It’s increasingly crucial for body armor to be adaptable for women’s physiological needs as the number of women in the defense sector continues to rise. Being forced to wear body armor designed for male body types comes with significant risks, such as lacking protective coverage, significant discomfort and restricting movement. Women’s body armor is built differently to men’s, usually remaining more flexible and adjustable. However, developments are still being made in the ballistic protection industry to ensure comfort and thorough protection for women working in the field. One of the newer solutions for women’s ballistic vests is using inflatable technology.
INFL8 is a French company that produces inflatable gear for various industries. Advertised as “adjustable air technology”, INFL8 specializes in adjustable midsoles for athletic footwear, and safety crash mats for rock climbers. Recently, the company has expanded to cover adjustments for ballistic vests and helmets.
An inflatable solution for women in defense
Timothee Bergeret introduced the inflatable ballistic vest at Eurosatory 2026, showcasing the developments that INFL8 has undertaken in recent years. “We make inflatable objects for both civil and defense products”, he explained. “We work on helmets for bikes and motorcycles, footwear, as well as protective equipment for other sports. A few years ago, we started working on ballistic protection. It’s a project we’re running with the Ministere de L’Interieur.”
INFL8’s ballistic vest is highly adjustable, giving soldiers and police officers the opportunity to shape the ballistic vest to their needs. The vest’s air chamber is made of TPU, and the fabric exoskeleton is made of polyamide. The air pressure in the vest ranges from 1-15 PSI for a lighter vest, making all-day wear possible. INFL8 stresses that this is particularly useful for female soldiers and officers, as the inflatable vest can cover space between the body and protective shield as needed, removing any unnecessary space between the body and protective shields. Gaps between the body and ballistic shields leave vital organs exposed to ballistic threats, compromising safety for the soldier or officer.
“We’re working on ballistic vests for women that fill the gap between the body and the vest through inflating. The user will choose the volume and the pressure to adjust the product according to their body. The vest is manually pumped, and has high pressure for trauma protection. The pressure is over 55 PSI, which offers better protection than foam.”
Adjustable solutions for ballistic helmets
INFL8 has another defense product on their line, namely the inflatable helmet liner. The adaptive helmet liner is a modification that can be added to ballistic helmets, allowing the helmet to be adapted to any head size. The helmet liner cushions pressure points and provides additional impact absorption and energy redistribution inside the shell. “We’re working on inflatable pads to replace the foam pads inside the helmet. We work with the French army on this”, Bergeret explains.
The foam pads inside a ballistic helmet are critical for reducing the risks of traumatic brain injury after getting hit. Helmet foam pads provide mechanical support for the wearer through continuous contact with the head while adding significant comfort. According to INFL8, inflatable pneumatic cushioning removes hot-spots over long wear, providing comfort on top of protection from head trauma.
As poorly fitting armor cannot protect properly, it’s crucial that the body armor industry continues to find solutions for adjustable ballistic technology, particularly women’s ballistic vests. New solutions are constantly being developed and tested to secure the best options for protective gear. Although a rather new development, adjustable ballistic technology could ensure full protection, comfort and safety for soldiers and officers out on the field.
