REVIEW: 5.11 Tactical TacTec Plate Carrier (CrossFit)

Dizzy civilian weight vests are "out" for training, plate carriers are "in". Does this have anything to do with the militarization of sports? A little bit. The trend was triggered by CrossFit - they come from the USA, live by the motto "Forging elite fitness" and have little inhibitions with police and military, because they are right in the middle of the sport. "Hero Workouts", the Murph and plate carriers, that fits together ideally. Early on, the professional equipment supplier 5.11 Tactical partnered with CrossFit. And that's how it looks at the CrossFit Games, the Olympics of CrossFitters: everyone fights with the 5.11 Tactical TacTec plate carrier. We checked it out for you.

There lies the good piece in the box on the jump boxes, next to a pair of SKYLL plates - HERE with us in the review - ready for the sweating use in sports. The TacTec is a real plate carrier for professionals in the police and military. The sports version has a special feature that we will show you later.

If any of you have the question: "Will the plate carrier from 5.11 Tactical fit me, what size does it have?", the correct answer is: it fits every size. One size fits all, so to speak. But you have to think around the corner: plate carriers are determined by the size of the plates, which are supposed to protect the heart and lungs. So it depends on the size of the protective plate you need. The TacTec is lined with velcro on the edges inside, so that you can press in any plate size. Sports plates are usually M. So: always fits.

It is important not only in service, but also in sports that the thing is well padded. It hangs on the shoulders. The TacTec is king in this regard and sits super well, really comfortable in the long run.

This also applies to the areas facing the body. The rough mesh also helps with ventilation. Fresh air is always added. Still, start training with a plate carrier slowly, the more movement, the more heat on the body, which is naturally less dissipated than when you train with just a T-shirt. Heat buildup is an additional challenge during training.

And in with the fuel. The German name "plate carrier" as well as the English term "Plate Carrier" exactly describe what the thing does in case of emergency. It takes bullet-resistant plates - so-called SAPIs. You can also get them at Affenhand or Rogue or other providers. In the military field, the vest is also an equipment carrier, which means that additional pockets for magazines, hydration bladder, etc. are also attached. That gets really heavy...

The sport version of the 5.11 Tactical TacTec Plate Carrier has internal straps to additionally secure the steel sports plates, so they cannot push against the velcro at the bottom due to frequent jumping and running. This would not be ideal for your toes if a plate - like the one here weighing about 3.3 kilograms - comes off.

At the bottom, it closes first with a relatively narrow velcro strip.

The compartment is then additionally secured vertically on the right and left with a velcro strip.

And then it's time to get up and start training. The TacTec fits very broadly overall.

Upper front area of the plate carrier: Here we see the entire area cut with laser Velcro. The strips are actually MOLLE openings and are part of the mounting system for pockets. Athletes may need this less, but patches are always cool, as you can see at the top of the cover image and at the bottom in the last image from the 2015 games. Athlete names, CrossFit logo, and lucky charms, everything holds. Velcro makes it possible. There is also a small compartment closed with velcro: chocolate bars for doping? Gum for after the Games? As you wish. The velcro strip above is also ideal for name tags in a military style.

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