Guide on Choosing Body Armor for Bigger or Smaller Guys

While there are standard size charts for plate carriers and body armor plates, some of us are bigger or smaller, taller or shorter than the standard presumes. And this rises up a vital question: how to properly choose armor plates and plate carriers if you are a big guy? How to find the most fitting plate carrier if you have a small frame? Let’s try to find answers.

Why do big or small people need any specific body armor after all?

Believe us or not, we did hear this question more than once. But the answer is apparent: just like we all choose clothes based on our size, we also must choose body armor the same way. And similarly to conventional clothes, people whose metrics are beyond what the industry names standard, often experience difficulties finding the right body armor or plate carrier that both fits well and provides adequate protection.

So, to answer the original question, bigger or smaller guys want specific armor sets, because they also need comfort and protection, that is why.

Is this really so important?

Ok, but can’t those guys just wear armor that is readily available? Yes and no. Yes, a bigger fellow probably can equip a typical plate carrier, but, no, most likely this won’t be a good choice in terms of comfort. The straps will be too tight for him, and the overall size of the carrier won’t allow moving freely. And this is extremely important!

As for armor plates, the situation is even more vital (literally!) here. A too small plate just won’t provide enough protection for vital organs, making its wearer more vulnerable. The same considerations go for tall people or short people too.

So, yes, finding the best fitting plate carrier and a body armor plate of an adequate size is important.

Also important: measuring yourself properly

Surprisingly many people cannot measure their true size correctly, so they underestimate or overestimate themselves, and subsequently buy body armor of a wrong size. You cannot afford such a mistake when it comes to protective gear, so it is crucially important to tape-measure yourself properly. Asking someone to measure you is even better.

Here are metrics you need to select the correct size of the armor plate:

• First, sit down straight in a comfortable position. Measure yourself horizontally from one nipple to another using a tailor tape. This distance is the minimum width of the armor plate you need.
• Then, while still sitting straight measure yourself vertically from the jugular notch down to one inch above the belly button. This is the minimum height of the armor plate.

Note that as along as you feel comfortable and not constrained while wearing the armor, you always should select the bigger armor size.

Here is how to make sure the armor fits properly:

1. Examine the body armor plate. Insert it into the plate carrier. Make sure you put it in with the correct side facing toward your body. Usually, the plate labels the strike side and the body side in one way or another.
2. Don the plate carrier on your shoulders. Tighten the straps, but do not over tighten them. You need space to feel comfortable and to breathe deeply (i.e. during chase).
3. Make sure the sides of the body armor carrier are as high in your armpits as possible, but without compromising your ability to aim and shoot.
4. Then, make sure the bottom of the vest is two fingers above your belt. If the plate carrier sits lower, the plate will pin into your stomach when you crouch or bend.
5. Next, make sure the top of the vest sits one finger below the jugular notch. When you sit, the armor must not be pushed up into your neck.

Body armor sizes

There are three shooter cut armor plate sizes:

• 8x10 in
• 10x12 in
• 11x14 in

As for SAPI cut, there are five of them: XS, S, M, L, XL.

But what about big guys? Apparently, the above sizes are not for them.

How to choose body armor for bigger guys

Let’s start with plate carriers. As a big guy, you want to remain protected and comfortable while wearing the armor, so your main focus should be on adjustability of the plate carrier. The best body armor plate carrier is those that allows for more flexible adjustment of straps and inserting bigger armor plates than the standard sizes (above).

You should also pay attention to quality of the plate carrier: the fabric must look and feel sturdy and reliable. Also closely examine stitches – they also will bear higher load because of the increased weight of a bigger armor plate.

Above the XL sizes (11x14 inches), some manufacturers also offer a range of sizes for people with more impressive physique. Specifically:

• 2XL. The dimensions of 2XL plate carriers are 12x15 inches.
• 3XL. This sizing is designed for big and tall guys and can hold body armor plates from 13x16 to 14x17 inches.
• 4XL. Whoa! If you are THIS big, you certainly need as much coverage. A 4XL plate carrier can hold plates form 14.5x17.5 inches to 15.5x18.5 inches.

What’s the best plate carrier and body armor for big frame guys

Here are two simple criteria of the best body armor: it fits correctly and it protects all the vital organs. So whenever you are into reviewing plate carriers and armor, make sure the plate carrier fits comfortably, and the plate armor offers all the coverage you need to remain protected.

Whether you are a big guy or not that big, you should choose a plate that covers you heart, lungs and stomach completely. After all, that’s what body armor systems are for – to protect your vitals.

The third main factor when choosing a body armor system is quality. Stick to proven brands with established reputation such as Battle Steel. Low quality armor might be looking the same, but does not provide the desired level of safety, comfort and confidence for you.

What about the best armor plate cut for big people?

When it comes for bigger fellows, the best armor plate cut is the one that provides maximum coverage. I mean, you have a lot to protect, so the plate must provide ample coverage. At the same time do not attempt wearing a larger plate than you really need. After all, even if you are a really big and tall guy, your vital organs are still of the same size, they do not get bigger with you. So if the plate offers reliable coverage, you don’t need to go bigger and sacrifice your mobility and comfort. Not only you will have hard times carrying this additional weight around, your knees also won’t say thank you for that.

How to choose body armor for skinny guys

It’s not as simple as “take smaller size if you have a smaller frame”. Yes, you should stick to compact fit plate carriers and smaller size armor plates, but there are also a number of other things to pay attention to.

Let’s take straps. Every plate carrier allows for some adjustment of straps up and down, but if you are a leaner guy, the standard adjustment range may not be enough to fit the plate carrier on your chest. Hence you need to find a model of the plate carrier that has an increased adjustment range of straps.

