Microbe armor The microbe armor , sometimes known as Barabel microbe armor , was a sleeveless armor developed by Creshaldyne Industries . The suit had inflated pouches containing microbes that consumed radiation . These beings fed on blaster bolts , and in fact bred when receiving an impact — increasing the protection of the vest . However , microbe armor was vulnerable to extreme cold . The use of this armor was not widespread among soldiers as it was useless against any other weapon . The item was offered to Galladinium Preferred Customers through " Galladinium ' s Datalog " . Description . The Barabel microbe armor — sometimes known as microbe armor — developed by Creshaldyne Industries , was a three - kilogram light suit of protective covering . It looked like a flexible sleeveless vest with several soft , external , sealed pockets or inflated bags . Each of those contained a protective ablative shell with a saline solution rich in colonies of microorganisms , counted in the millions . Those microbes fed on certain forms of energy emision and radiation , including blaster bolts and extreme heat . When facing those particles , the microbes diffused it on contact and at the same time they bred quickly . As the vest would then have a greater number of microbes , its resistance to radiation was also increased . The microbes could feed on great amounts of radiation , but their lifespan covered only seconds before they died . This , along with several environmental built - in controls , prevented them from overcrowding their bags . Again due to this , the increased protection after feeding on an impact was only temporary . Whenever the microbes were not breeding , they were lethargic , and were very susceptible to cold temperatures . All the microbes in a vest died after a fifteen - minute exposure to a temperature below 0 degrees Celsius , and were useless as protection against weapons other than blasters . History . Creshaldyne Industries , the company that created the microbe armor , had successfully produced and marketed blast - dampening armors . It offered the microbe armor as a cloth whose protective efficiency increased as it received enemy impacts . Available , albeit not readily , during the Galactic Civil War , the microbe armor was sometimes priced at 15 , 000 , and a recharge of new microbes was worth 12 , 000 more . The merchandise catalog " Galladinium ' s Galactic Datalog of Fantastic Technology " offered this item only to Galladinium Preferred Customers , for 30 , 000 . The item was not recommended by adventurers and soldiers , mostly because it was only useful against blasters . Behind the scenes . The microbe armor first appeared in " Galladinium ' s Fantastic Technology " ( 1995 ) , a supplement to West End Games ' " " , including an illustration of the item by Robert Duchlinski . It then appeared in " Arms & Equipment Guide " ( 2002 ) , for Wizards of the Coast ' s " Star Wars Roleplaying Game " , and then in " Galaxy at War " ( 2009 ) , for Wizards ' " Saga Edition " . The item thus had descriptions and role - playing stats — albeit different ones — for all the official Star Wars role - playing games . The differences included " Galaxy at War " suggesting that the pockets were inside the vest ; and " Galladium " not specifying at all that a destroyed vest could be recharged with new microbes . No source has specified why this armor was named after the Barabel species .