A little armor carrier help please [Archive]

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msabo1023

01-26-10, 19:35

hello all. I'm looking for a little help with armor carriers. I'm a LEO and looking for a few opinions and suggestions in choosing a armor carrier. I have a level 3a vest and am looking for a external carrier for it. i don't want one that's too bulky and will be comfortable for everyday wear on duty. I've been looking at the eagle carrier and the mayflower low pro one. i like the idea of being able to add some hard panels to the mayflower but its not absolutely required. Those are the only two carriers I really know of so any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated. I'd prefer not to spend a whole lot on one but understand you get what you pay for. Only other requirement would be obviously velcro so I can attach police patches to the front and back. Pro's and Cons of each carrier would be sweet. Thanks agion in advance for any help or advice and experiences with carriers.

JC5611

01-26-10, 20:47

I was in the same boat as you a while back. The IIIA panels I'm issued aren't BALCS cut, so that limited the available carriers. I'm plain clothes, so I wanted something with MOLLE that I could add pouches and plates to and use for warrants, etc.

I went with a Tactical Tailor HEV which has been great.

http://www.tacticaltailor.com/hybridenhancedvest.aspx

They make something a little less beefy that might fit your needs, the LPAC.
http://www.tacticaltailor.com/lpaclowprofilearmorcarrier.aspx

It has the velcro and may work for you. Another option I looked into was having TT make up a custom carrier based on the size of my panels. They were pretty reasonable, somewhere in the area of $150 if I remember correctly. They sent me some pictures of custom jobs they had done in the past and it was good stuff.

I checked out the Eagle Universal Outer Carrier (if that's the one you were talking about) and it didn't work for my panes, it was a bit small and they only come in one size. Don't have any feedback on the mayflower, but it looks great and gets good reviews.

Just my two cents. Hope this helps.

Stay safe.....JC

msabo1023

01-26-10, 21:01

i was looking at this eagle vest
http://www.skdtac.com/Eagle_LE_Molle_Armor_Carrier_NonReleasable_p/eag.561.htm

Ill def check out TT as well. Thanks for the response

im confused on the cut of panels?? my armor is a GH armor level 3a so what cut would it be?

NCPatrolAR

01-26-10, 21:04

msabo1023

01-26-10, 21:07

so will the eagle or mayflower not work then?

JC5611

01-27-10, 18:41

The Eagle is made for BALCS cut armor. I don't know about the Mayflower. I don't believe that it is, but it may be. If you do a search, there was a thread a while back about the mayflower and what armor would fit. It may have been posted by TimW, but I'm not 100% sure....sorry I couldn't help more.

Have you checked with the armor manufacturer to see if they make a carrier that may work for you?

TimW

01-27-10, 23:04

I don't know anything about the Mayflower stuff, so it wasn't me. I did a post a while back on the Tactical Tailor HEV.

NCPatrolAR

01-28-10, 01:24

Mayflower items are cut for NIJ armor

JC5611

01-28-10, 06:01

I don't know anything about the Mayflower stuff, so it wasn't me. I did a post a while back on the Tactical Tailor HEV.

Sorry Tim, I knew that I was into reading one of your posts.....I'm confusing my carriers...:p

Here is some info from other threads on the Mayflower.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=34596&highlight=mayflower

The last page of this thread has some good stuff too....
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=31526&page=4&highlight=mayflower

rob_s

01-28-10, 06:31

msabo1023

01-28-10, 19:24

msabo, just so I understand your situation...

Are you uniform or otherwise already wearing your current soft armor concealed (under your shirt) every day? If so, are you trying to find an option that will work for this application AND be workable as an exterior carrier? and if that's the case when would you see wearing the armor concealed vs. wearing it external?

Just trying to get a better handle on your needs before I post anything. I am not LEO but I've been researching armor systems for quite some time now for my own uses and may be able to share a link to a product that works for you depending on your particulars.

Rob s thanks for the reply as well as others. yes im a uniformed police officer and wear my armor (gh armor level 3a) everyday under my uniform shirt. Im trying to find a external carrier that i can put my armor into and wear everyday. i was looking at the eagle one that i posted a link to but found out that my armor is not the right cut, however i contacted grey group and they said my soft armor will work in the mayflower carrier. Thanks again for any help

rob_s

01-29-10, 05:40

So you're looking to take your concealed armor and put it in a carrier on the outside of your uniform for daily wear? Or you're looking for a carrier you can install your existing armor panels in to wear outside your uniform/clothes for....I'm not sure what?