Even more important becomes weight distribution. A smaller frame means the weight of the armor plates is not distributed across your chest well enough, so it is critical to have straps with wider and softer padding than normal. Extra padding on the front and back of your plate carrier also helps – you don’t want to get beaten by the plate when you’re running, for example.

Size of armor plate carrier for smaller people

As for sizes, there are two options you may consider. Small size plate carriers are often labeled as “S” and are designed for armor wearers with a smaller body frame. For even leaner and smaller people there is the “XS” sizing. Such plate carriers are adapted to shorter and thinner guys and feature shorter adjustable straps, better padding, less cumbersome etc.

What’s the best body armor and plate carrier for lean-bodied guys

Summarizing what’s said above, you should consider buying a specialized plate carrier that’s specifically designed for smaller people. The main factor is your comfort. Make sure the carrier fits right, and you feel comfortable moving in it, including crouching, crawling and running. Make sure you still feel comfortable with the armor plate put in.

One more thing to consider is additional equipment you will have to carry with you. Make sure the MOLLE webbing offers enough space, and the straps are wide enough to redistribute the weight over your shoulders and waist (if you opt for cummerbund). Also, as a smaller guy you probably do not have a wide ribcage, so make sure your attached equipment does not hinder your movement.

As for the best armor plate cut, it’s all individual here. Some shooters prefer the swim cut to get as much mobility as they need. There are also special cuts of armor plates designed for slim armor wearers, but make sure the armor sufficiently covers your entire “cardiac box” – you still want maximum protection after all.

How to choose armor for tall and short people

For armor wearers of a low stature, it is crucial to find a plate carrier that corresponds to their height. Indeed, a normal cut armor plate carrier would be too long for such people resulting in impeded motion and overall discomfort. Hence the first rule of thumb is to buy short torso plate carriers.

Short torso plate carriers feature shorter lengths, so the armor plate won’t bump into your hips when you crouch or sit down. Also, they typically have adjustable shoulder straps to easily fit the plate carrier to any figure. Some plate carrier models offer as many as 6 inches of adjustment! Quite enough to feel comfortable while wearing the body armor, whatever your physique and stature is.

What else to pay attention to? As a shorter guy, you probably also have a smaller frame, so you should select S or XS SAPI cuts as well as lighter materials of the armor plate itself. Heavy loads are not for you: not only will you exhaust faster under the additional weight, but you will also experience constant bumping of the heavy armor plate to your chest and back.

What about lean and tall people? Are there any specific tips on selecting body armor for such guys? Certainly, there are.

First of all, do the normal measurements of your torso, and determine the size of the armor plate you need. Being a tall guy, your vertical measurement may turn out to be bigger than the standard size chart (see above) implies. In that case you should either stick with the larger standard armor plate if it feels comfortable for you, or select the SAPI cut instead as it offers more options. For instance, if your measurement tells that you need a 10” x 12” armor plate, and this size feels like it’s too short for your height, you can take SAPI 10” x 13”.

As always, adjustable straps are the must, because you WILL need to adjust the plate carrier on your ribcage so that the plate would cover your vital organs perfectly, and the armor would not hinder your normal movement and aiming.

For tall guys, sticking to the swimmer cut is probably not the wisest choice, because of greatly reduced protected areas. Instead, you should select “tall” or “long” versions of the standard armor plates if they are available.

What’s the best body armor for tall guys and shorter guys?

There’s something in common between tall and short armor wearers: they both need special cuts of the body armor plate carrier, and both of them need an adjustable plate carrier to comfortably wear the armor. So you first criterion of selecting the body armor in both cases is to look for customizable and adjustable plate carrier.

You should not neglect the quality too. Pay attention to plate carriers made of sturdy and wear-proof materials. See if stitches are firm and reliable. Emergency handles and quick-release systems are also what you certainly want in your plate carrier if your usage scenario involves any battle or tactical activity.

How to choose body armor for women

Women are normally smaller than men, so all we’ve said above about choosing the plate carriers and armor for smaller guys apply to women too. But obviously women have quite different body shape, so many manufacturers produce body armor and plate carriers specially designed for female users.

There are also measurement specifics. In addition to normal metrics, female wearers should also measure:

• Bust point to bust point
• Bust point to side seam
• Under bust girth level

When selecting plate carriers for women, you should take into account overall physique of a woman, so the plate carrier must offer an optimized way of distributing the weight of the armor over shoulders and waist.

One of the most critical differences between male and female plate carriers is built-in cups to provide comfort and support and to prevent splashing of the bust by the plate carrier (and hence leading to less ballistic coverage in the armpits).

Then, the rounding of the body armor is performed differently in female ballistic plate carriers, and so do NIJ ballistic tests. There’s nothing wrong in wearing male body armor if it fits and does not provide discomfort. But otherwise you should look for armor models designed for women.

As for armor plates, there are curved armor plates on the market designed and marketed as female body armor. When it comes to soft body armor, the curvature may not seem very important, but for Level III and Level IV plates, additional curvature of the plate makes a huge difference between comfortable wearing and torture.

In conclusion

There are no one-size-fits-all plate carriers and body armor. Whether you are a big or a small guy, tall or short, woman or man, you should approach to this individually. There are hundreds of options on the market today, so with little effort you can find the most fitting plate carrier model to ensure your safety. And if you are not sure what exact model of a plate carrier you need, please don’t hesitate to contact Battle Steel. We will help you take proper measurements, and select the most fitting armor and a plate carrier.