What gear pouches, armor plates, and accessories should I use with ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 and other plate carriers?

We selected these DFNDR Armor Level III+ C stand-alone rifle rated plates specifically for use with our ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 ultralight ventilated plate carrier for elite military, law enforcement and freedom-loving citizens. In addition to best-in-class performance characteristics, DFNDR Armor Level III+ C Stand-Alone Rifle Rated Armor Plates have the perfect Medium ESAPI geometry to mate conformally with ICEPLATE® Gen 3 / IMS Pro Gen 3, making them an ideal choice for use with ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3. We also offer DFNDR Armor Level IV for a higher ballistic protection rating as well as the DFNDR Armor RF1 Elite armor package for ultralight weight protection.

Pairing ICEPLATE® Gen 3 with IMS Pro Gen 3 (ICEPLATE® MOLLE Sleeve Pro) is a plate carrier hydration and body armor cooling/heating game changer. Advancing our vision for Building A Superhuman Future, IMS Pro Gen 3 Combo harnesses the full power of the water you carry on duty: freeze for cooling, hot water for heating, all-climate hydration. Worn on the inside or outside of your plate carrier, ICEPLATE® MOLLE Sleeve Pro Gen 3 mounts securely to your plate carrier using any combination of MOLLE and/or Velcro Hook or Loop. ICMS Pro Gen 3 features laser-cut MOLLE on the rear in addition to Velcro brand hook tape on one face and Velcro brand loop tape on the other face for universal compatibility with any plate carrier MOLLE and/or hook or loop field. Exchanging ICEPLATE® Gen 3 is built on our "Hydration Magazine" concept and is as simple as it sounds.

ICEFLASK™ is a 16.9oz/500ml water bottle that also delivers 23 watts of conductive cooling or 17 watts of conductive heating to end-users by closely resembling the dimensions of a PRC-152 MBITR radio, fitting seamlessly into NATO -152 radio pouches. Conceived by Felix of Redbeard Tactical (video below), it enhances warfighter performance and mounts to ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 or any plate carrier with Velcro loop fields using the ICEFLASK™ Wing Holster, or MOLLE surfaces via the ICEFLASK™ MOLLE Holster. This versatile tool provides personal cooling, heating, and hydration when worn, and serves as a stackable, durable cooling or heating block for coolers and insulated bags, excelling in both tactical and outdoor settings.

ICEPLATE® MOLLE Back Panel is a lightweight, low profile solution to allow MOLLE mounting of a Qore Performance ICEPLATE® Gen 3 to the external PALS field of your carrier.  The design is optimized for ICEPLATE® Gen 3's new features. The external mounting is intended to give you hydration only use of your ICEPLATE® and allows for heavy packs and equipment to be worn over the top without fear of rupture.

It features four fixed MOLLE straps, three removable one-wrap loops for drink tube management, a 6"x3" loop field for identification patches, full laser cut PALS on the outside and bottom for pouch attachment and Crye-pattern zippers for attaching zip-on back panels.

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 (click here to learn more about the different types of cooling/energy transmission) and eliminating hotspots. ICEVENTS® Classic Ventilation Pontoons are the ultimate plate backer.

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 Plate Carrier Shoulder Pads are designed for military, law enforcement, security contractors, prepared citizens, and competition athletes (Tactical Games, Patriot Games, Crossfit, etc.) wearing plate carriers, backpacks, or rucks, who prioritize efficiency, speed, and agility. 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, Haley Strategic Thorax, ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3, etc.

ICEVENTS® Classic Shoulder Pads bring load carrying and ventilation to the next level at an incredibly light weight. Designed specifically for use with Combat Shirts and other collared uniform shirt styles, ICEVENTS® set the new standard in high performance plate carrier shoulder pad technology. ICEVENTS® Classic are recommended for heavier, more protective plate carriers. Due to ICEVENTS® unique omnidirectional ventilation architecture, ICEVENTS® Classic are designed to be worn with Combat Shirts and other duty-type uniforms with collars. Some users might be able to wear ICEVENTS® Classic with a t-shirt or other non-collared shirt depending on exact body type and setup preferences. However, wearing ICEVENTS® Classic without a collar is not recommended. For shirts without a collar, we recommend ICEVENTS® Aero.

