Best Windbreaker Jackets of 2024

On the surface, it may be hard to figure out the features that separate the best windbreaker jackets from the rest, but the little details make all the difference. At its best, this glorious piece of apparel weighs nearly nothing, disappears into almost any corner of your hydration pack or a pocket, and keeps you comfortable in the wind and cold. Even more, this is often a one-and-done purchase: buy the best windbreaker jacket for your specific needs and climate and enjoy it for a lifetime of running.

To bring you this windbreaker jacket buyer’s guide, the iRunFar team tested an array of jackets on the market in all four seasons to find out what works best — and what doesn’t. Our team of runners, including trail, ultra, and road runners, assessed jackets based on their weight, packable size, fit, breathability, and extra features. Ultimately, we chose the champion jackets you see here to help you navigate the world of windbreakers. Many of our team return to the Patagonia Houdini Jacket year after year, but we also loved the Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket. Some of the jackets we chose were minimalists, including the hood-free Montbell Ex Light Wind Jacket, while others, like the Inov8 Windshell Windproof Jacket 2.0, had a variety of bells and whistles.

To learn more about the details of the best windbreaker jackets for running and what to consider when buying one, jump down to our recommendations for how to choose, as well as our frequently asked questions. You can also learn more about our research and testing methodology. If you’re looking for something that will keep you dry in inclement weather, be sure to check out our best running rain jackets guide.

Best Windbreaker Jackets of 2024

• Best Overall Windbreaker Jacket: Patagonia Houdini Jacket
• Best Windbreaker Jacket — Runners-Up: Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket and Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell
• Best Hoodless Ultralight Windbreaker Jacket: Montbell Ex Light Wind Jacket
• Best Hooded Ultralight Windbreaker Jacket: Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt
• Best Reflective Windbreaker Jacket: L.L.Bean Bean Bright Multisport Jacket
• Best Features in a Windbreaker Jacket: Inov8 Windshell Windproof Jacket 2.0
• Best Budget Windbreaker Jacket: Montbell Wind Blast Hooded Jacket

Best Overall Windbreaker Jacket: Patagonia Houdini Jacket ($109)

Pros:

• Ultralight
• Packs into its own pocket
• Competitive price

Cons:

• Noisier material

An iconic windbreaker jacket and longstanding favorite among trail runners and mountain athletes, the Patagonia Houdini Jacket offers superb wind-blocking performance in an ultralight package. It features a simple design with few bells and whistles, offering ample warmth and protection for its weight. The jacket’s cuffs contain cinched elastic to help them stay in place (though no thumb holes), and a single chest pocket can hold a chapstick or some cash for après run. Aptly named, the Houdini conveniently and easily packs into its chest pocket when you don’t need it and is compact enough to carry in any pack or even waistbelt. This jacket features a uniform, full-length front zipper and an adjustable hood that can fit over a climbing helmet.

Our main gripe with the Patagonia Houdini is that it’s louder and more crinkly than our other top picks that offer comparable weight and performance. That said, the Houdini is less expensive than our favorites from Montbell and Black Diamond, so if you’re looking to save a little bit of money, this jacket provides excellent value for the cost. It’s durable and reliable; many of our testers have been using theirs for a long time. Thus, it’s also taken the top windbreaker spot in our best running jackets guide.

Actual weight: 3.7 ounces (105 grams) (all weights measured in men’s medium unless otherwise noted) | Material: 1.2-ounce 100% recycled nylon ripstop with a PFC-free DWR finish

Shop the Women's Patagonia Houdini JacketShop the Men's Patagonia Houdini Jacket

Best Windbreaker Jacket — Runner-Up: Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket ($139)

Pros:

• Ultralight
• Affordable
• Features galore

Cons:

• Shiny material
• Thinner, so maybe not appropriate for very cold winds
• Seven-denier nylon fabric may be less durable than heavier jackets

With many features, an ultralight weight of 2.6 ounces (73 grams), and an affordable price, the Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket is another top choice for the best windbreaker jacket. We placed it in our best running jackets and our best mountain running gear guides.

Montbell achieves this jacket’s low weight by using seven-denier nylon fabric, the thinnest fabric used in windbreaker jackets today. It feels pretty delicate, but the ripstop nylon showed no signs of wear or tear on our runs, even when worn underneath a variety of hydration packs and when brushing up against the occasional shrub or rock. We love how tiny and light it packs into our running vest, and it even fits in a small running belt.

