How effective was Lorica Segmentata?

[Dan Howard]

How do you define "better"? LS would have been cheaper and faster to produce than mail, which is probably why it was developed in the first place, it is lighter than mail, and it provides better protection against blunt trauma. Against other types of damage there likely wasn't a lot of difference between any of the metal armours that the Romans wore. But mail has a lot of other benefits: easier to fit to a range of body sizes, easier to store and transport, easier to repair and maintain both in the field and in the shop, less spare parts are needed, it covers more of the body, it seems to be more comfortable, it is faster to put on and take off, it has a longer lifespan.