The design of tactical vests has evolved with the changing needs of the times and the war effort. From the early chest rig to the full protection vests-otv, to the CAC, PC, JPC. How have they changed? If you are interested, please continue to read on. Table of Content Chest Rig 6094A Plate Carrier JPC CAC CPC 1.Chest Rig Early combat equipment was relatively simple, with soldiers carrying mostly spare magazines and ammunition. As the United States fell deeper and deeper into the battlefield in Afghanistan and Iraq, casualties were increasing. Soldier protection had to be taken seriously. And with more and more combat equipment, the simple chest rig has not met the needs. (Image from the internet) The U.S. Army began equipping the first fully protective tactical vests-outer tactical vest(otv), which was also the last of the tactical vests to be adopted by the U.S. Army with front flap closure. Outer tactical vests could be replaced with bulletproof plates, so different standard ballistic panels could be selected at the time. (Image from the internet) But this tactical vests later exposed many problems in the Iraqi battlefield, including the lack of consideration of human mechanics, which resulted in all the weight accumulation in the shoulders, leading to permanent human strain injury. There was no protective armor on the rib side, etc.. These problems let the U.S. military paid the price. So in 2007 the U.S. Army began to procure a new generation of vests - improved outer tactical vests(iotv). Although the name was similar to the otv, in fact the structure was already very different, which abandoned the front flap structure, replaced by a quick release system and also improved the shoulder and rib protection kit, where can be inserted into the bulletproof plate. (Image from the internet) For special forces, they cared more about flexibility. Overly complex and heavy full protective vests would instead affect the tactical movements.   2.6094A The 6094 Vest was a high-capacity tactical vest that combined light weight, modularity, and full protection. The vest came from LBT - London Bridge Trading - named for its former location on London Bridge Road. LBT was a veteran of the U.S. military industry, supplying a wide variety of backpacks to the U.S. military's conventional and various special forces. This company was located in Virginia, USA, and its products covered several branches of the military and government departments. (Image from the internet) LBT was once the single most important supplier of tactical nylon equipment to U.S. Army Special Forces and the royal tailor of U.S. Navy Special Forces. 6094, the company's classic all-around combat tactical vest that provided protection through ballistic panels, has been the most exposed combat tactical vest since SEALs entered the full AOR era. Its comprehensive protection, high load capacity and comfort have contributed to its brilliant status.   Comfortable shoulder design         The shoulder was designed with sandwich type quick size adjustment, adding soft cushion to improve the comfort and adjust the elasticity of the back (Image from the internet) Strong functional expandability         The front and back of the military vest and cummerbund were designed with multiple MOLLE webbing straps, which can be loaded with various types of tactical packs as needed and had a high    loading capacity. The MOLLE hook and loop on the chest of the tactical vest can be used to attach logos and hang small parts. (Image from the internet)   Removable and adjustable waistband         The cummerbund of the vest was removable, and the back of the it used a high elastic cord to adjust size so that the vest can be adjusted to fit different body types. (Image from the internet) Each side of the cummerbund has a patch pocket, radio pocket and mesh pocket         The patch pocket can be fitted with a bulletproof chip to provide a bulletproof shield for the waist. The radio pouch can hold a radio, spare magazines, etc. and was designed with a snap on top to secure it. The mesh pocket can hold items such as maps, cell phones, flashlights, etc. The placement habits depended on personal preferences, and if there is a wading task, a buoyancy plate can be added to expand the rescue function of the plate carrier. (Image from the internet) Thoughtful detail design          In front chest and back of the vest and the outside of the shoulder straps, with hook and loop fasteners, used to fix the water bag drinking tube and communication equipment line, which was fixed  and neat. The oblique webbing on the front chest can fix some equipment or wires that need special angle layout and drag handle at the back to facilitate the rescue of players in case of injury. (Image from the internet) Quick release system         6094 most unique feature was the quick release system. In the left shoulder area there was a black handle connected to a wire. The wire was fixed to several key points through the inside of the vest. When pulling the handle, vest's left shoulder and waist will instantly open and separate from the body.  (Image from the internet) 3.CAC CAC (Cage Armor Chassis) vests as Crye Precision's famous work, but also the pioneer of  tactical vest, was a classic BA (body armor) of CP. It can carry both soft armor and hard bulletproof inserts. Because it can carry both soft armor and hard ballistic inserts, the protection area was larger, it is adopted by many military and law enforcement units.  (Image from the internet) 4.Plate Carrier from Crye Precision As the war on terror enters a tug-of-war, the U.S. military withdraws from Afghanistan. The intensity of overseas combat continues to decrease, and security missions continue to increase, coupled with the rapidly growing civilian tactical shooting market. The general direction of personal protective equipment also continues to develop in lightweight and low-visibility.  PC-Plate Carrier, a lightweight tactical vest designed to carry bulletproof inserts. BA-Body Armour, can carry both soft bulletproof and hard plates.  