There are certain products that work so well, it’s hard to imagine life before their invention. I believe Kevlar would be among those. Show the knight in shining armor that a flexible fabric can stop a bullet, and he might start to feel a little weighed down. Unsatisfied with good or even great, DuPont™ has improved their ubiquitous product again. A million times over at that.
DuPont™ announced the one millionth vest has been made with Kevlar® XP™ since its 2008 launch at Eurosatory, an international defense and security trade show. DuPont™ credits the quick adoption to, “proven ballistic performance, light weight and low back face deformation, which helps
Kevlar® XP™ is reported to be 10% lighter, handle environmental extremes better and stop bullets within the first three layers of the vest. There are 11 layers in all. The improved design reduces back deformation by 15% over other commercially available lightweight technologies.
Kevlar® goes back much further than this latest incarnation. Originally developed in 1965, there have been numerous applications and improvements since then. DuPont™ has also recently launched Kevlar® AS450X, a version designed for enhanced comfort while still protecting from a wide variety of harms, including bullets, knives and blunt objects.
A task-specific version of the material, Kevlar® XP™ S104, has been developed for wet applications with a water repellent fabric for improved performance in hot, humid climates. This continual improvement has enables extension into new areas. In that spirit, DuPont™ has launched a new campaign inviting you to Dare Bigger™.
Part of the concept is incorporating Kevlar technology into more sporting good and consumer-based activities. The campaign is highlighting applications for Kevlar outside of body armor. One example of that, shown in the video below, is crash protection such as used in extreme biking. It’s not apparent that it will prevent a broken leg, but it should keep rocks, sticks and handle bars out of your spleen should the worst happen. Kevlar® is great and all, but I think I’ll remain a spectator.
Images: DuPont™