Armor Upgrades?

[UnLimiTeD]

So, currently, I'm doing a melee character aimed at using heavy armor, and eventually purely unarmed.
I'm currently a bit reluctant to ditch my vest that after all provides me with a stunning 33 bullet threshold for just 60% encumbrance, but the extra protection against melee, heat, and energy offered by metal armor is probably worth it.

Now, the question is, what are your experiences with the upgrades?
It seems to me, if Encumbrance is expected to hit 95% anyways, that Thungsten is always better, though suffers a tiny bit in the energy department, and extra plating is more of psychological comfort than any actual use.
But what about offensive?
Spikes or Blades?
Spikes will offer more damage if just beating it, but blades can inflict bleeding wounds that would allow me to run or switch targets and still see the deed done.
Should I combine them, or go purely for one? Also, what about mechanical targets? I suppose having a vest ready for those occasions is always the better choice, but without those spikes I probably won't be able to fight turrets at all. Short of hacking them.

[DarkWan]

I have only played melee once and find it too hard. It started out unarmed but later had to use hammers to deal with the sentry bots (I had hacking so didn't need to destroy any turrets). And later I just kept using hammers, unarmed wasn't good enough. I find the encumbrance penalty for medium/heavy armors are too high, making dodge,evade and stealth useless to skill up. The most important feat would be the Sprint feat (AGI 6) or you will be serious crippled.
The tungsteen armors I made, I put in more plates for the increased defence. Make sure you craft it with a regenerative vest for some extra healing.

[UnLimiTeD]

Yeh, melee is pretty tough.
I suppose that's done with shielding in mind, which might take a bit of power out of conventional ranged weapons.
I'm not sure about the extra plating, in the end it might grant me a % or two, and 1 mechanical threshold.
I got a regen vest that'll grant me 14 for 7, with 70 capacity, but it doesn't seem to be affected by the feat that's supposed to give extra capacity. Well, I didn't built it yet.
My original plan was using a spiked armor (well, or blades) with unarmed, psi punches, or daggers, to benefit from the flat extra damage as often as possible.
If that doesn't work out, the points in will and psychokinesis, would be rather wasted, as for pure protection, right now I prefer vests.
I've yet to encounter an enemy armed with energy weapons, and even my midlevel vest with no overcoat offers 33 bullet threshold. I suppose a really well made one could reach around 39?
Are there any lighter armor inlays than ceramic?
Edit: Also, if there was a vest that granted a small resistance to everything, or just plain more physical, I might have actually preferred that over regen, after all, energy costs, too, and bandages are just plain cheaper.