JPC- Jumpable Plate Carrier, light weight plate carrier from CP company.  (Image from the internet) 5. JPC From Crye Precision In 2005 in the mountains of Afghanistan, "Operation Red Wings" failure to the U.S. Army Special Forces suffered heavy losses. In the mountainous terrain, most of the special operations units on foot to learn the importance of light and flexible. Because of the lack of logistical supplies, the amount of supplies they can carry becomes the key to mission success or failure. But more weight can seriously affect the speed and concealment of the mission. So lightness becomes the first requirement when carrying out this kind of mission. (Image from the internet) JPC was the ultimate lightweight undershirt, using as little material as possible, so the weight was also less.  (Image from the internet) The JPC had an internal top main pocket on the front panel. The top closes with hook and loop closure and had three internal elastic webbing slots for storing pens, glow sticks or pistol magazines. (Image from the internet) The front of the pocket also had three rows of hook and loop MOLLE webbing for attaching a patch/ID badge. (Image from the internet) The front flap doubles as an M4 magazine pouch and held three 30-round magazines for USGI mags, PMag and Tangodown ARC mags. (Image from the internet) The interior of the pouch was separated by an elastic divider and an elastic shock cord with pull tabs to hold the magazines in place (which can be removed when not in use). There was also a large hoo and loop inside that allowed the user to attach a standard coin-sized area to the magazine for additional retention. When not in use, the top of the mag pouch can be secured with the internal hook and loop and turned into a flat position.   The cummerbund of JPC featured CP's patented AirLite system. It combined the base fabric and a modular attachment system into a single ultra-minimal material. Each line of the cummerbund  was made up of two pieces of webbing with a thin layer of holding material. (Image from the internet) This design was stiffer and allowed for better carrying of accessory packs. On the inside, the middle row of webbing was covered with hook and loop on the surface to assist in securing the side insert pockets. AirLite cutout design allowed the attachment pack to be mounted on both the inside and outside of the surround, while also reducing unnecessary weight and bulk, to enhance breathability. JPC shoulder straps were made of Hypalon and fit snugly against the body. There is no interference when shooting with a rifle butt against the shoulder.    JPC was the ultimate lightweight undershirt though. But it had all the features it should have. Through the powerful expansion function was enough to meet the needs of combat, perfect for low-intensity combat missions and general shooting enthusiasts. JPC advantages JPC disadvantages Hypalon shoulder straps fit close to the body and do not interfere with movement. The soft-shell back of the vest allows the ballistic inserts to be curved to fit the body well. Lightweight design is easy to fold and pack for transportation. Lack of ventilation capability No quick release system in early versions Need to consider weight balance when attached accessories externally   6.CPC Lightweight Plate Carriers generally had a very significant drawback. There was no stability in the front and back plates connected by simple waist seals. It simply strapped the plate to the user. The waist seal didn’t not provide any support, the back plate would constantly drop during wear, and all the pressure on the plate was applied to the shoulders. This was especially noticeable with the increased load on the plate carrier. This didn’t have a significant impact on patrol/civilians who didn’t need to wear it for long periods of intense action. But for military users who needed to frequently trek for a full week, it may not be as good.  (Image from the internet) The CPC-CAGE Plate Carrier was Crye Precision's medium-sized plate carrier. The CPC was designed to distribute the weight of itself, the insert and all accessories over the entire upper body. It can be used with the STRUCTURAL KINETIC SUPPORT SYSYTEM (Stkss) system with a proper waistband to further distribute most of the weight to the hips.    Compared to the JPC, the CPC was more user-friendly in terms of fit and load balance, which means it can be loaded to the maximum. a key feature of the CPC was its semi-rigid frame plates. They were located in the front plate and harness straps, very similar to the weight-bearing system of a high-quality backpack, creating an exoskeleton-like effect and allowing more weight to be carried more comfortably.  (Image from the internet) The CPC also came with padding that is more breathable and comfortable than the JPC. By combining the padding with the elastic weave at the back of the harness straps, the entire frame panel fits snugly over your entire upper torso. As the CPC wrapped around your torso, it responded to your movements and adapts to the ebb and flow of your breathing-as opposed to wearing the JPC too tightly, which was likely to compress your breathing, the CPC was also more flattering to wear because of the dynamic nature of the elastic weave in the back. This weave extends across the entire back, and the back panel of the vest was then wrapped around it, unlike the JPC, where the back panel was tight against the wearer.    The CPC was a better load system than the JPC, allowing users to configure more accessories and bags without having to think too much about load balance and comfort. CPC Advantages CPC Disadvantages No need to worry about weight-bearing, it stays comfortable throughout any action. Breathable padding improves back ventilation and breathability for a more comfortable fit. A large number of replaceable modular tactical back panels.  With quick release system.. Increased volume and weight. Not easy to transport, pack.