REVIEW: Ferro Concepts The Slickster™ Plate Carrier

He has been around for two years now - already in an improved version: The Ferro Concepts The Slickster™ Plate Carrier. Reason enough to put it to the test.

Ferro Concepts has evolved from a gear forge mainly beloved by airsoft and milsim players into a "No Bullshit" manufacturer of high-quality and finely crafted equipment for the real world out there. They shine with brilliant designs and moderate prices. Included in their lineup since 2015 is the Slickster™ Plate Carrier.

This was the look of the first version of the plate carrier. The Slickster™ - in German "the smooth one" - is a minimalist PC that earned its name due to its flat profile. It is perfect for covert operations or as a plate carrier that can be worn under clothing, fitting perfectly into the Gray Man concept.

The Slickster™ serves as protective equipment under normal clothing. Thanks to the cummerbund with elastic inserts, it can also be used to carry equipment like magazines, radios, handguns, or medical supplies unnoticed alongside protective plates. If the situation requires it, the plate carrier can be upgraded with a chestrig for combat enhancement or mission-adjustment. Worn under a shirt or jacket, the system is barely noticeable and is hard to spot from a distance when wearing clothing in the same color. The best colors for this purpose are black or wolf gray.

What has changed in the current version? Firstly, the shoulder straps have been redesigned. In the previous version, they were externally adjustable with velcro. Now, you have to insert a velcro separation strip (included) and adjust the straps from the inside.

It's a bit fiddly and not as easy as before, but since you don't have to do it constantly, the result is even flatter and seamless shoulder straps.

The large velcro field on the front remains for patches, but it is no longer flanked by MOLLE loops, but rather by modern laser-cut slots. ITW QASM buckles, web dominators, or G-hooks can be attached here to accommodate a chestrig.

Shown here as a configuration example is a Spiritus Systems Micro Chestrig (coming soon in our review), which fits perfectly on this plate carrier. This expands the equipment for three long weapon magazines, two handgun magazines, and some medic gear.

Alternatively, Ferro Concepts offers two Front Flaps: The ADAPT MOLLE Front Flap with laser-cut slots for individual pocket configuration or the ADAPT Kangaroo Front Flap, which holds three magazines and can also be equipped with pockets on the front.

The cummerbund on the Slickster™ can be completely replaced or removed. Size adjustment is done by overlapping the two parts on the back and the elastic side areas. It is then velcroed in the front, aided by a pull tab.

On each side of the cummerbund, there are four slots that accommodate 5.56/.223 magazines, 7.62/.308 magazines, radios, flashbangs, smoke grenades, tourniquets, or other medical items.

The first three slots are easily accessible when using magazines. The last slot is a bit more awkward - a magazine can only be removed by pushing up from the bottom - or by getting help from a teammate. We recommend using the last slot for items that do not need to be quickly removed, such as radios.

The back of the Slickster™ is unspectacular: a large velcro field for patches and the attachment for the cummerbund - no hydration bladders or combat packs can be attached.

Another new feature can be found on the underside of the front and back parts - slots have been laser-cut here that can be used to attach additional equipment, such as a tourniquet.

If you wear the plate carrier under a shirt, it is hardly noticeable even at short distances - only the edge of the back plate is visible.

This can be perfectly concealed with a backpack and is therefore not noticeably unusual to the untrained eye.

SPARTANAT is the online magazine for Military News, Tactical Life, Gear & Reviews.
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