This fabric has some shine, which may not appeal to everyone. An upside, however, is that it’s a quiet fabric — you don’t hear swishing or flapping noises in the wind and while running. Montbell packs an impressive number of features into the very lightweight jacket, including a full-length zipper, two zippered hand pockets, a hidden inner pocket with a Velcro closure, a bit of elastic at the waist, tiny underarm vents, and a drawstring hood with front pull tabs for adjustment.

The jacket also has a microfiber material on the elastic wrists for comfort, and the back is a touch longer than the front to provide additional coverage. The material has a couple of reflective hits and a DWR finish for water resistance.

Actual weight: 2.6 ounces (73 grams) | Fabric: Seven-denier ripstop nylon, what Montbell calls its Ballistic Airlight fabric

Shop the Women's Montbell Tachyon Hooded JacketShop the Men's Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket

Best Windbreaker Jacket — Runner-Up: Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell ($140)

Pros

• Feels good, looks good
• Generously sized to fit over a small pack or extra layers
• Quiet fabric
• Fabric repels water longer than the other windbreaker jackets in this guide

Cons

• Expensive

The Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell is slightly pricier than many other wind jackets in this guide, but its features and performance make it worth the extra cost. Between the quiet fabric, generous sizing, solid water resistance, and stylish appearance, this jacket performs and looks good.

While Black Diamond states this windbreaker jacket has a slim fit, we found it to be generously sized in all aspects, allowing it to fit over a small running pack or several layers. We appreciate that the 15-denier fabric is quiet and doesn’t look as technical as other windbreaker jackets, so you can transition to a post-run coffee or beer without looking like a space nerd.

The Distance Wind Shell’s features include a full-length zipper, a zippered chest pocket into which the jacket packs for storage, elastic wrists with a bit of microfiber for comfort, and a generous hood that is adjustable via a drawstring at the nape of the neck. The hood fits over a climbing helmet for your scrambling adventures. The jacket’s length is the same at the front and back.

Several windbreaker jackets in this guide feature a DWR finish to repel water, but we found the Distance Wind Shell’s fabric kept us dry the longest in a light sprinkle before wetting out. While you’ll still want to wear a proper rain jacket in inclement weather, this one can help protect you from an unexpected shower. We chose this windbreaker for our best winter running jackets guide and our best cold weather running gear guide.

Actual weight: 3.6 ounces (102 grams) | Fabric: 15-denier ripstop nylon

Shop the Women's Black Diamond Distance Wind ShellShop the Men's Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell

Best Hoodless Ultralight Windbreaker Jacket: Montbell Ex Light Wind Jacket ($130)

Pros:

• Super ultralight
• Affordable
• Packs down tiny

Cons:

• Shiny material
• Seven-denier nylon fabric may be less durable than thicker but heavier jackets

The Montbell Ex Light Wind Jacket is another winner from the brand, this time in the super ultralight category at just 1.6 ounces (47 grams). Think of this jacket as a pared-down version of the Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket described above. It’s simpler but still protects you from the wind.

When compared to the Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket, this jacket keeps the same seven-denier ripstop nylon fabric, full-length zipper, underarm vents, elastic wrists with the microfiber panels, a bit of elastic at the waist, the small pocket with the Velcro closure (but this time on the outside of the jacket), the DWR finish, and the reflective hits. But it loses the hood, two zippered hand pockets, and a full ounce of weight.

We love that it packs down so incredibly small that it fits in the palm of your hand — it’s about the size of a Clif Bar. It’s so small you could even stuff it into a large running shorts pocket. You can check out which high-quality shorts on the market have big enough pockets in our best running shorts for men or best running shorts for women guides.

Again, this fabric is quiet and quite thin, but it is still durable when we brush against rocks and vegetation.

Actual weight: 1.6 ounces (47 grams) | Material: Seven-denier ripstop nylon, what Montbell calls its Ballistic Airlight fabric

Shop the Women's Montbell Ex Light Wind JacketShop the Men's Montbell Ex Light Wind Jacket

Best Hooded Ultralight Windbreaker Jacket: Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt ($120)

Pros:

• Super ultralight while still having a protective hood
• Runs a bit larger than standard sizing and can fit over a running pack or extra layers
• Size inclusive

Cons:

• Shiny material

Made by a small company in Winona, Minnesota, the Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt is the best-performing hooded super ultralight jacket we’ve tested, even if its ultra-shiny fabric means it’s not the prettiest in the bunch. It weighs a magical 1.8 ounces (51 grams), making it so small that there’s no reason not to take it along on a run as a just-in-case layer.

