Protective elements may include a pair of material layers, a plurality of pad components, and a plate. The pad components may be located between the material layers, and the plate may be positioned adjacent to one of the material layers and opposite the pad components. Similar protective elements may also be utilized with apparel systems. For example, an inner garment may include the protective element, and an outer garment may extend over the inner garment. The outer garment may include an outer pad locatable to extend over the plate, and the outer pad may have a greater area than the plate.