It's safe to say that Rust is among the most harrowing survival games in the gaming community since it places players in an unforgiving environment and forces them to fight other players, some of which are unforgiving to newer players. And with Facepunch Studios' latest update, surviving the wild has become a lot more challenging since they've introduced a new railway network.
Fortunately, Rust provides players with plenty of options for protection and dealing damage, from traps to powerful armor combinations. But, not all armor combinations will provide players with the best protection, so players will need to learn the best ones if they want to stay alive.
Updated August 23, 2022 by Daniel Dilena: ARMA 2 was (and continues to be) one of the best tactical FPS games in the gaming industry. It inspired modders to create DayZ, a massive multiplayer tactical-survival game. But, some modders took a step further and created a mod out of the mod of ARMA 2, which became known as Rust.
Rust continues to draw in more players, making it the go-to online open-world game, all thanks to the steady flow of content Facepunch Studios releases every month. And although this guide has covered the best armor in Rust, some newer players may still find it challenging to find the items needed to craft some Rust armor sets. That's why this list has been updated to include some guidance on how to craft them.
8 Hide Armor
- Wolf Headdress
- Hide Poncho
- Hide Vest
- Hide Pants
- Hide Boots
Despite its primitive look, the Hide Armor combination is one of the best for the early game, since it provides decent protection from the dangers of the wild. Moreover, the Hide Armor grants over 60% protection from Stabs and Bites, which are common threats during the early stages.
But, the real benefit of using this armor combination is that the Wolf Headdress grants 30% resistance to headshots. And the best part is that players can quickly gather the ingredients to craft this armor combination, since it consists mainly of Cloth.
How to Craft the Hide Armor Set
Since the Hide Armor set is the best armor set in Rust for the early game, players can expect to find the crafting material to be hardly an inconvenience. Players will need 155 Leather, 10 Cloth, and 1 Wolf Skull.
Players can collect leather from any animal corpse (except chickens). The most effective way to farm Leather is by finding packs of Wolves as they drop a decent amoun, plus they have a slight chance of dropping a Wolf Skull. Cloth is most commonly found by harvesting Hemp found in the wild.
7 Civilian Armor
- T-Shirt
- Jacket
- Pants
- Boots
The Civilian armor combination is easy to obtain and helpful, since it allows players to survive the harsh cold nights and even some animal bites. More importantly, this set negates around 20% of Stab Damages, including traps like the Bear Trap.
Players interested in the fashion aspect of Rust will be happy to know that there are dozens of different variations of the Jacket, T-Shirt, Pants, and Boots, which means players can mix and match this set to their liking. Unfortunately, the Sewing Kit is quite tricky to obtain, so players will need to scavenge a lo to find enough to craft it.
How to Craft the Civilian Armor Set
Players need to farm quite a few items to craft the Civilian Armor set. First, players should aim to set up a Hemp farm as they'll need 230 Cloth to craft most of the pieces. As for the Leather (70), players should kill wolves and bears if they have a decent weapon (some servers may have higher spawn rates of these animals).
Players can find Sew Kits (4) and Metal Fragments (15) by looting crates and barrels most commonly found near outposts and roads. Once players gather all the necessary material, they can craft all the pieces except the Jacket (which needs a Work Bench) in their inventory.
6 Wooden Armor
- Wood Armor Helmet
- Wood Armor Pants
- Wood Chestplate
The Wooden armor combination is perhaps the best set to use during the early stages of Rust, especially if the player begins to raid other players' bases. That's because the Wooden Chestplate alone protects players from Stabs by 40%, and since newer players only have access to melee weapons, that makes this set more than ideal.
But, of course, players shouldn't go overboard with PVPing during the early stages since it's best to focus on gathering material and building a base. Nonetheless, having the Wooden armor combination is a must to avoid being killed.
How to Craft the Wooden Armor Set
Out of all the best armor sets in Rust, the Wood Armor set is hands down the easiest to craft. But, players will need to chop down lots of trees since the set needs 700 Wood, so having an ax will make this task much easier. For the Cloth (15), players can find a couple of Hemp plants around the wilderness. Finally, Rope (2) is found in Barrels near the road.
