’t even offer that many colors and most even have only black. But the ones that do offer, have a very good range and you can choose from whichever you prefer or you think is appropriate for a work environment. 

A pro tip is going for the camouflage design of the carrier plate vest because that would help you lay low and blend in with the environment making sure that your enemy doesn’t get aware of your presence. 

How tight should a plate carrier be?

This depends entirely upon your comfort level whether or not you feel okay and not suffocated in the vest. Most of the plate carriers come with shoulder and waist straps so that you can easily adjust around your body. 

The adjustment mainly allows free movement which is really necessary for you. If the task at hand is really critical you need to make sure that your vest is well adjusted. 

How long do plate carriers last?

As we have mentioned previously in our buying guide f 2022 that different plate carriers are made up of different fabrics. The cloth used defines the quality and different features of the cloth. Such as its durability, strength, and things like how long will it last. Usually, a plate carrier has an average time span of 6 to 7 years depending upon your use, it can even last longer. 

Where should a plate carrier sit?

According to the general rule of the plate carriers, it should sit two fingers below the collar bone. Other than that you can adjust it according to your comfort by the shoulder straps that are attached to the vest. 

Can I wear a weighted vest all day?

It is not recommended but you can wear the vest all day. Wearing it all day can make you feel weaker as it burns more calories than usual and it makes you sweat as well. So it can be done but it would be better to not do it. Although, if you are in such a condition where you must wear it all day such as in law enforcement then it is fine. 

Conclusion

A plate carrier is an accessory that makes your life easier. If you are in law enforcement, this would help you carry your weapons; if you are a hunter, it can help you carry maps and scales to make your hunt easy for you and if you are simply someone who loves fitness, you can add some more plates in it just to shed those extra calories. 

So, long story short, you can use this plate carrier for multiple purposes including protection. Vests give you comfort and enhance your performance by boosting your confidence. To buy your vest in 2022, all you need to do is look at the guide we have put up for you, check out which features suit you best and grab your plate carrier. You don’t even have to worry about the money as we have only mentioned the carriers that are perfect for your budget.