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Jun 26, 2023

The Best Windbreaker Jackets of 2023

Whether you're traversing a wind-swept jagged range, or hunkering down at endless hanging belays, windbreaker jackets provide the versatile, packable protection you need. These are the best

Whether you're traversing a wind-swept jagged range, or hunkering down at endless hanging belays, windbreaker jackets provide the versatile, packable protection you need. These are the best windbreaker jackets for any adventure you could dream up.

We’ve all been there. An ambiguous weather pattern rolls in, wind whips at your hair, but you’re charging too hard to throw on a rain jacket — and it’s too cold for your tiny T-shirt. It’s time to break out the most versatile layering piece of them all: the windbreaker jacket.

Offering stellar protection from the elements in dry, cool conditions, windbreaker jackets are our favorite breathable, packable solutions for just about any adventure you could cook up. Plus, with most models hovering around a scant 5 ounces, they barely register in your kit.

While you don’t get the same level of insulation or weather defense as burly hardshells, the simple act of thwarting the wind dramatically boosts your ability to retain warmth without overheating. Lash ‘em to your harness, or chuck ‘em in your pack and forget they’re there — windbreakers are the ultralight, ultra-packable jacket of your dreams.

After a season of big wall ascents in the Sierras, backpacking excursions through Appalachia, and international climbing expeditions, we whittled our selection down to include the most capable windbreakers money can buy. For desperate assaults on wind-swept alpine peaks, or casual jaunts in mild weather, we’ve included jackets for every adventure and budget.

Scroll through our top picks below, and be sure to hop down to our comprehensive buyer’s guide, FAQ, and comparison chart for help in snagging the best windbreaker jacket for your needs.

Here it is — the gold standard of windbreaker majesty, and a seemingly ubiquitous quiver-of-one addition to the kit of every hiker, mountaineer, and adventurer we see. Like many of Patagonia’s products, the legendary Houdini ($109) has developed nothing less than a cult following during its years of service to the outdoor community … and for good reason.

Though not the most technical shell on our list, its simple silhouette, approachable price, and ultralight weight have made it the famous take-anywhere jacket it is today. With a classic cut for style around town, and enough hardworking gumption for the mountains, the Houdini won our best overall award for its rugged versatility, top-shelf construction, and stellar value.

We’ve been testing this jacket on months-long thru-hikes, lofty multipitch climbs, and demanding bushwhacks since 2018, and it remains a shoo-in on any of our adventure gear lists. While we’ve snagged new iterations as they come out over the years, our original model is still going strong with only a peeling logo to show its age — a true testament to the Houdini’s longevity.

From a 30,000-foot view, it’s a bare-bones shell. A single zippered chest pocket, elasticated cuffs, and a drawcord hem round out its basic feature set. But peek under the hood and you’ll find top-shelf tech, featherlight but bomb-proof materials, and an incredibly versatile design at just over 100 bucks.

Recycled ripstop nylon with a surprisingly stalwart DWR coating shrugs off significant torture and light rain in the backcountry, and a slim fit with a slight drop tail gives it an athletic feel, with just enough room for a couple of light layers underneath. We put each jacket on this list through a shower-simulated downpour to test the fabric’s wet-out time (with a thin fleece jacket underneath), and the Houdini lasted an impressive 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

At a mere 3.7 ounces, the Houdini lands comfortably in the “barely there” realm of technical layers — and sports an almost translucent appearance when held to the sun. Its pack size follows suit. Shoving into its zippered chest pocket with a carabiner loop, it crams down to about the size of a pear, and easily disappears in a pack, or weightlessly floats behind you on a climbing harness. Maintaining any semblance of durability in this weight class does merit a few downsides, namely breathability and comfort.

We’ve taken this tiny gem to some wild corners of the world — but we don’t necessarily push the pace when wearing it. For light to moderate activities like hiking or mild multipitch climbs, it blocks wind like a champ, keeping you warm and cozy. But the nylon shell has little elasticity, subpar next-to-skin comfort, and minimal moisture-wicking capabilities. Not the best combo for desperately fast missions with a spiking heart rate.

At that mass and price point though, it punches well above its weight. For versatile, affordable protection in a wide range of climates and conditions, it’s in a league of its own.

It’s rare to find sustainable apparel crafted from repurposed and recycled material that holds up to the rigors of life outside, but Cotopaxi’s “Gear for Good” slogan encapsulates more than an abstract ethos. Racking up some of the most environmentally friendly points on this list, the Teca Half-Zip ($80) is ethically made and affordable, with just the right spunk for light adventuring.

Though we may not take this on an expedition through the ranges of Pakistan, the Teca delivers solid performance, stellar packability, and peerless style. It’s common knowledge — if you want to stand out in a crowd, snag a Cotopaxi jacket. Vibrant color combinations abound for whatever your vibe might be.

But its allure doesn’t stop there. A patchwork of DWR-coated and PU-backed taffeta and ripstop polyester panels surround the jacket, giving it a technical flair for mild to moderate outdoor activity in unpredictable weather. And, while the material itself is quite thick and unbreathable, subtle mesh venting on the back and a deep venting front zipper allow heat to dump out if you suddenly have to pick up the pace on trail.

We found the Teca to be surprisingly durable during our testing period, holding up to some light bushwhacking and miles of backcountry hiking. Additionally, the chunky ripstop pattern on the arms, thin front panel, and bottom back panel feature some of the most robust squares we’ve seen on windbreaker ripstop fabrics, inspiring serious confidence in thorny terrain.

The pocket layout is unique, with deep kangaroo-style front handwarmer pockets underneath a zippered pouch, which doubles as the jacket’s generous stuff sack. Pullover designs aren’t our favorite, as we like to quickly rip windbreakers off and on, but the half-zip does cut significant weight and bulk. The Teca crams down ultra tiny. While the stuff sack itself isn’t small, it can easily be mashed to the size of a baseball, and clocks in at a respectable 4.4 ounces on our scale.

The DWR-coated fabric resisted wetting out for about 5 minutes during our downpour simulation in the shower. This is longer than most, but the number of untaped seams along the multitude of panels allowed water to seep in fast, quickly soaking the fleece. Such burly fabric also diminishes breathability. Additionally, the lack of pull cords and adjustability at the hem and hood allows ease of access for strong gusts of wind.

While not our top pick for technical forays in remote regions, the Teca is a great choice for casual hikes, frontcountry style, or light adventuring in moderate climates. Its approachable price point and fun, funky style made it a no-brainer for this roundup.

Now here’s a cozy layer. Slide this on in the dark and you may think you’ve grabbed a paper-thin fleece jacket. For next-to-skin comfort, the Kor AirShell ($150) is next to none. Mix in a big ol’ batch of bomber stretch-woven fabrics, a ripstop Pertex Quantum Air force field, and a fully loaded feature set, and well — that’s how it gets away with such a cool name.

