You’re out on an all-day hike or a long climb or trail run or ride in the mountains. The weather forecast looked pretty good before you set out—but no one shared that memo with the wind that just started hammering your summit ridge, or the spitting rain and hail now pelting you as you contemplate the sudden drop in temperature and the miles between you and shelter. The question now is: What’s in your pack?

If you’re smart, it’s an ultralight jacket that takes up little space, but is about to gift you with just the right amount of weather protection when you need it.

This article offers my expert tips on how to choose the best ultralight shell for your needs, followed by my freshly updated picks for the best models on the market today, based on real-world, backcountry field testing and my 30 years of experience reviewing outdoor gear and apparel, including more than 10 years running this blog and previously the lead gear reviewer for Backpacker magazine for 10 years.

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Ultralight Jackets Explained

What is an ultralight shell jacket? There’s no consensus definition, and considerable variation among today’s models. But basically, the term “ultralight jacket” explains their primary advantage: They weigh under about 10 ounces—and some a fraction of that—and are very packable, often stuffing down to the size of a fist. In other words, they are usually less than half the weight and bulk of a standard waterproof-breathable jacket. While a few may be partly or even fully waterproof, many are water-resistant and windproof, providing a minimum level of protection from the elements.

While these jackets, also known as ultralight wind shells, are marketed primarily to runners, they are often a better choice than a heavier, bulkier rain jacket for dayhikers, climbers, and lightweight/ultralight backpackers who don’t expect to encounter heavy rain. I’ve used many of the models reviewed here for lightweight dayhikes and some of the more durable models for backpacking and climbing when the forecast threatened no more than light showers.

Although they certainly look very minimalist, they deliver all the protection you need from wind and light rain—the conditions many of us often encounter far more often than full-on storms. Some of them are partly or fully waterproof-breathable, and kept me dry in steady rain; but they lack the full hood coverage, features, and degree of waterproofing that a heavier rain jacket provides, and I don’t recommend ultralight jackets for hours or days of sustained rain.

The truth is, because standard, heavier, waterproof-breathable shells are, by definition, not as breathable as shells that are simply water-resistant, they are not the best choice for activities where you sweat a lot, like running or rigorous uphill hiking with a pack on, because they often cause you to get soaked from perspiration. Waterproof-breathable shells have their place, for sure. But they are heavier, bulkier, and more expensive than an ultralight jacket, in addition to being generally less useful in the situations we commonly encounter in the backcountry.

The notion seems counterintuitive, but it’s possible to have too much of a jacket. If you rarely pull on a rain jacket because it’s too much for most circumstances you encounter, then you need an ultralight jacket.

Whether you’re a dayhiker, backpacker, ultra-hiker, runner, or climber, when you choose the right ultralight shell for your activity and climate, it will probably become the jacket you grab and actually wear most often—and possibly the most versatile piece of outerwear you own, useful in a layering system tailored to any season and multiple outdoor sports.

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How to Choose an Ultralight Jacket

While many ultralight shells are similar in appearance and weight, they can vary significantly in functionality.

Simply put, the best ultralight jackets for trail running may be different from the best models for cool-weather hiking, climbing, or ultralight backpacking, and your choice will also depend on the typical weather you encounter.

Here’s what to look for:

• Breathability vs. weather resistance. Ultralight jackets generally trade off fully waterproof protection for better breathability. However, models in this category can vary greatly in how each balances breathability and wind protection, and some have partially or completely waterproof fabrics while remaining ultralight and packable. But “waterproof” in an ultralight jacket doesn’t generally equal the protection of a two-layer or three-layer, heavier waterproof-breathable jacket (like Gore-Tex); sustained hard rain can cause it to wet through.

• Hybrid vs. uniform shell. “Hybrid” in this context refers to the shell blending some fully waterproof-breathable fabric—usually in the shoulders, torso, and hood—with more breathable, non-waterproof fabric in the sides and underarms, allowing the jacket to release body heat and moisture in areas not likely to receive much direct precipitation. These jackets are versatile for a wide range of conditions and activity levels. By “uniform” shell, I mean either a water-resistant soft-shell fabric or a waterproof-breathable fabric—but one or the other, not a hybrid combination of both.

• Insulated or not. While it’s not usually the case, ultralight jackets occasionally feature a light amount of strategically placed insulation—typically in the torso—making them more of a cool-weather, fall through spring garment, but also versatile for everything from climbing bigger mountains in summer to aerobic activities like running, Nordic skiing, or hiking and snowshoeing in winter.

• Hood or no hood. For the most part, I find a simple, uninsulated shell hood almost essential in an ultralight jacket—it provides a noticeable boost in warmth and weather protection at very little cost in terms of weight, bulk, or dollars. Many ultralight shells, but not all, have a hood or a hooded version, and this comes down to personal preference as well as typical usage: If you need a shell simply for local runs of an hour or two in wind or cool temps, with a chance of a light shower, you may not need a hood. If you’re heading into the mountains for hours or days, you probably want a hood.

The Best Ultralight Jackets

I’ve listed the following jackets in order from lightest to heaviest.

My advice: Look at each of the reviews below to narrow your choices to the two or three that sound best for your needs, and then go to the complete reviews of those jackets to help you make your pick. You will support my work on this blog by purchasing any of these jackets through the affiliate links provided here or in the complete reviews, at no cost to you; in fact, you’ll usually find the best prices at those links. Thanks for doing that.

I encourage you to share your thoughts and experiences with any of these jackets, or another ultralight shell that you like, in the comments section at the bottom of this story. I try to respond to all comments.

Stay dry, happy, and safe. See my “5 Expert Tips For Buying a Rain Jacket for Hiking”
and all reviews of rain jackets at The Big Outside.

Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell
Why it’s special: Lightest and most packable protection from wind and light rain.
$199, 3.5 oz./99.2g (men’s medium)
blackdiamondequipment.com

The more I wore the Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell—the lightest and most packable hooded shell in this review—the more I liked and used it. Those outings ranged widely, including running the Grand Canyon 42 miles rim to rim to rim in one day in early October, a five-day June trek through Spain’s Picos de Europa Mountains, a September weekend of rock climbing in cool temps and gusty wind at Idaho’s City of Rocks, and mountain biking through a sudden downpour. And not only does this shell perform well, but it may be the greenest ultralight wind shell on the market.

The Distance Wind Shell has a basic suite of features found in other ultralight shells: It stuffs easily into its one zippered chest pocket, packing down tosmaller than a baseball, and has elasticized cuffs, an adjustable hem, and an adjustable, helmet-compatible hood. But it replaces a traditional DWR (durable, water-resistant) fabric treatment with a PFC-free, water-repellent finish that gets permanently hyper-fused to the fabric fibers, making it more durable and greener than DWRs. Best of all, of course, its breathability and weather resistance compare with the best in this category.

See my complete review of the Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell.

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Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody
Why it’s special: Great balance of high breathability, low weight, packability, weather resistance, and durability.
$165, 5.1 oz./145g (men’s medium)
backcountry.com

After sweating hard on a hot and humid June morning hiking up the brutally steep headwall of Huntington Ravine on Mount Washington, we hit the cool wind in the mountain’s alpine terrain—so I pulled on my Kor Airshell Hoody and it tamed that wind while breathing so well that the wet sun shirt against my skin dried out quickly. And that pattern of sweating and hitting wind continued throughout that two-day hut trek in New Hampshire’s Presidential Range.

A midweight ultralight wind shell at a hair over five ounces,the highly packable Kor Airshell Hoody balances its two superpowers of low weight and excellent breathability with respectable weather resistance and durability, as I also found wearing it running hilly trails and hiking from the Boise Foothills to early spring backpacking trips on a section of the Arizona Trail and in Arizona’s Aravaipa Canyon. Besides its breathability, the ultralight, recycled, 20-denier Pertex Quantum Air ripstop nylon fabric lends the Kor better durability than the lightest ultralight shells.

With a comfortable fit and soft fabric, an elasticized hood with a low-profile brim that provides decent coverage, elasticized hem and cuffs, and two zippered hand pockets—more than found on many competitors—it’s a great choice for dayhikers, trail runners, climbers, and others who mostly need good breathability but may encounter a range of weather conditions short of sustained, hard rain.

See my complete review of the Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody.

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Outdoor Research Shadow Wind Hoodie
Why it’s special: Combo of high breathability and comfort, weather resistance, packability, and durability.
$140, 5.8 oz./164.4g (men’s medium)
backcountry.com

We expect a lot of our ultralight wind shells: We want them to breathe well when we’re hiking or running uphill while, of course, blocking the wind effectively—and feel good. On trail runs, dayhikes, and a backpacking trip from southern Utah’s canyon country in spring to the mountains of Southwest Idaho, in a wide range of weather that challenges any outer layer to keep you comfortable, the Shadow Wind Hoodie did just that quite well.

