The Best Windbreaker Jackets of 2024

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 rip windbreakers off and on quickly, 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.

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.

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 Alpine 2, 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.

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, men’s 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 the brand’s 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 mildly extreme environments. For truly heinous wind storms, it’s best to go with a bulkier model, but we were surprised at the tempestuous conditions it was able to handle.

Pair it with an insulating midlayer, and you have a power combo for almost anything you could face on a long-distance three-season 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 ($95) 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.

With a bit of sadness, we say goodbye to the treasured Houdini Air, which makes way for the new Houdini Stash ($139) — an innovative, ventilated layer tailored for runners. The Air was one of our favorite windbreakers, so we have mixed feelings about this shift. Instead of trying to review the Stash in direct comparison with the Air, we tried to review it as a totally separate jacket, and looking at it that way — it slays.

Patagonia thankfully isn’t discontinuing their flagship regular Houdini jacket, but this offers a noticeable bump in features and breathability over that classic layer. While the fabric itself is essentially the same (recycled nylon ripstop with a DWR finish), it offers a noticeable bump in ventilation. The fabric isn’t inherently breathable and thwarts wind well, but overlapping slits on the left and right chest, and a slit on the center back boost airflow. This, in addition to a slightly contoured fit and a bit of stretch, makes this a solid pick for running in high wind.

Two hand pockets are a nice touch for a windbreaker, but the velcro closure isn’t our favorite. If we are going to be stashing anything in our pockets while we run, we really like for there to be a zipper. Elstication at the cuffs and a cinch drawcord at the hem help seal in warmth.

While the lack of a hood saves weight — and a hoodless design is some people’s preference for running-specific jackets — we have missed it on several blustery days. The ½ zip also cuts ounces, but again, isn’t our favorite layout. This is an undeniably comfortable jacket, though, and we appreciate the cut.

The Stash is a new piece from Patagonia, and we haven’t been able to clock too many miles with it, but our first impressions are positive. We love how light and packable it is (stuffs into its chest pocket), despite having a robust feature set and highly wind-resistant fabric. This would be a great pick for the ultralight runner looking for stellar protection with an appropriate amount of ventilation — all at a reasonable price and weight.

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.

Arc’teryx has honed a reputation for crafting durable, top-tier products for any manner of outdoor pursuits, and the Squamish Hoody ($180) lives up to this expectation. This sleek, mountain-ready windbreaker boasts the same stellar feature set, attention to detail, and caliber of materials as other ‘Teryx gems. And, with one of the best athletic fits of any windbreaker we tested, this jacket begs to be brought on demanding alpine missions where mobility and protection are paramount.

The close-cut fit doesn’t feel restraining, however, as ample stretch allows you to contort your body to its full range of motion when throwing desperately for tiny crimps, or teetering across boulder-strewn knife edges. Designed for mountaineering and rock climbing, this wind shell features stellar flexibility, but not as tenacious fabric as something like Black Diamond’s Alpine Start Hoody. The 30-denier Tyono nylon shell does fend off more abuse than most but needs to be babied a bit more than the beefier BD model. This decrease in durability comes with a tidier pack size and lighter weight, though, and the jacket crams down easily into its zippered chest pocket with a loop for lashing to your harness.

We also fell in love with the Squamish’s hood, sporting a thin flexible wire brim and quick cinch adjustment at the back. It fits over our climbing helmets way better than other jackets we donned — though not quite as perfectly as the Alpine Start. Breathability isn’t on par with something like the Deploy Windshell, but it still affords solid ventilation on high-output pursuits and doesn’t feel nearly as clammy and stuffy as others on this list.

For another great mountaineering-specific option, with a touch less durability at a more approachable price point than the Alpine Start Hoody, the Squamish is a solid pick for anyone trotting above the treeline.