The plate carrier has been in the most useful equipment for the past several years and preferred by almost everyone to get protection among law enforcement and military officers.
Now it has gained much popularity among civilians as well. As plate carriers come in various sizes, colors, designs, and shapes, then finding the best one and setting it up properly could be a challenging task for officials.
Military officers and law enforcement officers might desire to avoid gunshot during combat and easily tackle his enemies. For this reason, one must be well aware of setting up a plate carrier because if they setup their plate carrier properly it will provide them with better a protection. So here we have penned down the guide on plate carrier setup to protect you from several adverse conditions.
This guide will also assist beginners a lot as they have no idea where to attach the plate carrier accessories or how to assemble the plate carrier properly. So it will help you a lot in picking the best things for your plate carrier.
Table of Contents
How to set up a plate carrier?
A plate carrier is surely your foremost companion in combat. And this is the major reason why you should know about the proper set up of plate carriers. When you are on the battlefield that the only thing you wish for is to stay protected against gunshots, if you set up your plate carrier correctly, then it will serve its purpose. So here we are with the easy steps to set up plate carrier effortlessly.
2-Steps Method to Setup a plate carrier
There are several kinds of plate carriers but whatever sort of plate carrier you use you must have front and back fittings of the plate carrier. But it is up to you to have more and more plates as more plates mean more protection. But more plates mean more weight, if you can take this weight then you should go for it.
Well now you must be well aware of what we are talking about, now we will go over our first step which is fitting your plate carrier.
Fitting the Plate Carrier
This method is done before putting on the plate carrier. A plate carrier is designed to protect the vital organs of your body, so if you are going to carry one plate carrier, then you should carry it adequately. The effortless way is to have someone with you that can help you in fitting the plate carrier. But our easy steps would also help you a lot. So here we go with our six easy steps. 🙂
1. Take Side Panels off
The best approach for fitting the plate carrier is to assemble it correctly. For this, take off the side panels and then adjust them according to your fitting.
2. Fitting front panel
Once you have removed the side panels, now take the front panel and hold its top about the width of two fingers beneath your collarbone. This will make sure that the vital organs of your body will stay protected under the plate carrier.
3. Fitting back panel
As you are done with the first two steps, now it’s time to fit the back panel. For fitting the back panel, you need someone to assist you. Ask your team member or your friend to adjust the back of the plate carrier same as the front you did for you and keep on adjusting it until both are appropriately set.
4. Remember your shoulders
While adjusting front and back panels do not forget your shoulders, keep in mind that your shoulders should be equally adjusted. Because if your shoulder fitting is not proper then you are going to walk crooked and you will get exhausted as well. Also, keep in mind the padding of the shoulders should be at the perfect place.
5. Fitting side panel
For setting the side panels, you need Velcro to attach them with the front panel and your friend will attach them on the back panel. When you are done with all these steps, then it is time to test the fitting of your plate carrier.
6. Test fitting
To examine the fitting of your plate carrier you need to bend forward and backwards, bend sideways and put your arms up and feel if something is irritating you or pinching you, or there is any shifting movement in the plate carrier. Also, when you breathe in, you should feel that your carrier is pushing your body, but not in such manner that it seems uncomfortable. If you think something is not correct, restless or exhausted, then you should adjust it accordingly.
Setting up a plate carrier
When you are done with fitting the plate carrier, then it’s time to go for a fun part that you are going to follow is setting up your plate carrier. Follow these easy steps and make it more effortless for you. 🙂
1. Be mindful
So keep in mind that there would be nothing like the overall setup as it is according to your body type and fitting hence one cannot say that this particular method for plate carrier setup is the best. You will only get some ideas, tips and tricks for using this, but you would do the actual fitting and setup as you can understand your body better than any person.
Things that need your attention while setting up the plate carrier is to compromise with fittings and settings. Again, it’s a fact that everybody’s structure is different from others.
The third one is that you can make changes to the fitting of the plate carrier so that you won’t feel exhausted.
2. Remember the rules and regulations
For military people, you will always get some rules and regulations to follow, but if you are a regular consumer, then you can use it in all the directions you want to do. But always put those things in the carrier that are essential for you, and there is no need to fill every MOLLE loop available. Because it will make you bulky and slow you down.
3. Configure your setup
Before configuring your setup, you must be well aware of your dominant side, because this will influence your layout. Also, keep in mind your personal access space so that you can efficiently reach your stuff on your carrier.
4. Available space
For setting up your carrier properly first count how much space is available for your best pouches and other essentials.
5. Quick assembling
Once you are done with the above steps, now it’s time to assemble your plate carrier. By this we mean you only attach pouches on a single MOLLE loop so that you can easily undo them because you need to reassemble them again and again.
6. Belt conjunction
While working with the setup of a plate carrier, you should keep in mind that you can attach the carriers with your belt as well if you are using it. So you do not need to worry about it. Just do it the same way we have explained to you, and it will be a great setup.
Things you can take with the plate carrier
After proper setup and fitting of the plate carrier, you must be aware of the things that you can take along with you so that you do not feel bulky and slow down. We will elaborate each and everything that you can put in your front, side and back panels so read it carefully because it is for your assistance.
What goes on the front panel?
Mostly on the front, you will keep the smartphone, grenade, mags, a notebook and pen. But here we are with some guides.
- The best approach is to keep your front panel as minimalist as you can. Because the more mags and pistols you are inserting inside the more bulkier it will get and more uncomfortable you will feel.
