The 12 Best Plate Carriers Amazon Has to Offer

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To win any fight, you have to be the one standing when it’s all over. One person goes home to their family and the other person…well, they’re most likely taking a dirt nap 6 feet under. So, how do you make sure you’re the one standing? How do you make sure you’re the one going home at the end and you’re not the one taking a dirt nap? You buy one of the best plate carriers Amazon has to offer!!! Heck at Amazon’s ROCK BOTTOM prices, you can buy two or three of the best plate carriers Amazon has to offer.

Before this article I wrote another article titled “The 12 Best Plate Carriers: Protect This House“, where I gave a list of some of the absolute best modular plate carriers America has to offer. Each of those carriers is top tier and because they’re so good you’re paying top dollar for most of them.

Now the reality is, with tactical gear for the most part you get what you pay for, so rarely do you want to go for the cheapest gear you can find.

For those individuals who may be a little more budget-conscious, dropping several hundred dollars on a plate carrier may not be in the budget. However, sometimes you can still find some real gems for a great price.

I bring you those gems, those diamonds in the rough.

I did a deep dive into the plate carriers Amazon has to offer, to see if they could hold weight against the top-tier companies. I held these Amazon carriers to the EXACT SAME STANDARDS that I held the top-tier carriers to in my last article.

What I found wasn’t half bad (some of it)! Again, more often than not, you do get what you pay for when it comes to tactical gear!

In the end, Amazon did and does have some solid and extremely decent budget-friendly options.

THE BEST PLATE CARRIERS ON AMAZON

GLORYFIRE – Tactical Vest

The GLORYFIRE plate carrier is one of the best and most highly rated vests you’ll find on Amazon.

It is built with 1000D Cordura Nylon which makes the vest extremely tough, durable, and water resistant. The quality of the material is definitely on par with top-tier brands.

GLORYFIRE took into consideration the highly important comfortability factor and put padding on the back, front and shoulder straps. Each of these areas is also covered in spacer 3D mesh for high breathability as you use it. This helps prevent sweating in any climate and keeps you cool in any climate.

I own several different armor carriers and plates and this GLORYFIRE unit fits ALL my needs excellently….I have carriers that cost twice what the GLORYFIRE carrier cost and they are nowhere as good as the GLORYFIRE. I’d recommend this vest/carrier wholeheartedly and without reservation. The price is unbeatable, the quality is superb and the fit and function are perfect.

Amazon Review – Vince S.

The all-important MOLLE System has been placed on the outside of the cummerbund, chest and back giving you the ability to customize your vest pretty much however you want.

With the addition of the quick-release buckles on the cummerbund and shoulder straps, the GLORYFIRE plate carrier is a true competitor for big-name brands and it comes in at less than $100.00.

The main complaints for GLORYFIRE that I could see revolved around poor quality control. Some individuals got poorly sewn vests as they fell apart on them.

Tacticon Armament – Battle Vest

Tacticon is an American veteran-created and owned company, not some Chinese knockoff. They have the knowledge and the experience to know what essentials are needed in a plate carrier.

The Tacticon Battle Vest uses 500D nylon making it tough and still giving you the ability to move. While the breathable spacer mesh allows air flow keeping you nice and cool regardless of climate.

The Battle Vest can fit any plate size allowing any body type to use it comfortably and be protected. The entire vest is covered in the MOLLE System and PALS webbing allowing you to strap all your most vital gear to your person.

Spent an appreciable amount of time down range and had a number of plate carriers.
Some were overkill and some were like a thong bikini.
My new Battle Vest offers the best of both worlds and is solid and versatile enough to accommodate all the “battle rattle” for the field.

Hershel B Davis – Amazon Review

There are built-in communication loops for any radio equipment you have giving you the ability to easily run a headset. As well as built-in loops for your hydration bladder hose. The Tacticon plate carrier is everything you need and nothing you don’t.

Quality control could be a possible concern when purchasing, however, as most of the negative reviews have to do with the vest falling apart. That’s a pretty big issue, but at the same time not an issue everyone deals with.

FIREGEAR – Tactical Vest

FIREGEAR is one of the top plate carriers you can get on Amazon. With a 4.7 out of 5 rating and over 200 reviews, this is definitely a good purchase.

