How do I wear ICEVENTS? - Ventilated Padding for Plate Carriers, Gun Belts, Body Armor
ICEVENTS® were originally launched in November 2018 to make plate carrier shoulder pads more breathable and cool the body when wearing body armor. ICEVENTS® Classic Plate Carrier Shoulder Pads were a near-overnight success. The unique combination of lightweight ventilation and load-dispersion made them ideal for applications far beyond just plate carrier shoulder pads. Unlike traditional foam that traps heat and odor, ICEVENTS® use advanced honeycomb technology to facilitate convective and evaporative cooling. We put this quick guide together to help you figure out which ICEVENTS® ventilated load-bearing pads are best for your application. For technical specs and deep-dive details, check out our ICEVENTS® FAQ at the bottom of this article.
If you are in a hurry, here is a quick video showing just SOME of the ways to integrate ICEVENTS®:
ICEVENTS® Vented Shoulder Pads for Minimalist Plate Carriers
Products: ICEVENTS® Aero Minimalist Plate Carrier Shoulder Pads
Best for: Plate carriers, backpacks, or rucks, who prioritize efficiency, speed, and agility.
Markets: Military, law enforcement, security contractors, prepared citizens, and competition athletes (Tactical Games, Patriot Games, Crossfit, etc.)
Ergonomically optimized to deliver maximum mobility for overhead movement and prone positions, ICEVENTS® Aero Plate Carrier Shoulder Pads bring load carriage and ventilation to the next level at an impossibly light weight.
ICEVENTS® Aero shoulder pads are ideal for minimalist plate carriers including, but not limited to the Crye Precision JPC 2.0 and SPC, Spiritus Systems LV119 Overt and LV119 Covert, Ferro Concepts Slickster and FCPC v5, ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3, etc.
Above: ICEVENTS® Aero Shoulder Pads on ICEPLATE EXO®
ICEVENTS® Crye Precision AVS Plate Carrier Harness Pads
Products: ICEVENTS® Classic Ventilated AVS Harness Pad Set
Best for: Crye Precision AVS Plate Carrier
Markets: Military, law enforcement, security contractors, and prepared citizens
ICEVENTS® Classic Ventilated AVS Harness Pad Set is a set of four or six upgraded ICEVENTS® Classic Ventilation Pontoons that directly replace the six foam pads that come standard with every Crye Precision AVS (Adaptive Vest System). The Crye Precision AVS has been in use with USSOCOM since 2012, but despite significant advances in load-bering technology since then, the AVS hasn't had any major updates. That ends now with the ICEVENTS® Classic Ventilated AVS Harness Pad Set upgrade.
Built on the venerable IceVents® Classic plate carrier ventilation pad platform, ICEVENTS® Classic Ventilated AVS Harness Pad Sets provide stand-off ventilation and padding under the Crye Precision AVS Harness to dramatically improve air flow and long-term wear comfort. Stand-off ventilation inside the Crye Precision AVS promotes evaporative cooling and eliminates hotspots.
Above: ICEVENTS® Classic Ventilated AVS Harness Pad Set on a Crye Precision AVS Plate Carrier
ICEVENTS® Plate Carrier Ventilation Pontoons
Products: ICEVENTS® Classic Plate Carrier Ventilation Pontoons (hook backing, set of two)
Best for: Any Plate Carrier
Markets: Military, law enforcement, security contractors, and prepared citizens
ICEVENTS® Classic Plate Carrier Ventilation Pontoons provide stand-off ventilation and padding against hard body armor inside your plate carrier or under your soft body armor vest for your chest and back. Stand-off ventilation inside your plate carrier or soft body armor vest promotes evaporative cooling and eliminating hotspots. ICEVENTS® Classic Ventilation Pontoons are the ultimate plate backer.
Say goodbye to heavy, bulky, and crude legacy body armor ventilation made from insulating, absorbing foam and switch to wafer-thin, ultra light, and hydrophobic ICEVENTS®. ICEVENTS® connect directly to the inside of all body armor equipped with body-facing loop fields/pontoon strips like our ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 Ultralight Ventilated Plate Carrier.
Above: ICEVENTS® Classic Plate Carrier Ventilation Pontoons on ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3
CATAMARAN Gen 3 (Universal MOLLE Plate Carrier Ventilation Adapter for ICEVENTS®)
Products: CATAMARAN Gen 3 Combo (Universal MOLLE Plate Carrier Ventilation Adapter Panel for ICEVENTS®)
Best for: Any Plate Carrier
Markets: Military, law enforcement, security contractors, and prepared citizens
Meet CATAMARAN Gen 3: the ultimate tool to mount our renowned ICEVENTS® Classic Ventilation Pontoons onto any MOLLE-equipped plate carrier in today’s market. Designed as a single sheet of our precision laser-cut ICEPLATE EXO® Laminate, it’s furnished with Velcro-brand loop fields, ensuring a seamless and hassle-free mounting experience.
