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Polyethylene Bulletproof Vests Better Than Kevlar

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the hard-wear dept.

teflonscout writes "When I think of bulletproof vests, the first word that comes to mind is Kevlar. Wired is running a story on Dynema SB61, a bulletproof material that is made of polyethylene. It is a higher grade of the plastic found in Tupperware. The story also mentions the recall of Second Chance bulletproof vests that were made from Zylon, a material that degraded slowly when exposed to moisture. At least one police officer was injured when a bullet penetrated his Zylon vest. Polyethylene is impervious to moisture. The first vests made from this new material are 5mm thick and can stop a 9mm bullet traveling at 1777 feet per second, which is slightly better than other top of the line vests."

4 of 345 comments (clear)

  1. Back to the drawing board. by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


    Dynema SB61, a bulletproof material that is made of polyethylene. It is a higher grade of the plastic found in Tupperware.

    There goes my idea for a zip-tie & Tupperware bulletproof vest. It also explains why the prototypes failed in the field.

    --
    Trolling is a art,
    1. Re:Back to the drawing board. by mooingyak · · Score: 5, Funny

      Those who would sacrifice mobility for safety deserve neither.

      --
      William of Ockham had no beard. The most likely explanation is that it was chewed off by squirrels every morning.
  2. Tupperware vests? by kammat · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do they burp when they're hit?

  3. Re:impervious to water, how about body heat? by Noxx · · Score: 5, Funny

    If it's basically like wearing a big plastic slab, isn't that going to get super hot?

    That's why you lacquer the chestplates in white to dissipate heat, and give them a black spandex bodysuit underneath...add a scary looking helmet and most of your vitals are covered. In theory it should deflect blaster bolts. Where I'm stationed we wear them all the time (I work in law enforcement).

    In practice, they don't stop crap. Like last week this scruffy-looking nutjob with a walking carpet for a sidekick breaks in to rescue his girlfriend. Next thing we know there's a weapons malfunction down in the cell block, and four of my buddies find out the chestplates don't quite work as advertised.

    I hate this posting...maybe I can get transferred before something else goes wrong.

    - TK421

    --
    Study everything, you'll find something you can use - Jason Bourne