Since you are here on our site, it means you are looking for top minimalist plate carriers. Plate carriers can be really important on some occasions, even life saving some times so having a plate carrier can add a lot of potential in your life.
What kind of tactical plate carrier will be best in 2022 you want depends entirely upon you, your job, and your preference.
We have gathered the best minimalist plate carriers that are out there for you and also added a buying guide so you can choose the best one for yourself.
We hope you find what you are looking for so without further ado let’s start!
Table of Contents
Best Minimalist Plate Carrier 2022 Reviews
🏆 WarTechGears – Top Minimalist Plate Carrier
⭐ ⭐ GFIRE Minimalist Tactical Vest
⭐ 5.11 Tactical Plate Carrier
1. WarTechGears – Fast Minimalist Plate Carrier
The WarTechGears tactical fast vest is among the best minimalist plate carrier vests. This tactical vest has slots both front and back which means you can easily add plates on both sides, giving maximum outcome. This vest comes in only one size which can be easily adjustable.
This highly adjustable tactical vest can easily fit most of the people. The WarTechGears vest is made of a very high-quality nylon cloth making it very durable and good for long term wear. This vest is available in multiple colors.
The good thing about the vest is that it is very good for the money, comes with all the good features in lesser money. This vest is highly comfortable to wear which means you can easily use it on a daily basis for work or for a task as simple as exercise. Also very easy to wear and take off.
The shoulder comes with straps which are highly adjustable and makes it more comfortable to wear. A chest rig set and other accessories can be easily added to the vest to make it more functional and according to your needs.
Final Verdict:
If you are looking for a minimalist vest that can be easily adjusted and can be customized according to your needs, this is the vest for you. The vests promise long withstanding and also comes with webbing to add more and more stuff and make it breathable.
Specifications:
- Brand: WarTechGears
- Colors: Multiple
- Cloth material: Nylon
Features:
- Colors: Multiple
- Plate carrier both on front and back.
- Adjustable.
- Long withstanding.
- Nylon cloth material.
- Comes with webbing.
- Comfortable.
- Comes in multiple colors.
- Made of high-quality cloth material.
- Plate carriers are present both on the front and back.
- Is very good and lasts long.
- Comes with webbing to add on extra material.
- Highly comfortable to wear.
- Breathable.
- Highly adjustable.
- Highly comfortable.
- Buckles are not good enough.
2. GFIRE Minimalist Tactical Vest
The GFIRE tactical vest is also a minimalist tactical vest that has a lot of really amazing features. This vest is highly adjustable and comes with padded shoulders which is an amazing feature. The hooks and straps are also attached which can be easily used to adjust it around your body and makes it fit snugly.
This tactical vest comes with heavy webbing for the attachment of gears and other stuff like magazine pouches etc. There is a pocket on the front of the vest for putting material like maps and scales other than that there is an internal strap for better adjustment.
The inner lining is also padded, providing maximum comfortability and absorbs sweating as well helping you function for a longer period of time. There is also an adjustable cummerbund present of the inner side.
The vest is made of 1000D polyester which makes this GFIRE tactical vest very light in weight and the meshwork also makes it breathable. The size also suits most people. The stitching is also very good.
Final Verdict:
If you are someone who is in the deployment of law enforcement you should definitely buy this vest because it not only has the most amazing features, it also comes with a heavy MOLLE system which means that you can carry all the extra weight you want without having to worry about it rupturing or tearing apart.
Specifications:
- Brand: GFIRE
- Color: Multiple
- Cloth material: 1000D polyester
Features:
- Internal cummerbund
- Hooks and straps
- Internal Strap
- Heavy Webbing
- Heavy MOLLE
- Lightweight
- Adjustable
- Comfortable
- Front Pocket
- Padded shoulder
- Breathable
- Highly adjustable
- Light in weight.
- Very comfortable.
- Available in multiple colors.
- Heavy webbing for attaching different accessories
- Shoulders are padded
- Highly breathable.
- This vest is very pricey.
- Buckles are not stable.
3. 5.11 Tactical Plate Carrier
The 5.11 tactical VTAC vest is among the top minimalist plate carrier vests. This vest is made of high-quality nylon fiber which makes the 5.11 tactical vest highly breathable and prevents it from wear and tear. As the cloth material indicates this is very light in weight
Highly adjustable and provides maximum movement when wearing. You can easily fit this tactical vest on your clothes with no worry of moving smoothly. The good thing about this vest is that it comes with a lot of pockets.