Military personnel, LEOs, and citizens in extreme conditions understand the vital importance of effective plate carrier ventilation. That’s where CATAMARAN Gen 3 paired with ICEVENTS® steps in, offering an innovative solution to combat the heat.
Above: CATAMARAN Gen 3 Combo retrofitting a variety of plate carriers, soft body armor and MOLLE packs with convective cooling capability.
ICEVENTS® High Mobility Ventilated Duty Belt Pads
Products: ICEVENTS® Aero High Mobility Ventilated Duty Belt Pads (PowerMesh backing)
Best for: Two-belt systems like those from AWS Gear, Lead Devil USA, Blue Force Gear, Ronin Tactics, Blue Alpha Gear, etc.
Markets: Military, Law Enforcement and Civilian
ICEVENTS® Ventilated Duty Belt Pads distributes load evenly across your waist, eliminates hotspots, and makes wearing a duty belt more comfortable than ever before. The unique honeycomb matrix disperses loads up to 5,000 pounds, removing pressure on your sciatic nerve and hips while also providing unmatched omnidirectional stand-off ventilation.
They can be mounted two different ways, depending on your personal preference: on the duty belt itself for "set it and forget it" convenience, or they are also thin and flexible enough to thread through belt loops and run under inner belts.
Above: ICEVENTS® Aero High Mobility Ventilated Duty Belt Pads on a Ronin Tactical Belt
ICEVENTS® Heavy Load Ventilated Duty Belt Pads
Products: ICEVENTS® Classic Heavy Load Ventilated Duty Belt Pads (PowerMesh backing)
Best for: Two-belt systems like those from Ronin Tactics, Blue Alpha Gear, Lead Devil USA, Blue Force Gear, etc.
Markets: Military, Law Enforcement and Civilian
ICEVENTS® Ventilated Duty Belt Pads distribute load evenly across your waist, eliminate hotspots, and make wearing a duty belt more comfortable than ever before. The unique honeycomb matrix disperses loads up to 5,000 pounds, removing pressure on your sciatic nerve and hips while also providing unmatched omnidirectional stand-off ventilation.
They can be mounted two different ways, depending on your personal preference. They can be mounted on the duty belt itself for "set it and forget it" convenience. Alternatively, they are thin and flexible enough to thread through belt loops and run under inner belts.
Above: ICEVENTS® Classic Heavy Load Ventilated Duty Belt Pads
ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pad (True North Concepts MHA)
Products: ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pad (True North Concepts MHA)
Best for: True North Concepts MHA (Modular Holster Adapter)
Markets: Any Owner of a True North Concepts Modular Holster Adapter
The all-new ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pad eliminates the pressure point (hotspot) created by the True North Concepts MHA on the nerves that control your lower leg. Despite weighing next to nothing, the ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pad also provides stand-off ventilation and is fully optimized for the True North Concepts MHA. The mount height/placement can be adjusted for use with or without leg straps.
Above: True North Concepts MHA Vented Holster Comfort Pad with leg strap
ICEVENTS® Aero Holster Pad (Safariland CUBL, UBL)
Products: ICEVENTS® Aero Holster Pad (Safariland CUBL, UBL)
Best for: Safariland CUBL or UBL
Markets: Any Owner of a Safariland CUBL or UBL
The all-new ICEVENTS® Aero Holster Pad (Safariland UBL) eliminates the pressure point (hotspot) created by military, law enforcement and competition holster platforms on the nerves that control your lower leg. Despite weighing next to nothing, the ICEVENTS® Aero Holster Pad also provides stand-off ventilation. Optimized for the Safariland CUBL or UBL family of platforms.
Above: ICEVENTS® Aero Holster Pad (Safariland UBL) eliminates hot spots.
Holster Adapter Compatibility Table*
| Holster Adapter | ICEVENTS® Holster Pad Best Fit |
|---|---|
| Safariland UBL | ICEVENTS® Aero Holster Pad |
| Safariland CUBL | ICEVENTS® Aero Holster Pad |
| True North Concepts MHA (Modular Holster Adaptor) and RHPP (Rigid Holster Platform Patrol) | ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pad |
| Guardian Warrior Solutions Bang Hanger | ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pad |
| Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter | ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pad |
| G-Code RTI Holster Adapters | ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pad |
*This table is not exhaustive for all ICEVENTS® Holster Pad compatible holsters, but these are amongst the more popular market options we have confirmed compatibility with. Mounting via OneWrap and/or adhesive Velcro allows for mounting to most conventional holster adapter setups. We do not have any plans to expand the ICEVENTS® Holster Pad line for compatibility with any additional, specific platforms.
**ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pads are compatible with the RHPP (Rigid Holster Platform Patrol) by True North Concepts.