We immediately knew this would be a standard bearer when trotting around with it for the first time. Marvelous mobility? Check. Blue ribbon breathability? Check. Fantastic fit? Almost check. This bad boy was a hair’s breadth away from snagging our top award, but for a small yet noticeable detail: its lack of adjustability and drawcords.

While leaning into truly ghoulish gusts, the ability to cinch down our windbreaker’s hem and hood is a pretty key feature we look for when testing its mettle. While the AirShell ticked almost every box, we found that wisps of wind squirmed their way under the loose elastic hem and cuffs much easier than other models in our lineup.

That gripe aside, this didn’t stop us from sporting it on towering limestone spires, tough technical scrambles, or high-adrenaline ridgeline romps, and it quickly became one of our go-to shells for demanding adventures where breathability and durability are vital.

The 20-denier ripstop fabric features a significant amount of stretch, allowing it to give when prodded by protrusions instead of puncture. The DWR coating performed about average for a soft windbreaker, and it took just over 30 seconds for the jacket to completely wet out in our shower-simulated downpour. It also takes a bit longer to dry out than many models. It fends off light mist fine, but you better have a rain jacket on hand if things get ugly.

We love the stronger fabric and dual zippered handwarmer pockets, but this does add slight weight and bulk. At 4.8 ounces on our scale, it tickles the heavier end of the spectrum (and yes, we trimmed the tags), but still feels small and light enough for most missions we conjure up.

An elastic, zipperless internal drop pocket doubles as the jacket’s stuff sack and includes a carabiner loop. This design works fine, but we wish they saved some weight by using one of the pockets for this role, and we also appreciate having our jacket closed up by a zipper when crammed down and dangling from a harness.

Don’t let our nitpicks dissuade you though. This is a premium shell that deserves any adventurer’s attention for casual downtown comfort or peak alpine performance.

Sneeze and it’s gone — the barely existent 1.6-ounce Deploy Wind Shell ($180) will have you questioning the laws of matter. No joke, it’s literally difficult to feel in your hands when pulling it from your closet. And, just south of $200, it may also have you questioning why you joined the ultralight cult in the first place.

The Deploy could be the poster child of “don’t judge a book by its cover,” though, and there’s much to discover if you can afford to take it for a spin. Black Diamond claims this is the lightest, most packable windbreaker on the market, and we’re scratching our heads to drum up any competition.

The infinitesimally thin 5-denier Japanese nylon shell features a tiny ripstop grid, with a light DWR treatment that can somehow fend off significant precipitation. Despite it all, the jacket maintains a shocking amount of breathability.

Cramming the Deploy into the discrete stuff sack in its collar feels like hitting it with a shrink-ray gun. The tiny pouch gobbles it up, and a thin elastic cord snugs the package down to roughly the size of a golf ball. But you won’t be hitting this across the green. With less mass than a wisp of air, it seems to alleviate pack weight, rather than add to it.

Anything can be light and small, but the magic lies in its performance on technical missions and intense runs. Cranking up the pulse during chilly fall tempos, we found the Deploy regulates sweat and moisture buildup well, and the jacket only feels marginally clammy and stuffy. It doesn’t vent as well as a jacket like the Houdini Air, but its breathability did surprise us.

However, what really took us aback was its water resistance when a storm rolled in during one of our long runs. The rain didn’t last long, but each droplet popped off the jacket, and only a bit of moisture seeped through the zipper and untaped seams. Interested in finding its limit, we put it through the ol’ shower test, and after simulating over 20 minutes of pouring rain, the fabric hadn’t wet out.

We still haven’t found its limit (though moisture eventually seeped through the seams and zipper) — and frankly, we’re scared it will run our water bill too high. Most of our other windbreakers wet out in a couple of minutes at most.

While we know this DWR coating will fade with time, it is wildly impressive considering its weight and level of breathability. Consistent with its seemingly rainproof nature, the Deploy also shirks wind well, and a cinch cord at the hem (which may be responsible for half of the jacket’s weight) fends off strong gusts.

So … the negatives. It’s not all roses and daisies, with the biggest con being durability. 5-denier fabric is mega fragile, and we avoid anything pokey like the plague while wearing it. There are also no pockets to speak of, nor a hood, which would be a nice addition in the rain.

But dang, for emergency protection that weighs less than the socks on your feet (our favorite pair weighs 66 g), there’s not much that compares to this ultralight feat of engineering. Effortlessly cruise over windswept ridgelines, or crush that FKT you’ve been eyeing with confidence. The Deploy is the shell for the job.

If BD’s Deploy takes the crown for ultralight protection during intense activity, Patagonia’s Houdini Air ($179) dominates the podium for breathability and comfort while moving fast. Nothing comes close to this jacket’s ability to regulate body temperature while cranking hard in the mountains, and we find ourselves grabbing this shell for our more intense aerobic adventures.

A more technical cousin to our top pick, the regular Houdini, the Air touts over twice as much breathability, is significantly more comfortable, and allows for greater mobility — though you will have to shell out some more dough. A 1.4-ounce Pertex Equilibrium shell merges nylon and double-weave polyester to craft a semi-permeable layer with a seemingly perfect balance between breathability and wind protection.

The fabric’s soft texturized back not only boasts top-notch comfort, but raises the material slightly from your body, increasing next-to-skin airflow to fend off that hot, stuffy feeling during intense activity. We love the smooth nature of this weave, in contrast to the “trash baggy” feel and crinkly sound of other windbreakers.

This premium, stretchy fabric eschews some of the lightweight durability and bomber weather resistance of the fully nylon regular Houdini though, and does pile on a smidge more weight. Checking in at 4.2 ounces on our scale, it’s not significantly heavier, but at this level of minimalism, every microgram matters. It still packs down incredibly small, shoving down to about the same size as its lighter counterpart into a zippered chest pocket (the jacket’s only pocket).

If peak wind and weather protection are what you’re after, you should lean towards the regular Houdini. But for active adventures where you’ll be cooking up a good deal more sweat, this would definitely be a better move.

The Air is no slouch in powerful gusts, though, and we love to wear it on high-output multipitch climbs where we’re climbing at our limit on lead, then sitting still in the wind at hanging belays for hours on end. It moves and breathes with us while crushing hard, then hunkers down and protects us while static. A unique and stellar combo.

In general, we’ve also found softer fabrics to be less resistant to rain, with the Air wetting out in just under 20 seconds during our shower test. The thin DWR coating allows light mist to bead up and roll off, but water quickly soaks in when it really starts to come down.

While not as windproof and weather-resistant as some other shells on this list, the Houdini Air shines on fast and light missions in the mountains where breathability and temperature regulation are of chief importance.

Blurring the line between technical softshell and windbreaker, Black Diamond’s legendary Alpine Start Hoody ($185) is a staple for high-adrenaline outings in far-off foreign ranges. This jacket became our daily driver on lofty limestone multipitch climbs in Mexico, remote romps through the bush of Africa, and blustery ridgeline adventures in Appalachia — and did much more than break the wind.

