Plate Carriers - What are they actually for in Airsoft?

[sonofsammo]

Title, I hope says it all...
I know I'm new to this sport, but what am I missing. 

I can't see the point at all........
Please enlighten me! ?

 

[P13]

Carry things you need... and loads you don’t ?

 

[Prisce]

Help people not take/feel there hits...

 

[Georgeturner2001]

Looks cool, carries stuff and erm yeah that’s about it?

 

[sonofsammo]

I suppose the supplemental question would be:

Why would you use when in preference to a chest rig / battle belt (w/w-out harness) ?

 

[Georgeturner2001]

I suppose the supplemental question would be:

Why would you use when in preference to a chest rig / battle belt (w/w-out harness) ?

It’s all about preference, I’ve run chest rigs and plate carriers and I prefer the latter. 

 

[P13]

I suppose the supplemental question would be:

Why would you use when in preference to a chest rig / battle belt (w/w-out harness) ?

I have a condor plate for when I’m not sure what gun I am going to run... 

but I have just brought a condor battle belt for when I run sniper/pistol.

 

[sonofsammo]

It’s all about preference, I’ve run chest rigs and plate carriers and I prefer the latter. 

I hear you! But I don't understand still - what is it, for you, that makes the plate carrier better than a chest rig when you're playing?

 

[Prisce]

Used a cheat rig once, found it to cumbersome and weight that wasn’t required.

I can fit 3 M4 mags, 3 pistol mags, dump pouch, Mk23 holster, grenade pouch and still have space left on my battle belt, why would you add more weight and space for stuff that’s not required?

 

[Georgeturner2001]

I hear you! But I don't understand still - what is it, for you, that makes the plate carrier better than a chest rig when you're playing?

Yeah sorry reply was a bit blunt, watching England!

my JPC 2.0 isn’t cumbersome, I can move quick etc, carry everything I need and look cool! Chest rig on the other hand just didn’t work for me, didn’t fit right albeit it was a cheap one and nothing special. 

 

[M_P]

As said it's just for looks and for carrying stuff. Generally these days I just run a belt rig- its lighter and less cumbersome etc. 

It's just personal preference, there's pros and cons for each bit of load carrying kit. I feel plate carriers are a bit overkill in airsoft, I'd never use anything that I'd end  up filling it with but some will prefer that over a belt or equivalent

 

[PopRocket123]

I like how much I can fit on my plate carrier and how it distributes the weight. A lot of cheap ones really are rubbish and I had a condor one for too long that never sat right. It really is personal preference and how much you dont mind sweating.

 

[E21A]

I use a belt and a plate carrier but I carry many many things and it just wouldn’t fit on a chest rig or belt alone 

 

[Duff]

I hear you! But I don't understand still - what is it, for you, that makes the plate carrier better than a chest rig when you're playing?

For realsies though... I tried a belt and drop leg for my pistol and it was a royal ballache and upgraded to a JPC when I started building my M4 cos I had nowhere for mags. Now everything is on my JPC except a small dump pouch that attches to a normal belt.

Hence my recent advert selling my belt and dlu. 

 

[Jedi_Master]

A plate carrier just looks so tacti-cool even if not that necessary.  Fits into the soldier role play.  Major downside it that you are less likely to feel your hits, and some "operators" think it stops the hits from counting.

They do keep you warmer in cold weather, and as well as carry items gives you a large area to wear your forum or other patches  

 

[MisterG]

I managed to carry 5 mags on my belt and a BB reloader shaped like a mag on my belt.

I would have died with a plate carrier on Sunday, it was over 30 degrees.

G

And an HPA tank ?

 

[Duff]

Yeah but it doesn't have any plates in it. Also it carries my hydration bladder so yeah.

You're gonna sweat your tits off regardless playing airsoft in 30 degrees anyway!?

 

[Wo1f]

I much prefer a plate carrier over a chest rig. I run a WAS recon plate carrier. I’ve found I can move in it much better than a chest rig. A chest rig also sloshes about more when you’re running; it’s almost like a minor restriction you get when wearing a big coat. The flat, rigid surface is nice too. Not only can you get a better balance because they’re generally more customisable, they deal with weight better. I think running heavy gas mags emphasises the gain I feel from a PC over a chest rig. 

Advantages of my particular PC is I can swap out the front and run an entirely different gun in seconds without having to dick around with mag pouches and molle. 

That and they look awesome... I don’t get the none hit taking though. Sure I don’t feel it, but it makes a very distinctive noise. I think cheaters will use it as an excuse, but they’ll always find an excuse no matter what they wear. 

 

[M_P]

That and they look awesome... I don’t get the none hit taking though. Sure I don’t feel it, but it makes a very distinctive noise. I think cheaters will use it as an excuse, but they’ll always find an excuse no matter what they wear. 

This is definitely true, you know when you're hit 99% of the time with a carrier or without 

 

[Adolf Hamster]

as with everything in airsoft they're just an accessory.

in terms of carrying all your kit a belt rig is much more flexible than a plate carrier, of course in real combat the idea of a plate carrier is it's stopping you from dying and if you're gonna be lugging a big plate on your chest you might as well stick some mags on it.

if you like them then use them, if not don't. personally i'm not a fan although if it was real lead flying i'd take the discomfort for the protection.

it is an interesting point that if you're running actual armour plates that would stop real bullets should you be allowed to disregard hits to the armour?