Made from 10-denier nylon, the fabric performs excellently in the wind. It has a very robust waist cinch, so you can pull it tight against you to keep out all the breeze, and it is the same length around from front to back. You can adjust the hood from the front with an elastic cinch. The wrists have elastic for security, too. We also love that it’s a quiet fabric that makes very little noise when you’re running or in the wind.

As Enlightened Equipment states on its website, this jacket runs very big for its size, both in width and length. If you prefer a sleeker jacket, size down. On the other hand, choosing your standard jacket size will likely mean the jacket will fit over several layers and a modest running pack — we tested up to 12 liters underneath the jacket, and it works!

In addition, the Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt comes in the widest variety of sizes of all the jackets we tested.

Actual weight: 1.8 ounces (51 grams) | Fabric: 10-denier nylon

Shop the Women's Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind ShirtShop the Men's Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt

Best Reflective Windbreaker Jacket: L.L.Bean Bean Bright Multisport Jacket ($100)

Pros:

• Incredibly visible in low light
• Good pockets

Cons:

• Sleeves are long

If you’re regularly running in low-light conditions or at night, especially if you spend time running on the roads, the L.L.Bean Bean Bright Multisport Jacket is an excellent option for ensuring visibility by passing motorists or other trail users. While most jackets use reflective hits to increase their visibility at night, this jacket goes all in on illumination. And it makes sense. This is designed as a multi-sport jacket, and cyclists use it while riding on the roads. The reflective yellow shell is bright, and 14 reflective hits increase its visibility at night. While this isn’t necessarily a jacket that you’d wear for a post-run coffee or beer, it serves its purpose of being as visible to the human eye as possible.

The 50-denier polyester material has a DWR finish and is quite thick and warm compared to the other options in this guide. It does have a back mesh vent, which helps with temperature control. We appreciated the ample pocket space in this jacket. One zippered rear and two zippered front pockets provide plenty of storage if you need to stash gloves, a hat, or small items. There are also two interior pockets, with one designed specifically to hold your phone with a Velcro closure.

We found that the sleeves of this jacket run a little long, a feature appreciated by cyclists but not needed for running. But if visibility is your top priority in a jacket, the long sleeves are a minor inconvenience to put up with. With all its features, we also place this jacket in our best running jackets guide. And if you’re a cyclist as well as a runner, this is a great multi-purpose jacket for both sports.

Fabrics: 50-denier polyester

Shop the L.L.Bean Bean Bright Multisport Jacket

Best Features in a Windbreaker Jacket: Inov8 Windshell Windproof Jacket 2.0 ($90)

Pros:

• Ample features
• Good weight and price

Cons:

• Louder material

While it’s in the middle of the pack for both weight and price, the Inov8 Windshell Windproof Jacket 2.0 has the best collection of features among all the windbreaker jackets we tested. It’s also one of the least expensive jackets in this guide, making it tough to decide whether to call it our best budget jacket or the one with the best features.

Price aside, let’s talk about the features. Double layers on the front for extra protection! Thumb holes! An earphone cord hole in the zippered chest pocket! A chest snap that keeps the jacket in place when you want it unzipped to stay cool but don’t want it to flap around in the wind! Another snap to stow the hood when you don’t need it! A hood crest to keep water off your face! Elastic on the hood, wrists, and waist! Reflective hits! And all this on a jacket weighing just 2.8 ounces (80 grams) makes it truly extraordinary.

The jacket also features a waist significantly longer in the back than the front for added protection. The waist and hood aren’t adjustable, but their fitted construction works well enough to make adjustment points unnecessary. The 20-denier recycled ripstop nylon does crinkle in the wind and makes a fair bit of noise, but that’s our only gripe. As we said, it’s not the lightest or the cheapest, but this jacket’s attention to detail and feature-packed design has won us over.

