Best running jackets: 12 top choices for men and women

By Debbie Graham

Published: Friday, 07 January 2022 at 12:00 am

For when a base layer and a tee isn’t enough, a lightweight water-resistant running jacket can be a saviour of your off-season run training.

Given many on test here will tackle the rain, wind and even the cold, a well-chosen jacket can also provide the pathway to a massive mental surge for your mid-winter psychology.

Escaping the sofa and Loose Women (sorry, working from home) for log leaping, puddle prancing and ditch dodging will reaffirm that love of outdoor exercise and will provide a welcome boost to those flagging vit-D levels (research increasingly suggests levels of the latter may help to prevent Covid).

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The eight jackets here feature water-resistant and lightweight windproofers, the most versatile of run jackets but not for sub-zero conditions.

When picking your garment of choice, think about the conditions you’ll be using it in. Is it for mountain running, city loops or rural lanes? Night or day?

We use these jackets for anything lower than 10°C. They’re also far better at thwarting wind and rain chills than a base layer and run tee combo.

Elsewhere, the hi-vis aspects are a smart safety addition, and the pocket(s) will ensure you can comfortably carry your phone, a key and gels.

While most here stretch over £100, we’ve used our own run jackets for many seasons and some will easily double as casual wear, so having something that looks good in both the trails and the tavern is an added bonus.

Best running jackets for men

Montane Spine Jacket

£250

This is the most expensive jacket by quite some margin, but you get a fully-featured piece of kit for your cash. There’s an adjustable, wire-peaked hood, two waist adjustments and two mesh-lined pockets.

This, and the inclusion of Gore-Tex Active, all adds up to a weight of 245g (UK size medium). That being said, it also makes this the best jacket in sustained and heavy rain. The inclusion of a waterproof membrane means it’s not the most breathable, but the mesh-lined pockets help with ventilation.

There’s also a press-stud clip that sits behind the zip, which allows you to wear the jacket with the zip undone, thus boosting ventilation. Meanwhile, reflective detailing helps with visibility.

Verdict: A reliable jacket that’s great in bad weather

Score: 93%

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2XU Light Speed WP Jacket

£190

The price and weight (209g, UK medium) of the Light Speed is comparable to the Montane and Soar products on test, and it has a similar feature set, too.

This includes an adjustment point on the hood, a clip to stow it away and a roomy chest pocket that doesn’t bounce around too much. It also has reflective detailing and a clip behind the zip so you can keep it open for ventilation when in use.

There were several key omissions, though. There’s no storm flap behind the zip, nor any adjustment at the hem to help keep the elements out, and the sleeves are slightly too short and loose.

Weather protection is generally good, but rain does start to sneak through the zip and underarm ventilation holes on long, rainy runs.

Verdict: A mixed bag; some great features, but some issues

Score: 79%

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Soar Ultra Jacket

£190

Unlike the other men’s jackets here, the Ultra doesn’t use a waterproof membrane. Instead, it relies on taped seams and a DWR coating on both the yarn and the fabric.

This means that it sheds light rain and short showers well, but struggles in sustained, heavy downpours. The zip is a bit of a weak point in this regard, but we like that the jacket comes with Grangers Performance Wash to help you maintain the fabric’s water resistance.

It’s worth noting that the lack of membrane improves breathability. Feature-wise, you get a hem toggle, reflective detailing and a pocket at the rear that’s big enough for a phone, keys and a couple of gels, though it does bounce around a lot. There’s no hood, but the collar fits closely.

Verdict: Great breathability, but not best for heavy rain

Score: 85%

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Inov-8 Ultra Shell

£130

At 97g (UK medium) this is the lightest jacket on test. It’s aimed at runners wanting to move light and fast or those needing to carry a waterproof just in case.

Its light weight means features are minimal. There are no pockets, hem toggles or hood adjustments, but the sleeves, hem and hood are elasticated.

While that works for the most part, the hood does fit a little loosely. The fabric is seethrough, meaning your race number is always visible, while the hood can be stowed away with a clip.