Made from 1000D Cordura Nylon it is extremely tough and extremely durable and yet still comes in at an unbelievably light 2.8 lbs.

FIREGEAR made sure to take into account the comfort of the vest. They placed padding in all the right spots, the back, front, and shoulder straps. It’s especially nice to see some well-padded shoulder straps as that is where all the weight will be held.

A breathable 3D spacer mesh has been placed covering all the padding to allow airflow. This will keep you as cool as you are moving around and in arid conditions.

The front, back, and sides are covered in MOLLE, giving you a lot of room to place gear wherever you want. To get you started FIREGEAR hooks you up with 9 mag pouches.

The FIREGEAR plate carrier fits everyone from S – 3XL, so pretty much anyone can order it, but some reviews have said it fits small so you might want to order up a size.

Like other plate carriers on this list, the biggest complaint is quality control. Some of the carriers are made top notch and some seem to be made very poorly.

AYIN Tactical – Falcon

AYIN Tactical made the Falcon plate carrier out of 1000D Cordura Nylon, making it very strong and durable. Even made out of 1000D it still weighs in at only around 3 lbs making it average in weight.

It comes in all four main colours, so whether for active duty or home defence you can get the colour you need.

The Falcon comes with an emergency drag handle and removable anti-slip padded shoulder pads with hook and loop guides.

The all-around MOLLE webbing attachment points provide multiple points for attaching accessories such as lights and pouches. The front and back hook and loop provide convenient patch placements.

AYIN has placed decent padding on the front and the back, but fell short when they didn’t put any real padding in the shoulder strap.

That’s too bad, as it is by far the most important place to have padding. Thankfully they have used quality 3D spacer mesh for breathability on the front and the back. Once again though, there is none on the shoulder straps.

The plate carrier was designed to hold 3 magazines, with adjustable shock cord retainers and webbing pull tabs for fast draw.

Internal dividers were installed for equal weight distribution and ease of access. However, they’re pretty loose and don’t hold magazines tight and in place.

Overall the AYIN Tactical plate carrier is a nice simple design, so it’s great in that way. With all the MOLLE it can be made to carry and fit much more.

VISMIX – Tactical Vest

The VISMIX tactical vest is made from 500D Cordura Nylon, making it tough, yet pliable so you can easily move and complete your mission.

It comes in at around 3 lbs and can fit anyone from sizes S – 2XL. Although it is reported to fit smaller than the shown size, so consider ordering a size larger. The vest fits standard 10″ x 12″ plates

The back, front and cummerbund have PALS webbing covering them providing quite a bit of room for gear customization.

The shoulder straps also have PALS webbing for extra gear or to run com’s wires, or a hydration bladder hose through.

VISMIX has put in extra padding in the back and front with minimal but strategically placed 3D spacer mesh for breathability and airflow. They have also padded the shoulder straps and covered them with the same breathable mesh.

Many reviews mention how comfortable this vest is and how well it stays on as the velcro is very good quality and therefore very strong.

A few quality control problems seem to be the main issues with the VISMIX vest, but overall the ratings are very good.

Redemption Tactical – Crusader 2.0

Redemption Tactical Crusader 2.0 plate carrier has a solid 4.6 out of 5 rating on Amazon.

The Crusader 2.0 plate carrier has been made out of tough and durable 500D Cordura Nylon, with quick-release buckles for easy donning and doffing. It comes in at approximately 3 lbs which is pretty standard for modular plate carriers.

Coming in sizes ranging from S – 2XL the Crusader 2.0 fits pretty much everyone. Multiple reviews say that it fits large so consider purchasing a size down when ordering.

The front, back, and cummerbund have laser-cut MOLLE providing ample space to attach essential gear. Some reviews have said this can tend to rip, but it does not seem to be a universal issue.

Comfort has really been taken into consideration with the Crusader 2.0. Padding has been placed on the chest, back, and shoulder straps for maximum comfort.

The padding is also covered in 3D spacer mesh, as well the cummerbund has 3D mesh on the inside of it. This mesh material allows for breathability and airflow to keep you cool while wearing your plate carrier.

Quality control is an issue, as some reviews say it fits big and some say it fits small. Hopefully, yours fits well for you!