The Shadow’s distinguishing component is its lightweight but durable, 20-denier, stretch-woven fabric: Impressively breathable and resistant to light precipitation, it feels softer against skin than most ultralight shells—especially the lightest out there, which can feel a bit like a plastic petroleum product.

But it offers so much more, too. The trim fit provides space for a couple of base layers plus light insulation and very good stretch lets this jacket move with you—great for hiking, running, climbing, and other activities. The close-fitting, under-the-helmet hood is adjustable—uncommon in an ultralight shell—protects your face well and stows inside the collar. The Shadow also has three zippered pockets. Just an ounce or two heavier than the lightest hooded wind shells, it stuffs inside the chest pocket to about the size of a softball.

See my complete review of the Outdoor Research Shadow Wind Hoodie.

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Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket
Why it’s special: Very light and packable waterproof-breathable shell.
$170, 6 oz./170.1g (men’s medium), $180, 6 oz. (women’s medium)
backcountry.com

In the world of waterproof-breathable outerwear, the Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket pushes the extreme low end in weight and packability—very appealing to hikers, ultralight backpackers, and trail runners. I’ve worn this six-ounce hooded shell on trail runs and hikes in my local foothills, in weather ranging from biting wind and temps in the 30s to heavily falling, wet snow for over two hours. I also wore it at times on an early September, five-day backpacking trip on the Wonderland Trail in Mount Rainier National Park, where it fended off heavy mist and cool winds, and through cold wind and some light rain showers on a five-day hike in The Maze District of Canyonlands National Park in early March—and for trips with no serious rain in the forecast, it saved me from carrying twice the weight and bulk in a standard rain jacket.

Constructed from 30-denier ripstop nylon, waterproof-breathable Pertex Shield, it employs Diamond Fuse technology, which uses yarns with diamond-shaped filaments that lock together, lending it relatively good durability and snag-resistance for a fabric this light. It fought off dumping wet snow while I ran and hiked and didn’t build up too much moisture inside; but breathability is not exceptional. It has an adjustable hood, comfortable fit, and one zippered chest pocket that the shell stuffs inside. For anyone needing a just-in-case ultralight shell for wind and rain, the Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket delivers waterproof protection in a compact package at a good value for its performance and low weight.

See my complete review of the Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket.

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Which puffy should you buy? See “The 12 Best Down Jackets” and
“How You Can Tell How Warm a Down Jacket Is.”

Rab Downpour Light Waterproof Jacket
Why it’s special: Lightweight and packable waterproof-breathable shell.
$165, 7.7 oz./219g (men’s medium)
backcountry.com

This ultralight rain shell kept me dry while backpacking through wind-driven rain and hail in a thunderstorm on the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. At just 7.7 ounces/219 grams and packing down to the size of a softball, it was also a perfect choice for wind protection and just in case of rain (which only fell early one morning, before we got up) while backpacking the Grand Canyon’s Gems Route.

Rab’s 20-denier, 2.5-layer Proflex stretch-woven waterproof nylon fabric also breathes well, and the adjustable hood offers decent face protection. If you generally avoid severe weather, the Downpour Light delivers all the protection you need in a lighter, more packable design that’s far less expensive than that high-end rain shell that’s overbuilt for your needs.

See my complete review of the Rab Downpour Light Waterproof Jacket.

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Planning your next big adventure? See “America’s Top 10 Best Backpacking Trips”
and “The 25 Best National Park Dayhikes.”

Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody
Why it’s special: Warmest ultralight jacket with good weather resistance and breathability.
$280, 9 oz./255g (men’s medium)
rei.com

The warmest and only insulated shell in this review, the Atom SL Hoody has been a go-to piece for me in situations as varied as backpacking in August in Canada’s Kootenay National Park and in October in Idaho’s White Cloud Mountains; scrambling a 10,000-foot peak in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains and hiking to the very windy summit of 10,243-foot Mount Washburn in Yellowstone National Park in September; and numerous times Nordic skate-skiing in temps in the 20s and 30s.

Essentially an ultralight wind shell with some strategically placed insulation, it delivers just enough warmth for being active in cool temps without causing you to overheat. Credit the fleece under the arms and 40 grams of insulation in the torso, but no insulation in the hood or on the outside of the sleeves, where there’s just windproof shell fabric that breathes reasonably well. Arc’teryx’s Coreloft synthetic insulation is very compressible, retains heat when wet, and dries quickly. The adjustable hood stays put on your head, with or without a helmet. Whether I was standing on a windblown 10,000-footer, carrying a backpack through the mountains in conditions that shifted frequently between warm sunshine and overcast with cold wind, or perspiring profusely while skate-skiing, the Atom SL keep me warm but didn’t make me too hot. It’s ideal for cool to cold temps or anyone who gets cold easily in moderate temperatures.

See my complete review of the Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking either of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody at rei.com or arcteryx.com.

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Two startingly loud, sharp, and sustained crackles of thunder and a flash of lightning gave us about a two-minute warning before the skies opened up while we hiked at well over 11,000 feet on the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains in mid-September. I got Rab’s Downpour Light Waterproof Jacket on and zipped up moments before the thunderhead began bombarding us with wind-driven rain and hail. And this ultralight rain shell kept me dry hiking through that storm and setting up our tent in steady rain and wind once we found a campsite.

I also wore this shell hiking in strong wind on days without rain on the CDT in southwestern Colorado, and during windy times, mostly on warm mornings and evenings in camp, while backpacking the Grand Canyon’s Gems Route in mid-April, where the only rain was early one morning before we got up.

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First of all, worth noting is the jacket’s appeal when not wearing it—and for most hikers, backpackers, and others, a rain jacket spends more time in a pack than on your back: At just 7.7 ounces/219 grams (for a men’s medium), and packing down to the size of a softball (although it doesn’t pack into one of its pockets), the Downpour Light represents one of the lightest and most packable waterproof-breathable rain jackets on the market.

The weather protection owes to Rab’s 20-denier, 2.5-layer Proflex stretch-woven waterproof nylon fabric plus a waterproof front zipper. That fabric provides a bit more durability than the very lightest rain shells or ultralight wind shells but does not compete with heavier (and more featured) waterproof-breathable jackets, some of which are legitimate four-season shells. While it’s not a choice for climbers or backcountry skiers and riders, it’s tough enough for the kind of use it receives in the hands of dayhikers, mountain scramblers, lightweight backpackers, and other three-season users.

Breathability is moderately good: It moved moisture out while I carried a full backpack uphill at elevations between 11,000 and over 12,000 feet, on partly sunny, quite windy days on the CDT in Colorado. While those conditions don’t challenge breathability as much they do as a jacket’s ability to block wind, I had other reasons to believe it has good breathability (enunciated below). Not surprisingly in a shell this light, it has no pit zips for ventilation.

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In the San Juans, my wife hiked in a heavier, Gore-Tex jacket without overheating, too, and that jacket likely blocked the wind better than the Downpour Light—meaning this jacket is more breathable and slightly less windproof than a Gore-Tex jacket: I could often feel some wind coming through the fabric. But in that rapidly shifting mix of sun, clouds, temperature, and wind—a common meteorological stew in the mountains from spring through fall—this jacket was precisely what I needed to maintain a balance of feeling neither too warm nor cold.

The fit is comfortable, with space for layering light insulation underneath and articulated sleeves that allow full freedom of movement without the jacket riding up. The fabric’s backer feels nice against bare arms, too.

Lastly, in a category of jackets that often sport very minimalist hoods, the Downpour Light’s one-hand adjustable hood has a brim that helped keep rain off my face during the thunderstorm, aided by a front zipper that comes up to just below the nose; plus adjustable, hook-and-loop cuffs, and a hem that extends about six inches below the waist. The two spacious, zippered chest pockets sit above a pack’s hipbelt, making them accessible while wearing a pack.

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To be sure, the Downpour Light will not steal the crown of supreme weather protection from heavier, more featured, 3-layer rain jackets—but it’s not designed for severe weather. Rab markets the Downpour Light as a just-in-case shell that’s best for dayhikes or one-day peak scrambles where you face the possibility of some precipitation. I would say it delivers enough protection for multi-day trips where thunderstorms or rain showers are possible, but hours or days of sustained rain is unlikely.

