As someone who has served in various branches of the armed forces and home guard, I’ve always prized the ability to modify the attachments of my outer combat wear. Hence, for me the best plate carrier would always be one which allows for incorporation of multiple pockets and canteens without forcing the user to shell out for special attachments. This Molle Fighting Load Carrie unit proved to be a best plate carrier candidate for me because many of my friends assured me that the unit could be fully customized.
During the one and half years that have elapsed since the purchase of this vest, such customizability has proved to be vital as I went from being a law enforcement officer to a private security trainer. Further, the unit could adjust to various belts and jackets and while doing so, prove durable as well. That said, I have heard some of my friends complain that the unit lacks some of the more advanced features needed for heavy combat. I shall include their concerns along with my own appreciative discussion of the features while studying the product in detail below –
Main Features
Mesh Design for Enhanced Comfort
This best plate carrier challenger comes with a nylon construction with mesh lining to ensure that the product is sufficiently durable and also allows in a good amount of air. This is vital because the plate carrier is by design meant to be snug around the body and if air is not allowed to pass through it can lead to excess sweat buildup and suffocation of the skin pores.
Black Easy To Use Buckles
A couple of black buckles secure the two sides of the carrier in a manner which ensures that neither is the unit too difficult to adjust to one’s girth, nor is the adjustment system operable by any one hand only. Indeed, the ambidexterity of the unit is vital since it often happens that the gun hand cannot be used for removing the jacket and the user has to make do with the other.
Further, the buckles can be easily removed using either hand, thus providing excellent flexibility on the field of battle.
Capable of Holding a Number of Pouches
While the unit itself may be very compact and appear to be a lightweight best plate carrier contender, the truth is that it can accommodate a large number of pouches of varying sizes and shapes. These pouches ensure that the unit can be modified to adapt to scenarios involving simple patrolling, light combat and even stealth combat.
Fully Adaptable to Accessories
Even when a wide range of accessories like belts, jackets and backpacks are added to the overall combat suit, the carrier does not provide hindrance to any accessory. Nor does the suit create excessive bulk leading to the user sacrificing one or more essential accessories. These facets are important because depending on the pockets attached, the accessories will change and this will modify the configuration of the unit drastically.
Some notable complaints to consider
As I mentioned in the introduction, my friends have complained that the unit lacks some specific pockets (or provision for attaching them) that may be required for special tasks. For instance, there is no provision for a radio pocket on the shoulder or chest. However, it should be noted that providing excessive number of pocket attachments would have made the unit difficult to operate for those engaging in standard combat.
A second complaint is that there is no D-ring available at the back of the unit. This is indeed a notable shortcoming, though it can be mitigated to some extent by attaching a D-ring purchased separately to the back of the unit.
Conclusion
While the absence of specialised pockets and D-rings make this best plate carrier competitor a weak choice for those engaged in extremely close range or specialized combat, it is true that the unit’s adaptability via the provision for attachment of different types of pockets and pouches is something that most combat trainees, combatants and military exercise enthusiasts would love. Though the efficacy of individual pocket configurations cannot be commented upon, the possibilities for such modifications are endless and given that the unit is light and easy to wear, such possibilities can make this unit applicable in a wide range of scenarios [See more army vest].