CARRIER SIZING
PANELS FIT CARRIER
The obvious step, right? Your new Carrier is useless if you can't put your existing Armor Panels in it. Our Armor Carriers are available in dozens of possible sizes, allowing us to work with you in determining the best possible match for your Armor Panels. Safariland Carriers are designed to work with Safariland Body Armor, American Body Armor (ABA) or Second Chance Body Armor Panels, but can often work with other brands.
CARRIER FITS BODY
Often overlooked, but equally important, we need to make sure that the Carrier fits you. The design of the Carrier, in properly fitting your body and allowing you running adjustment, assumes certain points about the way your existing Armor Panels fit. In other words, if your Panels are way too small, why order a matching Carrier that will also be way too small? We can help with options when you need a Carrier for ill-fitting Armor Panels.
READY? LET'S DO THIS! GRAB YOUR ARMOR.
The first thing we need are some details from your Armor Panels. Remove the Panels from any existing Carrier and locate the label on each. The NIJ requires that the following information be included: Company/Brand Name, Size, Date of Manufacture and Date of Issue. We will need this info to help you with sizing. Remember that there will be a separate size listed on the front and rear panel. We need to know both. If your Armor Panels are Safariland, ABA or Second Chance and your labels are intact, skip down to "How Well Do Your Armor Panels Fit?"
OFF-BRAND OR LABEL DESTROYED?
We can probably still help, but will need a series of measurements from your Armor Panels and possibly tracings to be able to recommend the best size. Start by submitting our Carrier Sizing Form to send us the information we need to start helping you. Make sure to remove your Panels from any Carrier before taking measurements or tracing outlines. If we recommend tracings, place your Panels on some large paper that can be easily rolled or folded and mailed to us. Include your contact info with the tracings so that we can match everything up and contact you. Remember that we will need a tracing of both the front and rear panel.
HOW WELL DO YOUR ARMOR PANELS FIT?
This is the key factor that is largely overlooked in our industry. If your Armor Panels don't fit you well, a matching Carrier won't fit you well either. Too small is too small and too big is too big. The reason we provide and ask for so much information about sizing is that we want your Carrier to fit and work properly. It's not unheard of for us to recommend not ordering a Carrier for extremely ill-fitting armor until you are able to replace the Panels.
The most common fit issue is Armor Panels not being wide enough and leaving a gap on each side:
If you order a matching size Carrier for Armor Panels with a large gap, you run out of girth adjustment very quickly and may not even be able to wear it in with extra clothing layers or a jacket on underneath.
These Carriers are engineered for Armor Panel overlap on each side. If you have a gap, we will recommend options that will allow for the Carrier to fit you properly and leave internal capacity for better coverage and fit of future Armor Panels. Please fill out the Carrier Sizing Form or contact us with any questions.
STOCK SIZES
We are stocking as many Carriers as we can for shipment within 5 business days. The list is ever-changing, but updated in real-time. The Stock Sizes listed through the link below on stronglikebeetle.com will always be Safariland Legacy sizes. This means that they are common sizes in Safariland 2.0, Second Chance Legacy and American Body Armor (ABA) Legacy lines. Safariland and Second Chance format is Front Panel Dimensions-Rear Panel Dimensions, i.e. 2013-1815 or 2215-2215. ABA format is Front Panel Size/Rear Panel Size, i.e. 1RC/1RXC.
SPECIAL ORDER
If we don’t have your size in stock and you are 100% confident in the size you need (Safariland, ABA or Second Chance) and ready to place a Special Order, please select the color you need and add the correct model to your cart. A window will pop up asking for size information.
Not quite sure? Please fill out the Carrier Sizing Form or contact us with any questions. We will help you determine if a stock size is your best choice, and if not, begin setting up a special order.
CARRIER USE & CARE
Official guidelines from Safariland, LLC
CLEANING
Remove all armor panels, special threat plates, pouches and ID patches before attempting to clean the carrier.
Detach all fixed hook and loop fasteners.
Use a soft, clean cloth in a back-and-forth motion to remove dust, dirt and loose matter.
To treat tough spots on the carrier’s exterior, use a soft brush with antimicrobial soap and water. Wipe off excess soap with a clean, damp cloth.
Lie carrier on a flat surface and allow to air dry.
Make sure the carrier is completely dry before inserting armor panels, trauma inserts and special threat plates.
Make sure the panels are reinserted properly with the “Strike Face” side facing away from your body.
Be sure to engage the shoulder suspension tabs which secure the armor panel to the carrier garment.
NOTES
Your body armor should never be cleaned as a complete armor protection system. Each system component should be cleaned separately. An officer’s body armor is only meant to perform when it is properly taken care of. Failure to properly maintain your vest in accordance with the use and care instructions will void the armor’s warranty. Below are some additional warnings you should note prior to the use of your armor. Please also refer to the Safariland warranty guide for more information. This flexible body armor (“vest”) is an integrated system consisting of a carrier and front and back torso ballistic panels.
Failure to closely follow these use & care instructions will void all warranties, including but not limited to any ballistic performance warranty, and could lead to serious injury or death.
Do not abuse your vest. If your vest is heavily worn (e.g., wrinkles or rolls in the ballistic panels open breaks in the outer carrier, heavy stains, worn threads, visible moisture, cracked seams, cover splits), regardless of its age, it shall be deemed to be abused and no longer subject to any warranties. Inspect your vest frequently. Should the ballistic panel package (including without limitation any edge seal of a ballistic panel, where applicable) be broken, interrupted, cracked or damaged in any way, the vest should immediately be taken to an authorized dealer for an inspection. Ballistic panels that are broken, interrupted, cracked or damaged may negatively impact the vest’s ballistic performance and may need to be repaired or replaced.
STORAGE
Store your vest properly. The resistance and performance of ballistic panels are known to change with time and wear, especially when exposed to extreme environmental conditions. This vest should not be stored in places where it is exposed to high temperatures and/or in combination with high humidity for long periods of time. Exposure to such extreme environmental conditions may negatively impact the vest’s ballistic performance.