WarTechGears – Tactical Vest

WarTechGears plate carrier comes in with a solid rating of 4.3 out of 5 with over 200 reviews.

The WarTechGears vest is made using a minimalist design, meaning they give you only what you need with no extras, which is a popular style for wearing under jackets in a concealed manner.

Made from 600D Cordura Nylon, this will be tougher, more durable, and slightly more water resistant than a carrier made from 500D.

There is no cummerbund, so WarTechGears has simply provided bungee straps on the side to create a tight fit.

Many reviews talk about how comfortable WarTechGear’s plate carrier is. They have used solid padding in both the back and the front of the carrier. The shoulder straps are extra wide and padded which helps once you have plates in to spread the load and increase comfortability.

The front, back, and shoulders are also covered in 3D mesh for breathability. This allows airflow around your body to help you keep cool as you move especially in arid climates.

WarTechGears has done a great job of using the MOLLE System and placing PALS webbing over the entire front and back of the vest as well as on the shoulders.

A lot of space is given to hold extra gear such as magazine pouches, IFAKs, and knives.

OneTigris – Griffin

The OneTigris Griffin plate carrier is one of Amazon’s choices for top plate carriers. With over 400 reviews it has garnered a great rating of 4.5 out of 5.

The Griffin has been made using tough and durable 500D Cordura Nylon. It comes in sizes ranging from S – 2XL allowing for anyone to be able to wear this, and it comes in at an average weight of around 3 lbs.

OneTigris has made pretty much the entire vest MOLLE compatible by placing PALS webbing everywhere. The front, back, and cummerbund all have PALS webbing giving you tons of room to hold and store all your extra gear right on your person.

It also allows you to spread out your gear for better weight distribution.

I’m a veteran and feel more secure having this. The comfort is amazing not to heavy or awkward. The vest fits is just right. I recommend everyone have one .

Amazon Review – Robert e frias

Many reviews comment on how comfortable the Griffin is which makes sense as there is solid padding inside covering the front back and shoulder straps.

Covering the padding is 3D spacer mesh which provides great breathability, allowing air to flow easily around your body keeping you cool in all climates.

The OneTigris Griffin comes in black, multicam, and black Multicam.

YAKEDA – Tactical Vest #1

This YAKEDA vest has just under 400 reviews and has a solid Amazon rating of 4.6 out of 5.

YAKEDA has made the vest out of 1000D Cordura Nylon making the vest very durable and strong. Even with the thicker nylon the vest still weighs in at about 3 lbs, a nice average weight.

The tactical vest ranges in size from small up to a massive 4XL and supports plates that are 10″ x 12″.

YAKEDA has placed the MOLLE System around the entire vest with PALS webbing on the front, back, and sides. The YAKEDA vest provides even more room for storage than most of the other vests on this list, as they provide mag carriers and then PALS webbing on top of those mag carriers.

The vest also comes with two extra pouches on the rear of the vest.

3D spacer mesh has been used over the entire back, front, and shoulder pads to allow for increased breathability. This helps to keep you cooler in any climate.

The number one complaint I’ve seen on this vest is that it is not very comfortable. The back and rear padding simply isn’t very thick, so your plates will sit heavy against your body.

YAKEDA has done a great job providing the vest in numerous colours to meet everyone’s job needs and requirements.

ATG – Tactical Vest

The ATG Tactical vest has just under 400 reviews on Amazon and has been chosen by Amazon to be one of their Amazon Choice items.

The tactical vest has a 4.3 out of 5 rating, which is one of the lowest ratings of vests on the list but is still decent.

ATG claims that their vest is made from 1050D Cordura Ballistic Nylon, making it the only vest made out of that high of nylon level on this list.

It weighs approximately 3 lbs, fits all body sizes from M – 2XL, and supports 10″ x 12″ plates. The vest comes in black, ranger green, and coyote, generally the main colours military personnel will need.

ATG has considered the complete comfort of the wearer by putting padding on the front, rear, and shoulder pads.

Covering all the padding is a 3D spacer mesh meant to allow airflow around the body to keep you nice and cool in any climate.

The MOLLE System has been heavily used on this vest with PALS webbing being placed on pretty much every outer surface. The front, rear, cummerbund, and shoulder straps all have PALS webbing.