Look at it this way: If you’re generally avoiding severely wet weather, the Downpour Light gives you all the protection you need, in a lighter and more packable design that will be less likely to cause you to overheat than a heavier, more fully featured (and weatherproof) rain jacket—at far less expense than that rain shell that’s overbuilt for your needs.

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You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking either of these affiliate links to purchase a Rab Downpour Light Waterproof Jacket at backcountry.com or rei.com.

See “The Best Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking,” “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets,” and all reviews of outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See The Big Outside’s Gear Reviews page for categorized menus of all gear reviews and expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

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We ask a lot of ultralight wind shells, these wispy jackets that often weigh no more (and sometimes less) than your hiking shorts. We want them to breathe well when we’re hiking or running uphill while, of course, blocking the wind effectively—and not feel like a kitchen trash bag with sleeves and a hood. On trail runs, dayhikes, and a backpacking trip from the desert Southwest in spring to the mountains of Southwest Idaho, in a wide range of fall and spring weather that challenges any outer layer to keep you comfortable, I found that OR’s Shadow Wind Hoodie did just that, quite well.

It kept me warm and dry in cool, strong wind in early May dayhiking for hours in Capitol Reef National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, where I encountered brief snow flurries, and in Zion National Park, where a thunderstorm produced a brief, light rain. It blocked wind quite effectively while breathing well enough to prevent sweat from accumulating inside on very windy mornings with the ambient air temperature around 40° F on a three-day hike on southern Utah’s Owl and Fish canyons loop in early May.

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I pulled it on for the downhill end of a hike in my local foothills on a very windy April afternoon, after sweating hard on a steep trail that rises 2,000 feet in just over two miles, and it kept the wind from making me cold while breathing well enough that my wet base layers dried in minutes. It performed similarly on an hour-long trail run in mid-November, in late-afternoon shade with a chilly breeze and temps in the mid-40s; and on a hilly mountain bike ride on an unusually warm January day, with temps in the low 60s but a strong wind cooling things down and virtually no warmth from the sun.

The Shadow’s distinguishing component is its lightweight, bluesign-approved, 20-denier, 90 percent nylon stretch-woven fabric: Impressively breathable while repelling light rain, it feels softer against bare arms than most ultralight shells—especially the lightest out there, which can feel a bit like a plastic petroleum product. This fabric offers better durability than the very lightest ultralight shells, good enough for most rock climbing, short of dragging yourself up a tight chimney. OR applies a DWR (durable, water-repellent) treatment that’s free of fluorinated chemicals.

The trim fit provides space for a couple of base layers plus a light vest or insulated jacket underneath and very good stretch lets this jacket move however you’re moving—great for hiking, running, climbing, and other active uses. The elasticized cuffs seal out drafts.

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The close-fitting, under-the-helmet hood is adjustable—uncommon in an ultralight shell—and it stayed in place on my head in strong gusts numerous times, while the low-profile brim provides decent face protection for a UL shell. The hood also stows inside the collar using a snap, keeping it from flapping around annoyingly in wind—a smart feature that might seem superfluous until the first time you use it—and it easily stuffs inside the zippered chest pocket, which is more than spacious enough for a smartphone. Each of the two zippered hand pockets is large enough to fit a pair of warm gloves.

At just 5.8 ounces/164.4 grams for the men’s medium, it comes in just above the median weight of hooded ultralight shells, and packs down to about the size of a softball—not quite as light and compact as the lightest hooded shells, but only a couple ounces/55 grams heavier.

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BUY IT NOW

You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s or women’s Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoodie at backcountry.com, rei.com, or outdoorresearch.com.

For a rain jacket that’s barely heavier than the Shadow Wind Hoodie, although less breathable, see my review of the Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket.

See my picks for “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets” and “The 7 Best Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking,” and all reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running gear, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all of my reviews and my expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

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On winter and spring trail runs in my local foothills in every combination of cool to cold wind or calm air and overcast to sunny skies, and on a hike-scramble of 11,330-foot Twin Peaks in Utah’s Wasatch Range—nearly nine miles with 6,200 vertical feet of up and down—on a sunny October day with temps ranging from the 40s to the 50s Fahrenheit and cool wind at times, the Arc’teryx Norvan Windshell Jacket demonstrated its strengths and minor shortcomings as one of the very lightest of the many ultralight wind shells you’ll find today.

Whether running on winter days chilly enough to wear the Norvan Windshell going both uphill and downhill, or spring and fall days in the 40s to 50s Fahrenheit with light wind and sunshine, when I pulled on the shell only on the descents, the ultralight Canim nylon ripstop polyester fabric always blocked wind well enough to prevent me getting chilled. The jacket has a DWR (durable, water-resistant treatment) to shed light precipitation, but it will wet out in a steady rain.

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The jacket breathes better than most in this category and arguably better than any other, or at least matches the very best in that department. Thanks in part to lighter, highly breathable Permeair 20 fabric extending along the underside of the sleeves down the sides, it never allowed much moisture buildup inside, even when I sweated hard on long ascents; that also enabled my wet base layers to quickly dry out while moving downhill. The flip side of that coin is that it also allows some wind to penetrate—a desirable balance of breathability and wind resistance for many trail runners and hikers but one to be aware of, if you often find yourself out in strong, chilly wind.

Most conspicuously, at just 3.2 ounces (91g), the Norvan Windshell has few competitors for weight-to-performance ratio, and this highly packable shell stuffs into its one zippered hip pocket, squishing down to the size of a baseball or slightly larger than a smartphone. With the jacket on you, that pocket can hold small, weightless items like a car key or hotel key card, and a smartphone does fit inside it but is heavy enough to bounce around and awkwardly pull this jacket downward on that side.

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Its low weight owes partly to it lacking a hood, meaning less wind protection than hooded ultralight shells, some of the best of which are mere grams to an ounce or two heavier. That’s a tradeoff worth contemplating, and the choice comes down to your typical activity and environment. On shoulder-season trail runs or days in the mountains when I expect cool wind and possibly a light shower, I like a hooded ultralight shell. But on many trail runs of a few hours or less when I may only need a shell to guard against cooling off on the downhill, the Norvan Windshell is perfect—and the carabiner loop lets me clip it to a bottle belt or very compact running vest.

With the usual articulated sleeves, adjustable hem, and elasticized cuffs found in a wind shell this light, the trim fit feels good when running, hiking, or scrambling and accommodates a couple of midweight base layers.

One caveat: The Norvan Windshell’s wafer-thin fabric makes it only appropriate for running, hiking, mountain biking, and similar activities that involve wearing nothing more than a light pack or running vest.

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BUY IT NOW

You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s Arc’teryx Norvan Windshell Jacket at arcteryx.com or rei.com, or a women’s Arc’teryx Norvan Windshell Jacket at arcteryx.com.

See “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets” and “The Best Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking,” and all reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running gear, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all of my reviews and my expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

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After sweating hard on a sunny and humid June morning hiking up the headwall of Huntington Ravine—the steepest and hardest trail on Mount Washington—we hit the cool wind blowing across the mountain’s alpine terrain. I pulled on my Kor Airshell Hoody and it tamed that wind while breathing so well that the wet sun shirt against my skin dried out quickly. And that pattern of sweating and hitting wind kept repeating itself on that two-day, 21-mile hut trek in New Hampshire’s Presidential Range, providing plenty of opportunities for the Kor to show off its strengths.

This jacket also displayed excellent breathability when I wore it running hilly trails from the Boise Foothills to central Massachusetts, on spring days of cool wind and temps in the 50s and low 60s Fahrenheit—with me sweating hard on each occasion, but the jacket only getting slightly damp inside and drying in minutes when my exertion level dropped going downhill. I also tested this hoody hiking and rock climbing in June temps from 50 to the 60s at Idaho’s City of Rocks National Reserve and Castle Rocks State Park; in cool wind at times on an 18-mile, 7,300-foot, 13-hour, four-summit, partly off-trail dayhike with my 23-year-old son in Utah’s Wasatch Range in early October; mountain biking in breezy, partly sunny, 50-degree conditions; and during cool, windy periods while backpacking in the first week of April on a section of the Arizona Trail along the Gila River and in Arizona’s Aravaipa Canyon and backpacking in early October on the 22-mile Boulder Mail Trail-Death Hollow Loop in Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

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A midweight ultralight wind shell at a hair over five ounces (145g), the highly packable Kor Airshell Hoody hits a sweet spot in balancing its two superpowers of low weight and breathability with respectable weather resistance and durability. The jacket stuffs into its inside drop pocket, packing down to the size of a baseball.

