Armor plate Cuts
There are several well know cuts of body armor offered by most manufacturers.
Square or Rectangular – Usually used to cover a persons back
Shooters Cut – Rectangle with top corners cut off to allow better arm movement and weapon shouldering
Swimmers Cut – A exaggerated version of the shooters cut removing more upper material
When deciding on a cut you need to look at your needs. Is more cover or more maneuverability more important to you.
Plate’s are not a perfect solution in anyway. They are not magic armor that gives you plus dexterity and dodge factor. While the plates are meant to save your life they are not expected to keep your entire body bullet free.
Get a good plate carrier. If you have a crappy carrier your going to have a crappy fit and it’s going to make life even harder on you.
Your body will change slightly based on weather, water retention, weight and other factors. Getting a baseline of how tight your cummerbund needs to be or how long the shoulder straps are set to will make a huge difference.
Armor Plate Size
The Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) is a ceramic trauma plate used by the United States Armed Forces. It was first used in the Interceptor body armor, a ballistic vest. It is now also used in the Improved Outer Tactical Vest as well as the Modular Tactical Vest, in addition to commercially available "plate carriers". The Kevlar body armor vest itself is designed to stop projectiles up to .44. To protect against higher-velocity rifle rounds, SAPI plates are needed.
SAPI front and back plates come in five sizes. Their dimensions are the following:
