Patent ID: 8353065

Claim:
A body armor system comprising: a vest having front segments and rear segments spaced rearwardly from the front segments; a first shoulder element fastened between a vest rear segment and a vest front segment; a second shoulder element fastened between a vest rear segment and a vest front segment and spaced sidewardly from the first shoulder element; and a front plate carrier having a rear wall facing toward the rear segments of the vest; a first flexible front strap fixed at one end to the front plate carrier; a second flexible front strap fixed at one end to the front plate carrier; a buckle mounting strap releasably connected in a first configuration to the first shoulder element; a buckle assembly comprised of a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end being separable parts which are releasably engaged with one another to form a releasable connection between the first end and the second end, wherein the first end is mounted in a first configuration to a loop formed by the first front strap, and the second end is mounted to the buckle mounting strap, wherein portions of the first front strap spaced from the first end are releasably affixed to the front plate carrier in the first configuration; and attachment portions of the second front strap which are releasably connected to the second shoulder element in the first configuration, the buckle assembly being operable to selectively secure the front plate carrier to the first shoulder element or release it therefrom in the first configuration, and wherein the buckle mounting strap may in a second configuration be releasably connected to the second shoulder element, and the buckle first end in the second configuration may be mounted to the second front strap, and in the second configuration the first front strap extends onto and is secured to the first shoulder element.