I vote both. Here's what i said in the chat:
We could have (HEV armor) be like a event exlusive third PA or something very rare you have to find in a very dangerous part of a map, hauled back to a PA station repo style, and put on a PA station to restore.
If we do that then we can have:
Metal PA: 80% DR/equivlent protection and mobility (or lack of thereof) of buffed wallhammer (i think both should just not sprint at all and just be bullet eaters). Requires lots of scavanging (the toughest to kill but the lack of mobility means their uses are much more niche. This fits cause this is the most available out of the three)
Ballistic PA: 70-75% DR. Lowered sprint speed but can still reasonably haul ass. Requires killing big game combine
HEV suit: Complete immunity to acid, tear gas, fire, EMP, 65-70% DR, NO MS penalty at all. Very small spawn chance in the outlands in a warehouse/underground bunker/millitarty outpost/ect guarded by NPCs, and combine patrols
So basicaly HEV is real quick EMP (and everything else) proof PA
While the rest are tougher, easier to counter and easier to get but slow as hell in comparison.
For context we we're discussing metal PA and wallhammers being basically identical minus the rebels more varried arsenal, and the warhammer shield, while both being stunnable by EMP bombs used by both sides for 3 seconds. The ballistic variant would be similar, but mobile enough to be useful in much more situations. (not to mention being able to potentially run away from EMPs)