Sapi vs swimmer

A couple of days ago I had a package delivered and I figured I could try to make some mock plates out of the box to see the difference in plate cuts. I emailed bulletproofme(excellent communication and willingness to help) and got some exact measurements for their medium sapi and their medium 10x12 swimmer/shooters cut.

I put on my spiritus systems chest rig and put the cutouts behind it to secure it and placed it in accordance to posted pictures of how to wear a plate properly. Never trying armor on I knew it would be restrictive, but I just can't seem to shoulder anything well with the sapi cut. I either have to really cant the rifle or almost put it on my bicep/shoulder. Perhaps it is just my body type? I'm 5'8" with shorter torso, also, have some extra weight.

I tried squared up stance and that was worse, but even really bladed I was still finding I was still hitting that sapi corner and side whenever I shouldered. The swimmers cut didn't exactly fix everything but it was significantly easier for me to find a comfortable hold without being on top of the cardboard cutout.

I created a poll out of curiosity to see just how popular the swimmer/shooter cut actually is. From my very limited experience it seems like that cut would work the best for me.

I bought a couple sets of Sapi plates before I knew better, and getting a comfortable and repeatable cheek weld is difficult. I'm going to buy a couple Shooter cut front plates to replace the ones in there, and then just build a third vest from the Sapi plates.

I've worn both and prefer the swimmer cut to SAPI. Started out in 2007 wearing an OTV/IBA and medium SAPIs for Uncle Sam. Got away from the green weenie in 2010 and upgraded to a Mayflower APC around 2012, along with picking up a set of medium ESAPIs. That setup was good enough for the time and vastly superior to the old IBA, but getting a good stock/cheek weld was still tough. I lost all that in 2018 in the divorce (property division is theft, btw,) and finally got around to replacing it this year. Ended up going with Hesco M210s size L swimmer cut, and a JPC 2.0 swimmer cut. Night and day difference is an understatement.

Be aware; however, that swimmer and shooter cut are not the same. I've noticed shooter cut to have a narrower "top" than swimmer, whereas the swimmer's cut almost has the same top width as ESAPI yet are cut lower on the sides to unrestrict arm movement. I'm 218 lbs, 6'0, 48" chest, and a 34" waist, and hate that it took me this long to find a carrier and armor combo this comfortable.

Swimmer in an ideal world, but there aren't many commercially available options. The available carriers are SOCOM cut, and the available commercial swimmer cut plates are 10x12. It's a massive cluster that is basically beyond my comprehension.

I haven’t tried Swimmer cut, but I prefer shooters cut over SAPI.

As stated above..Shooter Cut is hands down the most comfortable and advantageous cut IMHO. Trying to determine this using cardboard cut outs is definitely not the best way of doing things..but you did well with the "fitment" for buying the correct sized plate...not adjustability.

If you can afford a set of Multicurve 10x12 Swimmer Cut Plates I'm 90% sure you'll be happy. Especially when it comes to shouldering your rifle - using the squared off/frontal stance (not bladed) and rock it. If you want some ideas on plates PM me..not looking to get flamed for my thoughts on armor or manufacturers!
Semper Fidelis..🇺🇲

No flame here man, share the knowledge!

For my frame size, shooter is really my only [comfortable] option. I have L-IV Hesco 4401 plates in a Mayflower APC. I have a backup carrier with the same Hescos. I am content with these for my setup.

What size plates are they?

I chose to live with less capable plates to get the cut that allows me to do more. It makes multicurve a bit less critical in my mind as well, if that's a major budgetary concern to make stuff happen.
The suspension is ultimately what will drive a lot of this on the comfort side, but the plate still needs to be right at the clavicular notch to be effective, so working around that and getting a cummerbund setup that works around it is usually more important than the precise plate topology, provided you can get a useable cheekweld consistently from somewhere.