LOADOUT: Cyclone Plate Carrier by Condor Outdoor

Cyclone Pate Carrier

I was recently able to get my hands on the cyclone plate carrier from Condor outdoor from a buddy who loaned it to me. And while i haven't had enough to give it a complete test and review, my initial impressions of this 100% made in America plate carrier are very positive. 

 Cyclone Front (photo by airsoftgi.com)

Now the name Condor is normally associated with airsoft; and rightly so, with gear at a price point that any mil-sim player can afford. But with that comes doubts that the gear can perform and withstand the trails and tribulations that mil/leo operators typically go through. Condor has addressed this by working with the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA); a non-profit organization whose goal is to enhance the performance and education of the nations tactical officers through training, evaluation and recommendations of products such as gear and reading material. NTOA regularly test and evaluate Condor products, all of which can be seen on the Condor website. And while the Cyclone has yet to be added to that list, I have faith that this plate carrier will exceed their expectations.

 Cyclone rear (photo by airsoftgi.com)

Now that that's been said, back to the Cyclone. I'll start by saying that the quality of this plate carrier is excellent. As i said before my buddy loaned it to me, and while i won't tell you his exact setup, i will say he's been running it on personal security details for roughly two months now without so much as popping a stitch. He also ran it through several tactical weapons manipulations courses and had no problems of any kind. What stood out to him was the fact that even tho he weighs about 275 pounds, he was able to be dragged using the rear handle on the vest without it showing any fatigue. The carrier itself is lightweight even with ballistic plates installed; this could be due to the material its made from; but I have yet to identify said material due to conflicting reports stating that it's either 500 denier nylon or  500 denier cordura. The Cyclone is easy to store and deploy which his perfect for those first responder scenarios which require deployment from a vehicle or office locker for an "already on scene" response.

Cyclone side (photo by airsoftgi.com)

The price is another attractive feature of this carrier. I've actually seen it priced as low as $114.00 (not including pouches) on various websites from airsoft retailers to traditional leo/mil supply stores. Now compare that price to a similar vest like the Crye JPC or a Mayflower APC which run you around $250.00 (again not including pouches) and you'll start to seeing the economical value of this product.

Cyclone panel up (photo by airsoftgi.com)

The only complaint i have about the is the size. While it does come in an adjustable XL size, i think a lot of us bigger and taller guys would like something a bit larger (as in an adjustable XXL). But hey it may become available in the future, or at least i hope it does.  

For more information Condor and NTOA please visit them at: http://www.condoroutdoor.com/ and http://ntoa.org

and for great deals on Condor products and other great products please visit: http://www.airsoftgi.com