WARDOGS Armor & Weight Guide: Helmets, Vests, Backpacks
Every WARDOGS helmet and armor level with its protection, coverage and real weight, plus vests, backpacks, parachutes and weapon weights — and the trade-offs of carrying them.
Every piece of kit in WARDOGS has a weight printed on its Equipment Vendor tooltip, and armor is where that number climbs fastest. Level 1 Armor weighs 3 kg; Level 4 Armor weighs 18 kg, six times as much. Add the matching helmets and a full top-tier set is 22.5 kg before you have picked up a single gun. This guide puts every helmet, armor, vest, backpack and parachute side by side with the heaviest weapons and attachments, so you know exactly what you are hauling into the Control Zone.
A note before we start: the game describes protection with words (Low, Medium, High, Very High), not numbers, and it does not show the weight at which you start to slow down. We report exactly what the in-game UI says, flag what has not been captured yet, and explain how the data was collected on our methodology page.
Helmets and armor at a glance
Helmets and armor unlock in matching pairs on the WARDOG track (the patch notes call it "Career"): Level 1 at level 3, Level 2 at level 30, Level 3 at level 60 and Level 4 at level 100. Nothing here is a starter item, so your first few matches are played without either. See the full ladder on our progression page and every piece on the armor hub.
| Item | Protection | Coverage | Weight | WARDOG level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Helmet | Low | Head | 1 kg | 3 |
| Level 2 Helmet | Medium | Head | 1.6 kg | 30 |
| Level 3 Helmet | High | Head, Neck | 3 kg | 60 |
| Level 4 Helmet | Very High | Head, Neck | 4.5 kg | 100 |
| Level 1 Armor | Low | Upper Torso, Lower Torso | 3 kg | 3 |
| Level 2 Armor | Medium | Upper Torso, Lower Torso | 4.5 kg | 30 |
| Level 3 Armor | High | Upper Torso, Lower Torso | 10.5 kg | 60 |
| Level 4 Armor | Very High | Upper Torso, Lower Torso, Upper Arms, Pelvis | 18 kg | 100 |
Read the table column by column and two patterns stand out. Protection climbs exactly one step per level, but weight does not. Going from Level 1 to Level 2 Armor costs 1.5 kg; Level 2 to Level 3 costs 6 kg; Level 3 to Level 4 costs another 7.5 kg. Helmets follow a gentler curve: +0.6 kg, +1.4 kg and +1.5 kg. In other words, the cheap upgrade is Level 2, and the expensive decision is whether High or Very High protection is worth carrying a heavy plate carrier around a 16 km map.
Coverage: what each level actually protects
- Level 1 and Level 2 helmets cover the Head only.
- Level 3 and Level 4 helmets cover the Head and the Neck.
- Level 1 to Level 3 armor covers the Upper Torso and Lower Torso.
- Level 4 Armor adds the Upper Arms and the Pelvis to the torso.
- No captured helmet or armor lists the legs or lower arms as a covered zone.
Armor versus FMJ, HP and AP ammo
Ammo type is the other side of the armor question. The in-game text says AP rounds deal increased damage to body armor and vehicles and decreased damage to unarmored body parts, while HP rounds deal increased damage against flesh and decreased damage against armored targets. FMJ deals even damage to all target types. Our Firing Range tests on an unarmored mannequin found HP hits for exactly 2.0× FMJ and AP for 0.8× FMJ on seven calibers — but that is the unarmored case only. How any of them behave against a Level 3 or Level 4 plate has not been measured. Compare every round on the ammo page.
The coverage list is what makes this practical. Even an enemy in Level 4 Armor has no listed protection on the legs or lower arms, and players in Level 1 or 2 helmets have none on the neck. When you know which zones a given piece covers, you know which parts of the body the armor text is even relevant to.
Armor, packs and equipment, compared
Helmets, body armor, backpacks, vests and equipment with protection, slots, weight, price and unlock level, and one click to add any of it to your kit.
