How to use Layered Armor in Monster Hunter Wilds

Monster Hunter Wilds’s Layered Armor system carries on the rich tradition of “fashion” being the real endgame in many online games. What good is an amazing build and armor set unless it also makes you look incredibly cool? Whether you’re playing Warframe, Final Fantasy 14, or Monster Hunter, the ultimate endgame is going to be fashion — and that means having awesome cosmetics.

Layered Armor doesn’t grant any real benefits to your gameplay in Monster Hunter Wilds — it’s all about looking cool. By the time you’re focusing on this anyway, you’ve got a build, your stats are likely right where you want them, and you’re tackling much harder content than when you started.

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When do you unlock Layered Armor in Monster Hunter Wilds?

Technically, you’ll unlock the ability to use Layered Armor early in Monster Hunter Wilds if you have the pre-order and Deluxe Edition bonuses. This will give you a couple of sets of cosmetic armor to use: Guild Knight and Feudal Soldier. However, an interesting change has been made to how Layered Armor works in this latest MH release.

Your High Rank crafted armor goes towards your cosmetic options (Image via Sportskeeda & Capcom)

Instead of crafting Layered Armor separately, the armor sets you craft will be available as Layered outfits when you hit High Rank. In addition, you’ll also find that some armor sets offer no real tactical value but only serve to give you more cosmetic options.

The same goes for your Palico as well. When you’re in the High Rank content, armor pieces you create for your Palico will also serve as cosmetic, Layered sets you can use in-game. It really makes the system a lot easier to manage.

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How to equip Layered Armor in Monster Hunter Wilds

You can just click an armor piece and get a list of all Layered Armor pieces you have available (Image via Sportskeeda & Capcom)

When you want to adjust your Layered Armor in Monster Hunter Wilds, head to any Pop-up Camp. You’ll get an option to select from the Layered loadouts you’ve already got prepared, or you can edit/adjust them as you see fit. Select Equipment Appearance, found under the Appearance Menu. Here, you can select Layered Armor pieces for each of your gear slots.

You can also opt to hide/unhide specific pieces if you don’t like how they look. The same goes for your Palico friend by selecting Palico Equipment Appearance. If you want to save a Layered Armor loadout, press L3/LS to get to the Loadout Menu. Then, press Triangle/Y while hovering over an empty slot (or a slot you want to replace). When it’s saved, you can pull it up anytime to put a new, cool cosmetic look on your character.

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Monster Hunter Wilds releases on February 28, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows platforms. You can learn more about the latest monster-hunting masterpiece in our in-depth review.