5 Bone Armor
- Bone Armor
- Bone Helmet
- Bone Armor Pants
Perhaps one of the scariest-looking armor combinations in Rust, the Bone armor is another decent set that players can quickly obtain. That's because the Bone armor needs Bone Fragments, which are easily obtained by killing wild animals like wolves or bears.
But, the real reason why this armor combination merits being used is that it provides 40% Stab and 25% Bullet protection. But, players should be careful around Explosives since the Bone armor offers little to no defense against them.
How to Craft the Bone Armor Set
The Bone Armor set requires 420 Bone Fragments, meaning players will need to kill every animal they see.. The easiest animals to farm Bone Fragments are Chickens or Deer. Players will also need 55 Cloth, which can be found by farming Hemp.
4 Hazmat Armor
- Hazmat Suit
The Hazmat armor combination is perhaps the most common set to see other players use, since it allows players to travel in areas with lots of high-quality metals. Moreover, the Hazmat armor boosts a player's radiation resistance, which is crucial while scavenging the Launch Site and Power Plant.
Unfortunately, this armor combination only offers limited protection against ranged and melee attacks, so players should avoid getting into fights while using it.
How to Craft the Hazmat Armor Set
Crafting a Hazmat Suit is a daunting task as it requires several rare materials. Fortunately, players can find two of the materials in Barrels: 2 Sewing Kits and 5 Tarps. But, players must also mine 4 High-Quality Metal Ores from the Quarry, which is a hunting ground for many players.
3 Heavy Armor
- Heavy Plate Helmet
- Heavy Plate Jacket
- Heavy Plate Pants
For players who want to use the same armor that Ned Kelly (Australia's most famous outlaw) used during his final showdown, then using the Heavy armor is a must. Apart from looking like a juggernaut, the Heavy armor has one of Rust's highest Stab and Bullet protection (70%).
All that protection comes at a price, since players that use this armor combination will have to suffer a 40% movement penalty. The best way to use the Heavy Armor is in situations that won't require too much moving, like raiding a base.
How to Craft the Heavy Armor Set
Due to its high Armor rating, the Heavy Armor uses 17 High Quality Metals, which can take time to mine and smelt at a furnace. As for the Sheet Metal, players can find them in loot boxes in Outposts. Finally, Rope can be crafted with 15 Cloth or looted from Crates.
2 Road Sign Armor
- Road Sign Jacket
- Road Sign Kilt
- Metal Facemask
This armor combination seems to come straight out of Mad Max. And while it may seem like it offers limited protection, in reality, the Road Sign armor is one of the best well-balanced sets in Rust.
That's because it provides 25% resistance to Stabs, Bullets, and Bites, all of which are dangers players will be exposed to during their fight for survival. Players can also use a Metal Facemask to complete the set, but they'll need to scavenge for Scraps throughout the map.
How to Craft the Road Sign Armor Set
Players can find Road Signs scattered throughout the map, so gathering 4 to craft the Road Sign Jacket and Road Sign Kilt shouldn't be too much of an issue. Players will also need 60 Leather and 5 Sewing Kits to craft one of the best armor in Rust. For the Metal Face Mask, players will need an additional 50 Leather, 6 Sewing Kits, and 15 High Quality Metals.
1 Metal Armor
- Metal Facemask
- Metal Chestplate
Undoubtedly, the best armor combination players can use in Rust is the Metal armor set, because it offers the best protection for PVE and PVP encounters. On top of that, players only need two items to complete the set (Metal Facemask and Metal Chestplate), making it an easy and affordable armor to craft.
Another reason the Metal armor combination is the best to use is that there's a chance that any attack is deflected. So, players can reap the benefits of the Heavy armor combination without suffering its mobility penalty.
How to Craft the Metal Armor Set
As players can imagine, to craft the best armor set in Rust, they'll need to farm lots of precious materials. Players will need a staggering 40 High Quality Metals before they can even think about crafting the Metal Armor. Then, they'll need to gather 100 Leather and 14 Sewing Kits. That's why the Metal Armor set should be left as an end-game armor rather than an early-game one.
Rust is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.