The 5.11 is a multifunction vest that you can use for hunting, deployment, and other purposes as there are a hydration pocket and pocket for maps, etc as well. The VTAC is really good for emergencies as it is made in a way that gears are really easily accessible.
Even though there are a lot of qualities in this vest but the one that stands out the most is the customization ability of the vest. You can easily add or remove stuff from the vest according to your needs
Final Verdict:
This vest is multipurpose, you can get this vest for any task that you want to perform, especially great for critical missions as there are hidden compartments where you can hide and grab your gears on the accord.
Specifications:
- Brand: 5.11
- Color: Multiples
- Purpose: Multipurpose.
- Cloth material: Nylon
- Hydration pocket.
Features:
- Multifunctional.
- Nylon Cloth
- Hidden Pockets
- Adjustable
- Breathable
- Comfortable
- Customizable
- Light in weight
- Hydration pocket
- Comes in multiple colors
- Can be used for multiple functions.
- High-quality cloth material.
- Has a hydration pocket
- Long-lasting
- Highly Adjustable
- Easy to grab gear compartments.
- Customizable
- Really good for emergencies
- Removable pockets
- Can be a bit noisy
4. BLACKHAWK S.T.R.I.K.E. Elite Vest
The Blackhawk elite vest is yet another minimalist plate carrier vest. Although this vest can be used for many purposes but is particularly very good for hunting. The cloth material for this vest is nylon which prevents the vest from wear and tear.
Highly breathable because of good quality cloth material and is also very adjustable. You can easily fit it around your body. Comes with zippers which makes it easy to wear and take off. Also comes with side pockets to put your gears in.
There is heavy webbing in the plate carrier vest which allows you to add more accessories to your plate carrier. The vest is also very reliable. The vest can easily fit big sizes and is good for people with big stature.
The vest as mentioned is really good for hunting and the factor that makes this vest good for hunting is because there are a lot of pockets to put your belongings in such as maps, bug sprays, magazine pouches, scales, and other equipment.
Final Verdict:
These budget plate carrier vest are really good for you if you are a professional hunter or in law enforcement, these have a lot of good quality features. The sewing is really good. The shoulders also come padded.
Specifications:
- Brand: BLACKHAWK
- Colors: Multiple
- Cloth material: Nylon
Features:
- Colors: Multiple
- Cloth material: Nylon
- Adjustable
- Comfortable
- Lightweight
- Breathable
- Heavy webbing
- Many pockets
- Comes with zipper
- This vest is really good for big guys
- Comes in multiple colors
- Highly comfortable
- Adjustable
- Light in weight
- Easy to carry
- Really good for hunters
- Breathable
- Heavy webbing for you to put extra material in
- Comes with many pockets
- Comes with a zipper
- East to wear and take off
- Durable
- Prevents wear and tear
- Made of high-quality cloth material
- Is not good for people with small builds.
Buying guide of Minimalist Plate Carrier 2022:
In order to buy a plate carrier, no matter the kind, you need to ensure a few necessary features. Those features would make sure that you get the perfect plate carrier vest for yourself and that you don’t have to face problems in the long run. We have done our research and specifically aggregated the attributes that you need to look for. Those qualities are as follows:
- Size.
- Weight.
- Material.
- Adjustability.
- Accessories.
- Comfortability.
- Shoulder pads.
Size:
Size is one of the most important things that you need to check in a plate carrier vest. Because this particular thing ensures whether or not you would be able to perform your function properly. If the size is smaller you won’t be able to wear the vest in the first place but if the size is larger, you would be uncomfortable the entire time and the vest would cause hindrance in your action. Having a perfect size not only enhances your performance but also boosts your confidence to perform well on the battlefield.
Weight:
The weight entirely depends on the kind of work you need your plate carrier vest for, it could be the lightweight of heavyweight. Usually, a minimalist plate carrier vest is very light in weight although there are a lot of places where you can add extra plates and make it heavier according to your requirements.
Material:
The material of the plate carrier vest is something very important to look at because that ensures the durability of your plate carrier vest. Usually, a plate carrier is made of Oxford, Caudier, or Nylon material. All these materials are long-lasting and ensure that the plate carrier stays intact for a long time. Other than the material it is better to check the sewing quality of your plate carrier vest as well.