- Protection & coverage
- Weight, slots & price
- Add to your loadout
Tac vests: quick slots, not storage
| Vest | Quick slots | Reload & utility equip speed | Weight | Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Tac Vest | 5–6 | Minor | 0.82 kg | Default |
| Medium Tac Vest | 5–8 | Moderate | 1.65 kg | WARDOG 14 |
| Large Tac Vest | All | Strong | 3.6 kg | WARDOG 50 |
Tac vests are not armor. Their tooltip describes them as giving quick access to utility items stored in the backpack, and each tier improves reload speed and utility equip speed by a Minor, Moderate or Strong amount. The Large Tac Vest unlocks every quick slot but weighs 3.6 kg — more than a Level 3 Helmet. If you mostly fight with one gun and a couple of grenades, the free Small Tac Vest may be all you need.
Backpacks and sling slots
| Backpack | Grid | Slots | Slings | Weight | Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pouch | 3×2 | 6 | 0 | 0.3 kg | Default |
| Scout Backpack | 4×2 | 8 | 0 | 0.5 kg | Default |
| Field Backpack | 6×2 | 12 | 0 | 0.8 kg | WARDOG 12 |
| Operator Backpack | 5×3 | 15 | 0 | 0.88 kg | WARDOG 20 |
| Assault Backpack | 5×5 | 21 | 0 | 1.3 kg | WARDOG 32 |
| Ruck Backpack | 6×4 | 24 | 0 | 1.5 kg | WARDOG 55 |
| Gunner Backpack + Sling | 6×4 | 24 | 1 | 1.5 kg | WARDOG 73 |
| Arsenal Backpack + 2 Slings | 6×4 | 24 | 2 | 1.5 kg | WARDOG 150 |
Backpacks are the cheapest part of your kit by weight: the biggest one is 1.5 kg, lighter than a Level 2 Helmet. The Pouch only allows vertical item placement. The last three packs share the same 6×4 grid and 24 slots; what you pay levels for is sling slots, which let you carry an extra weapon for quick role changes. The Arsenal Backpack + 2 Slings sits at WARDOG level 150, the very top of the ladder. Browse all of them in the gear hub.
Parachutes
Both parachutes are single use and must be deployed manually. The default Basic Parachute weighs 2.5 kg and cannot be steered. The Sport Parachute (WARDOG level 35) can be controlled to dodge fire and pick a landing point, but it weighs 9 kg — more than a Level 2 Armor and Level 2 Helmet combined.
Weapons, attachments and magazines
| Weapon | Class | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| GGX 17 / GGX 18 | Pistol | 0.63 kg |
| AMP-9 | Submachine Gun | 1.4 kg |
| M4 | Assault Rifle | 2.92 kg |
| Bushmaster M17S / A-91 / KH-2002 | Assault Rifle (starter) | 3.17 kg |
| SVD | Marksman Rifle | 5.3 kg |
| MK22 | Sniper Rifle | 6.3 kg |
| RPG-7 | Launcher | 6.3 kg |
| M249 SAW / PKM | Light Machine Gun | 7.5 kg |
| AMR 50 | Sniper Rifle | 12.5 kg |
| 9K333 Verba | Launcher | 17.25 kg |
The spread is huge. A 9K333 Verba alone weighs almost as much as Level 4 Armor, and an AMR 50 outweighs Level 3 Armor. At the other end, the faction starter rifles all weigh 3.17 kg and an AMP-9 only 1.4 kg. Every weapon's weight and class is on the weapons page.
| Type | Count | Lightest | Heaviest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optic | 20 | 0.03 kg | 1 kg |
| Muzzle | 36 | 0.06 kg | 1.2 kg |
| Foregrip | 9 | 0.08 kg | 1.05 kg |
| Bipod | 7 | 0.26 kg | 0.7 kg |
| Suppressor | 8 | 0.5 kg | 0.8 kg |
Attachments rarely break a loadout on their own, but they add up: the 6-10x Scope MRAD and 6-10x Scope MOA are 0.98 kg each and the .50 Cal Heavy Suppressor is 1.2 kg. Magazines range from 0.2 kg (PP-19 Vityaz 10 Rnd Magazine) to 3.9 kg (PKM 100 Rnd Box), and an M249 200 Rnd Box is 3.14 kg — a single spare box for a machine gunner already weighs more than a Level 3 Helmet. Check exact figures on the attachments page.
