IMS VERSA: How to add Cooling, Heating, Hydration to Slick Plate Carriers

IMS VERSA: How to add Cooling, Heating, Hydration to Slick Plate Carriers
We are always looking for ways to bring ICEPLATE® Curve's cooling, heating and hydration capability to new end users. The latest addition to the IMS family (ICEPLATE MOLLE Sleeves), the IMS VERSA, brought many previously incompatible plate carriers (Spiritus LV-119, LBT 6094, Crye SPC, etc.) up to speed with the ability to run ICEPLATE® Curve.

The elegantly designed ladder of laser cut split bar mounts on either side of IMS VERSA, alongside the included elastic and ICEPLATE EXO® laminate straps, allow for a multitude of mounting solutions depending on your plate carrier. Regardless of where available MOLLE is on your setup, IMS VERSA can be adapted to mount securely to the interior for consumable cooling or heating thermoregulation.

Interestingly, whilst conducting our technical review of the T.REX Arms AC1 plate carrier, we found that even a slick setup lacking any traditional or laser cut MOLLE can still mount IMS VERSA. This revelation once again changes the game, adding capability to gear for lower profile configurations.

Here is how we did it:

Begin with your empty IMS VERSA sleeve and the ICEPLATE® EXO laminate straps. Attach the laminate straps centrally to the top of IMS VERSA like so, with 'Stay Frosty' facing inwards.

Next, we will connect the other end of the laminate straps to the angled portion of the IMS VERSA, coming over the shoulder straps of the plate carrier to do so. We want this as tight as possible to prevent vertical movement.



Above: The  ICEPLATE ® EXO laminate straps can also be used to a limited extent for securing the hydration hose and/or comms wires.

To secure IMS VERSA horizontally, we'll be taking our 10" Elastic Strap and attaching that on the side of the VERSA. We advise removing ICEPLATE® and any armor plates from the carrier for maximum ease during this, but it is entirely possible to mount IMS VERSA to a slick carrier with all plates inside.

In the case of the AC1 or any other carrier with a solid cummerbund, we'll be looping the strap over the back of the plate carrier just above the cummerbund. Alternatively, for skeletonized cummerbunds, the strap can be threaded between the cummerbund rows. For slick plate carriers such as the AC1 or LV-119 Covert, we have panels we can run the strap behind to prevent snagging. The strap will attach on the other side of IMS VERSA, if there is any slack left, you can move the strap from the rear laser cut slot to the front to tighten it up.

 
 
Conclusion:

There you have it folks, as simple as that, you have IMS VERSA and the cooling, heating and hydration capability of ICEPLATE® Curve mounted to your slick plate carrier. You can see the IMS VERSA in action mounted to the T.REX Arms AC1 below, as well as our main set up video for the IMS VERSA. We hope you find this article helpful, for more IceAge Insights, be sure to check out the additional resources at the bottom of the page.





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