At 7.3 ounces, it tips the scale as the heaviest jacket on our list, but brings the top-shelf durability, performance, and protection to justify it. The stretchy nylon/elastane blend affords some of the best mobility of any windbreaker we tried while contorting our bodies on tricky rock climbs, or bounding about on exposed knife edges. A helmet-compatible hood and roomy fit for adding insulating layers underneath make this our favorite shell for mountaineering and alpine use.

The thicker material adds bulk, but also stellar wind protection and above-average water resistance for soft fabrics, thanks to its Schoeller Eco-Repel Bio DWR finish. With a fleece jacket underneath, the Alpine Start fends off all-day drizzles, snow, and light rain like a champ, and wet out completely in just under a minute during our shower-simulated downpour. Of all the jackets we tested, this one is most reminiscent of a lightweight rain jacket, and became our workhorse outer layer in everything but the most brutal weather.

The hood is elasticated and cinch-cord adjustable, and elastic hem and cuffs help seal in warmth and keep weather out. We do wish the new iteration kept the hem’s drawcord adjustment of the previous version, as that is a pivotal windbreaker feature for us. It has a single, low-profile chest pocket that doubles as the stuff sack with a carabiner clip for harness compatibility.

Though it’s heavier than most, the tradeoff is worth it for us, and you just can’t beat the Alpine Start’s performance in the mountains. Send hard at your local crag, or rope up on some far-flung snow-capped peak — this is the windbreaker you want.

When a light summer breeze threatens to rip the jacket from your hands, you know you’ve landed squarely in the ultralight realm. Crafted for featherlight thru-hikes across the country, the Copperfield Wind Shirt ($120-140) may be the lightest full-zip hooded layer on the market.

At an absurd 1.8 ounces (7-denier fabric, size medium), the Wind Shirt occupies the same space as the legendary BD Deploy Wind Shell above, and barely registers in the palm of your hand. However, a full-length zipper, pull-cord adjustable hem, and ergonomic hood with cinch cords nudge the useability and comfort of this jacket a good deal above its featherlight Black Diamond competition. It packs down incredibly small but unfortunately doesn’t have a stuff sack — or any pockets for that matter.

For uncompromising minimalism on long journeys, this is the brand to buy into. Enlightened Equipment unwaveringly churns out some of the best gear for lightweight thru-hiking and backpacking, and the Copperfield adds to their stellar reputation.

The paper-thin 7-denier fabric (there are also 10- or 20-denier options) is a true testament to the simple value of a windbreaker: controlling convective heat loss by keeping wind off your skin. In cold driving gusts, this jacket alone allowed us to trek comfortably and manage our body temperature in extreme environments.

Pair it with an insulating midlayer, and you have a power combo for almost anything you could face on a demanding backpacking trip. We don’t find it to be particularly breathable, however, when we start pushing the pace.

While it matches the BD Deploy in wind protection, and knocks it out of the park feature-wise, the Copperfield can’t touch its level of water resistance. While a thin DWR finish allows very light rain to bead up and roll off, it wet out in a mere 25 seconds during our downpour shower simulation, quickly drenching our fleece. What wizardry Black Diamond employs we know not — but this doesn’t have it.

For dry but drafty days on ultralight backpacking missions, though, this is the companion you need. The Copperfield will effectively shield you from wild wind, and pack away to nothing when it’s served its time.

Note: The custom Copperfield can have some long lead times (2-4 weeks). Ready-to-ship models are also available.

Leave it to “The Mountain People” to craft a quality, affordable windbreaker for burly spring and summer escapades. Biting just a bit more from your wallet than our best budget model, Rab’s Vital Hooded Jacket ($85) accompanied us on a few wild adventures during our testing period. It boasts similar performance and protection as some of the top models on this list, but allows you to allocate more of the adventure fund to other areas of your kit.

At 4.6 ounces it is somewhat lightweight and packable, but still affords top-notch wind resistance, and an adequate amount of ventilation during moderate activity. This weight is impressive, considering its full spectrum of features — from two side handwarmer pockets, to a cinch cord hem and adjustable, wire-brimmed hood.

It also has a simple snap closure at the chest, keeping the jacket snug around you while fully unzipping the front to vent. A unique, super helpful flair if you need to dump heat fast. We do wish one of the handwarmer pockets served as its stuff sack, however, as you have to keep track of the loose pouch it comes with if you want to cram it into a nice tidy package. But cram it does, packing down small to the size of a baseball despite its full feature set.

The 20-denier Atmos woven nylon leans on the durable side, but the fabric itself isn’t particularly breathable compared to the others we tested. It does have a light DWR coating, but wets out quite fast in our shower simulation, at just under 30 seconds. A bit of a bummer given its thicker nature.

You don’t buy a windbreaker for waterproof protection though, and for what it’s designed to do — it slays. We brought it along on jug hauls up giant multipitch climbs, squally days on Appalachian trails, and windy sunset hangouts, and the Vital Jacket quickly became one of our favorite “grab-and-go” windbreakers. Its approachable price means we don’t have to baby it quite as much, but we still feel confident depending on it during backcountry missions.

As a great little budget model, the Vital is consistent with Rab’s reputation for premium, durable, and reliable mountain gear.

Nørrona, the high-tech Norwegian outfitter, has popped onto our radar in several different apparel categories as of late, and is responsible for some of the more premium designs on our lists — with the high price tag to accompany them. Thoughtful, subtle touches on the aesthetic Falketind Aero60 ($199) lend credence to its reputation for elegant but functional mountain equipment.

Don’t let the sticker shock turn you away … while we normally wouldn’t drop $200 on a windbreaker, we think this one just might be worth it. Though first impressions may reveal a standard, undecorated wind shell, take this into the mountains and you’ll quickly understand its discrete allure.

A perfect blend of 20- and 50-denier flexible nylon afford this jacket serious bragging rights in the durability department, but a 4.5-ounce weight and top-shelf packability seem to defy its beefy nature. While the Falketind was designed for lightweight mountaineering, we found ourselves grabbing it for high-intensity trail runs and rock climbs due to its superb breathability, mobility, and miniature stuff size.

The magic seems to lie in its Aero60 fabric. This deluxe material strikes a rare balance between wind resistance and ventilation, and seems to effortlessly wick moisture vapor and hot air away from your body. The proof is in the pudding, and we can honestly say we were shocked at how comfortably we were able to regulate our temperature while cranking up vert on high-output missions.

When the wind begins to howl, this breathability gives way to solid protection, and a wire-brimmed adjustable hood and elastic cuffs and hem seal in warmth. We do wish it had a cinch cord at the hem, or this may have been our favorite windbreaker!

Now for the less obvious features. Small mesh vents at the armpits boost ventilation but don’t rub uncomfortably (like we’ve found some designs to do), and an appropriate amount of stretch in the fabric and articulated arms make for great mobility. The hood easily slides over a climbing helmet and snugs down tight, and can be rolled up and snapped away when not in use. A brilliant touch.