Space matters as well as weight. The Season 1 changelog made the 155mm, 122mm and flare deployables take up more room in your loadout, so artillery and flare support now competes harder with everything else in your backpack.
Weight class: what we know and what we don't
WARDOGS does have equipment weight classes: the Adrenaline Pen tooltip says it grants unlimited tactical sprint for a short time and reduces equipment weight class. What the game does not show is where each class begins, how many classes there are, or exactly what each one does to your movement. We have not captured those thresholds yet, so this guide does not quote any.
Light runner vs heavy anchor
- Low protection on head and torso only
- Lightest possible armored kit, lots of headroom for utility
- Available from WARDOG level 3 (Level 1 pieces) with a Medic-track SMG
- Very High protection on head, neck, torso, upper arms and pelvis
- All quick slots, Strong reload speed, two sling slots
- Needs WARDOG 150 for the backpack and adds magazines on top of 35.1 kg
VerdictBoth totals are before magazines, ammo and equipment. The heavy anchor carries more than five times the weight of the runner, so wear it where you intend to stay and fight, and strip down when your job is moving between objectives.
How to build a sensible kit
- 1Start from the role
Decide what the life is for — holding a position, moving between objectives, driving, building — before picking armor.
- 2Pick the weapon first
A 7.5 kg machine gun or a 12.5 kg AMR 50 sets your budget. Pistol-and-SMG loadouts leave room for heavier armor.
- 3Choose the armor level
Level 2 is the efficient step (+1.5 kg armor, +0.6 kg helmet). Level 3 and 4 buy more protection and coverage but add 6 kg and 7.5 kg to the armor each.
- 4Match vest and pack to your utility
Only take the Large Tac Vest or a sling backpack if you will actually use the quick slots or the second weapon.
- 5Add up the total
Use the loadout builder to see the combined weight before you spend.
- High or Very High protection instead of Low or Medium
- Neck coverage from the Level 3 and 4 helmets
- Upper Arms and Pelvis coverage with Level 4 Armor
- 10.5 kg or 18 kg for the armor alone
- Unlocks only at WARDOG level 60 and 100
- Heavier kit may push you into a worse weight class (thresholds not captured)
Related WARDOGS pages and tools
- [Helmets & armor](/wardogs/armor) — protection level, coverage, weight and price for every tier
- [Backpacks, vests & parachutes](/wardogs/gear) — slots, grid size, weight and price
- [All weapons](/wardogs/weapons) — every gun with measured damage, fire rate, DPS, price and unlock
- [Magazines](/wardogs/magazines) — capacity, weight and damage per magazine
- [Loadout builder](/wardogs/loadout-builder) — build a kit and see its total weight, cost and unlock levels
- [Equipment](/wardogs/equipment) — medical, building, recon and explosive items with prices
Help us maintain accuracy! If you notice incorrect stats, missing data, or any issues, your feedback directly improves the quality of our data for the entire community.
Guide FAQ
What is the best armor in WARDOGS?
Level 4 Armor has the highest listed protection (Very High) and the widest coverage: Upper Torso, Lower Torso, Upper Arms and Pelvis. It unlocks at WARDOG level 100 and weighs 18 kg.
How much does armor weigh in WARDOGS?
Level 1 to 4 Armor weighs 3, 4.5, 10.5 and 18 kg. Helmets weigh 1, 1.6, 3 and 4.5 kg, so a full Level 4 set is 22.5 kg.
When do you unlock helmets and armor?
Both unlock in pairs on the WARDOG (Career) track: Level 1 at level 3, Level 2 at 30, Level 3 at 60 and Level 4 at 100.
Does AP ammo beat armor?
The in-game text says AP deals increased damage to body armor and vehicles and decreased damage to unarmored body parts. We measured AP at 0.8× FMJ against an unarmored target; its effect against armor has not been measured.
Does weight slow you down in WARDOGS?
The game has equipment weight classes — the Adrenaline Pen reduces yours — but the class thresholds and their movement effects are not shown in the UI and have not been captured yet.