All body armor uses either para-aramids or UHMWPE(Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene). The former are plastics that are woven into fibers with an extremely high strength-to-weight ratio which can absorb a great amount of energy as they are flexible and strong. The material works by dispensing the bullet across the fibers as it travels through the many layers, effectively showing the bullet down to a complete stop and trapping it within the extra-long fibers. While the UHMWPE has a gel-spun multifilament fiber made from plastic. This material is usually used in vests that protect against ammunition but will not protect against higher caliber ammunition. You can also find hard armor made of ceramic, steel or titanium plates, which offers protection in extreme situations. These vests are much heavier and thicker.
Which Is The Right One For Me?
When you order a ballistic vest, remember that it is a matter of life or death. So if the vest cannot protect you from the threats, it will not only be a waste of money but also put yourself at risk. Also, it would help if you did not choose a vest that offers unnecessary protection as it may be heavier and more restrictive.
Ballistic armor is produced in two main styles, covert and overt. Covert armor is made to be worn under clothes and is generally produced in light colors. Since they need to be unnoticeable when worn under clothing, they are designed to be as thin as possible and often feature moisture-wicking fabrics, which help keep the wearer cool when worn for a long time. Covert armor is suitable for those who do not want others to know they are wearing a piece of body armor. Overt armor includes protective vests designed to be worn over clothes and are generally black but are also produced in various colors when required. This kind of armor is thicker and harder to wear.
What Threats Are You Likely To Face?
Before buying a ballistic vest, do proper research about the area in which you will be working, like the history of attacks that have taken place there, etc. Based on this research, you can decide which type of body armor you will need and also the level of protection you will require. For instance, police and prison officers will need a multi-threat vest offering bullet, stab and spike protection; security personnel will require a stab-proof vest; military personnel, shipping crew, and coastguards should use body armor with hard armor plates.
Choosing A Ballistic Vest
A ballistic vest with a ballistic insert covers a large part of the upper half of the body. The insert is made of several layers of bullet-resistant textiles and is the main protection against ammunition like pistols, splinters, shells, and other explosives. Hard ballistic plates protect against rifle ammunition. You should ensure that the size of the pocket for the ballistic plate or the plate inserted into it matches your chest size. This is the most common problem when selecting a ballistic vest. Another concern with some vests is that the pocket size does not match the size of the plate the vest would need, or the plate’s position cannot be adjusted inside the waistcoat. A vest may be fitted with a hard ballistic plate inappropriately, usually very low or the wrong size and not covering where it should be. So the buyer should pay attention to these details when purchasing a bulletproof vest. You should be able to adjust the whole ballistic vest system to fit the insert size so that the plate is placed in the correct position.
Hard ballistic plates are generally marked with ICW (In Conjunction With), which means that the plates provide the declared ballistic resistance to be used with soft ballistic insert, and the projectile should pass through the ICW plate, and its stopping would occur only inside the soft ballistic plate. Some other plates may be marked with STA (Stand-Alone), which meets the declared resistance without using soft plates. This is because, in STA plates, the projectile is held directly by the body of the gun. But these plates are heavier and thicker than ICW plates.
To Sum Up
We can conclude that before buying a vest, you must first find out the size of a ballistic plate you need, then choose a specific type of plate holder that is compatible with the selected length of plates. Also, find out their actual area coverage and make sure they are compatible in shape, fit and fixing method.