That will appeal to dayhikers, trail runners, and climbers who routinely get very wet with sweat going up and might encounter a wide range of conditions short of a severe rainstorm before the day ends.

Credit for the Kor’s excellent breathability goes to its ultralight, very breathable, 59 percent recycled, water-resistant Pertex Quantum Air ripstop nylon fabric. That 20-denier fabric shed light rain during brief showers at the City of Rocks—and it ranks the Kor’s durability better than the lightest ultralight shells and good enough for most uses, even rock climbing as long as you’re not dragging your back up some gnarly chimney. It also feels a little softer against skin than most ultralight shells.

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The non-adjustable, elasticized hood, with a flexible, low-profile brim that provides better face protection than some ultralight shells, fits snugly enough to feel comfortable and stay put on your head in wind and when turning your head side to side.

The Kor Airshell Hoody has a comfortable fit with space to wear two base layers or light insulation under it. The elasticized hem and cuffs adequately seal out drafts. Two zippered hand pockets—more pockets thanfound on many competitors—have space for light items like three-season gloves but anything heavy, like a phone, pulls that side of the jacket awkwardly downward.

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You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking either of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s or women’s Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody at backcountry.com or rei.com.

Rather have a waterproof-breathable rain shell that’s just grams heavier than the Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody—although less breathable? See my reviews of the Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket and Rab Downpour Light Waterproof Jacket.

See “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets” and “The Best Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking,” and all reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running gear, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

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NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all of my reviews and my expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

When the sky darkened with foreboding, black and gray clouds that suddenly obliterated the sharply angled peaks flanking the John Muir Trail in the Evolution Basin of Kings Canyon National Park, I pulled on the ultralight Mammut Kento Light HS Hooded Jacket thinking: This thunderstorm will put it to a real test. Minutes later, the wind-whipped rain began hammering us. For an hour or more, my two companions and I continued uphill until deciding to quickly pitch our tents and hunker down until it passed. When it did, we packed up and continued over Muir Pass in cool wind before finding a campsite. Through it all, this remarkably light and packable rain shell kept me dry and comfortable.

I wore the Kento Light HS Hooded Jacket at times on that nine-day hike of nearly 130 miles through the High Sierra in August, much of it on the John Muir Trail, in temps ranging from the 40s to high 60s Fahrenheit, strong wind at times, and that one intense rainstorm. I also wore it on a nearly 10-mile, 4,700-foot dayhike up 5,774-foot Mount Adams in New Hampshire’s northern Presidential Range on a sunny October day with temps ranging from the mid-30s to around 60° F with a cool breeze at times; and on a multi-hour, 29-mile mountain bike ride on Utah’s Wasatch Crest Trail, with 1,500 feet of uphill and more than 4,000 feet of downhill, on a sunny day with temps ranging from the low 40s to the high 50s.

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Mammut’s proprietary DRYtechnology Performance waterproof-breathable fabric kept me dry and blocked wind when I needed that much protection, including over an hour in a pounding thunderstorm. Although I wouldn’t recommend it as a rain shell wherever you might encounter hours of steady or hard rain and wind—it’s not intended to provide the coverage and full protection that a heavier, technical, waterproof-breathable rain jacket offers—it’ll do fine in light precipitation or short spells of hard rain.

And while the shell’s breathability also does not match that of high-quality waterproof-breathable rain shells or the best non-waterproof, ultralight wind shells, I did not overheat while wearing it in mild temps dayhiking Mount Adams or in the Sierra.

In other words, it delivers exactly what we want from an ultralight rain shell: just enough weather protection for many of our outings. For some users, including dayhikers, climbers, trail runners, and backpackers who typically head out in good weather, the Kento may be all they need most of the time.

At just over five ounces and packing down to the size of an orange in its stuff sack (included), the Kento Light HS Hooded Jacket is a welterweight among ultralight shells but one of the very lightest waterproof-breathable jackets you’ll find. Its 15-denier fabric also offers better durability than some (mostly lighter) ultralight wind shells, which are often targeted at trail runners who wear nothing heavier than a running vest.

Lastly, in a category of jackets with very minimalist designs, it sports an adjustable hood with a flexible, reinforced visor that offers decent face protection, especially with the front zipper that covers your chin; elasticized cuffs and a hem that extends about six inches below the waist; and a concealed, zippered chest pocket. The comfortable, close fit permits full freedom of movement, with space to wear two base layers or light insulation underneath.

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See my picks for “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets” and “The 7 Best Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking,” and all reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running gear, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all reviews and expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

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If, besides very low weight, versatility counts for everything in an ultralight wind shell, the variety of places, weather, and seasons I’ve worn OR’s wafer-thin Helium Wind Hoodie speaks volumes about its value. From hiking up and sometimes running down crazy-steep trails in fall and the earliest days of spring in Utah’s Wasatch, Canada’s Banff National Park, New Hampshire’s White Mountains, and Idaho’s Boise Foothills, to the breezy heights of Hawaii’s high point, 13,803-foot Mauna Kea, and the windblown depths of the Grand Canyon, this shell fended off cool wind while taking up no more space in my daypack than my long-sleeve jersey.

A midweight among ultralight wind shells at about five ounces, the highly packable Helium Wind Hoodie also falls in the middle of its field of competitors in terms of striking an appealing balance between weight, breathability, weather resistance, and durability—making it an ideal choice for dayhikers and trail runners who will work up a sweat while possibly encountering a wide range of conditions short of a full-on rainstorm.

But I also wore it in strong, cool morning wind at times on a six-day backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon, when the forecast indicated only sunny weather and I didn’t need a waterproof-breathable rain jacket (and its added weight and bulk)—only a light shell for wind.

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The bluesign-approved, wind- and water-resistant, 30-denier ripstop nylon Pertex Diamond Fuse shell fabric blocked wind very effectively in many situations, including at windy Cory Pass on the Cory Pass-Edith Pass loop in Banff, in the Canadian Rockies, where I hit the wind after sweating through a steep 3,400-foot ascent. The fabric uses yarns with diamond-shaped filaments woven together in an interlocking pattern, lending it very good durability and abrasion and snag-resistance for a fabric this light—and better than virtually all other jackets in this weight class—while its flat surface helps the fabric shed water. If you want an ultralight shell for rock climbing, while that may risk tears in really gnarly situations, it’s probably the best choice.

Breathability is good, enhanced a bit by laser-cut underarm perforations. I pulled it on after hard, sweaty ascents of Mount Carrigain in the White Mountains (3,000 feet in the last three miles), Cervidae Peak in the Boise Foothills (2,000 feet in 2.2 miles), and Grandeur Peak in the Wasatch foothills on the edge of Salt Lake City (3,200 feet in 2.2 miles) and the fabric allowed my body heat to push moisture out, quickly drying my wet base layer to prevent me from getting chilled in wind and temps in the 40s and 50s Fahrenheit.

The adjustable hood uses a small strap in the back and wraps snugly around your head and the low-profile brim provides better face protection than some ultralight shells. The jacket has a comfortable, close fit with space to wear two base layers or light insulation under it.

The Helium easily stuffs into its one zippered chest pocket—which is large enough for a smartphone with room to spare—squishing down to the size of an orange(and has a carabiner loop). The elasticized hem and cuffs, while not adjustable, adequately seal out drafts.

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You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoodie at backcountry.com or rei.com, or a women’s Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoodie at rei.com.

Rather have a rain jacket that’s just an ounce heavier than the Helium Wind Hoodie (although less breathable)? See my review of the Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket.

See my picks for “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets” and “The 7 Best Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking,” and all of my reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running gear, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

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NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all of my reviews and my expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

Whether hiking through heavy, cool mist while backpacking the Wonderland Trail in Mount Rainier National Park, pulling this shell on frequently to fend off cold wind and rain showers during a five-day backpacking trip in The Maze District of Canyonlands National Park in early March, or wearing it on local trail runs in mixed weather—including heavily falling, wet snow for over two hours—the featherweight Helium Rain Jacket demonstrated its value as one of today’s best ultralight, waterproof-breathable rain jackets.

That backpacking trips on the Wonderland Trail and in Canyonlands’ Maze illustrate a major advantage of the Helium: It’s one of the lightest and most packable waterproof, fully seam-taped, and breathable rain jackets out there today. With a forecast was for mostly dry weather, I could forego carrying a heavier and bulkier rain jacket—and mostly carrying it rather than wearing it—knowing the Helium would give me all the protection I needed at about half the weight, bulk, and cost of a high-quality, technical rain shell.

