I have had the AVS, JPC, SPC and Spiritus, for years I have run them in training and deployed. Honestly, if I had to go with one and one only, I would go with the JPC 2.0. I really like the way the front flaps work (I wish more manufacturers made comparable ones). It’s super reliable and a refined product.

I also like the SPC but it does have a few nuances. Mainly exposed plates and the need for the proprietary radio pouch. You can’t use typical Velcro “wing” pouches on the sides of the front plate bag in conjunction with the SPC cummerbund. I do like the stiff cummerbund and how it’s compatible with all the other Crye/JPC/AVS parts.

I don’t have anything against spiritus but it ends up being super expensive. they don’t have a lot of options for the placards which means you have to find another manufacturer. The back panels have been coming out for years now but we still don’t have them. They don’t have molle on the back so you can’t just put the pouches you want on there. They don’t mount PTTs and rear antennas very well. I have an extra set of plates at the house so it’s just an emergency plate carrier. I don’t use it for real “work” or training. It is a well built product and I really like the way they attach the cummerbund to the rear plate bag (which might be my only complaint on the JPC, it’s not bad but the spiritus system is better).

All things considered if you were my brother asking for advice and he had to chose one, I personally would tell him to get the JPC 2.0.