After years of actively being the main producer and supplier of the Israel Defense Forces, Marom Dolphin finally designed their first molle-based plate carrier, available in both a fully modular and semi-modular version. It was a long time coming, since for years, the company had been supplying the same outdated model. Now, with the introduction of standardized gear for every infantry and combat soldier in the IDF, these are now part of the basic gear package. However, with the molle upgrade and some nifty upgrades come several shortcomings.

Design:

As previously said, this plate carrier was designed both in semi and fully modular versions. We reviewed both, and since the differences are minimal, we’ll discuss both. The reason for a semi-modular design isn’t exactly clear. The semi modular version has the three upper pouches that are built-in. This leads me to believe that the main reason for this design choice would have been to allow for switching of mag pouches below for LMG ammunition pouches for lower-tier combat units while not allowing them the possibility to mess with the carrier too much, as opposed to higher-tier combat units that would receive the fully modular one to build as they well please. It has to be noted, that as advanced as it’s trying to be, it is obviously hindered by the fact that it is designed for the proprietary “Hashmonai” ballistic plate of the IDF, leading to a very bulky design (something unavoidable unfortunately).  The design is quite unconventional to say the least. The carrier has what Marom calls a proprietary special “pull tight” mechanism which is essentially a self-aligning side closure which is supposed to align the armor plate more closely with the body to offer more comfort. Here’s where it gets interesting. The carrier has an inner T-belt which is an elastic detachable waist belt and is designed to transfer weight from the wearer’s shoulders to the waist. This doesn’t interfere with the wearing of either backpacks, war belts or gun holsters, whatsoever. Unfortunately, the carrier lacks any sort of velcro layer in the front for patches. The plate carrier comes standard with 3 5.56 mag pouches which according to Marom Dolphin can each hold 3 mags. This is most certainly not true, but they can hold 2 mags each comfortably. In addition, it comes with three small pouches with d-rings, and the carrier itself has a small zippered map pouch under the neckline. The top of the carrier also has a hook and loop with webbing to attach either NVG’s or binoculars and secure them in place. In both versions, the carrier bottom is covered in molle, with the top being fully molle compatible in the fully-modular one. The back of the carrier is covered in molle too, but is lacking on the sides. Lastly, the Velcro is very noisy when putting the carrier on or taking it off, but that’s something I personally didn’t mind. It also takes a little longer to put the carrier on because of the additional belt.

Material:

Here’s where it gets a little tricky. Like many Israeli companies, Marom doesn’t publish many technical specs. Because of this, it’s hard to say what materials were used exactly. That being said, the carrier is definitely of durable quality and could last multiple generations of soldiers. (In the IDF carriers are often passed on to lower-tier combat units who keep using them for years). That durability however, comes at a price, namely weight. The carrier is definitely heavier than most modern plate carriers.In addition, the inner mesh is not great and the material is very thick. I’ve also seen rips appear in certain spots after hard usage. Unlike most IDF carriers, this one is available in OD, coyote, navy blue, black and ranger green.

Comfort:

This is where this carrier shines. With regards to comfort, the closure system gets the carrier to really hug your body, no matter what body type you have which allows for a more comfortable wear with the plate carrier having minimal movement. The cherry on the cake though, is the T-belt, that makes wearing this so much more comfortable. Yet, with all this comfortability, the combination of bad mesh, the lack of breathability and the thickness of all the materials, causes very excessive sweating, which isn’t very comfortable. This could take down the rating drastically for some, but comfort trumps breathability for me. The shoulder pads are decently padded and as comfortable as you can expect from a quality plate carrier.

Storage:

Marom Dolphin ships this carrier with 3 5.56 mag pouches which can easily take two mags each for a total of 6 mags and 3 additional small pouches. That being said, expanding on that, is an issue since they don’t sell pouches separately or they aren’t easily obtainable. The small zippered map pouch on top is very hard to access when standing up since the carrier is pulled tight, and multiple times I had to ask a buddy to help me access the pocket, so it’s not very useful. In addition, accessing the mags is harder sometimes when pouches on top are filled. The hook and loop which can be used to attach NVG’s or binoculars keeps it in line with standard IDF equipment. It comes standard with a great 30 liter backpack to which a helmet can be attached. It also has molle on the sides to attach different pouches. The backpack can be easily and quickly dropped  which is good, but reattaching may be more complicated because of the clips and velcro.

Versatility:

We’re going to judge this one based on the fully modular version, since the semi-modular version serves a specific purpose. The plate carrier is available in several “versions” besides the standard rifleman edition. There’s the grenade launcher version which comes with 2 pouches which hold a combined 8 grenades. The medic version comes with an additional medic pouch. The LMG version comes with pouches for either the Negev light machine gun or the MAG heavy machine gun. Special backpacks can also be purchased but these are definitely not easily available. As far as versatility goes, that’s about it. Specialized pouches aren’t exactly their forte, and good luck finding additional pouches of this brand.

Price:

The cost of this carrier sits around 1200₪, which is roughly 325$. Considering that Marom Dolphin is a huge, well-established company, this price tag is quite disappointing. Yes, it does come with pouches and a backpack, but this price is equivalent to many of the most top-tier companies in the world. It’s a tad pricey for what it is.

In conclusion, while this plate carrier has definitely taken a leap forward in daring design, it has lost ground when it comes to issues such as weight and lack of intelligent design in some parts. It is however, extremely comfortable to wear and definitely has a long lifespan. This is after all, the standard IDF Plate Carrier, and they like gear that lasts. The company itself, isn’t as great with customer service as many of its American or European counterparts, so do keep that in mind.