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Constructed from 30-denier ripstop nylon, waterproof-breathable Pertex Shield, it fought off dumping wet snow while I ran and hiked. The jacket employs Diamond Fuse technology, which uses yarns with diamond-shaped filaments that lock together, lending it relatively good durability and snag-resistance for a fabric this light and improving its water-beading properties. Still, this fabric is ultralight: It will stand up to wearing a backpack over it, but likely tear too easily for hiking off-trail in forest or rock climbing.

Breathability is just okay. When hiking uphill on the Wonderland Trail, carrying a full pack, the Helium got a little clammy inside but was tolerable. On autumn trail runs of up to two hours in my local foothills, I could keep the hood up in strong, cold wind without building up much moisture inside—mostly because I wasn’t overheating. In other words, while it doesn’t breathe as well as the best ultralight, non-waterproof wind shells, it performs as well as needed in most hiking and trail-running circumstances in which I’d wear it—and offers the reassurance of waterproof protection.

The jacket feels very comfortable as soon as you put it on, with a close fit that has space to layer midweight insulation under it. The adjustable hood uses a single drawcord in the back and wraps snugly around your head, although the small brim offers negligible face protection.

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The shell stuffs into its one zippered chest pocket—which is large enough for a smartphone—packing down to the size of a large coffee mug (and has a carabiner loop). The waterproof front zipper, like all such zippers, moves a little more slowly than standard zips. The elasticized hem and cuffs, while not adjustable, adequately seal out drafts.

With mediocre breathability and durability and a minimalist hood, the Helium certainly isn’t as versatile as a fully technical, all-conditions rain shell. (See my picks for “The 5 Best Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking.”) But it is about half the weight and bulk of most high-quality rain shells.

The Outdoor Research Helium Pants ($119, 5.4 oz.), made with the same 30-denier ripstop nylon Pertex Shield, have elasticized waist and cuffs with 12-inch zippers for pulling them over boots, and stuff into the zippered rear pocket.

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You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s Helium Jacket at backcountry.com or rei.com, or a women’s Helium Rain Jacket at backcountry.com or rei.com.

See my review of “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets” and all reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all of my reviews and my expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

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When The North Face billed its Flight FutureLight Jacket as the most breathable rain shell the brand has ever brought to market, that naturally caused a stir in the outdoor industry—and made me eager to put it to the test. From spring into summer, I wore this light rain shell for missions ranging from trail running in rain showers and cool wind, to backpacking through thunderstorms with strong gusts, and even backcountry skiing in variable spring weather. And while it has some minor flaws, the Flight FutureLight Jacket demonstrates impressive breathability and a comfortable fit.

On a 12-mile, trail run-hike in my local foothills, running up a frequently steep trail on an exposed ridge in cold wind and brief snow flurries, then traversing and descending, the jacket cut the wind while breathing well enough that I didn’t overheat; in fact, in the last couple miles, I was back at a lower, warmer elevation where I could have stripped to my long-sleeve base layer top, but I kept the jacket on because it never got uncomfortably hot.

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Similarly, wearing it while backpacking for hours at a time through episodes of intermittent rain showers and thunderstorms, strong gusts and a temp around 70° F on Nevada’s Ruby Crest Trail in July, the jacket breathed well enough that I never felt clammy: It didn’t allow much moisture to build up inside. I also wore it on spring days of backcountry skiing in weather that shifted from overcast with a cold wind, to a thunderstorm and snow squall, and then to warm sunshine; and while I sweated when skiing under the hot sun, the jacket allowed my base layer to dry out from my body heat.

TNF’s recipe is the nano-spinning process used to create the membrane. Thousands of very tiny nozzles spray a liquid PU onto a sheet, creating a thin layer of millions of microscopic fibers with spaces between them. Air can pass through those spaces, but water cannot. It’s similar to the highly breathable, proprietary AscentShell membrane from Outdoor Research, used in technical shells like OR’s Interstellar Jacket. Whereas the Interstellar works for virtually any mountain activity in four seasons, the Flight FutureLight Jacket is designed for less-abusive pursuits like trail running—and it may be more breathable.

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The standard fit allows space for one or two base layers underneath and feels quite comfortable. The adjustable hood has a low-profile brim that offers some face protection from rain, though not as much as a fully technical hood. The hood and hem adjust using drawcords, but they’re both finicky: The cords tend to loosen easily, illustrating that a shell this light does present compromises. The shell also packs into its back pocket down to about the size of a softball—easy to fit into a small hydration pack or running vest.

The soft, lightweight, stretchy, 20-denier fabric has a DWR (durable water-repellent finish) and is reasonably durable: While I did try out the jacket on backpacking trips that featured mostly good weather and just spells of rain showers, this shell is not designed for the hard use that a fully technical rain shell for the backcountry can withstand—the light fabric may tear with sustained wear under the straps of a backpack. But while the Flight FutureLight Jacket is a light shell primarily for trail runners, it can double as a “just in case” rain shell for dayhikers and lightweight backpackers who stick primarily to trails and generally avoid going out in forecasts of severe weather.

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See “The 5 Best Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking,” “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets” “5 Pro Tips For Buying the Right Rain Jacket For the Backcountry,” and all of my reviews of rain jackets and outdoor apparel and that I like at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all of my reviews and my expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

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With an ultralight shell—besides very low weight—we’re seeking a delicate balance between competing objectives: breathability for high-exertion activities like running, and protection against wind and light precipitation. On numerous late-winter and spring trail runs and mountain bike rides, in conditions running the gamut from sunny, cool, and breezy to cold wind, rain, and blowing snow flurries, the new Arc’teryx Incendo SL walked that fine line between breathability and weather protection like no other ultralight shell I’ve seen.

Hitting my local Foothills trails to hike, run (up to 12 miles), and mountain bike, I wore this insanely light shell through that wide range of weather, with temps in the 40s and 50s Fahrenheit, and while sweating hard on sustained uphills and cooling off on long descents. On those outings—which ranged up to about three hours—wind was frequently present and sometimes strong and cold, and I got rained on mid-run a couple of times for 30 minutes or more and once snowed on briefly.

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The Incendo’s performance consistently impressed me. Even wearing it on long ascents when I sweated hard, it got no more than slightly damp inside and dried within a few minutes once my exertion level dropped. What strikes me as most unique is that it simply does not accumulate much moisture inside.

In steady rain, the jacket had the appearance of wetting out, but it still cut most of the wind and didn’t feel terribly wet against my body—no more wet than my two base layers were with perspiration, anyway—and was only slightly damp inside when I removed it afterward, probably because of how rapidly it dries. It’s not a rain shell, but in rain and wind when your base layers are wet, it will help prevent you from getting wetter and colder.

The men’s Incendo SL and the women’s Cita SL Jacket are made from extremely thin Canim 100 percent polyester fabric in the front and outer arms that blocks wind effectively, although not completely, as some ultralight shells do. The even wispier Permair 20 nylon delivers a high level of air permeability across the back and through the undersides of the sleeves extending nearly to the cuffs. A DWR (durable, water-repellent treatment) sheds light rain off the fabric exterior.

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The fit is trim, with space for one or two base layers underneath, while allowing a comfortable and complete range of motion. The low-profile collar provides minimal but adequate neck coverage without you ever really noticing it. Elasticized cuffs and waistband keep wind out, and the cuffs have enough stretch to push the sleeves up to your elbows—which is nice and not possible in all ultralight or standard shells.

The jacket stuffs into an inside “envelope” pocket with overlapping flaps (in lieu of a zipper), packing down to the size of a fist—smaller than any ultralight shell I’ve used. I could squeeze a smartphone inside that pocket; but the phone is heavier than the jacket and would bounce against my side when running (and sit irritatingly under a daypack waistbelt when hiking), so that pocket’s only real functionality is for stuffing the jacket and perhaps stashing something very light, like a gel or energy chews packet.

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One caveat: These fabrics illustrate the adjective “wispy,” especially the highly breathable Permair 20 fabric across the entire back and under the arms, making these shells only appropriate for running, hiking, mountain biking and similar activities with only a light pack or running vest or none. Wearing a heavy pack over either jacket may quickly tear the back fabric, and climbing would almost certainly shred it.

Arc’teryx also offers the Incendo Hoody ($139) and Incendo Vest ($89), and Cita Hoody ($139) and Cita Vest ($89).

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BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase an Arc’teryx men’s Incendo SL Jacket or Incendo SL Hoody at backcountry.com or rei.com; or Incendo Vest at backcountry.com or moosejaw.com; or a women’s Cita SL Jacket at backcountry.com or Moosejaw.com; or Cita Hoody at Moosejaw.com or rei.com; or Cita Vest at Moosejaw.com.