The all-new ICEVENTS® Classic Ventilated AVS Harness Pad Set is a set of four upgraded ICEVENTS® Classic Ventilation Pontoons that directly replace the six foam pads that come with standard 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, 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 (click here to learn more about the different types of cooling/energy transmission) and eliminates hotspots. The set of four ICEVENTS® plate carrier ventilation pads feature permanently bonded Velcro hook backing for customizable placement of the ventilated pads inside the AVS Harness.

The Multi-Radio Bikini Pouch further improves on the Drop Down Radio Pouch by creating a lightweight yet durable radio holder that retains the top and front functionality and is adjustable for different sized radioso. Designed around the PRC 152, the Lightweight Radio Pouch will hold similar sized radios such as the Thales MBITR, Harris Falcon III among others secure with the adjustable bungee cord on the side. The Multi-Radio Bikini Pouch mounts on any MOLLE compatible platform with the Patented Helium Whisper® Attachment System and provides increased durability with the use of ULTRAcomp® that wraps under the radio and to the front of the Pouch.

The AIRLITE CONFIGURABLE RADIO POUCH adds a new level of comfort and adjustability when carrying a radio on your vest. Multiple slots on the front and rear allow for a wide range of "ride height" adjustment and allows the same pouch to be used on either the operator's left or right side. Additionally, heavy-duty side elastic and adjustable top cord provides a secure fit without interfering with controls. The AIRLITE CONFIGURABLE RADIO POUCH will adjust to fit most radios and magazines, including the 152, MBITR and two M-4 30 round magazines.

The Micro MOLLE Placard V2 is an ultra-compact, versatile placard designed for maximum customization and durability. The placard features adjustable ride height with One Wrap straps and options for attachment via swift clips (included) or g-hooks (sold separately). It boasts two elastic loops perfect for carrying pens, chemlights, or similar items, along with laser-cut PALS on the front, sides, and bottom for nearly endless customization with our PIMPS System or other compatible pouches. 

The placard accepts Dynamic Principles' "Micro" sized inserts or any hook-lined insert fitting a 4” x 9” pocket ensuring flexibility and functionality. Built to last with lightweight, Berry Compliant materials, it’s a low-profile, rugged addition to your gear collection that pairs perfectly with the ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 plate carrier. Proudly made in the USA. 

The AXL Equinox Cummerbund is a rigid, lightweight cummerbund with a captured FirstSpear® Tubes™ attachment. The captured Tubes™ release mechanism allows the cummerbund to have the strength and load bearing of a rigid, structural cummerbund with the speed of doffing and donning of the tubes system. It is compatible with most side armor pouches, and comes in S/M (11 MOLLE channels 17.5" long) and L/XL sizing (14 MOLLE channels 22" long). We sell the S/M variant with our ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 but should you need larger sizing, you can purchase the side strap variant and order the L/XL directly from our friends over at AXL. Please note that use of the AXL Equinox Cummerbund will also require the AXL SPC Tubes Adapter.

The AIRLITE STRUCTURAL CUMMERBUND provides rigidity and structure for supporting side plates and heavy loads. It is compatible with ICEPLATE EXO® using our AIRLITE Cummerbund Adapter (sold separately). Pouches can to be mounted on both the inside and outside of the cummerbund.

Our advice always begins with First Principles: why do you need side plates? If your SOP requires Side SAPIs, that's one thing. If your SOPs don't require Side SAPIs, then our advice is to take a hard look at your application, current load out, physical fitness level, AOR, etc. and really decide if you need Side SAPIs. Remember the old adage "ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain" is old for a reason: it is good advice based on First Principles thinking. For most applications, including law enforcement, Side SAPIs dramatically increase heat retention (more armor = more heat retention), which decreases performance and metabolic capacity. They also add weight to protect against edge cases that are extremely low and rare in permissive environments and may force you to pay a penalty with low or no upside. However, the heat retention and weight are permanent fixtures for your operations. For non-permissive environments, Side SAPIs are probably worth their weight in gold. This is particularly true for non-permissive urban environments. If you must run Side SAPIs, we don't have any great recommendations for you at this time since we haven't found one we would run ourselves. All of them are made with traditional 500D nylon and Spacer Mesh. This means they trap heat, are heavy, bulky, and retain a ton of water. This is suboptimal at best. If/when we find one we'd run ourselves, we'll update this article ASAP, but the AXL Equinox Cummerbund will accept any Side SAPI pouch your heart desires. That said, we have developed these ICEPLATE EXO® Side SAPI Pouch prototypes. Should we build them? Let us know in the comments below.