More and more people are starting to add tactical equipment to their personal and home defense inventory. Tactical vests, plate carriers, and other types of body armor used to be reserved for military and police only. This always puzzled me because those are items made to protect the body. Some will not agree, but this type of thinking is no different than telling a construction worker they can’t wear a hard hat because the hats are restricted.
Determine the Purpose of Your Vest/Plate Carrier
The first thing you want to do is determine the purpose of the vest you are setting up. I know people that set their vest up for security details, entry/assault, competition, hunting, and self-defense. There are some guidelines from various groups and organizations for setting up a tactical vest, but I can tell you from experience that everyone sets up their vest differently. There isn’t one universal method for setting up a vest. You need to fit the purpose and mission of the person wearing it.
There are different types of vests/carriers to pick from before you even start putting things on them. If you are selecting a ballistic vest, you can choose from soft armor, hard armor (ceramic or steel), or a mixture of both. A full-sized, soft armor vest (like police wear) provides a lot of coverage, but they limit your mobility.
The downside to soft armor is that it’s limited to handgun rounds. If you add ceramic or steel plates to stop rifle rounds, you add weight to the vest and lose more mobility. Some people choose to use a plate carrier with a front and back plate only which leaves more of the body exposed but still protects the vital organs in the chest. This setup provides more mobility because there are no soft panels wrapping around your sides.
The carrier will have places made to insert the panel from the bottom of the carrier. While some states still outlaw its sale to civilians, plenty of other states allow it. In states where it’s legal, they are starting to become more common in gun stores and online retailers.
What should go on a tactical vest?
This is the million-dollar question. Ask a cop, soldier, a private contractor, a hunter, and a survivalist and they will all give you different answers. But most would agree that extra magazines for your rifle and handgun should be included along with an IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit).
The amount of extra ammo you plan to carry will determine how much room you have for other stuff. The US Army’s operator’s manual for MOLLE II released in 2009 provides several different types of vest configurations. Some of these are based on the Fighting Load Carrier (FLC). These configurations are laid out for specific purpose roles like rifleman, pistol, SAW Gunner, Grenadier, and Medic.
Keep in mind that the more you put on a vest, the heavier and slower you get. There is nothing wrong with having a ballistic vest that’s light and easy to throw on in the middle of the night. Water, knife, light, ammo, gloves, medical kit, and radio are all important if you are setting up a vest for prolonged periods.
Where should stuff go on a tactical vest?
Again, there is no exact way to set up a vest. Everything needs to be in a place that makes sense to the person wearing it. There is limited space on a vest and the areas that are within easy reach of your support hand (non-shooting hand) are prime real estate. This is mostly across the front of the vest and left side (if you’re a right-handed person). A lot of people place their extra mags in this area.
But you also can’t place everything where it’s within easy reach. Some things will have to be in places that are harder to get to. But having it in a hard-to-reach place is still better than not having it at all. When setting up a vest you also want to pay attention to the belt you plan to wear. If you have a combat belt with mag holders, a firearm, and other items attached to it, the vest needs to be short enough that it doesn’t hit your belt.
Although I have an IFAK on my tactical vest, I keep another tourniquet within easy reach. I also keep most of the gear off my chest because I don’t want anything above my mags. Too much stuff on the vest makes it harder to reach items in a hurry.
Summary
It’s easy to start putting things on a tactical vest and not know where to stop. One thing leads to another and before you know it, you’re mounting a third layer of gear over your vest, and it weighs 200 pounds. Working in law enforcement, I have one vest set up for entry and one for rapid deployment.
My entry vest is a little heavier because it has soft panels and a plate in the front. But I still want to be able to move around in it, so I limit what I put on it. Magazines, radio, knife, flashlight, restraints (flex cuffs and metal cuffs), and a bleeding control kit all fit on this one. I also keep a vest in my back seat that’s even lighter so I can throw it on quickly if I need to respond somewhere.
This tactical vest only has two pistol mags, one AR mag, and a tourniquet on it. It’s okay to find different set-ups and take ideas that work for you. Just remember to only place items on a vest that are needed. The “just in case” items are what start to add up. If you want those items available, set up a good backpack that can be hauled around if needed. But what you attach to your vest stays with you all the time, so it needs to be the essential items. Set it up for the purpose you intend it to serve in the environment where you live. It should work for you, not others who will never wear it.
