Got one of these today!

[gunderwood]

We talk a lot about SHTF guns, calibers, etc. but how long to you plan on living if the shooting starts? None of us want that to happen, but if it does, your odds of living go way up with just a bit of armor. Not to mention, how do you plan to carry basic supplies and all those AR mags while camped out on your roof (or whatever)?

You have a couple of options. You could go all out on an armor suit, look like the Michelin Man, and you can forget about moving. I think plate carriers are a good compromise. They allow you to carry standalone plates (no soft armor supporting vest required), but without all of the bulk. The coverage is not as good, but they cover vitals, allow for movement, and work fine with backpacks. I just bought my first and figured I'd provide a quick review of this:

http://www.eagleindustries.com/product. ... ductid=341

My Eagle plate carrier with cummerbund in MultiCam came today, so this is more of a first impression review. These run just under $200 without the armor or MOLLE pockets. Build quality is very good and they have a lifetime warranty. I didn't make this video, but it gives you an overview of the carrier.

Good YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jiu7K9_cx5g

I grabbed the small/medium, but I'm 6' and 200lbs. It fits fine. The vests are adjustable so the sizes are more about how much coverage you want rather than how big you are. The S/M allows for the standard 10x12 plates to be used (I plan on picking some of those up later). The cummerbund is a must IMHO. It is removable, but provides much better stability an also allows for side plates to be added if you like. If you want more coverage, you could go with the larger carrier, but I suggest you don't. The plates are harder to find, weigh more, and this size is just small enough to allow me to use my large pack with it. (http://www.eberlestock.com/G4%20Operator.htm) That is a fantastic pack (all of those Eberlestocks are), but if the vest was any larger, the pack waistband would interfere with the carrier. There is a small gap between them as it is.

The video shows you how to get in and out of the vest. I have found that I can leave on side closed and just slip it on. That reduces the time to get the vest on by a lot. The pocket the manufacturer shows a pistol in is not designed to carry a pistol. It is just a Velcro lined pocket. Really only useful for field expedient storage, but don't plan on putting things there for everyday use. I picked up one of those Kydex lined single mag pouches and highly recommend it. Yes, you could get one extra mag in a dual pocket, but it is much faster. The Kydex holds the mag securely so no worries about it falling out.

Having done some research, you can only find the LE version (which is what I have) as it seems that is all Eagle is building. Don't worry, the only difference is a portion of the MOLLE is Velcro lined for a ID patch. You can see that here: http://www.eagleindustries.com/product. ... =71&page=1
The MultiCam variant came with a FDE colored Velcro. Those are MOLLE strips, so no worries about losing attachment space.

I've been wearing it for several hours today and it is very comfortable. My only concern is how the rear rifle plate will work with my pack. The intention is to be able to dump the pack quickly if things get dicey when bugging out, but still have the fighting essentials. I can retrieve the pack later...assuming I survive. However, ceramic rifle plates are pretty thick, so well see how it works (don't know when I'll get those). The front plate will not be an issue, nor is the vest size/shape.

Another nice feature is the Drings on the shoulders. I have a one point sling which will attack to them on order. I know it is a small things, but how do you plan on using a sling when wearing all of that gear? It will get its first real use on Sunday when CowboyT and I go shooting. Hope you find this info useful.