Green Hell: Best Armor, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Green Hell offers a variety of armor types with different advantages, from basic leaf armor to the superior metal armor.
• Prioritize acquiring armor early on to improve chances of survival against dangerous threats in the game.
• Metal armor is the best choice for durability and protection, though it requires more effort to craft compared to other armor types.

Green Hell was already one of the toughest survival games around before the addition of killer animals and a variety of dangerous natives. Starvation and infection are bad ways to go, but the player won’t last long enough to worry about them if they get eaten by a jaguar because they aren’t prepared.

Staying alive in the face of the game’s many threats is a challenge, which is why Green Hell gives players the chance to craft a variety of armor types. With the armor’s weight, durability, protective value, and required crafting materials to think about, it was inevitable that some armors would prove to be better than others. Here’s everything players need to know about the game’s armors, how they’re made, and which ones are the best.

Updated September 18, 2024, by Benjamin Joe: Green Hell is still going strong despite being released back in 2018. With the game’s recent console release, there are lots of new fans making their way around the island for the very first time. Almost everything in Green Hell is designed to kill the player. From toxic plants to dangerous locals, surviving in this game is a real challenge. To boost the odds of survival, players should do their best to obtain some of the best armor in the game. That said, even the most basic sets provide the player with enough protection to help them survive sticky situations.

6 Leaf

Rarely Worth Using

• Cost: 1x Banana Leaf, 2x Rope

All armor in Green Hell requires at least two basic ingredients: banana leaves and rope. Whereas more advanced armor types require an additional crafting material, Leaf Armor’s construction requirements make it the easiest armor in the game to obtain. Having even weak armor makes a big difference in surviving battles against the natives, so the player should make getting armor a priority as soon as their basic needs like finding and boiling water are met. Leaf Armor might be weak, but the player has to start somewhere.

Unfortunately, easy access is pretty much the only thing that Leaf Armor has going for it. It provides some basic protection against scratches and rashes, but it does virtually nothing against big wounds. Players who anticipate being in dangerous situations with animals or natives should look to upgrade as soon as possible. Considering that some of the other armor sets aren’t much more expensive than leaf armor, it may be worth skipping this armor entirely.

5 Stick

Cheap To Make, Relatively Effective Early On

• Cost: 1x Banana Leaf, 3x Stick, 2x Rope

Stick Armor is the second-easiest armor to acquire in Green Hell. In fact, players will typically want to bypass Leaf Armor in favor of getting Stick Armor as soon as possible. The latter does a much better job at protecting the player, and sticks aren’t any harder to find than the armor’s other ingredients.

The main drawback of Stick Armor is its low durability. Though it is hardier than Leaf Armor, it’s weaker than every other armor in the game and will quickly break if it takes too much of a beating. Players can compensate for this weakness in part by strafing and blocking in fights, helping to keep themselves alive despite the relative fragility of Stick Armor. As soon as the player gets a chance to upgrade, they should. That said, this armor can be decent during the first couple of days, since it will offer considerably more protection than standard leaf armor.

4 Bamboo

Fend Off Tougher Enemies

• Cost: 1x Banana Leaf, 3x Stick, 2x Rope

Bamboo Armor is a decidedly mid-tier armor, but it does have a couple of distinct advantages over Stick Armor. Bamboo Armor offers better protection, which is obviously the most important thing that any armor can do for its wearer. Bamboo is also lighter than sticks, and since the player’s carrying capacity is limited, every bit helps in a brutal survival game like this one. Though an improvement over Leaf and Stick Armor, Bamboo Armor still has its limits, and the player should proceed with caution around natives, jaguars, and other threats lest they become just another body in the jungle.

Most players will find the resources to craft this on day one. If possible, it is worth making at least a couple of pieces of bamboo armor on the first day or so. This can help make things easier when it comes to getting hurt either in combat, a fall, or pretty much anything else that can happen in the jungle.

3 Bone

A Sturdy Set

• Cost: 1x Banana Leaf, 3x Bone, 2x Rope

Stronger than the three previous armor types, Bone Armor is the second heaviest in the game. The weight is worth it if the player doesn’t have better options, however, since this armor is a solid defense against abrasions, scratches, rashes, and even lacerations.

The player can harvest bones by killing animals such as the tapir and capybara, as well as killing natives and looting their corpses. Bones aren’t as readily available as sticks or leaves but aren’t too difficult to gather as long as the player is careful. Getting bones from natives can be counterintuitive since it requires the player to enter combat in order to protect themselves from combat, but if the player is comfortable dodging enemy attacks, bone armor is worth the trouble.

2 Armadillo

Very Durable, & Incredibly Reliable

• Cost: 1x Banana Leaf, 1x Armadillo Shell, 2x Rope

The second-best armor in Green Hell is also the heaviest. Armadillo Armor is weighty, but the trade-offs make it more than worth it. In addition to providing quality protection against injury, Armadillo Armor also has high durability, meaning it won’t get shredded and need to be replaced after a battle or two, unlike some lower-quality armor types.

Unfortunately, getting an armadillo shell requires killing an armadillo. Since they’re wearing the same protective shell that the player wants to use to protect themselves, this can take some doing. Knowing how to get armadillo shells and what they’re for is an art in itself, but the protection afforded by Armadillo Armor makes it well worth learning. If the player has a weapon and some rope, then snagging an armadillo shouldn’t be too big of a challenge. Look around areas with lots of vegetation, as these tend to be prime hunting grounds for armadillos.

The Best Armor In The Game

• Cost: 1x Banana Leaf, 3x Metal Armor Cast, 2x Rope

The best armor in Green Hell is Metal Armor. Creating metal armor casts is a laborious process, requiring the player to first craft an armor mold using a stick, melted iron ore, and an empty mold, then place that armor mold in a mud forge. Getting Metal Armor is quite the process, but it’s well worth it, and the depth of these interactions is part of what makes Green Hell one of the best survival games.

Metal Armor is extremely durable, surprisingly light, and offers the best overall protection in the game, making it the undisputed winner for those that want to be able to tank some hits without sustaining any serious injuries. Though gathering the necessary crafting materials and forging the armor is a serious time investment, the player will be glad they did next time they’re being hunted by a jungle predator.