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See my review of “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets” and all of my reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running gear, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all of my reviews and my expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

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Obvious first impression: The Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell passes the test of being so light that there’s no reason to not carry it. But a shell this packable becomes truly invaluable when you can use it in a variety of situations, and the more I wore it over the past several months, the more I liked it and threw it on my body or in my pack. Those outings ranged widely, including running the Grand Canyon 42 miles rim to rim to rim in one day in early October, a five-day June trek through Spain’s Picos de Europa Mountains, a September weekend of rock climbing in cool temps and gusty wind at Idaho’s City of Rocks, an October hike on a windy ridge in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, autumn trail runs from Boise to the Boston area, and mountain biking through a sudden downpour.

Perhaps best of all, this shell’s construction not only ensures superior durability, but it may be the greenest ultralight shell on the market. 

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In circumstances where you’d expect an ultralight shell to demonstrate its value, this one shined—fending off cool wind while rock climbing at the City of Rocks, and on a nearly 6,000-foot descent through chilly gusts and fog on our last day of trekking through the Picos de Europa.

Like most non-laminate, ultralight shells, the fabric doesn’t have the degree of weather protection or breathability of a heavier, two- or three-layer rain jacket: The Distance Wind Shell gets overwhelmed by sustained rain, and certainly isn’t designed for extreme conditions. But extreme testing still offers a yardstick, and the Distance Wind Shell’s performance surprised me at times.

I pulled it on when a thunderstorm interrupted a September mountain bike ride, pouring cold rain onto us as we pedaled toward home. Although the fabric got soaked on the exterior and clung wet to my bare arms under the sleeves, I got home and discovered that my T-shirt was dry underneath the shell—meaning much less loss of body heat.  

Similar to many shells in its weight class, I found it somewhat slow to move moisture, although it breathes well enough to dry out a damp base layer when my exertion level decreased, such as on a long descent in the White Mountains, when my light, wool T-shirt that was wet with sweat dried out completely; that ability to let layers underneath dry out makes a big difference in your comfort on longer outings. On a November trail run in temps in the 40s and a cool breeze, I didn’t overheat in the shell. But it was pushed to its breathability limit when I wore it to stave off cool air and a breeze on a 13-mile trail run in my local foothills: The jacket quickly got quite damp inside when I perspired heavily.

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The Distance Wind Shell stuffs easily into its one zippered chest pocket, packing down to smaller than a baseball, and has a carabiner loop for clipping to a climbing harness. It has a basic, utilitarian feature set: elasticized cuffs, an adjustable hem, and an adjustable hood that fits under a climbing helmet.

The best news, though, may be the technology behind it. 

Traditional DWR (durable, water-resistant) fabric treatments are applied to the fabric’s surface and eventually get worn off, requiring a chemical spray or wash-in treatment, or the heat of a dryer cycle, to revive their water resistance.

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But Green Theme International’s new Breathable Water Protection tech employs a PFC-free, water-repellent finish that gets permanently hyper-fused to the fabric fibers. BD says it will never need a chemical spray or wash-in treatment (polluting water) or a dryer cycle (using electricity) to revive it. Applying the water resistance directly to fibers, instead of coating both the fibers and the spaces between them, also improves breathability through the spaces between fibers. BD says this is achieved without using any palm oil or water in the process.

While tighter environmental regulations have resulted in poorer performance in PFC-containing DWRs, GTI steps in with better and greener technology. BD reports that it is phasing out PFCs from the brand’s apparel line, and expects to accomplish that by 2020.

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You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s or women’s Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell at backcountry.com or blackdiamondequipment.com.

See “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets” and all reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running gear, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See The Big Outside’s Gear Reviews page for categorized menus of all reviews and expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

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Ultralight Rain Jacket
Montane Minimus Stretch Ultra Pull-on and Jacket
$185 (pull-on)/$205 (jacket), 6 oz. (men’s medium pull-on)
Sizes: men’s XS-XL, women’s US 6-14 (jacket only)
Sunnysports.com

From bone-rattling cold wind on a September dayhike in Glacier National Park and a back-to-back, rim-to-rim dayhikes across the Grand Canyon in October, to wind and rain while scrambling peaks in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains, Montane’s Minimus Stretch Ultra Pull-on keep me dry and warm, thanks to its solid wind protection and good breathability. Certainly one of the lightest and most packable waterproof-breathable shells out there, this pull-on, and the jacket version, are a top choice for trail runners, hikers, climbers, and ultralight backpackers. Here’s why.

Ultralight shells like the Minimus Stretch Ultra—which comes in pull-on and full-zip jacket versions—are marketed primarily to trail runners, but are often a better choice than a heavier, bulkier rain jacket for dayhikers, climbers, and lightweight/ultralight backpackers who don’t expect to encounter heavy rain. I wore it in cool wind and temps at times on back-to-back, rim-to-rim dayhikes (22 and 25 miles) across the Grand Canyon and back in October; a dayhike in strong, cold wind of the eight-mile Scenic Point Trail in Glacier National Park; for several hours, in chilly wind and light rain on parts of a 13-hour, mostly off-trail dayhike of around 20 miles in late August in Idaho’s Sawtooths; and on an October dayhike of The Narrows in Zion National Park, with temps in the 50s and a cool wind at times.

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The shell, made of waterproof-breathable 2.5-layer, 20-denier Pertex Shield fabric with a DWR (durable, water-resistant coating), repelled steady, light rain for a few hours in the Sawtooths and breathed well enough to prevent me from overheating and getting soaked, even when hiking and scrambling steeply uphill off-trail during lulls the wind in the Sawtooths (although the temps were also cool).

The jacket hood has two-point adjustability, and the pull-on hood is not adjustable; still, I found the pull-on hood, which is elasticized in back and front, didn’t blow off in wind, stayed put when I turned my head, and fits smoothly under a climbing helmet. The small, flexible brim keeps light rain off your face, but doesn’t provide the coverage needed for heavy, windblown rain.

While ultralight shells can be susceptible to tears, Montane uses 12-13 stitches per inch in the Minimus Stretch Ultra to enhance durability; the industry average is about eight stitches per inch.

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The jacket stuffs into one of the two zippered pockets, which ventilate and are positioned above the height of a pack belt. The pull-on stuffs into its one zippered chest pocket (which does not ventilate), packing down to the size of a large orange. I appreciated its low weight and packability when I mostly carried the pull-on throughout a four-day family backpacking trip in August in Idaho’s Sawtooths; it replaced a rain shell that would have been twice the weight and bulk.

The Verdict

For dayhikers, trail runners, climbers, and ultralight backpackers who need an ultralight, waterproof-breathable shell that cuts wind and keeps you dry through all but perhaps the heaviest rain, the Montane Minimus Stretch Ultra Pull-on (available only in men’s sizes) and Jacket (available in men’s and women’s sizes) rise to the top of a very small fields of shells.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog by clicking any of these links to purchase a men’s Montane Minimus Stretch Ultra Jacket at sunnysports.com, or the women’s jacket at sunnysports.com.

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See my review of “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Backpacking Jackets” and all my reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running apparel, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.

—Michael Lanza

The Big Outside helps you find the best adventures. Subscribe now to read ALL stories and get a free e-guide!

Whether hiking, trail running, or mountain biking, when I need a jacket to manage variability in my exertion levels and/or the inevitable wind, temperature swings, and maybe light precipitation, I look for a couple of qualities in that shell: high breathability and low weight. From a chilly and very windy October dayhike of 11,749-foot Mount Timpanogos in Utah’s Wasatch Range, to numerous fall and winter trail runs and rides in the Boise Foothills near my home, in cool temps and conditions all over the meteorological map, Smartwool’s PhD Ultra Light Sport Jacket has had my back. Here’s why its breathability distinguishes this ultralight shell from the competition.

The jacket consists of Smartwool’s thinner-than-a-wafer PhD Ultra Light nylon shell fabric through most of the torso and sleeves, with small vent holes (covered to keep rain out) at the front of the shoulder. With a DWR (durable, water-repellant treatment), the fabric fends off light rain, although it wets through in a steady rain. (It’s not a rain shell.)

But the key to its breathability is a blend of Merino wool and stretchy polyester mesh under the arms and between the shoulder blades, which creates good ventilation without exposing you to much wind or precipitation. When I sweated hard on trail runs and rides in temps in the 40s and 50s, the jacket protected me from cold wind and breathed well enough that it never got more than slightly damp on the inside when my base layer was quite wet. And my base layer would sometimes dry out on long, low-exertion descents, because of the jacket’s breathability.

