[DeSoya]

Yo!
Just a thought on armors here:
There isn't enough of a difference between light and medium armors to make it worth it. Check it out for yourselves. The best medium armor is a breastplate which cashes in at a +5 AC. Officially woo. Compared to the chain shirt, all the medium armors are lame unless magic. And heck.... If you're whipping out the magic you might as well just get heavy armor made out of mithral. It counts as medium armor. Half plate is useless as well. Even if you can afford it (obviously not at the start of the game) avoid it at all costs (sorry... not pun intended).
Another thing to notice is that if you are a barbarian wearing medium armor your speed bonus is added on after movment penalties are taken into affect. So your dwarven barbarian should still move 25 ft per round while wearing chain (or dwarven plate mail... drool. Dwarven plate. yum).
I would add to what Wolfgir said and go so far as to recommend you would be druids to just stay away from hide armor and rely on quick feet and good friends (fighters=meat shields).

DeSoya