Water protection was decent, but in sustained, heavy downpours the fabric wets out quickly, which makes it feel colder and less breathable. That said, the half- length zip opens both ways, which helps with ventilation.

Verdict: Verdict super light, but not the best in sustained rainfall

Score: 84%

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Soar Ultra Rain 2.0

£175

Fit is a subjective thing, but the 144g Ultra Rain Jacket 2.0 from Soar Running just sat perfectly on us, with the wrist and waist hem keeping things in place and the mesh collar sitting cosily on the neck.

Comfort aside, it’s the jacket here we’d trust the most for MET weather-warning runs, offering a high waterproofing rating of 20,000mm, a zipper guard and taped seams.

While that usually means a sweaty mess come warmer efforts, the polyimide/nylon construction also boasts fine breathability.

It’s easily stashed into the rear zipped pocket for easy carrying (yet the bag is tricky to reopen due to the one-way zipper) and there’s enhanced visibility (if no pub points) from the yellow colour scheme, but the lack of a hood may nudge you towards the Odlo or On.

Verdict: A hoodless wonder that ticks the waterproofing box

Score: 89%

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On Running Weather

£190

For such a slender construction, the features list for On’s Weather Jacket is long, with arm cuffs that extend to two different lengths depending on the conditions and an engineered hood that, no matter how many headwinds we face, just won’t fall down.

There’s a split design along the ribs to heighten ventilation, yet not at the expense of water intrusion, but it can look a little odd if the wind whips under it.

The jacket folds into the water-resistant chest pocket and has a neat carry handle, but it comes in twice the size of the others once stashed.

The DWR water-repellent coating is okay at preventing precipitation ingress but can’t match Odlo or Soar, something we’d hoped for given the price. We’ve had this a while so can vouch for its durability.

Verdict: The best for breathability, less so for waterproofing

Score: 79%

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Odlo Dual Dry

The Odlo is easily the most expensive here, with the 135g weight of the Dual Dry material coming in at £1.63 per gram, close to Iberico ham prices.

So, will the ISPO-award winning Dual Dry have us (we’re sorry) squealing in delight? There’s no escaping that this is a serious rain jacket, with taped seams and a 20,000mm waterproof rating ensuring serious aqua thwarting.

Once stashed in the pocket, it’s quite hard to undo at speed, yet the adjustable hood with peak stays stubbornly in place (and stretchy hems on the sleeves and waists help prevent draughts sneaking in).

The waterproof pocket and hi-vis details add further appeal, as does the translucent material’s breathability, but whether this is £220-good will depend on your pay packet.

Verdict: A mighty jacket but there’s no avoiding that price tag

Score: 80%

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Evadict Windproof

Decathlon’s £45 Van Rysel bike jacket scored highly versus the £100+ contenders last issue and, while it’s too much of an ask for the £25 top to compete with the £175+ gang here, the Evadict has some neat touches for the price.

The 96g shell folds into the smallest stash here, with a smart two-way zip and carry handle adding to the portability prowess.

The adjustable hood might be a touch small for some, but refuses to shift once on the bonce, although the thumb loops are too gaping to be fully effective in preventing chilly air ingress.

Decathlon tout this as windproof and it’s just about effective at that, but it’s only adequate in deflecting the lightest of rain. Yet there are certainly worse ways to spend £25 on a spring/autumn running backup.

Verdict: Not for heavier rain, but a cheap run backup

Score: 77%

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Best waterproof running jackets for women

Salomon Bonatti Trail

£200

Light, breathable and packed with subtle features to set you up for a comfortable run, the Bonatti Trail is the priciest jacket in the women’s test.

So we were keen to test it to its limits in the torrential English rain and see if it’s worth the cash. Impressively, it does a great job fending off wind and rain, even in sustained, heavy downpours.

It fits well, too, with a secure hood, elasticated cuffs, waist adjustment and a drop tail at the back. Meanwhile, a pressstud fastener behind the zip allows you to keep the zip open while maintaining weather protection, which is great for ventilation.