Adjustability:
Another important thing to look for in a plate carrier is its adjustability, usually, a plate carrier comes with hooks and straps to adjust it properly around your body. Having a plate carrier adjust snugly around your body is the best option you can get in a plate carrier. We all have different body shapes and sizes and adjusting is one of the most important features in a plate carrier.
Accessories:
You have to buy a plate carrier that fits the work that you are supposed to perform but not all plate carriers fit your requirements so for that, you need accessories. Accessories are a very important feature of your plate carrier such as adding a hydration pack in case you are going to a place such as a dessert or simply going on a long mission. Other than that extra pouches and pockets are also important if your mission is very critical or your work requires it. Usually, the vests come with extra webbing to easily add most of the material with it or extra places where you can easily adjust your material.
Comfortability:
The first thing you look for when buying anything to wear is usually the comfortability whether it is a simple clothing item or something as a jewel so, in a plate carrier vest, comfortability is equally important so for that you need to look for a lot of features altogether, them being the cloth material, webbing and breathability of the cloth, installed features and adjustability as well. Once it fits and is according to your required weight, you’d be comfortable.
Shoulder pads:
Even though plate carrier shoulder pads are a part of accessories, they still are worth mentioning because they are a necessary part of the vest, even if a plate carrier vest does not come with the shoulder pads, you need to buy these separately or you won’t be able to function properly. They ensure comfort and prevent you from shoulder dislocation or straining and even rashes so it’s better to get them or ensure that your vest has them if you do not want to get them separately.
FAQs:
What is the best color for a plate carrier?
The best color for a plate carrier vest depends entirely upon your work or whatever is it that you need your plate carrier for. Usually, a plate carrier comes in black color and a coyote brown color.
Those colors are perfect for you if you are in law enforcement or need to wear it as a uniform. If your uniform requires some other colors, you should definitely get those and for other purposes, such as exercise, it mainly depends upon your preference and in missions such as hunting, etc, you would be better off with a camouflage design to blend in with the environment. So your prey would never see you coming.
What color is coyote tan?
Coyote tan is kinda like khaki color, it actually has nothing to do with actual tan color. In fact, it is olive greenish in color and is a very good color if you want to blend in with the environment such as in desserts or in jungles.
This color is one of the best choices for a plate carrier vest if you are working on a critical mission. This would help you by helping you camouflage with your surroundings making it difficult for your enemy to spot you.
What should I have on my plate carrier?
If you are going for a minimalist plate carrier, you do not need to have much on your plate carrier although you can put a lot of plates in it and add accessories to your plate carrier according to the webbing and the places that it allows for you to add extra things on.
That would include a hydration pack and stuff like magazine pouches and dump pouches. The things you would need on your plate carrier entirely depend on your mission. For longer missions, you would need hydration packs.
For law enforcement and deployment missions, dump pouches are necessary along with magazine pouches and pistol pouches, etc.
Where should your plate carrier sit?
Generally, the plate carrier has to sit two fingers below the clavicle (collarbone) but you adjust and set it according to whatever setting you prefer.
A plate carrier comes with straps and hooks which helps you adjust your plate carrier vest at different points of your body such as waist, shoulder, and back. So depending upon your size and body shape you can adjust it and the part you need most protection on can be adjusted.
Are plate carriers bulletproof?
Not all plate carriers are bulletproof, in order to buy bulletproof plate carriers, you must specify bulletproof plate carriers, and you can add a plate carrier bulletproof by adding good metal plates in them but the carrier has to be compatible with the plates and should have enough plates for the addition.
You can also wear armor underneath your plate carrier in order to enhance the quality of your plate carrier.
Conclusion:
Having a minimalist carrier can be really helpful as it is a lot easier to carry and you can perform maximum functions with having to carry minimal weight as they do not carry a lot of stuff or weight.
A lot of times it is necessary to wear a plate carrier but sometimes it gets difficult to perform a task in your plate carrier so, for that, a minimalist plate carrier is the best option. Even for exercise and beginners, this is the best option for a plate carrier 2022.
So for that, we decided to gather the information for you and put it in one place so you won’t have to worry about searching through all over the internet. Just have a look at the buying guide, choose your options, and find the one that suits you best among the ones we have put out there. We hope you get what you are looking for.