Best Plate Carriers of 2025: DATA ONLY

This article contains data only. For complete details and context including experimental design, click here.

IceAge Ecosystem Integration Comparison Chart

ICEVENTS® Aero ICEVENTS® Classic ICEVENTS® Classic Ventilation Pontoons IMS
Combo
IMS Versa Gen 3 IMS Pro Gen 3 Combo CATAMARAN Gen 3
Qore Performance ICEPLATE EXO ® Gen 3
N/A
Crye Precision AVS  
Ferro Concepts FCPC V5
 
Crye Precision SPC
 
 
Crye Precision JPC 2.0
 
 
Spiritus Systems LV-119
 
 
Velocity Systems SCARAB LT
 
 
Agilite K19      
 
Shaw Concepts ARC V2

Defense Mechanisms MEPC

LBT 6094
Blue Force Gear PLATEminus 6
Haley Strategic Thorax
T.REX Arms AC1


US Army MSV
USMC PC Gen III
Ferro Concepts Slickster
Armored Republic Testudo Gen 3
First Spear Strandhogg V3


US Army IOTV




Weight

Dry Weight

Weight Dry (ounces)
Qore Performance ICEPLATE  EXO® Gen 3. (Berry + Side Strap) 15.2
Qore Performance ICEPLATE  EXO® Gen 3. (USMCA + Side Strap) 15.2
Ferro Concepts Slickster 16.8
T.REX Arms AC1 17.05
Haley Strategic Thorax 20.80
Crye Precision SPC 21.15
Ferro Concepts FCPC V5 21.6
Qore Performance ICEPLATE  EXO® Gen 3. (USMCA + AXL Equinox Cummerbund) 22.4
Crye Precision JPC 2.0 22.95
Spiritus Systems LV-119 23
Qore Performance ICEPLATE  EXO® Gen 3. (Berry + AXL Equinox Cummerbund) 23.2
Blue Force Gear PLATEminus 6 23.4
Defense Mechanisms MEPC 23.9
Agilite K-Zero 30.65
Velocity Systems SCARAB LT 33.25
LBT 6094 38.85
Shaw Concepts ARC V2 39.75
First Spear Strandhogg V3 40.8
Agilite K19 41.6
USMC PC Gen III 45.6
Armored Republic Testudo Gen 3 46.4
Crye Precision AVS 48.35
US Army MSV 52.8
US Army IOTV 58.4


Wet Weight

Weight Wet (ounces)
Qore Performance ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3  (USMCA + Side Strap) 21.6
Qore Performance ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3  (Berry + Side Strap) 21.6
T.REX Arms AC1 26.65
Ferro Concepts Slickster 28.8
Qore Performance ICEPLATE  EXO® Gen 3. (USMCA + AXL Equinox Cummerbund) 30.4
Ferro Concepts FCPC V5 31.5
Qore Performance ICEPLATE  EXO® Gen 3. (Berry + AXL Equinox Cummerbund) 32
Spiritus Systems LV-119 32.4
Crye Precision SPC 34.9
Crye Precision JPC 2.0 39.6
Defense Mechanisms MEPC 40.25
Haley Strategic Thorax 45.40
Agilite K-Zero 47.50
Shaw Concepts ARC V2 60.7
Agilite K19 62.8
USMC PC Gen III 64.8
Velocity Systems SCARAB LT 66.3
LBT 6094 68.75
First Spear Strandhogg V3 68.8
Crye Precision AVS 70.95
US Army MSV 72.8
Armored Republic Testudo Gen 3 72.8
US Army IOTV 82.4


Thermal Transmittance

The tables below represent the thermal shift data from the plate carriers we featured in Best Plate Carriers 2025:

These tables show how the Best Pate Carriers of 2025 contestants stack up against the entirety of other plate carriers we've tested in our technical review series: 

 
Below is a comparison of plate carrier's Thermal Shift that we have tested. 


Learn more about Methods of Heat Transfer here.

 

Thermal Shift
(Big Numbers = Good, Small Numbers = Bad)
Qore Performance
I
CEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 Berry
19.0-67˚F
Qore Performance
I
CEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 USMCA
18.0-66˚F
T.REX Arms AC1 28˚F
Blue Force Gear PLATEminus 6 25˚F
Crye Precision JPC 2.0 20.9˚F
IOTV (Without Soft Body Armor) 20˚F
Spiritus Systems LV-119 18.0˚F
Haley Strategic Thorax 18.0˚F
US Army MSV (Without Soft Armor) 18.0˚F
Crye Precision SPC 14.0˚F
Defense Mechanisms MEPC 13.0˚F
LBT 6094 11.0 ˚F
Shaw Concepts ARC V2 10-30°F
Ferro Concepts FCPC V5 8.8˚F
Crye Precision AVS 4.0-9.0˚F
Velocity Systems SCARAB LT 7.0˚F
Agilite K-Zero 7.0˚F
Agilite K19 4.7˚F
US Army (With Soft Armor) 3˚F
Armored Republic Testudo Gen 3 2˚F
IOTV (With Soft Body Armor) 0.75˚F

 

