REVIEW: S&S Precision Plate Frame

If you have seen one plate carrier, you have seen them all. You might think so... The somewhat pointed judgment hits the core that most manufacturers cook their soup in a similar way. And that's no wonder: the basic principle of a Plate Carrier is that it carries a plate in the front and a plate in the back. This specification determines its shape. The use of Cordura for the plate pockets does the rest... S&S Precision - represented in Germany at POL-TEC - on the other hand, takes a different material approach and has created the Plate Frame, which has a unique design.

"Plate Frame" is also the "license plate holder" in the translation. With this PC something similar happens: the Kydex plate holder accommodates the SAPI plates in the Swimmer Cut style and displays them freely. The Multicam we see here is a fabric cover over the plates (the so-called "socks"). However, they could also be inserted naked into the Kydex frame.

The harness that holds the front and back together is made of a special tear-resistant plastic and has two shoulder straps at the top, which are still wrapped in padding/a cable channel of the same material here.

Around the waist, the harness consists of the cummerbund, which, coming from the back, is looped into the plate frame at two points in front and closed with Velcro. This is certainly not the fastest way to close the plate frame. S&S Precision has recently followed suit with a quick-release for their plate carrier.

On our model, fabric magazine pouches are attached. These must be solid, but in our opinion, they are a bit of a pain because they are very tight and therefore rigid. Inserting PMags is cumbersome. Here too, S&S Precision has followed suit with plastic magazine holders. The Gear Retention Rack (GRR) with the Skeletonized Magazine Retention (SMR) certainly fits better and is more functional. The Pull Tabs - pulls on the bungee cord - have been presented HERE before.

We all know that true values are internal. That's why we turn the plate frame around and take a look at the inside, which is very exciting because it looks quite different from what you see in the front. The cummerbund and Velcro strips hold a foam plate in place, which serves as a flotation kit but also as functional padding for the SAPI plate.

This is what it looks like when the foam is unfolded. In this case, the viewer does not see a real plate, but the dummy from S&S Precision, because it is assumed that practice is not done with the real plate. Why make things difficult or damage the expensive plate...

The very lightweight training plate is internally braced and very dimensionally stable. In the image, the viewer also recognizes that the Multicam fabric cover - the "sock" - has been removed.

This is what the Swimmer Dummy looks like from the other side. At the top center, you can see the logo of S&S Precision.

This is what's left when everything is disassembled: the Plate Frame that holds the SAPI is a minimalist framework made of Kydex. The rearward-formed brackets hold the plate. The material can be cut so that, for example, POLICE can be read on the front or a logo other than that of S&S. Kydex is patient. And strong. Others make holsters with it, this is the only Kydex plate carrier out there.

And here is the Cummerbund in detailed view. You can attach MOLLE pouches normally here. But the best fit is probably accessories from S&S itself for the Plate Frame. All in a very nice design.

And no wonder: the Plate Frame is so stylish that Chris Costa has been seen walking around with it.

CONCLUSION: A unique design for a comfortable to wear plate carrier. The Plate Frame, like everything at S&S Precision, has its price, but is wonderfully designed and implemented minimally. A small work of art, but above all: a functional plate carrier with thoughtful solutions.

You can get the S&S Precision Plate Frame in Germany at POL-TEC for 525 euros. S&S Precision accessories are also available at POL-TEC.