Body armor, also called private armor, body armour/armour, or an outfit/robe of defense armour, is typically designed to deflect or absorb kinetic impacts to the body. This protection is important when used by soldiers, police officers, and the everyday public. The concept of self-defense was introduced in the modern era with the invention of the handgun and its expanding availability.
There are two main types of body armor, one being full body armor and the other being plate armor. Full body armor is literally that - it covers the entire body. Plate armor is worn only on specific areas. Common areas for these specialized protective armors include: the spine, the pelvis, the arms, thighs, chest, neck, and groin.
For close-quarter fighting, the role of the 'light Cavalry' was very different than it is in today's battles. Because of this, heavy Cavalry soldiers would wear medium plate armor to protect vulnerable areas and their horses from being harmed. The heavy cavalry would also use helms and shields, along with heavy padded suits of armor known as 'kimono' armor. Check out steel plate vs ceramic armor.
Before 1775, body armor was referred to as a 'citation needed' article. This refers to the fact that wearing the armor was deemed to be an unnecessary purchase that could not be justified with the amount of money that one had to spend. In this citation, the term 'citation needed' was used to alert the population that expensive and unwieldy armor was available and that buying one was akin to gambling. Although this is the case, today's armor is much more streamlined and user friendly than the heavy Cavalry armor of the past. Modern body armor has evolved into an extremely protective and durable product.
Although the original intent of wearing body armor was to protect against firearms, today's vests are far more effective against everything from knives to balls to iron-man sized projectiles. For this reason, a person may not need to have a license to purchase or possess a firearm if they chose to use a vest to defend themselves. However, they should be well versed in using their handgun at all times, especially if they live in an area that prohibits carrying a firearm.
Dyneema was commonly used to create heavy protection for troops in the trenches. A bulletproof vest made from the same material is now considered one of the safest and most comfortable pieces of personal armor on the market. Other common materials for this type of bullet proof vest include a Kevlar composite, which is equally sturdy and durable, but has a fire retardant coating so it will not catch on fire when exposed to fireballs or high caliber gun fire. It is important to note that even though Kevlar has many positive qualities, it is still only as bulletproof as its composition. You can view here for more info.
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