Quote Originally Posted by The Stig View Post
Ok...so while I'm a firm believer that many "preppers" love to fantasize about some goofy MadMax scenario where the world collapses and we're all reduced to fighting Yugoslav style, it doesn't mean that I don't prep for that eventuality.

So with that said, here's my plate carrier. This would go over top of the war belt shown below.



The carrier is a Blue Force Gear LMAC. The plates are Gamma Plus III+ rifle plates.





As you can see the load is pretty basic: 4 PMAGs (3 in a standard shingle, one in a fastmag), tourniquet in a TQ now, two pistol mags, and an izzy bandage and packet of celox in the compass case.



This is the right side-armor pouch. Instead of using the included elastic strap/cummerbund, I bought a pair of Ares Armor buckles. So instead of ripping the front panel up (there's velcro under the 3 mag shingle) to pull the cummerbund strap into place, I just snap a couple of buckles.

I'm contemplating a set of side plates but honestly as a fat-civilian type I wonder if the cost is warranted. And frankly, as a certified fat-ass-civilian, if my world has deteriorated into running & gunning I've done something very wrong. In my mind this PC would most likely see use in a Katrina style meltdown or a class so is the extra weight penalty outweigh the extra protection?

I'm at the point that I wish my regular vest didn't have the side protection so I could put the panels in a plate carrier My plate carrier is much like your with a detachable cumberbund, which is going away cause I don't have side armor, and don't need the extra MOLLE acreage right now or for classes. When I start instructing CHL, and pistol/rifle classes, I plan on having a RED or similar color carrier that is MOLLE compatible for small pouches, but more for easy on-off, and prevention of accidental shooting by people of unknown skill as a range officer/instructor. For this next impromptu rifle class with my instructor friends, I'm going to just use a rigid foam insert in place of the armor panels front and rear for extra stability purposes, and to simulate the thickness of the panels I want, and to provide a more rigid platform for the pouches on the vest, I've seen carriers without panels "flex" when mags are pulled out rapidly, so I don't want to do that.