It packs down small into its zippered chest pocket, which includes an additional mesh insert for your phone that keeps it from jostling about while running or hiking. Similar to Rab’s Vital Jacket above, it has a button that can be pushed through a small hole in the chest pocket and clipped to the opposite side, holding the jacket closed without having to use the zipper.

The DWR coating impedes very light mist, but the fabric wet out extremely fast in our shower simulation, lasting less than 20 seconds. You don’t want to be caught without a rain shell if dark clouds roll in.

A few small quibbles aside, for high-ticket performance on demanding alpine excursions and fast-paced aerobic exercise alike, you won’t be found wanting with Nørrona’s luxury Falketind Aero60 jacket.

A serious contender for our best running windbreaker award, La Sportiva’s fancy Blizzard Jacket ($119) keeps weight and bulk to a minimum with thin but strong fabric, incredible breathability, and a superior fit. Throw in some snazzy colors with a flashy design, and you have one heck of a race-ready, pace-pushing shell.

Though the jacket’s nylon fabric itself boasts one of the longer wet-out times on our list (1 minute, 25 seconds in our shower simulation), it is stippled with perforations and permeable mesh panels for maximum breathability where you need it most. This affords stellar weather and wind protection for your core, and maximum ventilation for areas that tend to overheat. An almost entirely mesh back panel cranks the A/C behind you, while small holes at the shoulder, and breathable fabric down the sides allows heat to escape from your underarms.

The tapered, athletic fit and slight drop tail of the Blizzard hugs our body close on dynamic trail runs, but still allows for solid mobility over uneven terrain. Some of our favorite elements of windbreakers — adjustable cinch cords at the hem and hood — are unfortunately left off the Blizzard, which docked a couple of key points in our book. This shell does prioritize weight and packability, so we understand the decision, and elasticated cuffs, hem, and hood provide adequate gust protection.

While not as tiny as BD’s Deploy, it easily slides into a mesh stuff sack near the collar, and quickly disappears into your hydration pack or running shorts pocket. At 3.4 ounces on our scale, it’s a bit heavier as well, but an articulated hood and full front zip nudge its useability a tad above its light-as-air competition.

Chase your PR on remote windy trails with about as much breathability, protection, and comfort as you could ask for — the Blizzard should be a shoo-in for any runner’s shortlist.

Burly battles with granite cracks, long plods over windswept plains, and blazing fast bike rides — that’s the Helium Wind’s ($129) bailiwick. Boasting one of the most durable shells on this list, you can count on this jacket’s ability to weather the storm … and then some.

An impressive 30-denier ripstop Pertex Quantum fabric delivers some of the most confidence of any windbreaker we’ve tried through bushwhacks or chimney squeezes, and is reminiscent of the Alpine Start Hoody’s mountain-ready design. OR threw its Diamond Fuse material, a technology we’ve grown to love over the years, into this windbreaker. Found in OR’s down and rain Helium gear, this uses yarn with unique diamond-shaped filaments that interlock to form a durable, abrasion-resistant weave.

The result is a highly wind- and weather-resistant barrier that held up to an impressive 1 minute and 15 seconds of shower-simulated downpours before wetting out, despite not having a DWR coating. The tight ripstop weave fends off rips and tears, and thwarts wind like an all-points champ.

An easy-to-use cinch cord at the hem and adjustable hood helps hold out gusts, and a generous zippered chest pocket doubles as the jacket’s large stuff sack. The hood also has a stiff brim to help keep mist or snow off your face.

The thicker fabric of the Helium Wind does add weight, with a 5.2-ounce reading on our scale, and it won’t pack down as small as others on this list. The fabric itself isn’t particularly breathable either, but small perforations in the underarm help with ventilation when the pace picks up. We do appreciate the slightly oversized fit, which allows us to easily layer fleeces or down jackets underneath when temps drop.

While we tend to favor the more stretchy, soft fabric of the Alpine Start, this close cousin offers similar durability and functionality during high-stakes mountain pursuits. A solid feature set, and stout fabric choice, make this one of the better shells for demanding adventures where bomb-proof wind protection is a must.

With an eccentric look and trim, athletic fit, Jack Wolfskin’s Prelight Jacket ($130) is another high-performing shell that’s sure to turn heads on the skin track or backcountry trail. There’s a lot to like about this snug-fitting windbreaker, and it outperformed many models on this list in a couple of key areas.

While the wind resistance we experienced with the Prelight was about middle-of-the-road for its weight class, we were impressed by how well it held out rain and sealed in warmth on blustery days in the backcountry. Its thicker nature piles on a bit of weight (4.6 ounces on our scale), but has a much softer next-to-skin texture than other more crinkly jackets, and almost feels like it offers some insulation. It also had an impressive wet-out time in our shower simulation, keeping our fleece dry for 1 minute and 45 seconds in a full-on downpour.

Its Texashield Ecosphere Pro fabric still offers adequate breathability when pushing hard, but we found we preferred this jacket for slower activities like backpacking or easy rock climbing. The 100% polyester shell gives us a lot of confidence in technical terrain, though, and the ripstop fabric resists punctures and tears during light bush-bashing.

We appreciate the cinch cord at the hem, elasticated features, and stretchy fabric, but wish there was a bit more layering room underneath. If this was a dedicated running shell we would love its slim, tapered fit — but the tight arms in particular leave little space for a thicker fleece or down jacket on colder backpacking trips. Additionally, while it packs down small, the chest pocket doesn’t have a double-sided zipper, and therefore doesn’t work great as a stuff sack.

For a noticeable bump in durability and water resistance over other shells on this list, however, we think the Prelight still deserves a place on this best-of roundup. It’s a stylish jacket with comfortable, bomber fabric that feels equally at home around town or in a windy mountain range.

3.3 ounces and an essentially translucent appearance put Dynafit’s Alpine Wind 2 ($140) firmly into our “wisp of wind” category of jackets. With the BD Deploy and LS Blizzard, it’s in good company — but adds a couple of unique flairs to the running-specific options on this list.

Similar to the Blizzard, a nearly entirely stretch mesh back panel affords phenomenal breathability and mobility while crushing uphill climbs, and laser-cut perforations at the shoulders allow for venting near the pits. The DWR-coated Dynashell Ultralight Miniripstop fabric is indeed mini, and requires some babying over rough terrain … but performed surprisingly well on a frustrating bushwhack when we lost the trail on one particular outing.

Despite being one of the more breathable jackets on our list, it had an impressive wet-out time of just over 30 seconds in our shower test — but the vent holes and mesh back make this a less-than-awesome barrier in persistent rain. For a healthy balance between wind resistance and breathability though, it stands out.

The Alpine Wind is snug but stretchy, and doesn’t allow many layers underneath. For runners this is fine, but it doesn’t serve a backpacker or mountaineer well in super chilly environments. Dang, do we love the fit though! Its sleek, tapered design and tight hood make it a top pick for blazing through tempo runs and chasing PRs.

