Right now I've got a lightweight mesh jacket with CE rated back, shoulder, and elbow pads. It's my only jacket, I put it over a t-shirt and then layer as needed for wind/cold/rain. Lately I've been thinking about getting a heavier jacket for more abrasion protection on the highway, and so I'm less bulky riding in cold or rainy weather.

I'm thinking about getting some medium weight armor (titan/bionic pro/bionic action/etc) and wearing it underneath a heavier textile jacket like a Moose Qualifier. If I had the armor I'd wear it every time I went further than the grocery store. But I could save two hundred dollars by just wearing my lightweight jacket with armor underneath an even heavier jacket instead. Will this body armor really be that much better than my current setup?

My riding: A good mix of small town commuting, 50mph/80kph highway, and light offroad (I won't be doing any big jumps but I might hit a tree).