The Best Men’s Running Jackets

Aside from shoes and a running watch, a running jacket is one of the most expensive pieces of running gear you are likely to buy. It’s also one of the most important, especially for winter running or running in the rain if you don’t have a treadmill to jump on when conditions are bad.

While there are good cheap running jackets, quality does usually align with price, and the most expensive tend to offer the most protection while being the most breathable so you don’t overheat. Some runners will find that running in any jacket is too hot, and while I’d wager part of that is because they don’t take their easy runs easy enough, there is value in looking at a running gilet or top instead if that’s the case – these will also be better for fast runs when a full jacket can feel bulky.

How I Test Running Jackets

I am a keen runner who normally logs around 70-110km a week and since I live in London, I am rarely short of opportunities to test jackets in the wind and rain. Occasional forays up to Edinburgh’s Pentland Hills to see family also allow me to test jackets on longer, usually wetter trail runs. Along with breathability and protection from the cold, wind and rain, I always focus on a jacket’s storage options.

Should You Get A Waterproof Or Water-Resistant Jacket?

I’ve split up my best running jacket picks based on whether or not they are waterproof, because that’s the key question when buying one. If you opt for full waterproofing the jacket will generally be less breathable and more expensive than one that’s only windproof and water-resistant. At the same time, you won’t care much about breathability if you’re caught in a proper storm in a jacket that offers only token resistance to the rain.

My advice for most road runners would be to opt for a water-resistant jacket first, since they are more comfortable and will keep you dry enough on the vast majority of runs. If you’re a frequent user of remote trails then a fully waterproof jacket is essential, and it’s also worth getting one if you’re a committed runner living somewhere with a rainy climate. 

The Quick List

Here you'll find my top picks for the best waterproof and water-resistant jackets and why I rate them so highly. Click on the links to the full reviews below for a more in-depth analysis.

The Best Men’s Running Jackets That Aren’t Waterproof

More breathable and less expensive than fully waterproof jackets, these are the best running jackets for everything but a heavy downpour.

Best Overall

The On jacket comes at a hefty price, but it’s ultra-light and breathable, and I’ve found it to be one of the most comfortable jackets to wear even when pushing the pace in inclement weather. The water-resistant jacket can be packed down into its chest pocket and its hood is more adjustable than most, so you can set it up to fend off the rain without obscuring your vision. While it’s not fully waterproof, this jacket has kept me dry on hour-long rainy runs, and it’s one of the more stylish options to wear when not running too.

Best Windproof Jacket

Thanks to the soft material used, the Stealth jacket lives up to its name by not rustling at all as you run, something I do find annoying at times with other jackets. It’s windproof and has a water-resistant coating, but don’t expect too much protection from rain. Instead the Stealth works best in providing just enough warmth to help get you out of the door on chilly, windy days, and when I found it too hot during runs it was easy to pack it into its pocket while on the move.

Best Lightweight Jacket

This is a featherlight jacket that offers a good level of protection from wind and rain to see you through chilly runs without the risk of overheating. The Brooks Canopy has a pouch inside the hood that you can pack it into, enabling you to transport it easily in a rucksack or even a spacious pocket, and you can also roll up and tie the hood in place on runs when you’re not concerned about rain. There are two zip pockets on the sides and one on the chest, with the latter the best option to use on the run because I found that anything stored in the side pockets tended to bounce around.

Best Value

The Force Reflective jacket is a lightweight and breathable option for runs when you just need a little extra protection from the elements. It’s also great for increasing your visibility, with reflective piping, and the yellow version helps you to stand out in the daytime as well. It’s usually reduced from its UK RRP, putting it firmly in the budget category.

It didn’t keep me dry in serious rain, but the jacket can handle a light shower and will keep the wind off your torso effectively. It also has a long back that makes it suitable for cycling as well as running, and the reflective elements are handy for night-time rides. 

More Water-Resistant Jackets

The Tracksmith NDO Jacket is breathable yet still warm, windproof and highly water-resistant. The loose fit meant I could pack in other layers beneath it when it was really cold, and its variety of useful pockets include an internal chest pouch ideal for a phone. 

A handy feature is that the zip works from both top and bottom, so when I was feeling warm I could open the jacket in both directions to cool off, and there’s a large reflective sash on the back to increase visibility.

The stylish design also sets the NDO Jacket apart, since you can wear it outside of runs as well as during them to help make you feel a little better about the high cost. I basically used it as my only jacket for runs and general use for a couple of weeks, so it's lucky it resists odours like a champ.

