Plate Carrier Vests
Our plate carrier vests give you a MOLLE platform for pouches and holsters and pockets for armor plates you supply separately. The range covers full-size, laser cut, lightweight and low profile carriers, along with tactical vests that carry gear without plate pockets.
Carriers include the Rothco MOLLE Plate Carrier Vest, with front, rear and side plate pockets, adjustable shoulder straps and a detachable cummerbund; the Laser Cut MOLLE Plate Carrier Vest, which takes medium or large Swimmer, SAPI or ESAPI plates up to 10.25 by 13.25 inches; the Lightweight Armor Plate Carrier Vest, which weighs just over a pound and has a skeletonized MOLLE cummerbund; the Laser Cut MOLLE Lightweight Armor Carrier Vest; and the Low Profile Plate Carrier Vest, with seven rows of MOLLE front and back and room for SAPI/ESAPI plates up to 10 by 13 inches.
For a lighter setup without plate pockets, look at the Cross Draw MOLLE Tactical Vest, Tactical Assault Vest, Quick Draw Tactical Vest, Lightweight MOLLE Utility Vest and the Kid's Tactical Cross Draw Vest for young airsoft players.
Armor plates are not included with these carriers; Rothco states this on the laser cut carrier, so plan to buy plates separately if you want them.
A note for service members: body armor is issued OCIE. These commercial carriers are for training, airsoft and personal use, not a replacement for your issued vest.
How to Choose Plate Carrier Vests
Start by deciding whether you'll run real plates, training plates or no plates at all. Airsoft players often wear an empty carrier just for the MOLLE space; others want a carrier sized for armor they already own.
Plate Size and Compatibility
If you'll add plates, check the pocket dimensions first. Rothco lists the Laser Cut MOLLE Plate Carrier for Swimmer, SAPI or ESAPI plates up to 10.25 by 13.25 inches, and the Lightweight Armor and Low Profile carriers for medium or large plates up to 10 by 13 inches. Measure your plates, including their cut and curve, and compare before ordering.
Full Coverage vs. Lightweight Carriers
Full-size carriers with a solid cummerbund give more MOLLE rows and side plate pockets. Lightweight and skeletonized carriers weigh less and let air pass through the sides, which helps on long, hot field days. Low profile carriers sit closer to the body and can be worn under an outer layer.
Tactical Vests Without Plates
Cross draw, quick draw, assault and utility vests are load-bearing vests with built-in pockets or MOLLE. They're lighter and cheaper than carriers and suit airsoft, range days and security work where armor isn't part of the plan.
Sizing and Fitting a Plate Carrier Vest
Set the shoulder straps so the top of the front plate sits near the top of your sternum, around the notch at the base of your throat. Then wrap the cummerbund snug enough that the carrier doesn't bounce when you run, but loose enough to breathe deeply. Rothco lists an adjustable waist of about 39 to 49 inches on the Laser Cut Lightweight Armor Carrier; check the product page for others.
Setting Up Your Plate Carrier Vest
Put magazines and your most-used pouch on the front, a radio and admin items on the sides, and hydration or a small pack on the back. Keep the front shallow so you can still get prone and shoulder a rifle. Rothco's LACV side radio and armor pouch sets, found in our MOLLE gear department, are made to add side capacity to the lightweight armor carrier. Before an event, wear the loaded vest for an hour around the house and adjust pouch positions that dig in when you sit, bend or kneel.
Plate Carrier Vests and Military Regulations
Body armor and load-carrying equipment are OCIE. DA PAM 670-1, paragraph 4-3, lists OCIE among accessories worn with the combat uniform "as determined by the commander" under the common table of allowances, and paragraph 4-1 authorizes OCIE in UCP, OEF-CP and OCP patterns. Your issued vest and plates are what you wear for training and deployment. A commercial carrier is for personal training, airsoft or off-duty use, and your unit's policy decides whether personal gear can be used.
Body Armor Laws
The carriers themselves are not armor, but plates you add may be. Federal law, 18 U.S.C. 931, bars people convicted of a violent felony from buying, owning or possessing body armor, and some states restrict body armor further. Check your state and local laws; this isn't legal advice.