You can stow gear wherever it is most comfortable and most easily accessible to you. Mag, knives, IFAK’s, and flashlights, whatever you want, there’s space.

YAKEDA – Tactical Vest #2

This YAKEDA tactical vest is the most highly purchased and highly rated vest on Amazon. It has just under 1000 reviews and has an Amazon rating of 4.6 out of 5.

The vest is made using the awesomely tough 1000D Cordura Nylon and weighs approximately 3 lbs.

It ranges in sizes from S – 2XL making it wearable for the majority of people. The plate pouches hold 10″ x 12″ plates nicely.

Comfort, as it should be, has been taken into account as ample padding has been placed on the front and rear of the vest, as well as in the removable shoulder pads.

The shoulder pads specifically are commented on numerous times in reviews, with the focus being on how comfortable the shoulder pads are on this vest.

I love this vest! It is very well made, easy to take on and off, and it comes with storage for nine clips. It has plenty of room for straight mags or curved mags, this is truly the best for the value

Amazon Review – Trevor

The MOLLE System has been utilized very nicely, being placed around the entire exterior. There is PALS webbing on every available surface, giving a ton of space to stow all your most essential gear.

YAKEDA provides the vest in a large number of different colours making sure everyone has the colour they need to meet their job requirements.

YAKEDA – Tactical Vest #3

The YAKEDA Tactical vest has 123 reviews and has an Amazon rating of 4.5 out of 5.

It is made using YAKEDA’s standard 1000D Cordura Nylon for strength and durability, giving it a toughness that will allow it to go the full mile.

Although not by much, this is the heaviest vest on the list coming in at 4 lbs. It comes in all sizes from S – 2XL, allowing for the majority of individuals to be able to wear it. The plate pouches hold the standard 10″ x 12″ plates.

It’s just a great middle ground for someone who wants a dependable vest without spending five hundred dollars!

Amazon Review – David

YAKEDA has put solid padding on each surface that matters, the rear, front and shoulder pads. With all the weight of the vest resting on your shoulders, having quality shoulder pads is an absolute must.

The vest also has 3D spacer mesh covering the padding, which allows for much greater breathability. This keeps you cool while exerting yourself in any climate.

The MOLLE System has been highly utilized all around this vest, with laser-cut MOLLE on every surface. The front, sides, and rear all have MOLLE on them giving you loads of room to put your gear.

Spreading it out helps to distribute the weight making sure you’re not slowed down by stowing everything in one small area.

The quick-release buckles are marvellous as they allow you to donn and doff the vest extremely quickly in emergencies.

QUALITY CONTROL

My biggest concern in writing this article was QUALITY!

I seriously thought I’d find nothing but junk! More than anything I don’t want to represent and suggest to people absolute junk. I only and always want to represent the highest quality of gear, that, as the name states, will last you 4 life!

So whereas these are not what I would call “Top Tier” companies in the realm of tactical gear, I would say these are very legitimate BUDGET FRIENDLY options.

I would even go so far as to say there are a couple of serious competitors for name-brand companies based on what I see on Amazon and the reviews I’ve read.

Suffice it to say I was pleased to see some very real options for plate carriers on Amazon. Options supported by real-world reviews, in some cases fellow soldiers who have taken these products into combat and put them to the ultimate test.

So, what was I looking for? What had to be there for a carrier to make the cut?….

MATERIAL

The material plate carriers are made out of is very important. Thankfully we have the wonderful invention of Cordura Nylon, which is extremely tough, extremely strong, and extremely durable to the point where the strongest number, such as 1050D are called ballistic nylons.

500D up to 1050D Cordura Nylon are the main materials used in the creation of the majority of tactical gear for these reasons.

Therefore something I paid close attention to was what materials these plate carriers were made out of. Each of these is said to be made out of Cordura Nylon ranging from 500D to 1000D.

COMFORT

Comfort is very important! If you’re in a high-stress tactical situation or possibly just the military then there will be very long periods when your plate carrier never leaves your body. So, it has to fit comfortably and be comfortable.

BREATHABILITY

Part of being comfortable is being breathable. You will almost assuredly get hot and sweaty running around with a plate carrier on, so Spacer 3D mesh is a must.