The regular fit is neither skin-tight nor flappy, and accommodates a couple of light- to midweight base layers. The jacket stuffs easily into its chest pocket to slightly smaller than a liter bottle, but can be squeezed down to about a half-liter when packed; when it’s stuffed, a stretchy fabric loop lets you clip it to a pack or climbing harness.

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The women’s version of the jacket has an elasticized, non-adjustable hood. There’s also a Men’s PhD Ultra Light Sport Hoody ($125, 5 oz.) with an elasticized, non-adjustable hood, a Men’s PhD Ultra Light Sport Vest ($100, 4 oz.), a Women’s PhD Ultra Light Sport Anorak ($130, 8 oz.), and a Women’s PhD Ultra Light Sport Vest ($100, 4.7 oz.).

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BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a Smartwool Men’s PhD Ultra Light Sport Jacket at moosejaw.com or a Smartwool Women’s PhD Ultra Light Sport Jacket at moosejaw.com.

Tell me what you think.

I spent a lot of time writing this story, so if you enjoyed it, please consider giving it a share using one of the buttons at right, and leave a comment or question at the bottom of this story. I’d really appreciate it.

See my review of “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Backpacking Jackets” and all my reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running apparel, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.

—Michael Lanza

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Ultralight Rain Jacket
Montane Minimus 777 Pull-On
$280, 4.5 oz. (medium)
Sizes: men’s XS-XL
backcountry.com

While any ultralight wind shell or rain jacket offers a lot of versatility, the Minimus 777 pushes the extreme low end in weight for waterproof-breathable outerwear, an appealing trait for hikers, trail runners, and climbers. And it demonstrated that versatility during the eight days I recently spent trekking the Tour du Mont Blanc: Whenever the wind started howling, or the sky began spitting rain, or we stopped for a break at a high pass, I reached for this sub-five-ounce shell. Here’s why.

Everything about the Minimus 777 Pull-On is engineered to minimize weight—certainly making it one of the lightest rain shells on the market. The Pertex Shield waterproof-breathable laminate fabric combines 7-denier nylon on the exterior with a 7-micron breathable membrane and 7-denier tricot fabric on the interior. Micro-taped seams keep water out without compromising breathability.

While Montane promotes it for running, a waterproof-breathable shell this packable and adequately durable also makes a good “just in case” choice for dayhikers and backpackers heading out with a good forecast; I carried it for just that reason on a mid-October overnight hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

I found it fairly breathable, but not exceptional: In cool, strong winds on the Tour du Mont Blanc, I wore it hiking uphill at a moderate pace while carrying a 30-pound pack, without overheating. A friend sweated in it without it getting too damp inside during an 8.5-hour, 20-mile, 4,500-foot, mid-September trail run-hike and third-class peak scramble we did in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains, in temps in the 40s Fahrenheit. Wearing it for an hour of aerobic Nordic skiing in heavily falling snow and temps in the mid-20s, I found the fabric repelled the snow well, but it did get clammy inside, and remained damp even after I wore it in my home for about 20 minutes afterward. Having a waterproof laminate makes it less breathable than ultralight wind shells that are only water-resistant, not waterproof.

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The hip-length, athletic fit provides space for one or two midweight base layers underneath, and the articulated shoulders translate to zero hem lift when I raise my arms overhead. The deep, AquaGuard front zipper allows plenty of venting and repels water. As with most ultralight shells, the hood lacks any adjustability, but has stretch panels on the sides and back to maintain a snug fit around head even in wind, and the light brim juts out slightly to provide a little face protection.

The elasticized hem and cuffs keep out cool gusts, and I could easily push the sleeves up to my elbows. The Minimus 777 packs into its one zippered chest pocket, reducing to slightly larger than my fist; and the pocket is large enough for a phone or a light hat or pair of gloves. While its abrasion resistance compares with many ultralight shells—and the Minimus has a seam stitch count of 12 to 13, denser and stronger than is typical of similar jackets—this is nonetheless made with thin fabric, so exercise care in how much you abuse it.

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While it’s not the least-expensive or most breathable rain and wind shell you can find, it is the lightest I’ve tested and reviewed over the past several years. If you’re a hiker, climber, or trail runner counting grams, and looking for a four-season, ultralight shell that breathes well enough for moderate to cold temperatures, sheds a steady rain, and all but disappears inside a pack, the Montane Minimus 777 Pull-On will deliver years of use to justify its price.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog by clicking any of these links to purchase a Montane Minimus 777 Pull-On at backcountry.com, the men’s Minimus 777 Jacket at backcountry.com or moosejaw.com, or the women’s Minimum 777 Jacket at moosejaw.com.

Tell me what you think.

I spent a lot of time writing this story, so if you enjoyed it, please consider giving it a share using one of the buttons below, and leave a comment or question at the bottom of this story. I’d really appreciate it.

See all of my reviews of ultralight wind shells and ultralight rain jackets, trail-running apparel, climbing apparel, and hiking apparel that I like, and all of my outdoor apparel reviews at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.

—Michael Lanza

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Just as the first waterproof-breathable membrane, Gore-Tex, did four decades ago, and soft-shell fabrics did nearly two decades ago, today’s hybrid outerwear let us rethink the role of rain jackets—or more broadly, weather protection—for everything from hiking and climbing to trail running and biking. Many of us find ourselves trying to stay warm and reasonably dry while exerting in wind and light precipitation more often than we’re trying to stay dry in heavy rain. In the small field of versatile shell jackets described as “hybrid”—because they’re made with more than one type of fabric—OR’s new Helium Hybrid Hooded Jacket ups the ante. Its combination of fabrics delivers unparalleled performance for almost any outdoor adventure when you’re on the move in variable weather, as I discovered wearing it on various outings lasting from an hour to several hours this spring.

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I wore it for everything from trail running and mountain biking to rock climbing and bike commuting in town. To give a few examples of how it performed:

• On a three-hour, spring mountain bike ride on a mostly sunny day in the 50s Fahrenheit with light winds, I pedaled uphill for two hours—getting my long-sleeve wool base layer quite sweaty—and then put the Helium Hybrid on for the 30-minute descent. The jacket not only cut the wind, it breathed well enough that my base layer was nearly dry when I got home.

• On an eight-mile dayhike of Idaho’s 12,662-foot Borah Peak, the jacket cut the strong, chilly wind enough to keep me warm, while helping me avoid perspiring because of its breathability.

• Throughout several hours of rock climbing on a mostly cloudy day in the 40s with steady, chilly wind (with light layers underneath), it cut the wind nicely and breathed when I warmed up climbing.

• Mountain biking up-and-down terrain on a damp, blustery, overcast April day, including pedaling hard on flatter stretches and a 10-minute climb on single-track, it repelled spitting rain, blocked wind, and breathed well enough that I didn’t feel clammy on the climb; the inside behind the shoulders was barely damp when I got home, but certainly less than most waterproof-breathable rain shells would have been.

• Biking around town through a wet April snowstorm, I stayed completely dry.

• On a long mountain bike ride, I got caught in a violent thunderstorm and downpour for 20 minutes of wind-driven, hard rain and hail, riding downhill; I rode with the hood up (under my helmet). After the storm passed, my base layers under the jacket were only damp from sweat—the rain hadn’t penetrated it.

The Helium Hybrid blends waterproof-breathable Pertex Shield fabric and taped seams throughout most of the jacket with the highly breathable, water- and wind-resistant, stretchy soft-shell fabric used in OR’s Ferrosi jackets and pants in the side panels and undersides of the sleeves. The result is solid protection from precipitation where it tends to hit you—on the front, back, and head—with superior breathability where your body needs to dump it: in the core, underarms, and forearms.

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To compare it with other jackets in its weight class, it’s more breathable than ultralight rain shells—although I expect that it won’t keep you dry through sustained rain as well as they will, because water would eventually penetrate the soft-shell fabric—and it delivers better protection from rain and comparable or better breathability than ultralight wind shells. In that sense, it overlaps both of those categories.

It’s light enough to pull on in wind or light precipitation in warm temperatures, while blocking wind and trapping heat well enough to wear in temps as low as the 40s and 30s Fahrenheit—as long as you’re actively producing body heat and wearing appropriate layers underneath it. The trim fit leaves enough space for a couple of lightweight to midweight base layers underneath, and means the jacket does not get in the way when you’re active. Plus, the stretch fabric in the sides and under the arms lets the jacket move with you rather than ride up; it never inhibited me while rock climbing.

