Bulletproof vest companies - your safety and concern!

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by: Armasure
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Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2011 Time: 11:05 PM

Bullet proof vests, also known as ballistic or bullet resistant vests/jackets are mainly worn on the upper part of the body and are used by soldiers, police and some civilians and security guards to protect themselves from firearms and other threats such as shrapnel and knives. They are usually made from intertwining layers of PE plastic film, but a number of different materials are used by different bullet proof vest companies around the world.

The industry is expanding rapidly in reaction to fast growing demand for these products in an ever more unstable global political and religious environment. The advance in body armor technology over the past 50 years means they can now provide good protection and in conjunction with ballistic plates even provide protection against armor piercing (AP) rounds.

Soft armor, made usually from PE and other plastic materials can usually provide protection against hand guns. The material effectively disperses the kinetic energy very rapidly, leaving the projectile without enough momentum to penetrate and cause serious injury. There will however be some trauma and bruising to the wearer as some compression of the vest will take place, even if there is no penetration. To protect against high velocity rifle rounds and armor piercing projectiles, hard ballistic plates are added, usually to pockets at the front, back and sometimes side of the vest. These are made often by PE plastic in conjunction with ceramic tiles made of alumina, and silicon or boron carbide.

Bullet proof vests and body armour are not the only protective items in use today, not only by soldiers but many other groups as well who might face gunfire such as NGO’s and journalists. The main additional piece is the ballistic or bulletproof helmet which provides similar protection to the head. These helmets also have visors, often made from polycarbonate with the aim of providing protection to the face without restricting vision. Some helmets also have ballistic material attached to the back of the helmet to provide protection for the neck.

It is always very important to check closely the performance of any body armor under independent testing by certified agencies such as HP White in the USA. It is also a good idea to buy armor that gives appropriate protection for the threat you are likely to face, as it is not always sensible to buy the highest protection possible, as there is always a trade off between protection level and bulk/weight of the armour. So high protection can restrict movement. It is also worthy of note that vests that protect against bullets, don’t necessarily protect against knives too.

Sinoarmor manufactures a wide range of body armour right up to the maximum NIJ IV protection level, encompassing both soft armor and harder ballistic insert plates. Rigorously tested both on their own range and by independent auditors and agencies, you can rest assured that their products will provide the protection you need.

About the Author

Rob Thompson is the author of this article on Bulletproof Helmet Companies. Find more information about Ballistic Helmets Wholesalers here.

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