Tarkov Best Armour – Armour Tier List and Material Chart

Last Updated on September 2, 2026 by Samuel Franklin

Discover the best armours in Tarkov for your budget and raid objectives with this tier list across all armour classes. Critical to protecting your PMC the choice of armour is an important but often confusing decision given the complexity of this EFT mechanic.

In this armour tier list I explore what are the best armours and armoured chest rig setups for players with a basic overview of the system and a plate material tier list for your preferences, budget and account progression. With thousands of Tarkov raids this guide delivers my personal recommendations to help you survive raids along with community recommendations.

Table of Contents:
– Tarkov Armour Basics
– Tarkov Plate Material Chart
– Best Class 3 Armour
– Best Class 4 Armour
– Best Class 5 & 6 Armour

Tarkov Armour Basics

The armour system has undergone a number of redesigns during the Escape From Tarkov beta with the most impactful change in patch 0.14 (December 2023) which changed hitboxes and added an armour plate system.

Armour in Tarkov protects players from bullets if there is armour in front of one of your character hitboxes with this protection provided by non-modular armour (also known as soft armour) and modular armour plates that can be installed into armour. Armours have different soft armour locations (or even none) and slots for the configurable armour plates which is a critical consideration in determining the effectiveness of a particular armour. Soft armour has a maximum armour class of 3 while armour plates are available up to level 6 and thus provide the majority of potential protection.

Best Plate Material Tarkov Armour Material Chart/Tier List

Both soft armour and armour plates are made of different materials which alters the effective durability of these armours as some material types are better at absorbing bullets and at repairing post raid. Material should not be your first consideration when choosing armour but it is an important factor when comparing armours as a weaker material and 100 durability actually offers less protection compared to a strong material and 50 durability.

The following Tarkov armour material chart shows the current destructibility ratings in order of best armour material:

To understand the use cases of this armour information and help calculate effective durability for yourself with this armour material chart I recommend JesseKazam’s video below which is still applicable despite it being made before the armour plate system.

Tarkov Armour Tier List (Best Armour Options)

While in an ideal world we would always be using the highest armour class available in Tarkov this is simply not possible due to Rouble costs and availability so players will need to regularly make decisions for their best armour choice at any given point in time. This also needs to factor in your raid objective as a loot focused budget setup will be different to a Tarkov quest focus that requires PvP. Always consider the following when determine the “best” armour available to you:

• Armour Zones: A larger number of protection zones is likely to improve your survivability as it limits the areas on your PMC that can deal damage to your health pool. One particularly important armour zone is the neck given it uses the head HP pool which makes it a risky to leave unprotected.
• Material: Material is an important consideration due to its impact on effective durability and the repair potential as this will mean each armour purchase goes further provided you survive or receive it back through the insurance system
• Price and Availability: Initial purchase price is a key consideration when spending your hard earned Roubles with price efficiency driven primarily by availability through traders and community popularity demand.
• Weight: Armour weight is significant in your raid loadout and will either reduce your ability to move around the map or require players to settle for less loot when leaving the raid. Weight is also closely tied to the penalties to ergonomics, movement speed and turn speed.
• Inventory Size (Armoured Rigs): Different armoured rigs provide different container sizes and shapes that need to be considered with rigs that have 2×2 squares particularly useful for high value loot items.
• Insurance Return Chance: Certain armours in Tarkov provide a higher chance of being returned to players on insurance than others due to their awkward or large sizes and weight that makes them impractical to consistently take or swap from your PMC after death. Armoured rigs for example are more likely to be taken as they can store items within them that means they are neutral or even a positive gain on overall inventory space.

Best Class 3 Armours

Class 3 is generally the best budget armour option in Tarkov and the minimum level of protection you want to aim for to have some protection for PvE combat.