Sizing

SAPI ESAPI Swimmer Additional Notes
Qore Performance ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 
  • 9.5" x 12.5" up to 1.1" for Medium ESAPI armor plate profiles.
  • 10" x 12" up to 0.75" thick for Medium SAPI plate profiles.
  • Shooter/Swimmer, ESAPI, and SAPI footprints
Ferro Concepts FCPC V5
M & L plates up to 1" thick
Crye Precision SPC
  Specific Model S-XL
Crye Precision AVS
  Specific Model S-XL
Crye Precision JPC 2.0
    S-XL
Agilite K19
  All 10x12 plates up to 1.5" thick
Agilite K-Zero
Accommodates 10x12, SAPI Medium, or SAPI Large armor plates.
Spiritus Systems LV-119
    M-XL up to 1.2" thick
Velocity Systems SCARAB LT  
  S-XL up to 1" thick

Shaw Concepts 
ARC V2

 


S-M size fits Small and Medium SAPI Plates while the L-XL fits Large and Extra Large SAPI Plates. 

Defense Mechanisms MEPC

S-XL 

LBT 6094
S-XL up to Level IV Thickness
Blue Force Gear PLATEminus 6
S-XL. Cut for ESAPI or SPEAR armor plate geometries.
Haley Strategic Thorax
M-L
T.REX Arms AC1
For sizes, the AC1 is available for Small Plates, Medium Plates and Large Plates. T.REX Arms breaks this down on the AC1 product page with both SAPI sizing, Single or Multi-Curve Shooter or Swimmer Plate Sizing and a separate chart for various HESCO Plate sizing.
Ferro Concepts Slickster

Medium fits 10" x 12" up to 1" thick

Large fits 10.5" x 13.5" up to 1" thick

First Spear Strandhogg V3

S - XL
Armored Republic Testudo Gen 3

Medium fits 10" x 12"

Large fits 10" x 12" to 11" x 14"

US Army IOTV

XS - SL 
US Army MSV

Medium fits 9.5" x 12.5"

Large fits 10.5" x 13.5"

Extra Large fits 11.5" x 14.5"

USMC PC Gen 3

Extra Small: Fits 7.25" x 11.5" ESAPI plates

Small: Fits 8.75" x 11.75" ESAPI plates

Medium fit 9.5" x 12.5" ESAPI plates

Large: Fits 10.25" x 13.25" ESAPI plates

Extra Large: Fits 11.5" x 14.5" ESAPI plates

 

Country of Origin Comparison Chart

USA Outside of USA
Crye Precision SPC
 
Ferro Concepts FCPC V5
 
Crye Precision JPC 2.0
 
Crye Precision AVS
 
Spiritus Systems LV-119
 
Velocity Systems SCARAB LT
 
Qore Performance ICEPLATE EXO ® Gen 3
 
Agilite K19  
Agilite K-Zero
Shaw Concepts ARC V2
Defense Mechanisms MEPC
LBT 6094
T.REX Arms AC1
Blue Force Gear PLATEminus 6
Haley Strategic Thorax
Ferro Concepts Slickster

First Spear Strandhogg V3

Armored Republic Testudo Gen 3
US Army IOTV

US Army MSV

USMC PC Gen 3


Price

Price Extras
T.REX Arms AC1 $85.90 - $160.00
Ferro Concepts Slickster $160.00 - $168.00
Crye Precision JPC 2.0 $241.90 AVS Detachable Flap MOLLE $41.10
Qore Performance ICEPLATE EXO ® Gen 3 $245.00 - $695.00 IMS Pro Combo $165
Crye Precision SPC $252.00 AVS Flap M4 $101.00, Airlite Detachable Flap MOLLE $29.60
Agilite K-Zero $279.00
Spiritus Systems LV-119 $283.35 Placard 5.56 $59.95
Agilite K19 $289.00 Pincer Placard $69.90
Armored Republic Testudo Gen 3 $289.00 - $309.00
Blue Force Gear PLATEminus 6 $299.95
Defense Mechanisms MEPC $300.00 Cummerbund options priced from $50 to $175
Velocity Systems SCARAB LT $338.00 Quad SwiftClip Placard $90.00
Haley Strategic Thorax $369.00
Ferro Concepts FCPC V5 $385.00 Kangaroo Front Flap $50.00
Shaw Concepts ARC V2 $500.00 ARC Placard V3 $55, RAM Elastic Insert $30
US Army IOTV $500.00 - $800.00
LBT 6094G
(Modular Plate Carrier)
$573.28
First Spear Strandhogg V3 $655.99
Crye Precision AVS $661.40 AVS Detachable Flap M4 $60.80
US Army MSV
$700.00 - $1000.00
USMC PC Gen 3 $700.00 - $1000.00


About Qore Performance

For those of you who are new to Qore Performance, we live for Building A Superhuman Future. It is why we exist. We help customers be the greatest version of themselves, to create competitive advantages where none previously existed. We design, build, and manufacture thermoregulation and hydration solutions that weaponize temperature to improve performance and survivability for military, law enforcement, prepared citizens, pilots, outdoor enthusiasts, and industrial professionals at America’s greatest companies. If you’ve purchased chicken or coffee from a drive thru in the United States, there is a high probability you’ve seen our ICEVEST HiVis Safety Vests, our ICECASE iPad Cooling cases or both in use while rolling through one of these corporate powerhouses.

Check out our SAFETY + DEVICES Collection.

 

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