Small thoughtful touches set this model apart, like a thin buckled strap at the collar for quickly stowing the hood if it’s flapping around in the breeze. And thumb loops — we wish every windbreaker had ‘em. They are often left out to streamline the design, but we’re grateful the Alpine Wind didn’t follow suit. Aside from the Deploy, this jacket has the smallest pack size on this list, if you can get it into the stuff pocket at the collar. We found it frustratingly difficult to cram down, which stands out as our biggest con.

That singular qualm aside, this is a nearly perfect windbreaker for aggressive runs or breakneck speed hikes in tempestuous conditions. The attention to detail and breathable nature of this shell make it one of our favorite niche models for fast-paced objectives.

Be it slow plods along breezy trails, or full-on big wall assaults tethered to wind-battered cliffs — we take our windbreaker testing seriously. Senior Editor Chris Carter, this guide’s primary author, put a legion of windbreaker jackets through their paces in demanding locations around the world, from remote tours in Africa to long rock climbs in Mexico, and winnowed the selection down to include nothing but the best for this roundup. For a slew of different tasks, there’s a jacket here to answer the call.

The models in this roundup were analyzed based on a handful of key factors: wind resistance, weather/rain resistance, breathability, value, and durability. Different windbreakers fit the bill for different outings, but each jacket had to stand out in one or more of these areas to merit any real estate in this article — or in our packs on an adventure. Finally, this is an organic guide, with more technology and model iterations coming out each season, and we work hard to stay on top of the newest and best windbreaker jackets on the market to bring you the most relevant suggestions possible.

You aren’t out to lunch if a $150 wearable tissue that barely registers in your hand gives you pause at the checkout page. But all that is gold does not glitter — and given some time these packable, hardworking wonders could just become the ultralight layer you’ve always wanted.

Though first impressions may be bleak, there is a lot of bleeding-edge technology woven into the threads of these flimsy wonders, and much to discover under the hood. But why do you need one for your next foray into the wild?

Before taking the famed Patagonia Houdini on a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018, our author was skeptical of windbreakers, to say the least. They provide subpar rain protection, take up precious pack space — and are expensive to boot.

Cue endless miles of windswept ridge walks, freezing gusts on exposed knife edges, and chilly morning starts, and that tiny jacket got more love than any layer in his kit. He’s now a full-fledged windbreaker believer.

Below we’ll explore the various elements that make windbreaker jackets our favorite layer for just about any adventure, but the root of it lies in their lightweight, packable versatility. Wear it as a standalone piece in mild weather, pair it with insulation in strong gusts, and cram it down to nothing when it’s served its time — you’ll be using it much more than you would ever imagine.

Eschewing the waterproof durability of hardshells and rain jackets, and the insulating power of fleece or down jackets, windbreakers boast minuscule weights and stuff down ridiculously small. For this reason, they disappear in your pack or float behind you on your harness, and provide vital protection while maintaining breathability and mobility.

When you are outdoors, temperature and the effects of wind chill have a significant impact on how cold you feel. Wind chill can make the temperature feel much colder than the mercury suggests — so consider every environmental factor when packing your layers. Skin begins to feel cold once thermal energy leaves your body into the air around you, which is exacerbated by cold air flowing past your body at a faster rate in high wind.

With wind accelerating convective heat loss, the presence of a thin, simple barrier to block the wind from flowing past your skin greatly reduces the effects of windchill. This allows you to better regulate your temperature while cranking hard in the mountains.

Windbreakers are made with tightly woven synthetic fabrics designed to strike a healthy balance between flexibility, breathability, and durability. They are much lighter and more malleable than hardshells, making them prime choices for dynamic activities where weight and performance are paramount.

Granite crack, skin track, or midday snack; windbreakers take the cake for fast and light missions or casual jaunts where a rain jacket is overkill, and a fleece lacks the wind protection you crave.

Let’s get down to brass tacks — these things weigh nothing. For how hard they work and the level of weather resistance they provide, windbreakers will frequently clock in well under 5 ounces, with some premium niche models (like BD’s Deploy Wind Shell, or EE’s Copperfield Wind Shirt) dipping down as low as 1.6 ounces. That’s as much as, say … a fancy fountain pen.

Our biggest question was: “Are they worth it, though?” Jackets like the Deploy Wind Shell represent the lighter end of the spectrum, and 4 to 5 ounces may be a dealbreaker for an ultralighter cutting every other tooth off his comb to shave weight.

After years of testing numerous models in all sorts of extreme environments, we’d intimate yes, they are definitely worth it. You just can’t beat the degree of wind and weather protection they offer for such a variety of scenarios, or the weight-to-performance ratio they boast. Even for the mega-weight-conscious, the level of insulation and versatile protection they bring to the table allows you to cut some corners in other areas of your base weight.

That said, different adventures merit windbreaker jackets of different weights, and the intensity of your trip will help determine the level of durability you require. Pushing the pulse on that PR of a remote mountain trail? A sub-2-ounce shell may be the only layer you’d let tag along. Setting off on an extended climbing expedition in Chile? The durability and thicker stretchy fabric of the legendary Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody might be in order.

Whatever the objective, a windbreaker needs to meet certain criteria to merit any real estate in your luggage. It must be lightweight but durable, weather-resistant but breathable, and flexible but form-fitting. Those are big asks — but thankfully we live in 2023 — with more and more tech coming out each year to boost windbreakers’ level of protection while cutting weight and packed size to a minimum.

Packed size is another area where windbreaker jackets shine, and a key factor we consider when testing their mettle. The joy of a windbreaker lies largely in its ability to deploy in seconds from a tiny pouch or pocket, and cram down easily for quick stowing while pushing hard on demanding adventures.

Many of the jackets on our list feature stuff sacks that are integrated into the jacket itself, while others (like Rab’s Vital Hooded Jacket) come with a separate pouch to keep track of. The most common integrated stuff sack is either a zippered hand or chest pocket with a double-sided zipper that the jacket can be shoved into. This is by far our favorite design for quickly stowing our jackets on the go. An included carabiner loop for easy lashing to packs or harnesses is also a bonus.

It’s not uncommon for windbreakers to fold down into a package you can easily fit in your pocket. At that size, why wouldn’t you bring it along? However, some brands strive too much for a small pack size that it is almost impossible to jam the thing into its included stuff sack. Sure, we love a jacket that compresses to the size of a tangerine as much as the next guy, but if we have to blow a gasket to get it in the pouch — that’s an immediate turnoff for us.

There’s so much to like about Dynafit’s Alpine Wind Jacket, but we feel like we’ve put in our workout for the day after finagling it into the tiny stuff sack in its hood. On the other end of the spectrum, you can almost casually drop Outdoor Research’s Helium Wind Hoodie into its generous zippered pouch, and we wish it featured a snugger package for a more streamlined kit.