• BNTI Kirasa-N body armour: A trader purchasable armour (Ragman Level 2) that has great armour coverage, affordable price and high durability. With the combination of soft Aramid and default Combined Material plates it’s perfect to reuse again and again.
• BNTI Zhuk body armour (Press): The “Press” armour is readily available from Scavs, the Flea Market and trader barters which keeps it affordable with a wide spread of soft protection areas that combine with the modular options for a one of the best budget armours in Tarkov. Similar to the Kirasa it combines Aramid with UHMWPE which allows it to be used multiple raids.
• NPP KlASS Kora-Kulon body armour: A simple and affordable armour to cover the three core areas of stomach, thorax and back with class 3 soft armour so players don’t need to worry about setting up armour plates. This is the weakest option here but also one of the easiest to acquire from Prapor Level 1

Armour	Soft Armour Areas (Class)	Armour Plates (Class)	Availability
BNTI Kirasa-N body armour	Stomach, Thorax, Back, Sides, Throat, Neck (2)	Front & Back (3)	Ragman Level 2
BNTI Zhuk body armour (Press)	Stomach, Thorax, Back, Sides, Throat, Neck (2)	Front & Back (3)	Flea Market
NPP KlASS Kora-Kulon body armour	Stomach, Thorax, Back (3)	None	Prapor Level 1

Best Class 4 Armours

Class 4 is the armour used for the majority of Tarkov raids once affordable as it gives a reasonable uplift in protection compared to class 3 that won’t drain your Roubles. The extra protection makes it suitable for some PvP, Raider combat and even bosses if being careful. There is an abundance of options at this class on the Flea Market so browsing can occasionally result in bargains just ensure the armour you purchase includes plates.

• 6B13 assault armour: One of the best budget armours for class 4 the 6B13 assault is available from traders and regularly on Scavs while also offering reliable class 4 on front, back and great soft armour class 2 coverage. While the soft armour is Aramid the plates are Armour steel so it won’t last as long as other armours but is cheaper to compensate.
• 6B5-15 Zh-86 Uley armoured rig: Another cost effective class 4 option that is highly rated with its important protection areas covered and being readily available. The weaknesses of this rig though is the ceramic armour elements, the weight and small rig size that will need some adjustment to a lighter overall raid kit and trying to add a larger backpack if available.
• Eagle Industries MMAC plate carrier (Ranger Green): A popular choice in the Tarkov community given the availability of this rig and reasonable inventory space for the cost. It does not offer significant armour coverage but is perfectly suited to budget loot or Scav hunting runs while ensuring you have some protection for PvP.

Armour	Soft Armour Areas (Class)	Armour Plates (Class)	Availability
6B13 assault armour	Stomach, Thorax, Back, Sides, Throat, Neck, Groin (2)	Front & Back (4)	Ragman Level 2
6B5-15 Zh-86 Uley armoured rig	Stomach, Thorax, Back, Groin (4) Neck, Throat (2)	None	Ragman Level 2
Eagle Industries MMAC plate carrier (Ranger Green)	Front Plate, Back Plate, Sides (2)	Front & Back (4)	Peacekeeper Level 3

Best Class 5 & 6 Armours

These higher tier armours have limited availability but critical to late game PvP and PvE content. These are a significant increase in protection and can be difficult to penetrate if your opponent lacks suitable ammunition. Expect these to rarely return on insurance if being used.

• NPP KlASS Korund-VM body armour: Often considered to be the entry level class 5 armour you have large soft protection areas, side plate cover and some trader availability that keep it affordable compared to rarer options.
• LBT-6094A Slick Plate Carrier: The top tier of Tarkov armour the slick armour itself is readily available although finding the necessary plates will be a challenge but does offer the best protection.

Armour	Soft Armour Areas (Class)	Armour Plates (Class)	Availability
NPP KlASS Korund-VM body armour	Stomach, Thorax, Back, Sides, Throat, Neck, Groin, Buttocks (2)	Front, Back & Sides (5)	Prapor Level 4
LBT-6094A Slick Plate Carrier	None	Front & Back (6)	Flea Market

Written by

Samuel Franklin

Samuel Franklin is the founder and lead editor of the Games Finder team and enjoys video games across all genres and platforms.

Sam (Seelyon) is a seasoned Escape From Tarkov player with over 1,000 raids across multiple Tarkov patches while accumulating thousands of player kills and maintaining a 50% survival rate who favours a calculated playstyle. During these wipes he has earned the coveted Kappa secure container, proving his determination in the unforgiving world of Tarkov. His passion for the punishing game goes beyond personal accomplishment and he is driven by a desire to guide new players on their own Escape From Tarkov journey one raid at a time.

Through countless firefights, strategic flanks and exhilarating boss encounters, he has accumulated a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics and nuances that allows him to offer valuable insights and strategies to those seeking to navigate the complexities of Tarkov.