Shown in black with four sewn-on pockets and a typical MOLLE loadout. Photographed at the shop.

External Armor Carrier

The Cowell External Armor Carrier

Worn over the uniform on patrol, ten to sixteen hours at a stretch. Each one is made to the officer's six measurements and to the make and model of armor the department issues, in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

$640price approximate, fully loaded

Carrier $408 · pockets ×4 $86 · typical pouches $146

Build yours in the Loadout Designer

Configured and quoted, then invoiced. PO, check or card. Departments can sign out a sample carrier and wear it on shift for two weeks

Current lead timeAbout 16 weeks. Tell us if you need it sooner.

Specifications

Shell1000 denier Cordura nylon, [ oz ] Lining[ fabric, oz ] WebbingNylon, Mil-spec [ number ] or commercial equivalent Thread[ type, size ] ClosuresHook and loop; Mil-spec snaps or Fastex buckles substituted where silence is a concern ArmorPocket patterned to the panel make, model and size issued FitSix measurements, taken per officer PocketsSewn-on, up to four; MOLLE field for pouches Weight[ oz ] bare carrier Colors[ colors offered, owner to confirm ] Made inBonners Ferry, Idaho, USA In production since[ design year ] Lead timeAbout sixteen weeksRepairOur own carriers, $50 an hour shop time, about a week's turnaround, quoted before work starts. Terms

Construction

Shell:Exterior of 1000 denier Cordura nylon over a [ lining ] interior. This combination of fabrics results in a carrier that is as nearly indestructible as affordable fabrics can make it.

Armor pocket:Cut to the panel the department issues, not to a size range. [ how the panel is held, owner to confirm ] Please specify armor make, model and size when ordering.

Cummerbund and shoulders:Made to six measurements taken on the officer, so the carrier rides where the armor should sit and stays there over a shift. [ adjustment detail, owner to confirm ]

Pockets and webbing:Up to four sewn-on pockets placed to the department's spec, and a MOLLE field for pouches. Webbing is nylon Mil-spec [ number ] or its commercial equivalent. Pouches are patterned around the item each carries.

Identification:Hook fields front and back accept our heat applied vinyl panels. Roles can be changed without sewing. Configure panels.

In service with

[ Department ][ Department ][ Department ][ Department ][ Department ]

[ Evaluation quote, owner to provide ]
[ Rank Name ] · [ Department ]

Please specify armor make, model and size, color, sewn-on pocket placement and pouch layout in the Loadout Designer. We quote from that configuration and invoice the carrier when it is built, rather than taking payment up front; purchase orders, checks and cards are all accepted, and Idaho orders are taxed while out-of-state orders are not. Department specs are kept on file for new hires. Six measurements take about four minutes — how they are taken; watch a department size a roster at roll call. Before any of that, a department can sign out a sample carrier and wear it on shift.

Build Yours Request Department Quote Wear One First Vendor Information

How a carrier is measured

Six measurements · about four minutes per officer

Measurements are taken over the uniform the officer actually works in, not over a t-shirt, and with the armor panels the department issues to hand. Nothing is traced and nothing is mailed. A department can size a whole roster at roll call; one person measures, another writes. If a measurement lands between sizes we will call before cutting.

01[ Measurement one ]
[ Where the tape starts and stops, in the officer's terms — owner to provide ] 02[ Measurement two ]
[ How it is taken ] 03[ Measurement three ]
[ How it is taken ] 04[ Measurement four ]
[ How it is taken ] 05[ Measurement five ]
[ How it is taken ] 06[ Measurement six ]
[ How it is taken ]

Also tell us the armor The make, model and size of the panels the department issues. The armor pocket is cut to that panel, so it matters as much as the measurements. If your model is not in the list, say so in the notes and we will sort it out.

Watch the sizing video Four minutes. Same six measurements, shown on an officer.

Enter measurements in the Loadout Designer