This jacket has a good balance of breathability and water resistance, using a water-repellent fabric to keep showers at bay. Its side pockets are handy whether you’re running or not, while it also has large reflective strips to increase visibility and a hood you can tighten so it doesn’t flap around your head.

I did find the jacket quite baggy in my normal size, and even if sizing down you can expect some loose fabric that catches the wind during runs. It packs down easily into its back pocket, which has a long strap so you can wear the jacket as a shoulder or waist bag. When packed it’s quite large compared with other options, but the strap does make it easy to carry.

Those looking for a cheap and cheerful extra layer will find it in the Kalenji Run Wind, which doesn’t offer any water resistance but will keep the wind out and breathes well so you won’t overheat. The thin material left me slightly cold on easy runs when it was very chilly, but the Run Wind is a good pick for in-between days when you could overheat with a thicker jacket.

The Harrier Lomond is an insulated jacket that’s built to be extremely warm, and as a result it’s only going to work well for certain runners regularly tackling training in sub-zero conditions. For most of my testing it was too warm to use for anything beyond short and very easy runs, though it does offer more versatility for general use than most running jackets because it’s so warm.

When the conditions suit it, however, the Lomond is warmer than other jackets, and it’s also excellent value and quite packable—you can shove into the provided stuff sack to put in a rucksack, though it’s still quite large when packed. If you are regularly running up and down mountains, or doing very long trail runs where you’ll have long spells moving at slow paces in cold conditions, the extra insulation you get from the Harrier Lomond will be invaluable. 

Proviz’s reflective cycling jacket is a common sight on cyclists in winter, but runners can benefit just as much from wearing a top made from the same fabric to ensure other road and pavement users spot them at night. The front of this jacket is made entirely from reflective fabric, which also covers the arms and some of the back for 360° visibility. The rest of the back and arms is made of a breathable mesh to help you avoid overheating, but I still found it was warmer than most other water-resistant jackets, so a Proviz top or gilet might work better for milder night runs.

If reflectivity is what you’re after, this jacket offers it in spades and it does so at a great price (ignore the RRP because Higher State’s range is invariably reduced on Sports Shoes). The jacket offers all-over reflectivity, and it’s windproof and highly water-resistant – in fact it’s essentially waterproof in my experience. The drawback of this is that it gets pretty hot and I only found it comfortable to use for very easy runs, along with warm-ups and warm-downs.

For the previous three winters I ran in an older version of the Soar All Weather Jacket. I’ve been testing the latest version this year and while the price is high, it’s an incredible piece of clothing that’s unlike any other jacket I’ve tested. The main reason is the STORM2 fabric: This is highly water-resistant—to the point where I’ve run for hours in the rain without getting wet—but not fully waterproof, so the jacket remains breathable.

The result is a warm jacket that keeps the wind and rain mostly at bay. I’ve worn this jacket for almost every run I’ve done in the past month, from two-hour slow trail runs in freezing conditions to hard track sessions. It’s always been comfortable and kept me dry, and at the right temperature.

I wore this anorak as much when not running as I did when I was out testing kit because it’s more stylish than most of my non-running gear. That versatility is a plus, but the Pace Anorak makes this list because it provides plenty of warmth and protection from the wind. Don’t expect a lot of protection in the rain, though—it will only fend off the lightest of showers.

The baggy design, while comfortable, also means that the anorak is a bit flappy if you’re pushing beyond easy paces. Keep it for relaxed runs, especially since you don’t want to sweat in it so much you can’t wear it out on the town afterwards.

The NightVision Jacket is compatible with the Bodylite NightVision Light ($42.50/£34.50), which can be attached to the Velcro strips on either the front or back of the jacket. The light is bright, has flashing and steady modes, and can be set to white or red light and, in addition to the reflective strips on the jacket, it helps make you as visible as possible on night runs.

I found the jacket a great lightweight option for daytime runs, with the vented design and the fact that only the body of the jacket is water-resistant meaning it’s highly breathable. You don’t get as much protection from rain and wind as with other jackets as a result, so in really cold conditions I prefer a heavier jacket, but if you run hot the extra breathability will be a boon.

The Best Men’s Waterproof Running Jackets

For full waterproof protection you'll need one of these jackets.

Best Waterproof Jacket

The standout feature of the Gore Concurve Jacket is its fit, which allows for unrestricted movement running at any pace. I used the jacket for speedy track sessions and long runs up to 24 miles, and it is a cut above most rivals on the comfort it offers thanks to its slim but unrestrictive fit.

