A soldier wearing the heavy-duty bulletproof vest is only capable of defending against bullets, projectiles and other types of lethal attacks aimed at the body. This does not, however, mean that these soldiers are immune to other forms of harm. Most airborne projectiles and bullets are not fired straight at the body, but rather at its vital organs. This is what makes vest bullet proof, such as the vests being used by the US Army and other forces across the world. Soft armor or “ballistic vests,” on the other hand, are designed to withstand impacts that inflict serious injury to the soft tissues of the body.
The vest is an extremely important part of a soldier’s protective equipment and there are actually several different types of protective armor. A soldier, for instance, can choose between hard armor and soft armor depending upon his/her needs and requirements. Common bullet proof vests are made from ballistic nylon, heavy weight polyethylene and other similar materials that provide the highest level of protection.
The heaviest of these protective vests, aside from the vests that are made from ballistic nylon, is the one made from plate steel. However, this material is quite cumbersome due to its weight. It would prove more effective if it were lightweight. Therefore, this type of material is often combined with other materials such as polyethylene, aluminum and Kevlar to improve its load-bearing capabilities. However, the plate-steel variant of this type of bullet proof vests is far more popular in use because it weighs less than the other variants, making it easier to transport. In fact, there are some models of this kind of bullet-proof vest that are so light that they can even be worn over traditional protective clothing during battle.