This allows air to flow through the vest and around your body as much as possible, cooling you down. All top-tier companies acknowledge this need and therefore include 3D spacer mesh in their vests and any vest on this list would have to have it in its construction as well.

All the vests contain a breathable mesh layer.

PADDING

Again, there’s a good chance you’ll be wearing this for hours on end, it has to be comfortable, therefore there must be good padding for the back, chest, and shoulders.

The shoulder straps are especially important as your shoulders will be what’s holding all the weight of the vest.

With a couple of steel or ceramic plates, 3+ full magazines, a knife or two, possibly a multi-tool, communications equipment, and an IFAK, the weight of the vest increases significantly!

For this reason (all the added gear) the shoulders must have good padding. At the same time, the entire vest must be well-padded to be comfortable for long periods.

Padding is vital!

BUCKLES

Any time something has connection points they will generally be the weakest spots. Look at humans, the weakest spots are not in the center of our bones, but at our joints where bones connect.

Plate carriers are no different, except instead of joints, plate carriers generally have buckles.

A plate carrier is ineffective if its buckles are small, wimpy and made from cheap metal or cheap plastic. The buckles must be robust, strong, and able to take a beating.

Each of these carriers has good solid buckles or no buckles at all.

This is very important, the last thing you want is for a buckle to break and to have your vest fall off your body mid-combat with rounds flying past you.

MOLLE SYSTEM

All tactical gear worth its weight these days has the MOLLE System on it. This is the rows of nylon PALS webbing you see across the fronts, most likely the backs, and hopefully the shoulders of each and every one of these plate carriers.

This is a system of stowing gear directly on a soldier’s body, developed by the US military. It is invaluable in helping you carry the vital gear you need to survive.

The vast majority of tactical equipment is MOLLE compatible, meaning it can be attached to any other gear that has the MOLLE System on it.

Some carriers have less, some have more, but all have it! If you want a more in-depth look at the MOLLE System, check out my other article “What is the MOLLE System and Why You Need It!”

MAG CARRIERS

All plate carriers must either have a built-in kangaroo pouch with mag pouches inside the kangaroo pouch, mag pouches on either side in the cummerbund or be MOLLE compatible (which they are) so a magazine pouch can be attached to the front of the plate carrier.

Holding magazines for either your long rifle or for some people your pistols is one of the main functions of a plate carrier (second to holding plates to save your life).

Almost unanimously, 30-round AR magazines are what will be placed on the front of your plate carrier. So, the mag pouches have to be strong and effective.

Holding them tight to your body, and not letting them move around or at worst fall out. The ability to hold AR magazines and hold them well is a must.

OVERALL CONSTRUCTION

Overall the plate carrier has to be well made.

The stitching needs to be done well, meaning it is mainly double or triple-stitched everywhere it possibly can be. It can’t be falling apart at the seams after a little abuse in the field!

A plate carrier is inherently created to take a huge beating, from bullets! So it has to be able to withstand the toughest of situations.

If your plate carrier is horribly constructed, in the middle of a firefight, your buddy won’t be lending you his!

The overall construction also takes a look at the bungee used for holding the mags in, the elastic material may be separating mag pouches, and every other small aspect of the overall build of the plate carrier.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Plate carriers are an essential piece of tactical gear!

They give you the ability to protect yourself and at the same time become more lethal as all your weapons are strapped to your chest and are accessible at a moment’s notice.

The top-tier companies, however, can get quite pricey and I fully understand not everyone can afford to drop the kind of cash needed to obtain one.

Enter Amazon’s best, each of these plate carriers is a decent if not more than decent option for those of us looking for something more budget-friendly, yet wanting the quality of top-tier tactical gear.

Going through the reviews for all these carriers, showed me that the overall construction and performance of them all was fairly good!

Most of these plate carriers have hundreds of reviews, so although some went against the grain as far as quality, I would chalk them up to simply being some random bad apples in the bunch. Which there are always a few of.

So don’t sacrifice your life or your budget!

If you want to check out the best top-tier plate carriers on the market today, hop over to my article “The 12 Best Plate Carriers: Protect This House“. There they start at about $150 and work their way up.

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