What is the downside of kevlar masks and armor other than vests?
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Probably cost. The parts that are vital and need protecting are the torso and the head hence kevlar vests and masks. Bullet wounds in extremeties are much more survivable and are not worth protecting in the same way. Getting hit in the hand might hurt, it might bleed profusely but it won’t be fatal. This also explains why kevlar gloves or undergarments aren’t all that common, they are not worth protecting as much as vital organs are.
Kevlar lined motorcycle pants…
Although I got into an accident and the kevlar on the knee ripped… as did all the skin to the bone. Not a happy camper.
Kevlar is expensive, and lacks the properties of most fabrics that people like.
Having thin sheets of kevlar also wouldn’t really benefit you. It’s not like a bedsheet made of it would protect you from bullets. You need a fairly thick pad.
Kevlar armor is heavy, hot, and stiff. It’s not terribly pleasant to wear and it can make doing even simple tasks difficult when you’re wearing a whole bunch of it.
A vest is a good tradeoff between protecting vital organs, and maintaining mobility.
Kevlar will stop a bullet. However, if you just put a sheet of soft Kevlar over your neck, it would stop the bullet somewhere inside your neck as the bullet pulled the fabric into your neck. So its bulletproof use tends to be heavy, stiff fabric that won’t do that. They do make Kevlar masks, but they’re solid, not like a common mask we wear these days.
They make Kevlar underwear and a overgarment to protect the genitals and inner arteries. It’s cumbersome and like wearing a diaper or codpiece. There is also Kevlar sleeves for body armor but like being a knight in armor it’s awkward to move around.
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