We live in troubled times, and it would be a mistake to imagine that the past was peaceful. Throughout history, various cultures developed personal protection equipment such as body armours to defend their people during times of strife. These technologies continued to improve in tandem with the advancement of weapons used in war and complex events. Ballistic vests and plate carriers are types of modern body armours specifically designed to shield the wearer from the injuries caused by weapons and projectiles.
The ballistic vest is a soft body armour that provides protection against low-caliber projectiles and shrapnel by absorbing the impact and reduces or even completely stop penetration to the torso. These vests are made of soft, high-tensile materials like Kevlar and offer effective protection under low-level threats. The ballistic vests are employed by forces on missions that need them to be light and fast. They are designed to comply with threat levels ranging from Level IIA to Level IIIA. These vests generally have pouches or MOLLE all over them to hold most of the tools and arms that officers or soldiers carry, such as knives, first aid kits, rifle magazines, and many more. Bulletproof vests are lightweight and relatively easy to conceal, and hence do not cause discomfort to the wearer. Bulletproof vests offer adequate coverage and are intended to be worn underneath the clothes, stretching tightly over the chest, waist, neck, and back. A zippered ballistic vest is easier to put on and take off, allowing for successful detachment when you need to move quickly. Several police officers, prison guards, security guards, body guards and occasionally ordinary civilians wear ballistic vests to protect themselves from knife and stab attacks.
Plate carriers are lightweight tactical vests that can hold a range of ballistic plates, effectively enhancing their personal protection. Plate carriers provide the best protection against high-level threats such as rifle threats in the front, from the neck to the waist, and in the back. Ballistic plates are typically classified as hard body armour and provides protection against threat level III or level IV in most situations. The ballistic plates can be produced of lightweight polyethylene (PE), bulky steel, or even ceramic materials such as silicon carbide and boron carbide. The level of protection is determined by the type of ballistic plates loaded in the plate carriers, which also adds to its bulkiness. Therefore, it is imperative that only the required level of protection is used keeping the weight in mind. Plate carriers are often used by military troops and other tactical units and are useful in shielding them from multiple strikes and can be detached and dropped in an emergency. Plate carriers are easy to accessorise, with an adjustable cummerbund and straps for a more comfortable fit. Your safety should always come first when it comes to body armour with all other aspects being secondary.