“Its hands down the greatest plate carrier ever conceived!” – (a very salty senior Ranger NCO)
It is perhaps the most renowned plate carrier in existence. It is simple, durable and well thought out. So much in fact, that many of the Rangers I have worked with (including myself), have purchased one out-of-pocket. I am referring to the London Bridge Trading Company 6094 Modular Plate Carrier.
Throughout my time in 1/75 I have been issued 3 different carriers from 2 different manufacturers that all seemed to fall short. One was extremely uncomfortable. The next had its own instruction manual and required PhD level research and hours of time just to set it up correctly. The third was a low vis carrier, and while it was great, it could not be used for all applications. Every time we would be issued a new carrier, I still found myself falling back into my LBT 6094.
The LBT 6094 has stood the test of time. It has been in use for years with some of the top units in the world, and has a great reputation within the U.S. SOF community. The LBT 6094 is manufactured using 500 denier Dupont Cordura fabric, and is extremely durable. Mine has lasted me over 4 years and has endured endless abuse. Many times, with durable carriers, it seems you have to sacrifice comfort for durability. With the LBT 6094, this is not the case. It is the most comfortable carrier I have ever used and countless users preach the same. Part of this is due to the way the shoulder straps lay over your shoulders. They managed to get the angle just right so that your load is not bearing down on pressure points which is a life saver when wearing a plate carrier for long periods of time.
The other big thing that many people tend to forget is that the material on the inside of your plate carrier can make or break your comfort. The inside of the LBT 6094 is a slick nylon material with a thin inner layer of padding that essentially eliminates friction and dries extremely quickly. The cummerbund is a simple design connected with shock cord in the back like many other carriers. It allows for side plates and soft armor if that is what you are required/choosing to run.
On the inside of the cummerbund they have padded the lower part so side plates no longer dig into your pelvis, (or muffin tops for you heavier guys.) It also has 2 internal radio pouches. This was great for me and even though I only ran one MBITR radio on my left side. I still made use of the other radio pouch by putting a kydex wedge into it so it could hold an extra mag for my weak side mag change. On each side, front and back there are Velcro taps for running hydration hoses or communications cables to keep your setup nice and neat. The LBT 6094 also has a kangaroo pouch for running mags internal if that’s your thing and the ability to add a grg pouch on the chest for baseball cards (not sports related,) maps etc.
The only downside I have found is that they do not sell this carrier in a size small. I run small plates and while they fit in a medium carrier, it would be nice to have a more snug plate fit. As a matter of fact, my friend who wears large plates can fit them into the medium carrier. Even with this small deficiency, it is still the most comfortable carrier I have ever worn. The LBT 6094 Modular Plate Carrier retails on their website for $442.92. London Bridge Trading Company runs sales quite often especially during the 4th of July. I purchased my LBT 6094 for about $250 during one of those sales. To end it, if you are looking for a plate carrier that is proven, works and isn’t overly complicated, try out an LBT 6094 Modular Plate Carrier and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Author – Tim M. is an Army Ranger who has served in Afghanistan and is currently a K9 handler for ARSOF. In his free time he enjoys shooting, working out and hitting the trails with the dog.
