Level IV 6x6 Side Plates: Fit and Coverage Buying Guide

Start with the gap, not the plate

Side plates exist to cover what your torso plates don't. The RMA Armament Level IV 6x6 side plates are described as adding protection to vital organs above the hips from ballistic threats and shrapnel where torso plates leave gaps. That's the job. Before you shop, look at your carrier with your front and back plates installed and ask where that gap actually sits on your body.

If the answer is "nowhere I can reach with a 6x6 panel," a set of side plates won't fix a fit problem. If the gap is real and roughly palm-sized on each side, 6x6 is the most commonly worn accessory plate size on the market, which makes it the default starting point.

What the RMA Level IV 6x6 set actually gives you

The supplied record identifies this as RMA's Level 4 Model #1155sp, sold as a set of two 6x6 plates. It is described as multi-hit rated and cost-effective relative to the catalog comparison price. RMA is also described as the most sought-after plate brand among U.S. law enforcement officers in the supplied copy.

What the record does not give you is a weight, thickness, curvature, or cut profile. Those are the numbers that decide whether a side plate disappears into a cummerbund pocket or turns your carrier into a brick. Treat their absence as a research task, not a minor omission.

Verified specs before you commit

• RMA Armament Level IV 6"x 6" Side Plates, Set of 2: Level 4 Model #1155sp, 6x6 side plates, sold as a set of 2. The set-of-two packaging matters: side plates are worn in pairs, so one price covers both sides.

  

• RMA Armament Level IV 6"x 6" Side Plates, Set of 2: Described as multi-hit rated and covering vital organs above the hips where torso plates do not. This is the coverage claim you are buying; match it to the gap you identified on your own carrier.
• RMA Armament Level IV 6"x 6" Side Plates, Set of 2: Listed with a 10-year specification. A long service window is only useful if the plates fit your carrier now, so fit comes first.

Side plate carrier fit: four checks before adding plates

A 6x6 plate is only as good as the pocket it sits in. Run these checks on your own carrier before ordering.

• Does your cummerbund have side plate pockets?: Many carriers do; some rely on add-on pockets. If yours has no pocket and no provision for one, the plates have nowhere secure to live.
• Is the pocket sized for 6x6?: The plate is 6x6 inches. A pocket cut for a different size will either not accept it or let it shift.
• Will the plate sit over the gap you found?: Position matters more than size. A correctly sized plate in the wrong spot protects nothing useful.
• Can the cummerbund take the extra load?: Two hard plates add mass at the sides, where tension is already highest. Check that the cummerbund still closes and stays put.

The weight and coverage trade-off nobody escapes

Every side plate purchase is a trade: more coverage against more weight and less mobility. The supplied record does not list a per-plate weight, so you cannot calculate the penalty from this page alone. That is a genuine decision limitation, not a reason to skip the question.

The practical approach is to add side plates last. Get your front and back plates and carrier fit settled first, then add the 6x6 set and reassess how the carrier moves. If the added mass changes how you shoulder a pack or reach across your body, you have your answer about whether side plates belong in your setup.

When the RMA Level IV 6x6 set is the right buy

This set makes sense if you already run a carrier with 6x6 side pockets, you have identified a real coverage gap above the hips, and you want Level IV protection in a multi-hit-rated package at a catalog price below the comparison price. The set-of-two format and the 10-year specification support a long-term purchase rather than a trial.

It makes less sense if your carrier has no side plate provision, if you need a specific cut or curvature the record doesn't confirm, or if you haven't yet weighed the mobility cost. In those cases, fix the carrier or the fit question first.

A practical order of operations

Use this sequence so you don't buy plates that don't fit the rest of your kit.

1. Fit the carrier: Set shoulder and cummerbund tension with your torso plates installed.
2. Find the gap: Identify where coverage stops above the hips on each side.
3. Measure the pocket: Confirm your carrier accepts a 6x6 plate and that the pocket holds it without shifting.
4. Add the RMA set: Install both 6x6 plates, then recheck movement and comfort before committing to the setup.