Hard Armor

Black color hard armor plate and soft armor panel placed side by side

Hard Armor Panel Vs Soft Armor Panel – What You Need to Know ?

All That You Need To Know About HAPs & SAPs

Law enforcement officers, soldiers, and those who are at a high danger of being shot or stabbed must wear body armor. Although body armor can be composed of a variety of materials, hard armor panels (HAP) and soft armor panels (SAP) are the most popular. Both types of armor provide defence against ballistic attacks, but they are different in their design, degree of protection, and comfort.

Hard Armor Panel Vs Soft Armor Panel - What You Need to Know ?

 

What Are Hard Armor Panels

Materials like ceramic, steel, or polyethylene are used to make hard armor panels. They are made to withstand strikes from high-velocity objects, including rifle bullets. In order to indicate their level of defense against ballistic threats, HAPs are also frequently referred to as Level III and Level IV panels.

Hard armor panels are bulkier to wear than soft armor panels because they are heavier and thicker. Moreover, they are more expensive than SAPs, but they offer better defense against high-velocity assaults. Law enforcement, security, and military personnel who work in high-risk environments frequently employ hard armor panels.

 

 

What Are Soft Armor Panels

Synthetic fibres like Kevlar or Dyneema are used to make SAPs. They are made to deflect slow-moving shots, like pistol bullets. These plates are more pleasant to wear because they are lightweight and flexible. The impact of the bullet is absorbed by soft armor panels, which then force the fibres to bend and release the energy. This procedure lessens the impact’s force and stops the bullet from piercing the body.

When defending against high-velocity ammunition like rifle bullets, SAPs are less effective. Yet, low-velocity shots, which are more prevalent in shooting occurrences, are more effective against them.

 

Difference Between Hard Armor Panels and Soft Armor Panels

The degree of protection, weight, thickness, and flexibility of HAPs and SAPs are their primary distinctions. While soft armor panels offer protection against low-velocity assaults, hard armor panels offer stronger defence against high-velocity threats. SAPs are lighter and more flexible than HAPs, which are thicker, heavier, and less flexible.

Due to its design and degree of protection, hard armor panels are generally more expensive than soft armor panels. While soft armor panels might cost between a few hundred and a thousand dollars, hard armor panels can cost between several hundred and thousands.

 

What To Choose Between Hard Armor Panels And Soft Armor Panels

 

There are various factors that need to be taken into consideration while choosing between HAPs and SAPS. These include the level of protection needed, the nature of the threat, and the operating needs, among others.

For high-risk activities involving high-velocity threats, hard armor panels are preferred, whereas soft armor panels are designed for low-risk operations involving low-velocity threats. For the task at hand, the user’s safety and efficacy depend on selecting the appropriate sort of armor panel.

 

There are various factors that need to be taken into consideration while choosing between HAPs and SAPS. These include the level of protection needed, the nature of the threat, and the operating needs, among others.

For high-risk activities involving high-velocity threats, hard armor panels are preferred, whereas soft armor panels are designed for low-risk operations involving low-velocity threats. For the task at hand, the user’s safety and efficacy depend on selecting the appropriate sort of armor panel.

 

 

 

3 different cut design body armor plates on a table

SAPI vs. ESAPI: What Is the Difference Between Them?

What Do You Need To Know About SAPI And ESAPI Armor ?

While searching for body armor and bulletproof vests, we came across a variety of terms like ballistic plate, ballistic panel, or trauma plate. Let us clear up your confusion about these terms. All these refer to SAPI and ESAPI, and it is a must for you to know about them in a much better way. Here, we will dig deep into this topic to get you acquainted with SAPI and ESAPI in detail.

What is SAPI Armor Plate?

Abbreviated for Small Arms Protective Inserts, SAPI is one of the two types of ballistic plates. It is made of ceramic that has an external durable composite coating. SAPI is the official body armor of the US military and is available in different sizes. The biggest vest weighs around five and a half pounds whereas the smallest weighs around three pounds. The most commonly used size of SAPI plates measures 10” x 12” (Medium). They can be tailored based on the wearer’s size but producing so them in so many sizes is commercially very challenging.

SAPI is certified by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) certified laboratory and it can provide protection against 7.62×51 mm (M80 BALL) rounds. Based on the NIJ threat protection level, SAPI is placed under level III.

 

What is ESAPI Armor Plate ?

ESAPI means Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts that are made of composite ceramic materials namely boron carbide. The high-quality boron carbide is also used for making armored vehicles including tanks. ESAPI is known to be around 27% heavier than SAPI whereas, their size is similar. As they are a bit heavy, they provide a higher level of protection than SAPI plates and hence, are considered more efficient. ESAPI plates are commercially available in small (8”x10”), medium (10”x12”), and large (11”x14”) sizes.

The newer generations of ESAPI are made to conform to NIJ level IV specifications and this provides them with the ability to stop .30-06 Springfield M2 armor-piercing rounds with steel. The US Armed Forces started replacing SAPI with ESAPI in May 2005.

 

 

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