There is obviously a balance that must be hit with the size of your jacket’s stuff sack. A small size is key for minimizing bulk on a climbing harness or in a backpack, but it shouldn’t be a battle to pack it down.

A windbreaker’s packed size often directly correlates to its level of weather protection and durability. The microscopic compressed size of Black Diamond’s Deploy Wind Shell may be an ultra-runner’s dream, but for mountaineers deep in the rugged Karakoram Range, Mountain Hardwear’s bulkier Kor AirShell may be the move. It won’t pack down as small, but also won’t rip to shreds on the first fourth-class scramble.

We feel like the same guy who named “walkie-talkies” must have dubbed these jackets “windbreakers” — and we’re fans of simple, straightforward nomenclature. If windbreakers excel at anything, it’s this.

But breaking the wind while moving fast outside isn’t as easy as it sounds, and developers face the difficult challenge of effectively reducing convective heat loss while retaining breathability, mobility, and packability. No small feat for that flimsy 5-ounce fabric.

The level of wind resistance a shell boasts changes wildly depending on the model and type of activity they are designed for. Jackets made for hiking and alpine use will tend to block more wind, while those created for intense trail running often afford greater breathability and ventilation.

This varying degree of wind resistance is measured (in the United States) by a simple unit dubbed CFM. Simply put, this is the amount of “cubic feet per minute” of a 30-mile-per-hour gust of wind that can pass through one square foot of fabric. Therefore, the lower the CFM, the higher the wind resistance of a jacket, with 0 CFM representing an entirely windproof shell.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, an extremely permeable fleece jacket may have a 60 CFM rating since wind will cut right through it. Many softshells fall in the 10 to 5 CFM range, while burly hardshells may clock in at around 1 CFM. As a general rule, you don’t want an entirely “windproof” windbreaker unless you are going to be completely static during the duration of your adventure. At that point, you might as well just wear a clammy trash bag.

Thankfully, most companies have nailed a CFM sweet spot that maximizes wind resistance, while still offering a certain degree of breathability for active adventures. The more wind resistant a jacket is, the less breathable it is, which can result in the stuffy buildup of sweat while exercising.

Prioritizing weight and packability, windbreakers are designed to reduce the chilling effect of wind, while preventing overheating. This is something that most waterproof rain jackets or hardshells can’t boast, and they will almost always feel too warm and stifling while charging hard.

We’ve found that a jacket’s CFM is rarely listed on the company’s website, so this technical spec takes a bit more sleuthing to find. You usually have to gauge a jacket’s breathability to wind-resistance ratio by the product’s description, or a scale that shows where it lands relative to the company’s other layers — though sometimes this figure will be advertised.

CFM and thin materials aren’t the only factors that contribute to a jacket’s level of wind resistance. Vents, stretch-woven fabrics, or mesh side panels will often be used to boost a shell’s breathability, which are frequently found in running-specific models. Dynafit’s Alpine Wind Jacket and La Sportiva’s Blizzard have almost entirely mesh back panels, shielding your front from wind, while cranking up the A/C on your back during demanding runs.

It’s important to consider the type of activity you plan on using your windbreaker for most before making your selection. We found the ultra-breathable, durable Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell to be perfect for fast-paced simul-climbing missions in the hot but breezy Mexican climate on a recent multipitch climbing trip.

On the other hand, when temps dropped and brutal gusts bullied us around on knife edges in the Pacific Northwest, the regular Patagonia Houdini offered stellar protection at the cost of some breathability. Different environments merit different layers, and you want to strike a healthy balance between comfort, weight, and performance for whatever you may encounter.

Ultralight minimalism, breathability, and packability always come at a cost. In the case of windbreakers — that would be weather and water protection. Circumventing the bombproof impenetrable fabrics of hardshells and rain jackets, windbreakers simply don’t suffice as quiver-of-one shells for long forays in variable conditions or prolonged rain.

That said, many windbreakers are no slouch in light to moderate precipitation, and most of the models on this list feature at least a thin DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating to fend off small amounts of rain. Moisture will bead up and roll off new jackets well, but this DWR coating will diminish over time, resulting in quicker wet-out times. A good cleaning, or the addition of a new DWR spray like Nikwax’s TX.Direct, can help revive your jacket’s water resistance. Be sure to scope out models with PFC-free DWR coatings whenever possible, as this is made without environmentally and biologically harmful perfluorinated chemicals.

We were admittedly shocked at the level of rain protection many of the jackets we battled around with offered, with Black Diamond’s Deploy, Outdoor Research’s Helium, and Patagonia’s Houdini standing out. On multiple occasions we were caught unaware by surprise showers while cragging in remote ranges, and trotting along on casual day hikes — and these models took way longer to wet out than we anticipated.

To test the water resistance of each jacket, we put them through the same shower test. Simulating a constant downpour, we wore each jacket over a thin fleece layer in our shower, and ran a timer to see how long it took before the fabric completely wet out (soaked through the fabric entirely).

Shockingly our lightest jacket, the Deploy Wind Shell, held rain out the longest. We stood there for over 20 minutes and it still didn’t wet out. This comes with a decrease in breathability, but is incredibly impressive for such a thin layer. Most of the jackets wet out in less than 3 minutes, with some taking a mere 30 seconds or less before our fleece underneath was soaking wet.

No matter how beefy the DWR coating is on a windbreaker, it will never hold a candle to the waterproof nature of rain jackets or hardshells. When mother nature shows her savage side with sustained downpours, we’ll always pull windbreaker’s heavier cousins out.

To grasp this, a smidge of technical jargon may lend a hand. Waterproofness is measured in millimeters using what is called a Hydrostatic Head (HH) test, in which a jacket’s fabric is pulled taught under a one-inch diameter sealed tube of water. The tube is then painstakingly observed over a 24-hour period to determine how many millimeters of water the fabric can support before the moisture penetrates the material.

Windbreakers will generally have a rating way below 1,500mm — the British Standard minimum to be considered a waterproof layer. Most technical rain jackets clock in at a respectable 5,000 to 10,000mm, with burly hardshells at the battle-ready end of the spectrum touting blistering ratings of up to 30,000mm (30 meters). That’s a tall glass of water.

In the shadow of these seasoned giants, windbreakers may seem useless. But, considering their featherlight weight and absurd packability, the weather and rain resistance they offer are nothing to sneeze at. Despite their flimsy first impressions, they fend off serious brutality on wind-battered missions, hold out a modest amount of moisture, and often have surprisingly durable constructions.

No need to sugarcoat it — these shred pretty easily. Take ‘em on a few serious bushwhacks and you’ll quickly have more ventilation than you paid for. But, for a weather-resistant technical shell that folds into your back pocket, we’d say they punch well above their weight. Baby them a bit more than your everyday rain jacket, and they will follow you on years of ultralight excursions.

