spike armor vs individual armor pieces and companion equipment comparisons

[clif9710]

When helmeted spike armor is put on, nothing else can be worn over it. The damage resistance numbers for the spike armor then apply equally to all limbs and the chest?

I'm trying to figure out how to compare the armor set vs a collection of armor pieces for the body parts.

Also, I notice when I am in the transfer screen with my companion, the items listed for the companion apparel, for example, are rated relative to what I am wearing, not what the companion is wearing. I can't jump between items on the companion apparel list to get a comparison of companion equipped and companion carried items.

[Zekiran]

If you make them swap to a simple outfit the rest will show up in their available list. I have had to do that a lot with npcs, so at times I'll enter a location (I don't typically have companions to do this for) I'll have a few garbage outfits and hit openactorcontainer 1 and put it on them, so I can take whatever they've got on and put what I want them wearing more easily.