Kit Spotlight: Type 21 Vest

Front of the vest. Similar to a Type 06 vest, there are 4 rifle magazine pouches, general purpose pouch (Left), canteen pouch (Right), two 2-cell grenade pouches totaling 4 grenades. and one bayonet pouch.

Kit Spotlight: Chinese Type 21 vest

A Chinese military parade on October 1, 2019 unveiled five Type 19 camouflages, new helmets, and vests. Woodland, a darker jungle, arid, a darker desert and an urban pattern were originally introduced. Type 21 simplified to the jungle and desert patters from Type 19 as well as some slight changes to the camouflage pixelization and macro patterns. Uniform cuts and the plate carrier also changed two years later through the Type 21 iteration.

Note the elastic lumbar belt that wraps around the wearer’s waist.

This is likely a repro of PLA issued Type 21 vests, but is a faithful reproduction and likely also used with PLA made ones, being identical. It is a standard infantry plate carrier with a velcro cummerbund, and an internal lumbar elastic belt. Infantry units of all PLA branches make use of the vest. Many features’ purposes, like the internal pocket on the outside flap of the rear platebag, remain unknown but should be revealed through documents or videos as time progresses.

Rear platebag flap lifted. Note the pocket on the flap, very likely to be a hydration bladder pouch.