Actual Weight: 2.8 ounces (80 grams) | Fabrics: 20-denier ripstop nylon; the front fabric is windproof, while the back fabric is more breathable

Shop the Women's Inov8 Windshell Windproof Jacket 2.0Shop the Men's Inov8 Windshell Windproof Jacket

Best Budget Windbreaker Jacket: Montbell Wind Blast Hooded Jacket ($95)

Pros:

• Affordable
• High performance
• Excellent features despite being in the budget category

Cons:

• Weight
• Fabric can be a little noisy

While not ultralight nor ultra-technical, the Montbell Wind Blast Hooded Jacket is an excellent entry-level windbreaker jacket that works for almost everyone and has an approachable price point.

This is a pretty standard windbreaker jacket. It has a nice-sized hood with front pull tabs for adjustment, mesh underarm vents, two zippered mesh hand pockets, elastic wrists with microfiber panels for comfort, and a drawstring waist. It doesn’t pack into itself but comes with a separate stuff sack. It has a DWR treatment for increased weather resistance, a full-length zipper, and is a touch longer in the back than the front, similar to other Montbell jackets. Its regular fit helps place layers underneath, so if you want a more streamlined and tighter fit, you might want to consider sizing down.

Because this jacket features 40-denier nylon, it is the thickest and warmest of the bunch here. One of our testers needed to unzip it for ventilation while running, even in frigid winds. While the material makes some movement noise, it’s less than some of the other jackets in this guide. This jacket has two generous hand pockets and one chest pocket that is perfect for storing small items. Not everyone needs an ultralight and ultra-expensive jacket, so if you want something simple and affordable, this one is for you. We appreciated the whole package so much that we included it in our best running jackets guide.

Actual weight: 6.2 ounces (177 grams) | Fabric: 40-denier nylon taffeta

Shop the Women's Montbell Wind Blast Hooded JacketShop the Men's Montbell Wind Blast Hooded Jacket

Comparing the Best Windbreaker Jackets for Running

WINDBREAKER	PRICE	WEIGHT	MATERIALS
Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket	$139	2.6 ounces	Seven-denier ripstop nylon
Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell	$140	3.6 ounces	15-denier ripstop nylon
Patagonia Houdini Jacket	$109	3.7 ounces	1.2-ounce 100% recycled nylon ripstop
Montbell Ex Light Wind Jacket	$129	1.6 ounces	Seven-denier ripstop nylon
Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt	$120	1.8 ounces	10-denier ripstop nylon
L.L.Bean Bean Bright Multisport Jacket	$100	Not listed	50-denier polyester
Inov8 Windshell Windproof Jacket 2.0	$90	2.8 ounces	20-denier ripstop nylon
Montbell Wind Blast Hooded Jacket	$89	6.2 ounces	40-denier nylon taffeta

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Windbreaker Jacket for Running

Fit

Ultimately, the fit of a jacket is the most important factor to consider. Whether you want a jacket that provides a snug fit or one that you can fit multiple layers — or even a pack under — comes down to personal preference. The best windbreaker for running will, at minimum, cover your wrists well and stay below your waistline when you raise your arms. Many of the jackets in this guide, like the Montbell Wind Blast Hooded Jacket, are longer in the back to provide extra protection, especially if you’re bending over to tie shoe laces or pick something up. Most windbreakers include nylon or polyester, materials that don’t have a lot of stretch. Because of this, you might want to consider sizing up if you’re between sizes or looking for a roomier fit. When sizing up, the one thing to consider is that wind-jacket material tends to be a bit noisier when flapping in the wind, and extra material can make a lot of noise. If you’re sensitive to noise while running, please disregard our recommendation to size up.

Protection

Protection from the elements — namely, wind and the cold air it brings — is why you are searching for the best windbreaker.

Remember as you shop that windbreaker jackets are not waterproof or meant to serve as rain jackets. However, most windbreaker jackets feature nylon or polyester, which naturally repel a little water. And several windbreaker jackets in this guide have a water-resistant coating, like the Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell. Your windbreaker jacket should ward off some rain or snow but won’t offer the same protection as a rain jacket.

The jackets in this guide represent a variety of thicknesses. For example, the L.L.Bean Bean Bright Multisport Jacket uses 50-denier material, the thickest of this guide. This thicker material will provide extra warmth compared to a jacket like the Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket, which features seven-denier material. Nylon or polyester windbreaker jackets, even when the material is thin, are all quite good at offering wind protection.

