QUESTIONING SOFT BODY ARMOR from buzai232's blog

QUESTIONING SOFT BODY ARMOR

School safety is perpetually in the news. Over the last year or so, we’ve seen an increasing number of news stories heralding soft body armor. These usually include items such as “bulletproof hoodies,” backpacks, or other bullet-resistant personal protection items for school children. Some of these pieces have been fairly skeptical—even quite critical.To get more news about bulletproof level 4, you can visit bulletproofboxs.com official website.

What all of this news coverage lacks is a detailed look at the strengths and limitations of soft body armor. Soft body armor (i.e., “bulletproof vests”) are undeniably lifesavers, with a solid track record in the field. That said, they’re designed for fairly specific applications. They do not magically stop all bullets or prevent all damage. And, most concerning, they may perform worst when faced with the threats most common in a school shooting.

First and foremost, nothing is truly 100% bulletproof. With enough bullets and enough time, every barrier fails. Although people say “bulletproof vest” and “bulletproof hoodie,” these are more accurately called “bullet-resistant soft body armor.”

Soft body armor has interwoven layers of tough synthetic fibers to catch bullets. It’s similar to how the netting around a batting cage stops baseballs.

Experts estimate that about 80% of all firearm murders are committed using handguns. As a result, people facing generalized threats (like politicians, celebrities, and police officers) often opt to wear a “bulletproof vests” designed to stop all sorts of rounds. The “gold standard” for this are garments rated “NIJ IIIA.” These are designed to stop even the largest pistol calibers, like the .44 Magnum.

Being shot with a .44 Mag is a terrifying prospect: This is a very large bullet designed to pack a tremendous amount of power. Hunters use .44 Magnums to kill elk and grizzly bears. Even polar bears—which weigh over 1,000 pounds and stand 10 feet tall when reared up on their hind legs—can be taken down with a .44 Mag.

Reassuringly, much of the consumer-grade soft body armor on the market—including the bulletproof hoodies seen on TV—meets NIJ IIIA standards. In fact, all of these garments rely on the exact same material as the bullet-resistant fiberglass that reinforces school walls.

But it’s important to bear in mind that although these are made of the same material, they behave very differently in the field. Soft body armor will stop many bullets. But it can never stop the force of the bullets’ impact—and is powerless against some key school safety threats.