Both the plate carrier and concealable body armor protect its wearer from any life-threatening bullets. However, there are essential things you need to look at before buying one of these. While both are excellent for bullet protection, it still depends on what type of protection you will need at the moment. Below we will be discussing the difference between plate carrier and concealable body armor before you go shopping for body armor.
The Weight
The plate carrier is a lot heavier than concealable body armor because ballistic armor plates are inserted inside the plate carrier. Since it is weighty, it can significantly affect your body movement and speed. The average weight of a plate carrier ranges from 30 pounds up to 40 pounds. If you want to have a plate carrier as your chosen protection gear, then you must train your body to become comfortable when it comes to carrying heavy loads.
The concealable body armor, on the other hand, is a lightweight protection gear that can easily be worn under clothing. Thanks to its lightweight materials, the wearer can move comfortably. It can enable you to move with more speed compared to a plate carrier.
The Protection
While concealable body armor is lightweight and can be worn comfortably, it can only protect its wearer from a basic handgun and shotguns bullets. However, concealable body armor covers most of the upper body, thanks to its softness and flexibility.
The plate carrier, on the other hand, protects its wearer from rifle threats aside from handgun and shotguns bullets. Plate carriers are popular among military personnel since the plate carrier protects the most vital part of your body, thus making them perfectly fit for battlefields. If you are going to a dangerous situation, then having this one is your best choice for better protection.
Moreover, manufacturers of plate carriers have made significant changes over the past years. Now you can get lighter plate carriers as low as 2.8 pounds, so the difficulty in movement is lessened greatly. Also, aside from steel plates, one can now choose different types of plates such as Ceramic and Polyethylene plates. Theses plates are much lighter than steel plates but can still effectively stop bullet impact.
The Design
As mentioned earlier, concealable body armor can be worn under regular clothing, making it perfect for civilian use. The plate carrier, on the other hand, allows you to add MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) attachments and pockets so you can carry more military-style gear.
Concealable Body Armor And Plate Carriers
Choosing between plate carrier and concealable body armor will depend on your needs or situation. If you need protection against basic handguns, then we recommend choosing concealable body armor. Furthermore, there is concealable body armor that is suited for children’s use as an added protection since there are cases of shootouts in public areas. However, if you find yourself in a dire situation, or ‘you’re a war journalist, then we highly recommend buying a plate carrier as protection.
