I'm 6'1, 235 and have a 48 inch chest, so the large carriers and plates don't quite cut it for me.  I ordered a Crye JPC in size XL, and am looking for SAPI plates for it.  Any recommendations on quality level 4 products in this size?  Looking to spend $1200 to $1500.

Any XL SAPI cut plates from a reputable company will work fine. LTC multi-curve stand-alone level IV plates from BulletProofMe are under $700 per set.

ETA- under $600 from NDA.

https://nextdayarmor.com/product/ltc-nij-06-level-iv-sapi/


You could probably spend some more money and find lighter ones, if you wanted to. Just make sure they're SAPI cut and multi-curve.

Are you low body fat? If that 48" chest size is due to obesity then you shouldn't size a plate to cover what's essentially just fat. A large plate is probably fine. Just don't want to go with an oversized plate if you end up dropping fat and then it's nearly overhanging. It's a good thing to just try measuring chest width and length instead of only using chest circumference.

Not particularly fat. No six pack at the age of 40 anymore though either unfortunately.  I've enjoyed lifting my whole life.  I have measured as you suggest and came out needing the XL.

Makes sense. The only concern I'd say watch out for is that with XL plates they're just about the hardest to resell in case you find it's a bad fitment. Other than that for $1500 you'll be limited to rather heavy plates still in IV protection. Best thing in your price range for XL plates will be the Hesco 4601, but they're still 8.9lb per plate in XL. Even at the lightest like the Hesco 4800 it's 6.8lb a plate, but $1400 each in XL.

If you drop down to a 3+ plate you can go for a Hesco 3810 and only have it at 5.4lb each in XL. It'll still stop M80 ball, M855, etc, so while not a IV it's going to be good for almost everything CONUS (except that one guy using M61). It'll be a tad overbudget but considering how awful it is to have heavy plates, you'd be shaving about 6 lb off your total carrier weight just by giving up 7.62 AP protection.

Sounds like OP has made his decision, but we are very similar in height and chest measurement and I use large size plates, and for low vis I use medium a lot of times.  I don’t know of another professional user my size who wears XL plates either.  Plates are to keep you from being taken out of the fight permanently, not prevent you from getting shot at all.  That is a different kind of ballistic equipment setup.

For my job I value mobility.  I was issued XL plates in the mil for awhile and they just didn’t work for me.  Being able to move is going to save me a lot more often than the extra inch or two of coverage.  If I was wearing all the crazy body armor some people use I might as well have on one of those ballistic face masks too, because at that point I’m an immobile bullet sponge.

Everyone’s use case is different, and no judgement if OP is making his decision based on experience and knowledge.  It’s his body, his choice as the saying goes.  But if I were OP I’d return the XL plate carrier, get a properly fitted large plate carrier, and use large plates, maximum.  

I love when I see people who buy huge plates and/or wear their carrier so it covers half of their stomach.

ETA- this post isn't about OP. Just pictures I've seen on the webz.

My first “real” deployment I had XL ICW plates with a soft backer that weighed about 15-20lbs each, maybe more, giant heavy side plates, 6 AR mags, m9 with two spare mags, IFAK, a big ol combat knife, a 5 liter water bladder, some grenades, prob 10 or 15 other things.  And then I had job specific equipment in my stupid jumpable assault pack.  Pretty sure about half of it was dummy corded to me too.  About 90% of that garbage lasted through my first mission, then went in my pelican for the rest of the trip.  Came home from that deployment, swapped plates and carrier to one that fit.

15 or 16 deployments later, my entire setup (minus helmet and NVGs) weighs maybe a little more than one of those stupid XL plates.  Fuck a bunch of that, and fuck my old team sergeant for making me wear all that garbage.

I havent bought anything yet as far as plates.   Work has been busy and this has fallen to the back of my priority list for the moment. I do appreciate your input on this.  What you say makes sense, and I'll probably be returning the crye for a large plate model.  Thanks!

Happy to offer what advice I can, given our similarities in size.  I think you’ll be a lot happier with your options in large, and I really don’t think you’re increasing your risk of a lights out hit unless your internal organs are in a very unusual configuration.  

Being able to move well is much more likely to save your life than slightly larger plates.  Same thing with those ballistic face masks.  They just aren’t very common because the loss of peripheral vision/situational awareness is a lot more likely to get you killed than the armor is to save you.

Along that line of thought, mobility and weight savings, what are your thoughts on the u210 special threat plate?

I'm 6'5", around 230lb, and have a longish torso.  A little more body fat % than I'd like.  I don't know my chest measurement, but I like XL-long shirts.
I wear XL plates, not sure who the actual manufacturer is, but they're an older version of the velocity systems API-BZ.
They're thin enough I can actually fit them into an old Eagle BALCS low profile armor carrier over the soft armor (size large, it's an edge to edge fit and takes some wrangling to get them in or out).

I've found that, worn like this, they sometimes ride up and poke me in the neck getting in or out of cars.  I've been considering trying out L size plates.
That said, the Eagle carrier rides a little lower than I like.  I need to throw the plates in my PC and give it a try, see how it compares and if it's the carrier or the plate size causing it.
YMMV