5 Great Ways to Upgrade your Carrier Loadout

Quick answer: Upgrade your carrier loadout with five essential additions: MOLLE-compatible plate carrier panels and pouches for customizable gear storage, chest and leg rigs for low-profile setups, trauma pads for blunt force protection, side plates for extended coverage, and quality holsters for secure weapon retention.

Standard body armor such as bulletproof gear and accessories have been used to protect police and military personnel on the battlefield. When the modern body armor was developed, the aim was always to create stronger and lighter materials, the advancement of performance could be achieved at a reduced weight. Thus efforts to design effective body armor have continued.

Although the standard armor loadout consists of a bulletproof vest or plate carrier with armor plates, there are also other items you can use to improve your survivability and boost your loadout on the battlefield. Here are some of them.

Plate Carrier Panels and Pouches

Plate carriers are a load-bearing system designed to provide ballistic protection and have been among the most utilized pieces of equipment on the battlefield. It allows you to carry pouches and panels using MOLLE straps that interweave into positions on the plate carrier. 

But that’s usually how plate carrier panels and pouches work. There are different types of plate carrier panels to choose from, such as the LBX Tactical Modular Panel, most of them feature a MOLLE fast-clip panel, 500D Cordura, six times 3 MOLLE, and a webbing pull for quick removal. Others have an adjustable hook and loop flap. For pouches, on the other hand, a Condor Triple Mag Pouches can hold six M4/M16 rifle magazines while a  Condor Radio Pouch can hold tactical radio with space for an antenna, earbuds, or even a microphone.

Now, to give a better understanding of how plate carrier panels and pouches function, let’s delve deeper into MOLLE. It’s a ladder of tightly woven and durable denier nylon that’s far better than velcro systems. If properly integrated, having a MOLLE system lets you customize where to place your items and easily access them when the need arises. 

Chest and Leg Rigs

When you want to run a low-profile set up during a training class or in the field at the range, having chest and leg rigs makes up the right choice. Now, you may be thinking that wearing such can only slow you down. But these are designed to match your needs, fit, and feel. 

Some brands like the Condor EMT Leg Rig features three detachable pouches, open top utility pouch for radio or CAT tourniquet, rip-away EMT Lite Pouch for medical items, small utility pouch with Velcro flap for flashlight, pistol mag, or folding knife. You can wrap the fully adjustable leg strap around your thigh and release it quickly through the heavy duty buckle.

Moreover, a LBX Tactical Lock and Load Chest Rig have room inside for storing any gear such as maps and briefing materials you wish to secure and keep close at hand. The platform usually contains a one non-slip thigh strap and belt strap. 

Aside from an easy-access leg platform, BulletBlocker NIJ IIIA Bulletproof Large Leg Rig generally offers velcro fasteners to provide full adjustability including five rows of nine position MOLLE webbing. 

Trauma Pads

Even if you’re wearing a bulletproof vest, a stray bullet can lead you into shock and severe pain! However, there are materials you can use to lessen the impact of penetration or even preventing it from creating a slight sensation. Trauma pads are the ideal solution in this case.

The Spartan Trauma Pads make use of extremely light micro-cellular urethane foam padding that lessens back face deformation. The foam also helps dissipate the impact of energy and reduces transmitted force. 

Even better, some trauma pads can dramatically increase comfort and ergonomics while wearing body armor. How does that work? Well, the trauma pad will significantly lessen the blunt force trauma by absorbing energy over the increased surface area. That means you not only have a level of protection; you also enjoy the convenience it gives.

Learn more about the importance of trauma pads through this article. 

Bulletproof Helmets

Just like other bulletproof gears and accessories, bulletproof helmets also come in different styles and sizes. Depending on your needs and situation, there are various customized sets to choose from. 

Most of the brands offer great ballistic performance helmets with rails & NVG shroud, such as the Shellback Tactical Level IIIA Ballistic High Cut SF ACH Helmet. It includes side rails, 3 hole NVG shroud, loop panels, bungee cords and ratcheting retention system. It is a top of the line elite ballistic helmet designed for special operation missions.

Other bulletproof helmets like Legacy FAST Ballistic Helmet and Protection Group Denmark Arch Bulletproof Helmet with a ranking of Level IIIA are designed to meet the modern realities of the battlefield. Some brands also spray a particular layer of Polyurea spray paint aside from the Khaki color in the helmet. That ensures that the helmet is secured from impacts and is resistant to elements such as rain, liquids, and moisture. 

First Aid Kits

While bulletproof gear first comes to mind when it comes to survivability on the battlefield, first aid kits are also of paramount importance. Combat troops are trained in the basics of first aid, including how to stop bleeding, splint fractures, dress wounds and burns, and administer pain medication.

There are various types of first aid kits available such as the North American Rescue First Responder Mini First Aid Kit (MFAK), that was designed to be the most compact, multi-use first aid kit for delivering immediate critical care for penetrating, blast or other traumatic injuries. Despite its reduced size, the kit comes fully loaded with the essential medical equipment most requested by First Responders operating in the line of duty. 

There are also other individual first aid kits (IFAK) such as the AR500 Armor Tactical EPIK and Spartan Individual First Aid Kit that set the standards for comprehensive based medical kits designed for treating traumatic bleeding injuries. They are compact, portable, and designed to be attached to a MOLLE compatible gear.

Consider Your Needs for the Mission

In a more-useful environment, being in a conflicted area or a field of battle, bulletproof gears such as the plate carries and pouches, ballistic helmets, trauma pads, chest and leg rigs provide body protection against bullets and shrapnel and by upgrading them can potentially save your life. Not only that, equipping yourself with the standard medical kits can help not only yourself but others as well who needs immediate medical care. 

The best way to have an assurance on your protection and survivability is to ensure that when you plan to upgrade your loadout, you must consider that you can move with ease while carrying the pieces of equipment and gear you need to survive. However, you also take the cost into consideration. A wide range of selection of bulletproof items and protective gear are offered at Bulletproof Zone, you will have lots of options to choose from in upgrading your loadout.