Rogersville, MO -(AmmoLand.com)- Body armor covers a wide range of products, from ballistic helmets to full-body tactical vests.
Most people will be familiar with bullet proof vests and ballistic protection, but may not be aware that these vests can only protect you against bullets. For protection against edged or spiked weapons you will need a stab or spike proof vest. These are commonly available, and usually come in conjunction with ballistic protection, but are still important products that you need to understand.
Stab and spike protection is used in the same way that bullet proof protection is, with a lightweight vest that will often use soft fabrics found in bullet proof vests.
Edged Blade protection and Spiked protection is usually provided in addition to ballistic protection, as the vests will use the soft fabric to increase protection. These protective materials, such as Kevlar, are incredibly strong and can absorb large amounts of energy. This is what gives them their resistance to bullets, but also means they are capable of absorbing the impact of any attack, and can significantly reduce the damage caused.
However, the soft fabric will not stand up to edged or spiked weapons, and its ability to absorb impacts is negated if it is cut or bypassed. ‘Edged weapons’ usually refers to knives, broken bottles, and weapons like axes and machetes. The sharp edges of these weapons can cut through fabric, even strong fabric like Kevlar, and injure the wearer. For these weapons a stab proof vest is needed, which will usually use chainmail and/or plastic laminate to create a tough surface that can stop the weapon from penetrating.
‘Spiked weapons’ usually refers to needles, screwdrivers, or stilettos, which are capable of passing through the minute gaps between the fibers in a bullet proof vest. This again renders the protection useless and potentially injures the wearer. For protection against these weapons a spike proof vest is needed, which is usually only found in conjunction with stab protection, and can only use plastic laminate in order to stop the spiked weapon from penetrating.
Stab & Spike Proof Vests
Another important reason for the use of Kevlar in stab and spike proof vests is the protection it provides against impacts. This means that, in addition to increasing protection in general, fewer layers of chainmail and/or plastic laminate are needed to achieve edged blade and spike protection. As the Kevlar absorbs the impact, only a thin layer is need to create a barrier against edged and spiked weapons, making the vest protective with barely an increase in weight or thickness.
A stab or spike proof vest is important for anyone who wears body armor to consider. While a bullet resistant vest can provide a great deal of protection in variety of situations, edged and spiked weapons are just too accessible and potentially deadly not to consider. Wearing a vest that is designed to stop weapons like knives and needles is a simple way of ensuring that you stay safe and can perform to the best of your ability.
You can find a range of stab and spike proof vests at SafeGuard by using the following link: https://www.safeguardclothing.com/24-stab-vest/.
About SafeGuard Armour:
Leading body armor manufacturers and premium body armor designers www.safeguardarmor.com & www.safeguardclothing.com has been established online for about 7 years. They specialize in combining soft Kevlar armor with hard armor plates to their carrier designs.
For more information, visit: www.SafeGuardArmour.co.uk.