It’s some sort of composite material, and fairly flexible. It’s not as rigid as a Ribtech type, and not as much padding. My 12 year old kid likes it for his Jr 2 Lo206 class, which is an Intrepid Cruiser with a Tillet 1/2 padded seat. From a parents standpoint, I like the extra chest and spine padding . But I don’t think it has any real advantage for an adult. It might work if your not a big guy.