It’s also completely waterproof and windproof, and exceptionally breathable while still being warm, allowing for great body temperature regulation on long and hard runs. Whether I was tackling fast reps in mild but rainy weather, or doing long runs in dry but freezing conditions, the jacket helped to keep me at the right temperature with just a base layer underneath.

The only mild criticisms I have are that it doesn’t have a chest pocket for a phone, which I like on a waterproof jacket, and the softer fabric on the inside of the wrists takes a while to dry once wet, especially compared to the rest of the jacket which you can pretty much shake dry.

Best Budget Waterproof

This jacket has a high waterproof rating of 10,000 and taped seams, which means it hits the standards required on mandatory kit lists for most trail ultramarathons. That’s rare to find on a jacket that costs well under £100, and it’s even more unusual to find it in a jacket that doesn’t become uncomfortably hot as a result. It breathes well and I found it wasn’t too warm to wear on milder days, though I recommend wearing a long-sleeved top underneath because it can stick to the skin as you start to work up a sweat on your run.

More Waterproof Jackets

The North Face’s Futurelight fabric is the real deal, in that it’s among the most breathable waterproof materials I’ve come across in a running jacket. As a result, the Lightriser is a fantastic lightweight option, providing reliable and long-lasting protection from precipitation without creating an uncomfortable amount of perspiration. On dry days in low double-digit temperatures it also proved effective at keeping the wind off without causing me to overheat, and even when the temperature dropped to just above zero the jacket was still warm enough with just a base layer underneath.

Although it scores highly on the running jacket’s key feature—keeping you dry and warm without being too hot or sweaty—it could improve its storage options. The only pocket is an internal one at the small of your back, and it’s mainly useful for packing the jacket into rather than carrying anything—a chest pocket for a phone would be a great addition.

During testing I found the Saysky Element jacket a good option for wet days whether I was running or not, the close cut and simple design meaning it’s stylish enough to wear at any time. The back of the jacket is ventilated to stop you overheating, and there are two pockets on the sides, though I found putting anything too heavy in these would lead to bouncing.

This lightweight jacket packs down into its chest pocket to make it easily portable in a running backpack, or even a running belt or shorts with big pockets. It’s fully waterproof thanks to the Pertex Shield fabric, and has a close fit that allows for free movement on the run. It also has a useful chest pocket that can store your phone in wet conditions.

While it’s fairly breathable, I did find that the Asics Fujitrail jacket gets hotter than others on this list during runs, though it does come in slightly cheaper than top options like the Gorewear Concurve or The North Face Lightriser Futurelight. 

The Ciele Elite waterproof jacket is as breathable as they come and has several useful features, such as a carabiner to clip it to a running backpack or belt when it's packed into the chest pocket. All the pockets on the jacket are internal to help keep your stuff dry, and there’s a snap button on the chest I found handy since I could unzip to cool down while keeping the jacket in place.

A good option for runners who cycle, or indeed cyclists who run, the Keela Saxon has a high neck and an adjustable peaked hood that will fit over helmets, and a curved rear hem that’s longer at the back to keep your rear end dry. While breathable, I found it a fairly warm option for running – it might get a bit sweaty in mild and wet conditions, but it’s great for winter.

The Phase Nano jacket is astonishingly breathable given that it has a Gore-Tex liner and is fully waterproof. I’ve been able to use it on fairly mild and dry days without finding that it made me uncomfortably sweaty, even throwing it on after a hard track session for a long warm down without it being too hot. The side pockets are useful but only for lighter items, since heavier ones will bounce around on the run, and I did long for a chest pocket for my phone, but otherwise the Phase Nano is as good as waterproof jackets get, which you’d expect given the high price.

The Soar Trail Rain Jacket is designed to meet race regulations for trail events while being as lightweight and packable as possible. It has a fitted design that allows you to move freely at high speeds, something I tested by wearing it for a track session running 400m reps in heavy rain. 

There are clever touches all over the jacket that reveal the thought that has gone into its design, from abrasion-resistant fabric that won’t wear down from rubbing against a backpack to the dual-zip system that allows for more ventilation under chest straps. The jacket packs easily into an internal pocket and is breathable for a waterproof jacket too.

What To Look For In A Running Jacket

For a deep dive into running jackets and the magical materials used to make them waterproof while still being breathable, we spoke to Matt Kemp, design manager at British outdoor brand Montane.

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