I personally appreciate that the armor is available separately, because you might want to use armor from another jacket you already own, or other aftermarket armor.
That said, the shoulder & elbow armor is a perfect fit, and very comfortable and flexible. The back protector is solid as well, although I had to trim the ventilation holes with a utility knife to get the intended amount of airflow. Ultimately, it's great that level 2 armor is an option, and at a great price.