As a general rule, if off-trail travel or desperate scrambles over razor-sharp granite are on the docket, we throw on a thicker shell. However, we’ve had fantastic luck with some top windbreakers, like Patagonia’s Houdini and Mountain Hardwear’s Kor Airshell, on season-long thru-hikes and international climbing tours where day after day torture couldn’t break them down.

We still use these jackets today, and they offered key protection from angry elements. We did make sure to steer clear of jagged brambles or full-on chimney squeezes while wearing them, but light bush bashing was inevitable on several of our excursions.

So how do you make a sub-5-ounce jacket last for months upon months of sustained use? Most of the jackets we tested are constructed with a combo of nylon, polyester, or elastane — but ripstop fabric, DWR coatings, and stretch-woven materials are key ingredients in the secret sauce.

Denier is one of the primary specs you’ll see when researching technical apparel, in addition to ounces per square yard (oz/yd²), or grams per square meter (gsm; generally found with fleece jackets). But higher values denote a thicker, heavier, and less packable shell, so these aren’t the only features you should consider when narrowing in on the best ultralight windbreaker for your needs.

Ripstop fabric is made by using a special weaving technique that reinforces the fabric with a square grid pattern of thicker nylon or polyester threads at regular intervals. If a small tear or puncture occurs, the grid prevents it from continuing beyond the first square and compromising the integrity of the fabric. This greatly increases the lifespan of thin, light materials.

Stretch-woven fabrics flex under pressure instead of puncturing, and DWR coatings keep debris and body oils out of the fabric, boosting its lifespan. Throw a power concoction of ripstop, stretch-woven, and DWR-coated fabrics into a windbreaker like the legendary Kor Airshell — and you get that ultralight durability we’ve grown to cherish.

For far-flung expeditions in exceptionally taxing conditions, a windbreaker should be used as an element of your layering system as opposed to a standalone barrier. It will hold up to a good deal of moderate torment, but you’ll want to lean on the trusty hardshell and rain jacket when the clouds break loose, or the terrain turns gnarly.

Minimalism is key with windbreakers, in an effort to hold true to their lightweight, packable roots. Developers trim any fat they can off their models to keep up with the mounting competition of feathery but hardworking jackets, and only the bare necessities are included.

Despite their modest silhouette, there is a lot of variety in windbreaker designs. Little tweaks here and there separate these jackets into different categories, and either amplify or diminish their useability and functionality.

You will generally see at least one zippered chest pocket on windbreakers, with some including two zippered handwarmer pockets, at the cost of extra weight and bulk. One of these pockets will often double as the jacket’s stuff sack. Many models will have a hood (often helmet-compatible), and you’ll see simple cinches on the back of the hood on more technical jackets, like the BD Alpine Start Hoody, or Velcro adjustments to snug it down like on Rab’s Vital Jacket.

Cinches at the hem are also common, which play a substantial role in sealing in warmth and thwarting the wind, and elasticated cuffs serve the same purpose. Most windbreaker jackets have a lightweight, full-length zipper, which we have found to be a potential weakness of these thin shells — so close with care.

Some, like Black Diamond’s Deploy, feature a pullover design with a tiny, ½- or ¾-length front zipper to truly cut weight. For the ultralight backpacking or running crowd, these check all the boxes of a minimalist setup.

The type of adventure you plan to bring your jacket on will help to dictate the feature set you need. Windbreakers for hiking will generally offer more pockets and adjustability, while a streamlined running jacket may prioritize lightweight ventilation over function.

As we have discussed above, windbreakers vary greatly in the degree of weather protection, durability, breathability, and feature sets they offer. They all serve the core purpose of preventing thermal energy loss by keeping wind off your skin, but are designed to carry out this role to different capacities depending on your preferred activity.

These are the gram-weenie ounce counters of the windbreaker family. Every speck of weight has the potential to hold you back while pounding the pavement on casual jaunts or eating up vert on the Leadville 100, so a dialed kit is paramount for performance.

Windbreakers designed for running axe any superfluous features, pack down small for storage in pockets of running shorts or hydration packs, and maximize breathability so you won’t overheat. They sport extremely thin fabrics for ventilation, and often include mesh panels or open vents for increased airflow. They also tend to have more tapered, form-fitting designs for unencumbered comfort while hitting your tempo.

Some of our favorite windbreakers for serious trail or road running include Dynafit’s Alpine Wind Jacket, La Sportiva’s Blizzard, and the minuscule Black Diamond Deploy Wind Shell. All of these will waft away in a light breeze at under 4 ounces, with the Deploy taking the cake at a ridiculous 1.6 ounces.

For exposed ridgelines or blustery winter mornings, these are key for keeping wind off your skin while regulating moisture buildup. Wander off trail, however, and they won’t last for long. Their thin design is perfect for lightweight breathability, but they cower in the face of more brutal adventures.

Jam up granite splitters, battle through ridgeline gusts, or break trail on remote alpine snowfields — these are the shells for the job. If any windbreaker could be called a burly workhorse, it would be these. Maintaining impressively low weights, jackets like Black Diamond’s Alpine Start, Nørrona’s Falketind Aero60, and Mountain Hardwear’s Kor AirShell shrug off significant abuse and provide breathable protection while charging hard in far-flung ranges.

Expect to find a handful of helpful extras on these bad boys, including helmet-compatible hoods, stretch-woven rip-stop materials, water-resistant coatings, and adjustable hems. They will also often feature sleek stuff sacks with carabiner clips for securing to a harness.

The thicker durable material used in these does nudge them towards the heavier, more bulky fringe of the spectrum, with several models inching as high as — gasp — a dreaded 7 ounces. While it may not seem like much, there’s no shortage of die-hard ultralighters who will turn their nose up at the addition of a few mere grams.

This could be broken up into a couple of subcategories: fully-featured hiking windbreakers, and ultralight hiking windbreakers. “Hiking” is such a broad term, and might include gear-intensive plods to a remote base camp for weeks of hunting, or blindingly fast thru-hikes where weight and efficiency are of chief concern. For the former, something like the specced-out Helium Wind Hoodie or no-fuss Houdini may be a prime choice, while the impossibly light Copperfield Wind Shirt would better serve the latter.

Regardless, windbreakers crafted for hiking need to be lightweight and packable, while still offering reliable protection from the mishmash of messy weather patterns you might encounter on trail. Hiking windbreakers don’t necessarily need the same level of bombproof durability as their alpine-ready cousins above, or the see-through breathability of those made for running. They instead inhabit a space somewhere between the two, shielding the hiker from mucky conditions, while offering adequate ventilation for low-output activities where you won’t be sweating like a pig.

Developers of hiking windbreakers often bite the bulky bullet and tack on a number of handwarmer pockets, chest pockets, and various cinch cords to boost their useability and versatility on trail. They also tend to be slightly oversized in order to easily layer underneath. Additionally, the fabric must be abrasion resistant to deal with the constant rubbing of your backpacking backpack’s shoulder straps.

Others, like the insane 1.8-ounce Copperfield, provide just the essentials and will float away if you don’t hold on to it. These preserve that precious 5-pound base weight in your ultralight backpack, but won’t provide the same level of protection or comfort as heavier more featured models.

