Updated 11 September 2026
PUBG Armor and Backpack Guide
Level 3 vest
Cuts body damage by 55%, 250 durability.
Level 3 helmet
Cuts head damage by 55%, 230 durability.
Level 3 backpack
270 total capacity against 170 at Level 1.
Armour in PUBG is not cosmetic and the differences between levels are larger than most players assume. A vest changes how many bullets you survive; a helmet decides whether a sniper headshot kills you outright; a backpack decides whether you can carry the utility that wins late fights. Here is what each level actually does, with the real figures.
Vests: What Each Level Buys You
A vest reduces incoming body damage by a fixed percentage and has its own durability pool that degrades as it absorbs hits. All three levels add the same 50 points of carrying capacity, so the difference is purely protection. The jump from Level 2 to Level 3 is the biggest: 40% to 55% reduction turns a lot of three-shot kills into four- and five-shot ones.
| Vest | Damage reduction | Durability | Capacity added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Military Vest (Level 3) | 55% | 250 | +50 |
| Police Vest (Level 2) | 40% | 220 | +50 |
| Police Vest (Level 1) | 30% | 200 | +50 |
What That Means in Bullets
Concrete example with the AKM, which deals 47 to an unarmoured chest. Behind a Level 1 vest that drops to 32.9, behind Level 2 to 28.2, and behind Level 3 to 21.1. So the same rifle needs three body shots against a bare target, four against Level 1 and Level 2, and five against Level 3. Against an M416 the Level 3 vest stretches it from three shots to six. That extra bullet or two is often the whole fight.
Helmets Decide Sniper Fights
Helmets work the same way but apply to head hits, and the stakes are higher because head damage is multiplied before the reduction. A Level 3 helmet cuts 55% and carries 230 durability. It is the difference between surviving a Kar98k headshot and not: the Kar98k lands 88.8 through a fresh Level 3 helmet, just under the 100 health threshold. Only the AWM, at 118.1, goes through it.
| Helmet | Damage reduction | Durability |
|---|---|---|
| Spetsnaz Helmet (Level 3) | 55% | 230 |
| Military Helmet (Level 2) | 40% | 150 |
| Motorcycle Helmet (Level 1) | 30% | 80 |
Durability Is a Second Health Bar
Reduction percentage is only half the story. Durability is consumed as armour absorbs damage, and once it reaches zero the piece stops protecting you. A Level 1 helmet has 80 durability, which a single rifle burst can strip. A Level 3 helmet has 230. This is why a damaged Level 3 is not automatically better than a fresh Level 2 — check the condition, not just the level.
Backpacks: Capacity Is Utility
Backpack level changes nothing about protection and everything about what you can bring to the last circle. A Level 1 backpack brings you to 170 total capacity, Level 2 to 220, Level 3 to 270. The extra hundred points between Level 1 and Level 3 is roughly the space for a full set of throwables plus spare meds — exactly the things that decide endgame fights.
| Backpack | Total capacity | Added over base |
|---|---|---|
| Backpack (Level 3) | 270 | +250 |
| Backpack (Level 2) | 220 | +200 |
| Backpack (Level 1) | 170 | +150 |
Clean Inventory Beats Full Inventory
Capacity only helps if what you carry is useful. Carrying a third weapon’s ammunition, duplicate attachments or scopes you never use costs you smoke grenades and med kits. The habit worth building is a quick inventory pass after every fight: drop what the next ten minutes will not need, and keep space for utility.
Where the numbers come from: every figure on this page is taken from The PUBG Wiki at patch 22.2.8.1, retrieved 11 September 2026. Nothing is estimated — where the source does not publish a value, the text says so. Spotted something that no longer matches the live game? Tell us.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much damage does a Level 3 vest block in PUBG?
A Level 3 Military Vest reduces incoming body damage by 55% and has 250 durability. In practice an AKM shot drops from 47 to 21.1, meaning five body shots to kill instead of three.
Is a Level 2 helmet enough against snipers?
Not against a bolt action. A Level 2 helmet cuts 40%, which still leaves a Kar98k headshot well above 100 health. A Level 3 helmet reduces the same hit to 88.8 and survives it, provided the helmet is undamaged. The AWM kills through either.
Does backpack level affect protection?
No. Backpacks only add carrying capacity: 170 total at Level 1, 220 at Level 2 and 270 at Level 3. They provide no damage reduction at all.
Should I take a damaged Level 3 vest over a fresh Level 2?
It depends on remaining durability. A Level 3 vest starts at 250 and reduces 55%; a Level 2 starts at 220 and reduces 40%. A Level 3 with most of its durability gone may absorb fewer total hits than an intact Level 2, so check the condition before swapping.