Personal protective equipment such as a plate carrier or a so-called chest rig have long since not only been part of the military or executive service. More and more often, people are asking for or buying sensible and high-quality protective equipment to cover personal crisis precautions. MOORE PROTECTION is at your side with valuable tips on how to put it together.

The big rethink has begun

For a long time, tactical protective equipment served exclusively military and police organisations. But that was yesterday - today, since the beginning of the latest war developments only a short distance from our home, in Europe, we are seeing a significant increase in demand for tactical protective equipment in the civilian sector as well. The industry as a production manufacturer, with a focus on the events in Eastern Europe, underestimated the massive civilian interest. Since most of the production facilities are located in the Far East, which is still struggling with the aftermath of the pandemic, and there is a shortage of raw materials, there are enormous delays in delivery and price explosions.

Strike as long as goods are available

From experience we know that goods only arrive in small quantities. At the moment, it is impossible to give customers exact delivery dates, so we can only advise anyone who wants to buy tactical protective equipment to strike as soon as it is available. First come - first served!

Crisis preparedness & blackout - a clientele to be taken seriously

Without sugarcoating it, we are aware that having a bulging pantry will attract the eyes of the hungry who still haven't stocked up. Regardless of whether it's a case of food storage or a blackout - envy will become a big issue here as well. To the point, that's what it's all about. Civilians will rightly no longer rely "only" on the security apparatus provided by the state. The police and military will be busy protecting critical infrastructure and could only provide limited and delayed assistance to the civilian population in a serious crisis. Therefore, people help themselves and also prepare themselves with tactical protective equipment for the protection of their family and supplies, from possible hungry robbers. We are not the only ones to receive a lot of enquiries about this, so we assume that our clientele is very serious and often controversial.

For a long time now, the question has not been whether a blackout will occur in our country or not - but only when?

According to factual reports, which are verifiable and tell us of weekly power cuts here in the middle of Europe, on our doorstep in Austria and Germany, even if they last for a short period of time, they contradict the statements of critics and statistics.
Other negative developments, such as steadily increasing prices in the living, housing and energy sectors, also support the rethinking of the civilian population.

Flexible use - easy to convert

Plate carriers, chest rigs and tactical waistcoats from market leaders such as Tasmanian Tiger, One Tigris or 5.11 can be combined or equipped in different ways depending on the intended use and situation and ensure quick operability as well as the best possible protection. (Photo source: Tasmanian Tiger)

The plate carrier

The plate carrier enjoys great popularity. The covering surface concentrates exclusively on that of the chest and back part area, for the protection of vital organs, not only against splinters, but also against rifle ammunition. Additional side panels to protect the kidneys can easily be attached.

They are characterised by their freedom of movement and wearing comfort and can be fitted with appropriate soft and hard ballistics for optimum protection. Popular insert plates such as those with the highest protection class SK4 "stand alone" are currently hard to come by. For this, too, we recommend the selected specialist trade.

Plate carriers are developed for use by the military, police and special units and are constantly being further developed. Thanks to the MOLLE system, it can be put together individually for your mission and combined with many other pieces of equipment, including products from different manufacturers.

Size matters

In order to find out the right size of the plate carrier, you must first choose the right protective plates according to your physique and requirements. First think about how much protection you want to achieve and also pay attention to the weight/protection ratio.

The plate carrier should fit "snugly" against the body, contain appropriate protective plates of the right size for it and be chosen so that the vital organs of the chest are completely covered.

The front plate should be placed at the hollow below the neck so that you can still rest your chin on the chest without any problems. As a rule of thumb, the plate should also be placed one to two finger widths above the navel.

The back plate sits a little higher due to the human anatomy, so the back plate should sit about 2-4cm higher than the front plate.

QR - Quick Release Drop System

The quick-release drop system allows the carrier to separate quickly from the plate carrier in an emergency. The usefulness of a release system is as controversial as the different applications themselves. Depending on the manufacturer, the drop systems differ only slightly. The release can be located under the shoulder pads, in the middle of the front panel of the plate carrier or with a specially used quick-release system by ROC buckle.

However, we see an added value for this in the emergency medical field, to be able to help injured people faster or to be able to help oneself faster, even if it is not foreseen in any methodology of the TCCC/TECC. Possible scenarios could also be rescue from vehicles, water or river crossings.

The Chest Rig

A chest-rig is a chest or equipment belt that offers space for a lot of equipment thanks to a well thought-out carrying system. With side pockets and usually also with protective plate insertion in the front area, the most common chest rigs, such as those from Tasmania Tiger, also include magazine pouches for G36, SIG, AUG, M4, M16, STG.

Lightweight, all-purpose harnesses combined with adjustable and padded straps and an adjustable Velcro or zipper system allow for quick donning and docking of personal gear. There are also models with quick-release deployment systems for this purpose.

Possible disadvantage: You can "only" cover the front area with a protective plate - back is free!

The bulletproof vest

A bulletproof vest is designed to prevent the penetration of a bullet. The kinetic energy of the bullet is absorbed and distributed over as large an area as possible. The bullet itself remains in the waistcoat body, but can deform it. As the name suggests, this type of waistcoat is used to protect the upper body from the impact of projectiles. It is mainly used by the military and the police. Many different models are available, depending on the protection class, as overcoat or undercoat waistcoats.

In Austria and Germany, everyone is permitted to purchase and wear a bulletproof vest. Possible exceptions to wearing a bulletproof vest can be found in the public event and assembly laws.

Anti Riot Shield to Ballistic Go Shield

Defence shields or anti-riot shields are usually made of transparent, unbreakable plastic. It has an arm loop on the inside for a secure hold, a grab handle, forearm padding and a holder for the baton.

The Go Shield revolutionises the way shields are used and closes a gap that hard shields cannot. This lightweight and extremely durable shield features a soft ballistic panel that allows the shield to be rolled out and provides instant protection. With an ambidextrous quick release closure, adjustable padded sling, pockets for hard armour panels to protect against rifle bullets and other important features. All this can be rolled up and attached to itself for quick deployment.

Its main use is in personal protection to protect dignitaries and political bodies, protection from snipers, hostage rescue, stopping and arresting violent criminals or even in emergency medical operations to rescue injured persons.
In addition, the Go-Shield can be quickly unrolled and attached to vehicle doors, boat rails, etc.