Hiking windbreakers can also be less demanding on your wallet, skirting the high-tech stretch-woven fabrics of posh mountaineering shells and subbing out some breathability and ventilation for thicker, less upscale fabrics. For that reason, in a bout with brutal off-trail terrain, these may tap out early. They will definitely last longer than windbreaker jackets for running, though, and if you stick to the well-trodden path they will serve you for years of backcountry use on that good mountain singletrack.

A windbreaker jacket truly begins to shine when paired with other compatible layers of your kit. While windbreakers work hard as standalone shells in mild temps, in cold, gusty conditions a breathable fleece or synthetic jacket becomes a much more formidable shield with a windbreaker over top, at the cost of barely any weight.

Many windbreaker jackets, particularly in the hiking or mountaineering categories, are sized a bit larger to accommodate additional layers underneath, while others have a slim cut that hugs your core and arms more. If you plan on coupling your windbreaker with a few other pieces of insulation, make sure it has the space for the job.

Sleeves that closely hug your arms won’t get in the way or flap around while running or climbing, but can quickly become stiff, restricting tubes with too many additional jackets underneath. If you plan on rocking your windbreaker jacket in particularly chilly weather, consider how much room they have underneath for when the mercury plummets.

As is the case with rain jackets, the addition of a light fleece or long-sleeve synthetic shirt underneath will greatly increase the time before your windbreaker wets out in prolonged rain. No windbreaker is fully waterproof, but they can fend off a good deal of moisture if layered correctly. While this combo offers marginal protection, if the heavens really open up and you’re fleeing Thor’s hammer, whip out the hardshell or rain jacket.

Though windbreaker jackets may seem like glorified trash bags at first glance, we hope this compendium has exposed a bit of the unique value they bring to the table for any adventure you could concoct.

From budget picks to technical, specced-out masterpieces, we’ve included a broad range of models for a variety of different uses. The $80 Cotopaxi Teca will serve you well on casual strolls in the woods or breezy days around town, but you’ll probably want to shell out some more cash if truly technical objectives are on the docket. Jackets like Nørrona’s Falketind Aero60 and Patagonia’s Houdini Air may come with some sticker shock, but won’t let you down when reliable, lightweight durability and protection make the difference between successful missions and potential rescues.

Higher-end models weave cutting-edge fabric technology and adventure-specific features into their materials, helping you reduce your pack weight and access more remote areas of the globe. Care for them well, and windbreakers will become some of your favorite companions.

With such negligible weights and inconspicuous packed sizes, there’s no excuse to leave these at home. You’ll forget they’re in your pack but will love them to death when the wind begins to howl.

The best windbreaker jacket for your use obviously boils down to the activity you plan on using it for — of which there are many. Setting off on a mountaineering expedition through Kazakhstan? Few windbreakers will hold up to the demands of such a trip like Black Diamond’s Alpine Start Hoody. Enlightened Equipment’s Copperfield Wind Shirt is a great companion for dialing in a 5-pound base weight for a thru-hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, while La Sportiva’s Blizzard may be the jacket of choice for a desperately fast trail marathon.

For all-around versatility and protection in a wide range of conditions, we narrowed in on the legendary Patagonia Houdini as the best overall windbreaker. It doesn’t feature a necessarily specialized design, but is packable, durable, and technical enough to bring on just about any adventure you could conceive of. We’ve been using different iterations of the Houdini for many years, and it seems to just keep getting better.

If windbreakers are pistols, rain jackets are bazookas and hardshells are tanks. Each serve different roles in our battle against the elements, and are deployed in different ways depending on the type of adventure you are on. The maneuverability, breathability, and packability of windbreakers knock rain jackets and hardshells out of the park, but they can’t touch the weather protection offered by their burlier peers.

Rain jackets and hardshells are generally constructed with waterproof durability in mind, and prioritize that over breathability and mobility. While fancy rain shells with fabrics like GORE-TEX, Dermizax NX, or LIFA Infinity Pro boast impressive breathability to water-resistance ratios, they will never match the ventilating abilities of windbreakers. Conversely, windbreaker fabrics will wet out blindingly fast compared to these high-tech materials.

Consider the full range of weather conditions you may face before heading off on your trip, and bring a healthy mix of layers to keep you comfortable in each scenario.

No windbreaker jacket is entirely waterproof, but thicker fabrics and DWR coatings can often allow windbreakers to fend off a good deal of rain when a storm takes you by surprise. We recommend always bringing a rain jacket or hardshell jacket with you into the backcountry, but in a pinch, these will help you stay dry at least until you can find shelter.

For our testing purposes, we put each jacket through a simulated downpour test in our shower, gauging how long it took each jacket’s fabric to wet out (soak through entirely). The wet-out time of each shell varied drastically, with some drenching us in a mere 25 seconds, and others lasting upward of 20 minutes before showing signs of weakness.

It’s important to note that a windbreaker’s weather resistance is often tied to its DWR coating, which can quickly diminish with use. If you notice your jacket wetting out faster than it used to, you can always reapply a DWR coating with something like Nikwax’s TX.Direct spray.

A windbreaker jacket’s weight and packability depend on its feature set, fabric durability, and level of breathability. Jackets like Mountain Hardwear’s Kor AirShell are decorated with two handwarmer pockets, a full front zipper, cinch cords, and soft stretchy fabrics — which all contribute to its relatively high 4.8-ounce weight and bulky nature. Black Diamond’s Deploy Wind Shirt lands squarely on the other end of the spectrum, clocking in at 1.6 ounces, but rocking a simplified, streamlined design.

In general, windbreakers are the most lightweight, packable shells you can buy for outdoor use. They provide a surprising amount of wind and weather protection for how much they weigh, which can be the difference between comfortably trekking through gusty weather, or miserably trying to stay warm.

Objectively, a windbreaker jacket serves as a thin, lightweight barrier between your skin and the wind while tramping about outdoors. It reduces convective heat loss by blocking the wind’s ability to snatch heat from your skin while blowing across it. But for us, the primary value of a windbreaker lies in its versatility on any assortment of adventures.

While we wouldn’t necessarily battle into the backcountry without packing a thicker rain jacket or hardshell, a windbreaker can be everything you need for some day hikes, mountain biking excursions, and climbing trips without adding superfluous weight.

Additionally, the breathability of most windbreakers can allow you to run or hike faster than if you were protecting yourself with a rain jacket. For long trips, bringing it as an element of your layering kit in addition to a heavier shell allows you to break it out for those “in-between” conditions on extended journeys.

Whether you’re splashing about town or trekking through a monsoon, these are the best rain jackets of 2023.

Whether you’re getting good sticks in hero ice or traversing the snowfields of some foreign range, a good hardshell jacket will have your back. After months of testing in the harshest of conditions, these are the best hardshell jackets to brave the alpine with in 2023.