***The RHP (Rigid Holster Platform) by AXL/TNC can accept ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pads, but the honeycomb side must face the RHP because the RHP will tear the hook-receptive loop on the ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pad (not covered under Forever Warranty).
****ICEVENTS® Holster Pads are available in black only, no other colors are planned. They are almost completely covered by your holster and holster adapter, so even if we made these in Coyote Brown, nobody would see your ninja-ness.
If you have a True North Concepts MHA (Modular Holster Adapter), RHPP (True North Concepts Rigid Holster Platform Patrol), Guardian Warrior Solution Bang Hanger, or Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter, buy the ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pad which is designed for all three holster adapters.
ICEVENTS® FAQ: Ventilated Padding is the Future
Traditional foam padding is a relic of the past; it traps heat and absorbs sweat. At Qore Performance®, we replaced outdated foam with ICEVENTS® aerospace-grade honeycomb technology to facilitate convective and evaporative cooling. Trusted by hundreds of thousands of users, ICEVENTS® can be applied to plate carriers, chest rigs, gun belts, and holster setups. Below is our exhaustive FAQ. Click each topic to expand for detailed answers and instructional videos.
ICEVENTS® are high-performance ventilated padding designed to replace traditional foam. They are made from a proprietary honeycomb thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) called Stimulite®. Unlike foam, which acts as an insulator, ICEVENTS® are 90% air by volume. This creates a physical stand-off gap between your body and your gear to facilitate omnidirectional airflow, providing primary convective cooling as well as evaporative cooling.
Unlike foam and spacer mesh, which compress and trap heat, ICEVENTS® maintain their structure under load. This ventilated padding allows heat to escape rather than absorbing it. Additionally, while spacer mesh can become a "sweat sponge" over time, ICEVENTS® remain hydrophobic and antimicrobial.
Stimulite® is an aerospace-grade honeycomb material used in the cockpits of the F/A-18 Hornet and V-22 Osprey. It outperforms traditional foam in three critical areas:
- Thermal Regulation: It facilitates convective cooling by allowing air to move freely.
- Hydrophobic: This ventilated padding cannot absorb water or sweat, so it never gains weight.
- Antimicrobial: Resistance to bacteria is baked in at the molecular level to prevent gear funk and skin irritation.
Understanding the difference between different cooling methods is key to staying mission ready:
| Product | Primary Cooling | Physical Form | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICEVENTS® | Convective/Evaporative | Flexible Honeycomb | General ventilated padding; arid/temperate climates; heavy load distribution. |
| ICEPLATE® | Conductive (Active) | Hard-cell Water Plate | Extreme heat/humidity; direct skin contact; hydration + thermoregulation. |
| ICEFLASK® | Conductive (Active) | Hard-cell Bottle | Everyday carry; vehicle use; handheld conductive cooling. |
While both share the same technology, the shape is optimized for specific gear interfaces. However, these shapes are not locked to specific uses and can be used anywhere on the body where you need ventilated padding to avoid the shortcomings of traditional foam, like added water weight and sweat odor accumulation.
- ICEVENTS® Classic: Features a wider profile optimized for heavy load bearing. Designed to be worn with collared uniforms or combat shirts.
- ICEVENTS® Aero: Features a contoured shape optimized for minimalist setups. Designed to be worn with T-shirts or low-collar shirts to prevent neck chafing.
Mounting ventilated padding is straightforward. Most kits use Velcro® One-Wrap to secure around straps, while holster pads use adhesive hook tape for hard surfaces like the Safariland UBL. Below are setup guides for the most common configurations:
Yes. If your plate carrier has a "slick" interior and lacks loop Velcro fields, you can use the CATAMARAN Gen 3. CATAMARAN is a universal Velcro field adapter that wraps around your armor plate or plate bag to create a secure mounting surface for ICEVENTS® Classic Pontoons or an IMS Pro Gen 3.
This allow you to integrate ventilated padding and thermoregulation technology into your existing kit without the need for permanent modifications like sewing or messy adhesive.
Absolutely. ICEVENTS® are modular ventilated padding. Because they are hydrophobic and antimicrobial, they can be utilized anywhere traditional padding is used. Users frequently repurpose them for backpack strap padding, inside combat pant knee pockets, vehicle seat cushions, or heavy equipment straps to eliminate hot spots.
ICEVENTS® are brand agnostic. They work with almost any plate carrier, chest rig, or belt system including Crye Precision, Spiritus Systems, Ferro Concepts, Safariland, Blue Force Gear, and Mystery Ranch. If your gear has a strap or a flat surface, you can likely integrate this ventilated padding.
Cleaning is simple because the material is hydrophobic. Rinse with fresh water and a mild soap then shake them out. They dry almost instantly. Do not use a machine dryer as extreme heat can damage the TPE structure.
ICEVENTS® are built for extreme environments. This ventilated padding remains effective and flexible from -40°F to 198°F, making them suitable for everything from arctic operations to desert deployments.
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