The weapons section is probably one of my favorite parts of PF2. Weapon traits feel a lot more important, useful, and interesting than they did in PF1, they actively encourage using weapons, and weapons with more of them feel better than weapons with less even if they do the same damage. There are some duds (like the ancestry ones, or volley) but the mostly I really like the change. Weapon specialization takes this one step further and makes each weapon group a bit more unique and useful for highly skilled users than the average warrior. It is a fantastic framework.
That said, the armor section is severely disappointing, especially when compared to the weapons section. Armor traits do the opposite of weapon traits, they actively discourage use. You aren't encouraged to use armor because it has interesting features that help with defense, but instead because it doesn't have features that harm your defenses. It feels like armor choices that have the best numbers are actively punishing you for not picking something else. That doesn't feel right to me. I'd really like to see armor traits that encouraged using armor rather than discouraged using it. Like having some armor be swift and have a lower penalty to speed if you are striding more than your move speed (worded carefully to allow for things like sudden charge) or other armor be steady and give a bonus to any checks or DCs which would prevent you from losing your balance.
Also, maybe not for the CRB2, but eventually getting some armor specialization feats and features would be pretty cool too.
Agreed, especially in regards to heavy armours - they scale very badly, becoming gradually less and less useful as the level goes up, to the point where high level paladins should probably wear leather rather than anything else. I mean, supposedly medium/heavy armour proficiency is "better", or at least meant to be.
Even simply Swift armour that does not reduce speed, Agile armour that does not apply penalties to Dex checks, Light armour that does not apply penalties to Str checks, and an overall improvement of the numbers for heavier armour to compensate the loss of TAC and penalties would go a long way towards making more armours viable other than Studded Leather. Alternatively, properties that add actual benefits could be a thing.
I understand that a Legendary Full Plate only has a penalty of -2 plus Clumsy, but it still only gives you +7AC and +3TAC, while Studded Leather has no penalty and gives you +7AC and +5TAC. And if one is worried, Chain Shirt has a +1 to TAC in exchange for a -1 to Stealth.
There is just no reason to bother with heavy armour unless somehow somebody decides to ignore all possible upgrades to Dex, a main save stat that just happens to contribute to almost everything in the game. You're gonna have an 18 to it by mid-lategame.
We have a great system in place with traits and properties. Let's not waste it.