Windbreakers are often fairly bare-bones to save weight, but this occasionally comes at the expense of providing less protection. The lightest and least protective jacket would be one with no hood, loose cuffs, and a non-adjustable waistline—a minimalist jacket. The most minimalist jacket in this guide is the Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt, but even that has a hood. If you want improved protection, look for a jacket with an adjustable hood, fitted cuffs, a waist cinch, and maybe thumb holes.

While a sleek-fitting jacket can feel good and be lighter, buying a jacket that is a bit bigger than you normally would means you can wear it over a running pack, which makes it easier to put on and take off on the move.

Weight

The lighter your clothing and gear, the easier it is to carry and run with it. Windbreaker jackets offer some incredible bang for your buck in terms of being a protective garment with a very low weight. That said, note that there is still significant variation in windbreaker jacket weight — the jackets in this guide vary from 1.6 ounces (47 grams) to 6.2 ounces (177 grams).

If you’re a gram counter looking for the lightest windbreaker jacket, we recommend the hoodless Montbell Ex Light Wind Jacket or the hooded Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt.

The more bells and whistles a jacket has — like pockets, zippers, and hoods — the heavier it will be, so there is a tradeoff to consider. The jacket’s material is the main contributor to its weight, as 40-denier nylon is thicker, heavier, and likely more durable than seven-denier nylon.

While even the lightest jackets do a great job stopping the wind, you may have to be extra careful on brushy or overgrown terrain to avoid ripping their thinner fabric.

Storage

Everyone loves pockets, but as we’ve said, there’s a tradeoff to adding more features to a jacket: more storage tends to lead to a heavier jacket. For some people, a single chest pocket for a key will suffice; others will appreciate the standard side pockets to keep hands warm or store light objects. An ultraminimalist jacket like the Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt won’t have any pockets, while something with a few more features, like the Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket, will have multiple.

In our experience, anything you want to stick in a windbreaker pocket needs to be pretty light so that it doesn’t bounce. For example, we have trouble carrying our phones in these pockets but find gloves and a hat store easily. And, of course, if you want somewhere to keep your hands warm during a break in your run, they can be convenient for that purpose.

Packability

Packability often goes hand in hand with weight — usually, the lighter the jacket, the more packable it is. Some jackets, like the Patagonia Houdini Jacket, have an internal pocket where you can stuff and store it, producing a package no bigger than your fist. While this feature is convenient, we, more often than not, just find ourselves tying an unneeded windbreaker around our waist rather than dealing with stuffing it into a sack. Other jackets in this guide, like the L.L.Bean Bean Bright Multisport Jacket, are bulkier but provide increased insulation and storage capacity. Ultimately, the best windbreaker is one you’re willing to carry, and extra weight and bulk make a difference.

Layering

Layering is the secret to temperature regulation for every outdoor athlete. Each time we venture outside, we try to wear and carry layers that, when worn together, keep us cozy in the worst weather we find on that outing and don’t cause us to overheat when we strip down to our last layer. The best running windbreakers can accommodate a variety of layers underneath.

So, when adding a windbreaker jacket to your running kit, consider how you might wear it with your other clothing and adequately size it to fit over various layers. For instance, you might consider sizing up if you suspect you’ll wear any insulating layer, but if you think you’ll only need one shirt underneath during most runs, size normally. Some jackets, like the Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt, run very large to accommodate several layers and even a running pack underneath.

Why You Should Trust Us

Many iRunFar team members live in the mountains, where some of the most unpredictable weather can occur. We’re used to runs that may be quiet and calm at lower altitudes, but as soon as we crest a ridgeline, we get blasted by huge gusts of wind. We are committed to testing the best products out there in a variety of conditions so that you don’t have to suffer through the trial and error of wearing different jackets in challenging elements.

We started developing this windbreaker jacket guide by researching roughly 70 jackets from various brands. From there, we polled the large team at iRunFar on their favorite jackets and took a deep online into their features before choosing which jackets to test in person to find the best windbreaker possible.

For the initial testing phase, we took 22 windbreaker jackets to the field for four seasons of testing in Colorado, Utah, and Alaska in the U.S., and several Western European countries. Since the initial publication of this guide, we’ve continued to test new windbreakers and use the ones included here to ensure they meet all of our durability standards. Ultimately, the jackets we chose for this guide represent the best we could find after several hundred hours of total testing in every condition you can imagine.

Frequently Asked Questions About Windbreaker Jackets for Running

Is there a difference between men’s and women’s windbreaker jackets?