- Plus if you want to attach rear-mounted pouches beneath your front panel, then you should mind your terrain first because it could disturb your movement capabilities.
What goes on the side panel?
As for the side panel, it is recommended to keep them as empty as you can or at least keep them slim, especially on your dominant side. So the better approach to use your side panels when you are short of space, otherwise keep them slim or empty. Here are some things on what goes on the side panels to make it more clear to you.
- Most people carry
- Medicines (first aid kits)
- Tourniquets
- Radios
Nothing else, and this is the best approach. Now that must be clear to you, so let’s move towards the back panel.
What goes on the back panel?
The back panel is going to serve you in several ways, but if you have to work a lot, then the best approach is to keep it empty. Otherwise, you can take some things along with you for your protection. So here we go with the things that you can carry along with you on the back panel
- Â The back panel is meant to carry extra magazines and grenades.
- Â One can carry extra equipment, medicines, breaching pieces of equipment, hydration system or several other things.
So we have covered almost everything in fitting, setup and things you can take with you on every panel. Now it’s time to give you some tips and provide you with some testing techniques to make it more efficient and protective for you.
Tips for using Plate Carriers
Here are some useful tips and tricks for setting up your plate carrier. It is recommended to follow them so that you won’t confront any hazard.
- Fitting and Setup
Always go for that sizing that covers all the vital organs of your body. For this purpose, you can accommodate any kind of body armour but assemble it the way we have discussed so that no essential organ could get
damaged by anything. - Things you can keep in the pouches
Keep all the things in the front compartments so that you can approach them easily on the hour of need. Moreover, we have already described it precisely for your ease, just scroll above and get the proper guidance. - Purpose of wearing plate carriers
The foremost thing is to find your purpose and then the purpose of wearing that plate carrier. As in the market, various designs serve different purposes so go for the one that is best suitable for you according to your purpose. - Added front pouches
As you need to keep everything in your front so you must have added front pouches for your ease and better protection. - Keep it simple
It is the best approach to keep everything simple. It means that your carrier should be arranged in such a way that you do not need to look for things again and again. - Centred some things
For distributing weight in the centre, it is better to keep things centred so that you do not feel like slipping or losing your balance. - Keep shoulders clean
Make sure that your shoulders are burden free, and you can easily hold pistols and work freely. - Things on beltline
The best approach is to keep pistols on the beltline because it would not put more weight on them; also, they are easy to approach there. - Pistols available easily
Pistols should be placed in such a way that you would find no difficulty while drawing them out. - Best place for flashlight
You can attach a flashlight with a neck chain, or you can use pocket light so that you can use it easily and quickly.
Testing Plate Carriers
Testing your plate carrier is the best way to find flaws in fitting and setup, and you will easily find where you need to adjust the fitting. But we have tried our best to protect you from detaching and reattaching. Here are some testing techniques to find the flaws in the fitting of your plate carrier.
Test1: Do some Exercise
An excellent way to test your kit is doing burpees. This exercise will expose three weakness of your carrier if it has:
- While jumping some things might start making too much noise, and you can catch this flaw and do it right for you.
- The other thing is to make violent movements to examine whether everything is in its place or not. This will help to check if something falls or loose so that you can manage it for later.
- The last one is that you observe how easy and difficult it would be for you to make all these moves. If it would be easy for you, then it means your fitting is perfect but in any context, if you feel uncomfortable, make sure that you fit it again correctly.
Test2: Reloading
Another great approach to test your plate carrier is to put various kinds of mags in the pouches to examine the size and capability of your pouches.
Test3: Training
Do some training as well, because doing this will expose several other flaws of your plate carrier and you would be better prepared for your coming combats.
Plate Carrier Setup – FAQ’s
What to put on a plate carrier with a battle belt setup?
The best approach is to put pistols on the belt as it would be the best place where you can immediately reach in the hour of need.
What is a plate carrier?
Plate carriers are the ordinary fabric vests that are used to keep your mags, pistols and other essentials in it as well as it helps to protect the vital organs of your body when you are in battle.
What to wear under a plate carrier?
Wearing a combat shirt underneath a plate carrier is the best approach as it will maintain your comfort level, and you will not feel exhausted while doing your job or fighting.
How to Wash a Plate Carrier?
Keeping your plate carrier neat and clean is your responsibility, and you should do it as you need to wear it on and off so when it would be clean, it would work better. Here are some easy steps to clean or wash a plate carrier:
- Brush away loose dirt and debris
- Scrap away dried mud and dirt with a dead tool, use a toothbrush or any other soft brush to clean it gently.
- Then soak your plate carrier in the mixture of detergent and warm water and then wash it with warm water.
- Dry it indoors or in a shady spot outside.
What are Some Attachments to plate carriers you Recommend?
Here are some other accessories that you can attach with your plate carriers:
- Pouches
- Cummerbunds
- Flashlights
- First aid kits
Conclusion
So, we have provided you with the best approach and tried to cover almost everything that might confuse you over time. It will assist you a lot not only in setting up your plate carrier but the testing techniques, tips and tricks will help you a lot in finding the flaws of your plate carrier so that you can easily make it a perfect piece for your protection and to store essentials in it. Moreover, it is recommended for everyone; instead, you are military officers or civilians. Still, if you are in the job where you have to confront gunshots, then you should go for the plate carriers to protect the vital organs of your body