At 167g (UK small), it’s light, portable, and packs neatly away into the only zip pocket on the chest when not in use.

Verdict: High quality, weatherproof and completely reliable

Score: 94%

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Proviz Classic Jacket

£84.99

Another Proviz classic in style and visibility, this jacket is one of the comfiest on test thanks to its four-way stretch. It offers great protection from the wind and rain, which is aided by secure, elasticated cuffs and hem.

The integrated hood with elastic edging stays up, but it won’t keep the rain out of your eyes. Like the Keela, the jacket boasts two side pockets, which prove useful for stashing gloves and other valuables.

Though the Classic is the heaviest on test at 242g (UK10) and we’d question the breathability of the sweatinducing inner, it feels durable and reliable during adverse conditions.

For this reason, it’d be our pick for cold and dark runs, where visibility and warmth are the priority.

Verdict: visible and waterproof, but a bit sweaty

Score: 89%

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Alpkit Gravitas

£169.99

The lightest jacket on test at 132g (UK8) on our scales, the Gravitas is made for ‘fast-paced running, riding and racing’. It uses a three-layer construction and a DWR coating to provide its weather proofing, which works incredibly well in all manner of conditions.

Fit is flattering but extremely slim cut, so we’d recommend sizing up if you want to fit any layers underneath. We like the semi-elasticated arm cuffs, while the rigid hood with wire peak and adjustment toggle stays in place well and helps keeps the rain out of our eyes when running.

It also comes with an adjustment point at the hem and a handy stuff sack so you can pack it away when not in use. Like the Salomon, this breathable jacket only has one chest pocket, which is big enough to fit a phone and keys.

Verdict: lightweight, waterproof and great features

Score: 89%

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Keela Coyote

£74.95

The only jacket on test that also zips away to form a gilet, the Coyote is designed for the active user over a range of sports.

With reflective trim for visibility and handy side and back pockets, this coat is versatile and it’s also our cheapest on test, sitting mid-range in the weight department at 239g (UK8).

When on, the Coyote has an hourglass shape, which won’t be ideal for all body types, though the elasticated hemline can be adjusted.

Due to the in-built gilet, the back section may feel a bit tight for those with broader shoulders and we’d like to see tighter elastic at the cuffs to act as a better barrier to rain.

The Coyote doesn’t claim to be fully waterproof, but does ward off light showers well enough despite being the only jacket on test not to have an in-built hood.

Verdict: a functional jacket that’s only shower-resistant

Score: 78%

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Omm Halo

£100

Designed to pack up small and weighing just 99g, this jazzy jacket boasts taped seams and two-layer 10,000mm HH fabric to keep us bone-dry in heavy downpours, while the female-specific fit and dropped hem are nice touches for keeping our bum dry.

It felt less warm than the Montane or Inov-8 and is also the only jacket on test to make a rustling noise as we ran – you don’t really notice it so much in rainy conditions.

There are no pockets and the hood isn’t adjustable, but it fits snugly round the head with an elastic peak and elastic cords adjust the hem and it meets all the requirements for essential race kit.

Grey and grey/purple colourways are also available if pink isn’t your thing, although we liked the touch of neon pink for safety.

Verdict: No-frills design for when functionality is key

Score: 85%

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Inov-8 Trailshell

£150

Previous Inov-8 jackets have long been our trusty ally and the Trailshell, although not cheap, continues that streak.

Taped seams and a 2.5-layer fabric with a 20,000 HH (hydrostatic head) rating Pertex Shield fabric meant rain bounced off this jacket and, when we got caught in a Cornish coastal path deluge, our only problem was the water running off it soaked our run tights through!

An elasticated hem and cuffs ensure a neat fit (if a touch snug on the hips on this pear-shaped tester), while vents under the arms add breathability.

A wire edging to the hood is a neat touch, as it means you can mould it to the right shape for waterproofing and visibility. An internal zippy pocket fits keys and a card and it comes in at 140g versus 183g for Montane.

Verdict: Stripped- back design with mean waterproofing

Score: 87%