The Mayflower carrier I have is nice. They have their own cut of armor that it's made for but the good news is that their cut seems to be a bit on the larger side so other standard concealment cuts will fit easily. It has the option of adding a chest rig, etc. and, while I haven't worn it this way, the idea is that it can be used in a concealment role as well.

The one caveat is that a lot of concealed armor carriers have various kinds of materials on the inner face that are designed to decrease stink or increase comfort. The Mayflower has none of that and is lined wth the same 500D Cordura that the outside of the carrier is made from.

This is the writeup on m armor & load carriage system (http://docs.google.com/View?id=drnhb8z_88c26jvfc7)

msabo1023

01-29-10, 15:55

[QUOTE=rob_s;556226]So you're looking to take your concealed armor and put it in a carrier on the outside of your uniform for daily wear? Or you're looking for a carrier you can install your existing armor panels in to wear outside your uniform/clothes for....I'm not sure what?

i'm confused lol both sounds the same. i have a level 3a concealable vest i wear every day under my uniform. i want to take my panels out and put them in external carrier like the mayflower one w the molle for evryday use instead of wearing it concleable. Alot of guys have them on my dept but they look like trash bags w pockets on the front. i like the mayflower because it has a lower profile and has the ability to add hard armor as well if i needed it when we do raids and warrants etc. Thanks again for your help

rob_s

01-29-10, 16:24

OK, I understand. I wasn't sure if you'd be allowed to wear the vest outside your uniform all day. I was concerned that you were planning on not wearing the armor until "I think I need armor" moments.

Kentucky Cop

01-29-10, 17:38

MSABO1023

Rob is spot on with his suggestions with armor carriers. He has been researching most of them for some time now. I have been noticing a trend with departments letting street officers wearing "vests" on the outside of the uniforms. If done properly, I think it looks good and seems practical.

msabo1023

01-29-10, 19:00

thanks for the help rob. lol yeah i dont even leave the house when going to work with out my armor on. So will that mayflower lpac work? and if so do you know how i would put velcro on it or police panels.

rob_s

01-30-10, 04:38

I don't see why the Mayflower wouldn't work, although I'm not 100% positive that it's the best solution. I think that if you want the ability to gear up you'd have to wear the clips on it, and you'd have to have a way to add rifle plates if you wanted them. Which once the vest is already on you becomes a two-man operation.

Not being a cop, so take this for what it is, I'm of the (totally unqualified opinion) that the best solution for LE is the concealed soft armor with a plate carrier containing rifle plates and rifle support equipment (two mags, a tourniquet, and a BOK would seem applicable).

What is your reasoning for wanting to move the vest from under the uniform shirt to outside it?

The Mayflower does have a velcro panel on the front but not the back. Adding one could be complicated.

msabo1023

01-30-10, 18:16

is there another carrier you would recommend instead of the mayflower? Gearing up isnt really a prob because i have my duty belt. And the rifle plates wouldnt even be in unless I was doing a special detail such as warrants, etc. If i was doing that id just throw the plates in before i put it on.

this is the mayflower I want, i dont see any velcro for patches, but i thought i saw somewhere that attaches to the molle for adding some.

http://stores.greygrouptraining.com/-strse-3058/LowProfileAssaultCarrier/Detail.bok

Or would this be from TT be better?

http://www.tacticaltailor.com/lpaclowprofilearmorcarrier.aspx

As far as why its alot more comfortable and not as hot on the outside, and when im back at the station it can be removed easily. Plus it serves more than one purpose as i can wear it daily but also wear it on warrants and raids with the added protection of adding plates. Thanks again for the help.

rob_s

01-30-10, 18:41

Sorry, disconnect on my part. Didn't realize you were looking at the MOLLE. I thought you were looking at the slick version like I have.

I've also seen velcro panels that attach to the MOLLE but I can't remember where.

trooper84

02-02-10, 20:03

Check out Tactical Tailor for Police patches that have a velcro back or can attach to molle by malice clips. Also, you can check out blackhawk, pretty sure they carry the molle/velcro panels. Stay safe out there.