Plate Carriers & Body Armor

Military and law enforcement professionals are faced with countless life-threatening situations. Dependable body armor and tactical plate carriers provides a crucial added layer of life-saving protection.

When choosing armor, it’s important your ballistic protection meets NIJ standard 0101.06. But the equipment also needs to match the level of threat you’re likely to face. Body armor comes in different levels. The higher the threat level, the higher the protection, as well as the weight of the vest.

Here’s a breakdown of the different body armor levels:

• Level IIA:          Protects against 9mm FMJ and .40 S&W FMJ rounds
• Level II:            Protects against 9mm FMJ and .357 Magnum JSP rounds
• Level IIIA:         Protects against .357 SIG FMJ and .44 Magnum SJHP rounds
• Level III:           Protects against 7.62mm M80 rounds
• Level IV:           Protects against .30 caliber armor-piercing rifle rounds

Providing our police and military professionals with the best plate carrier selection is a priority at Patriot Outfitters. We carry the most trusted brands in the industry, including Condor, BlackHawk, Voodoo Tactical, Galls and more.

Please note that purchasing a plate carrier by itself offers no ballistic protection without armor plates (sold separately). Patriot Outfitters carries a large selection of plate armor from brands including Paraclete, Armor Express, ProTech and more.

Popular Tactical Body Armor & Plate Carriers

The 5.11 Tactical TacTec Plate Carrier provides comfort and an increased range of motion in a lightweight package. This tactical vest features padded yoke shoulder straps, a laser-cut MOLLE webbing plate and a low-profile, quick grab drag handle. Sized to hold two ballistic plates (8”x10” or 10”x12”), this TacTec vest is ready to meet any challenge.

The Condor MOPC Plate Carrier holds full-size plates and comes fully customizable with exterior MOLLE. This NTOA-approved MOLLE vest provides a highly mobile operator cut in the front and back of the carrier, and adjustable shoulder straps and cummerbund for a more comfortable fit.

The Shellback Tactical Banshee Elite 2.0 Plate carrier is designed with input from both military and law enforcement professionals. This ballistic armor carrier features six rows of PALS webbing, an integrated kangaroo pouch and an admin pouch with gusseted zipper closure. This Berry Compliant vest also fits over soft body armor and accepts up to 10”x12” Level III & IV ESAPI or similar plates/plate backers.

These Products Go Well with Plate Carriers

In addition to plate carriers, there’s also a wide range of MOLLE gear that can be attached to a vest with PALS webbing.

For a simple, yet effective system to carry your M4 magazine, the Condor Triple Stacker Open Top Mag Pouch comes highly recommended. This mag pouch has an open-top design that utilizes bungee cords for holding the mags in place and fits up to six M4/M16 mags total.

The Elite First Aid Personal First Aid Kit is conveniently packed in a compact IFAK pouch with MOLLE straps and includes all of the most commonly used first aid supplies.

The Source Tactical Kangaroo Hydration System is a MOLLE pouch canteen that works where back systems often do not. The hydration bladder features 3-layer coextruded polyethylene film with taste-free quality, low maintenance and integrated Grunge-Guard antimicrobial protection.