Since a vest can only do so much, soft armor has been developed to fill in the gaps left by regular plate carriers. Vests and plate carriers are made up of different material. One is made up of metal, while the other is comprised of polyethylene (otherwise known as “peacemaker” plate carriers) that is sprayed with an epoxy resin. Hard armor is composed of steel, titanium, and other such metals while soft armor is composed of PVC, Lycra, and other materials such as spandex. Although the purpose of both types of armor are quite similar, there are some significant differences between them.
For instance, soft armor uses a more intuitive folding system for absorbing impact. Unlike hard armor, soft armor takes the s laisse d idea and executes it to the max. In fact, it folds and snaps into place like a spring. The same concept is used in soft armor for softball training weapons. As a result, these devices are superior at stopping projectiles and are excellent against softball training pellets.
Another difference between hard armor and soft armor is their distribution of energy. Hard armor focuses its energy primarily on the tip of the bullet or the energy within the jacket itself, which causes it to spin. On the other hand, soft armor focuses its energy on dispersing the energy in a more even fashion throughout the entire bullet’s surface. This dispersing of energy makes it more effective against softball and ballistics. It also makes it less dangerous to the shooter since the bullet will stop near the ground instead of penetrating the skin and vital organs of the target.