In previous articles we explored the three most important characteristics of a bulletproof vest, and today we will discuss the two most important characteristics of a good vest. While we have discussed bullet proof vests in previous articles, today we will discuss only the hard armor vest. Today, I will briefly discuss hard armor and soft armor. As understanding, bulletproof vests are broken down into three categories depending on the protection ability, while also classified into soft and hard types, depending on materials used. Additionally, as previously discussed the third category which are the quadshot plate carrier, which is one of the most popular bullet resistant vest available on the market today, and in my opinion remain one of the best.
While we have already discussed the various protection ranges of bulletproof body armor, now will discuss the differences between hard and soft armor. Hard body armor is the type of bulletproof vest that has the most protection from cutting injuries. As bulletproof body armor is made of thicker material it provides greater protection from cutting injuries. The major difference between hard armor and soft armor is the thickness of the material used. As bulletins are fired at close range, softer armor plates allow greater penetration allowing the bullet to go through the material and creates a harder hit on the target.
Soft armor is designed to increase the bullet’s penetration, which allows the user to have less penetration and create a softer landing. The other major difference between hard armor and soft armor is that hard armor offers less concealment. This is because the material used for bulletproof clothing is thicker and more difficult to conceal, soft armor on the other hand offer great concealment benefits because of its thin material. Concealed soft armor plates will offer much better concealment than thicker hard plates. Since the main purpose of bulletproof vests is to offer greater concealment to its users, these are some of the reasons why soft armor is the better choice for this type of protective clothing.