Along with other clothing items, brands build men’s and women’s jackets differently to accommodate specific body needs. Broad versus narrow shoulders, a straight cut versus a waist taper, and differences in hip widths are only a few differences between jackets made for various body types.

Of course, we always recommend you choose the jacket that fits your body best, regardless of who the brand designed it for! Most brands make equivalent models in men’s and women’s jackets, including the Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket and the Inov8 Windshell Windproof Jacket 2.0.

What size windbreaker should I buy to layer clothing underneath?

The best way to buy a jacket is to go to a store and try it on, but this isn’t realistic for many people, especially if you’re looking for a specific jacket. Brand sizing guides are the next best option for a properly fitting jacket. Brands will generally give exact measurements, including chest, waist, and hip size, and sometimes even sleeve length and shoulder width, to ensure you get the right-sized jacket.

Generally, if you only plan on wearing a single layer underneath, a windbreaker jacket will align with your regular running top size. You may want to size up if you layer heavier clothing or multiple elements, including your running vest or belt underneath. There will be some exceptions, like the Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt, which runs large to accommodate extra layers. Size guides when shopping online will generally inform you if a jacket runs small, large, or true to size.

Should I prioritize lighter weight or increased protection?

The good news is that with modern windbreaker jackets, you can have both simultaneously! We consider all the jackets in this guide lightweight and protective against the wind. Even the thinnest windbreaker jacket material can be pretty darn wind-resistant. Additionally, windbreaker jackets can be so light because they generally lack extensive features.

However, other elements increase a windbreaker jacket’s protection — like an adjustable hood, waist cinch, and elastic wrist cuffs — with only super-small weight penalties. The ultralight Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt has a nice waist cinch and elastic at the wrists while weighing under two ounces. The Montbell Ex Light Wind Jacket cuts as many features as possible, including a hood, to stay as light as possible.

Does my windbreaker jacket need to be waterproof? What’s the difference?

As previously stated, a water-resistant element in a windbreaker jacket is excellent, but windbreakers and rain jackets are totally different types of jackets. While a DWR coating, as found on the Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell, will help keep the jacket from soaking through from snow flurries or a very light sprinkle, you should never substitute a windbreaker jacket for a rain jacket. If you’re running in potentially wet weather, you might want to check out options from our best running rain jackets guide.

Hood or no hood?

The head is one of the primary sources of heat loss, and keeping it covered can help you stay much warmer. For this reason, our testers generally prefer windbreakers with a hood. That said, some people hate the sound of material swishing next to their ears and would never actually wear the hood. If you’re one of these people, you might want a hoodless jacket like the Montbell Ex Light Wind Jacket.

If you go for a jacket with a hood, it’s worth considering whether you’re okay with a hood flapping around when not in use or if you want a jacket that secures it when it’s not covering your head. Several of the jackets in this guide have an elastic strap, a button, or another way to pack the hood away when you don’t want to cover your head. We love the feature-packed Inov8 Windshell Windproof Jacket 2.0, which can stow its hood with a snap closure. Alternatively, you can try shoving the hood down the back of the jacket, but that might not work in the windiest conditions.

Do I need a windbreaker jacket at all?

Wind jackets work in windy conditions and provide extra warmth on chilly morning runs. While we’re not saying everyone needs a windbreaker, they are great options for everything from neighborhood runs in the winter to wild ridgelines in the mountains. And when it comes to protective apparel, windbreakers are generally reasonably priced. Even cheaper options like the Montbell Wind Blast Hooded Jacket will do an excellent job of keeping the wind — and the cold it often causes — away from your body. Windbreakers perform well in cold, dry environments and struggle in high humidity or rain.

Why are running jackets so expensive?

Like the Montbell Windblast Hooded Jacket and the Inov8 Windshell Windproof Jacket 2.0, both priced around $90, a great jacket doesn’t have to break the bank.

The cost of a product generally increases with added features and decreased weight, as additional parts, higher-end materials, and extra labor increase costs. Lighter materials might be more difficult to sew, and the design may require tighter tolerances in sewing and construction.

Call for Comments

• What is your favorite windbreaker jacket, and why? Leave a comment to share about yours, and we’ll consider it for the next round of testing!
• Do you have separate jackets for wind and rain for the climate you run in?

Back to Our Top Running Windbreaker Jackets Picks