Once there's a bounty on your head, bounty hunters will come look for you, generally around the metro station areas. Kill them and combine their armor and its pretty decent.
I made the switch when Killed the Talon mercs and repaired all their armor to DR +18, thats when I made the switch. Now that they're dead (and no one can keep that armor up to spec), I use combat armor which provide DR +24. DR+24>DR+5, +5 Small/Energy Weapons
When you start having to go against Centaurs, Super Mutants AND Giant Scorpions at the same time, you'll make the switch too.
You can use the Talon Armor to keep the Combat Armor repaired. My Combat Armor is at around 90% right now due to those mercs....