Where ancient armor had to withstand the force of club, mace, sword, pike or arrows, modern armor must withstand the force of firearms, which is far larger than another weapons utilized in days gone by. Selecting the most appropriate armor solution for your needs is imperative. How will you do it, though?

Dispelling a Myth

First, you should recognize that there is absolutely no such thing being a bullet proof vest. Body armor is made to resist the force of bullets, by dissipating the effect force over the fibers of the vest material (or by deflection when it comes to hard body armor). Vests and other lightweight armor options still deform with the force of an bullet, and that deformation affects one’s body of the wearer. The volume of deformation on the wearer’s skin is named backface deformation.

Hard or Soft?

There’s 2 primary options in protective armor today. Hard and soft armor systems can be obtained, but both serve very different needs. For instance, a soft vest is more easily worn, much less cumbersome and much convenient than hard armor. This makes it the best option for everyday use by cops.

Hard armor was made more for battle and also other conditions, where high-powered rifles include the more prevalent threats (soft armor is much better for resisting handguns). There is also a third option, semi-rigid body armor, which will come in between soft and hard armor options in protection and comfort.

Protection Levels

Picking out the correct body armor is vital, but could be a challenge. You can find seven classifications for industry standard vests as well as other armor solutions, that depend on the caliber, bullet weight and impact velocity they are able to withstand.

You’ll find vest available that offer both comfort and protection. An amount III-A vest the highest rating within a soft armor will protect you against most hand gun threats that an officer, body guard or security personnel could be facing yet still be mobile. Remember that the greater the protective rating, your mobility decreases slowly and gradually. These vest generally will also have a different pocket on the inside of the front with the vest to insert a trauma plate that’s six by eight inches in size and covers the region down the middle of your chest for further protection and impact dispersion.

Selecting the best choices vital, however it could be complicated. Most public safety officers choose bullet resistant vest that could withstand the grade of handgun employed by their officers, though some choose higher protection. The option must be based on comfort, wearability, the requirement for concealment as well as other critical indicators. However, the amount of protection afforded the wearer could be the paramount consideration and really should trump others.

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