The hood, adjustable via a single drawcord in back, stayed on in wind, moved with me when I turned my head, and has a shallow wire brim that’s adequate for the light or intermittent rain in which you’d wear this jacket. I wore the hood both over and under a climbing helmet; wearing it under a helmet gave better wind protection but made it a little difficult to hear my partners through the fabric.

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The zippered chest pocket and two hand pockets have mesh linings for breathability, and the jacket stuffs easily into the left pocket, with a carabiner loop for clipping to a harness when stuffed.

The lightweight, 30-denier ripstop nylon fabric throughout most of the body and hood compares with many lightweight rain shells, and is reasonably durable; the soft-shell fabric is more susceptible to tearing, but it’s also located in areas that aren’t likely to scrape against rock or sharp objects. While simple, with few features, the Helium Hybrid gets small details right, like the low-profile, elasticized cuffs, which stay put at your wrists or slide up over your elbows when desired.

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You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking this affiliate link to purchase a men’s or women’s Outdoor Research Helium Hybrid Jacket at moosejaw.com.

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See my review of “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Backpacking Jackets” and all my reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running apparel, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.

—Michael Lanza

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Ultralight Wind Shell
The North Face Flight Series Fuse Jacket
$250, 5 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s S-XL, women’s XS-L
moosejaw.com

Biting winds hit us on the 1,400-foot, third-class scramble up 10,651-foot Snowyside Peak, roughly halfway through an 8.5-hour, 20-mile, 4,500-foot, mid-September trail run-hike of the Alice-Toxaway Loop in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains. So I zipped this ultralight shell up tight and yanked the hood over my head, and got what I needed from it right then: a shield from the wind, to keep me warm.

I also wore it in temperatures in the low 40s Fahrenheit for the first couple of hours that day, mostly running uphill, and for a long stretch on the downhill side of our loop that afternoon, when the temp topped out around 50. And it was equally ideal when I dayhiked to waterfalls along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the mountains of western North Carolina, on a mid-October day of light rain and temps in the 50s. Those situations spotlight the strengths of The North Face Flight Series Fuse Jacket, an ultralight shell made for runners that transitions over to long dayhikes when you’re trying to travel light.

Unique to the Fuse Jacket’s design are perforated strips built into the 2.5-layer membrane, running down the back, sides, and underarms. These are not holes in the jacket fabric itself—so you don’t have wind whipping through it. Hold the jacket up to light and you can see the fabric is thinner where perforated. While the DryVent fabric breathes moderately well, sheds light rain, and cuts wind as well as any ultralight wind shell, the perforation allows air to pass through the fabric more easily. The Fuse got only a little clammy when I started heating up with temps in the 50s.

I also carried it on an 80-mile, five-day backpacking trip in the North Cascades National Park Complex in the last week of September—just in case—because we had a forecast for mostly dry weather. While The North Face calls the Fuse Jacket the brand’s lightest waterproof-breathable shell, that’s not to confuse it with a full-on, waterproof-breathable rain jacket. It’s not really intended for multi-day, backcountry trips where you expect sustained rain. This falls into the category of ultralight shells that strike a balance between breathability for high-octane activities like running and fast hiking, and protection from wind and light precipitation—adventures done in a day or an hour. At this weight, of course, it also lacks the features of a true waterproof-breathable rain jacket.

It does not have the breathability of, say, running jackets made of lightweight fabric that’s designed to give you added warmth and ultimate breathability, rather than wind or water resistance (and those jackets are usually several ounces heavier than an ultralight wind shell). Wearing the jacket over two base layers while cross-country skiing in falling snow and temps in the mid-20s, with the hood up much of the time, I stayed warm enough, but the inside back of the jacket was damp from sweat when I took it off. Also, wearing any kind of pack would compromise the mechanical breathability of the perforation down the back of the jacket.

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The athletic fit leaves space for a couple of light- to midweight base layers, and the adjustable hem extends about halfway down the butt. The close-fitting, elasticized hood, adjustable via a single drawcord in the back, has a small brim to help keep rain off your face. The hood also has a small, always-open vent, with a flap to keep rain out, that allows the release of some heat and moisture off your head and upper back. The shell’s one zippered pocket, on the chest, is large enough for a hat, pair of gloves, or a phone. The jacket has reflective logos and material front and back and on the forearms, and is machine washable.

Balancing some breathability and weather resistance for an ultralight shell, The North Face Flight Series Fuse Jacket is best for cool-weather running and ultralight dayhiking in wet climates, where you need protection from wind and a possible light shower.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog by clicking either of these links to purchase a men’s The North Face Flight Series Fuse Jacket at moosejaw.com or a women’s Flight Series Fuse Jacket at moosejaw.com.

See my review of “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Backpacking Jackets” and all my reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running apparel, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.

—Michael Lanza

Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside, which has made several top outdoors blog lists. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Subscribe now to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip. Please follow my adventures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.

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Ultralight Jacket
Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody
$280, 9 oz./255g (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s XS-XXL, women’s XS-XL
rei.com

Here’s a testament to the versatility of this partly insulated, lightweight wind shell: I’ve probably worn it more than any other layering piece I own over the past several months, for virtually everything I do outdoors, in every season: backpacking in August in Kootenay National Park, in the Canadian Rockies, and in October in Idaho’s White Cloud Mountains; scrambling a 10,000-foot peak in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains and hiking to the very windy summit of 10,243-foot Mount Washburn in Yellowstone National Park in September; and numerous times in late winter, skate-skiing for an hour or two in temps from the high 20s to the 30s.

Simple and yet unique—essentially an ultralight wind shell with some strategically placed insulation—it’s one of the smartest pieces of outerwear I’ve seen.

The secret? Simply that it delivers just enough insulation for being active in cool temps without causing you to overheat.

Credit the hybrid design that places fleece under the arms and 40 grams of insulation in the torso, but no insulation in the hood or on the outside of the sleeves, where there’s just windproof shell fabric so you can vent better. So whether I was standing on a windblown 10,000-footer, carrying a backpack through the mountains in conditions that shifted frequently between warm sunshine with calm air to overcast with cold wind, or perspiring profusely while skate-skiing on very hilly trails, the Atom SL keep me warm but didn’t make me too hot.

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And breathability is respectable: At the end of even the sweatiest outings Nordic skiing, the inside of the jacket was hardly damp, even at my upper back.

Arc’teryx’s Coreloft synthetic insulation is very compressible, retains heat when wet, and dries quickly.

The lightweight hood, adjustable with a single drawcord in back, and with a low-profile wire brim, stays put on your head, with or without a helmet.

The thin, water-resistant (but not waterproof), 20-denier Tyono shell fabric is very light but durable for its weight; I’ve seen no damage after a lot of use. The front zipper is designed to lock in place, not slipping open—a smart feature for high-velocity activities. The fit is trim, with space for layering a warm, long-sleeve top underneath.

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You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking either of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s or women’s Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody at rei.com or arcteryx.com.

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Please also consider sharing it using one of the buttons at right and leaving a comment or question at the bottom. Thank you, I really appreciate it.

See my review of “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Backpacking Jackets” and all my reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running apparel, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all of my reviews and my expert buying tips.

—Michael Lanza

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A breathable, ultralight jacket that sheds light precipitation can be the most versatile garment you own—something you wear almost as much as your skivvies. I’ve pulled on BD’s Alpine Start Insulated Hoody to combat wind, light rain, and cool temps on a 17-mile dayhike over the four summits of New Hampshire’s Northern Presidential Range in June; on a 25-mile, May dayhike in the Grand Canyon; trail running in the hills of central Massachusetts and standing on the blustery summit of New Hampshire’s Mount Monadnock in April; while climbing in February in Joshua Tree National Park; during a November overnight hike of The Narrows in Zion National Park; on a chilly, October hike and scramble up 9,820-foot McGown Peak in Idaho’s Sawtooths; and on numerous trail runs and rides in the Boise Foothills and bike commuting around the city.

That list alone speaks volumes about the range of this sub-eight-ounce jacket.

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The highly breathable Schoeller stretch-woven, soft-shell fabric blocked most wind, shed light rain, and dried within minutes from body heat in temperatures ranging from the 30s to the 60s. On a one-hour trail run in central Massachusetts, on an overcast, foggy day with light mist and temps in the 40s, I sweated enough to wet out my long-sleeve, midweight base layer, and yet the jacket got only slightly damp on the inside and never felt clammy.

Elasticized cuffs allowed me to push the sleeves up to my elbows while climbing, and the gusseted underarm panels let me reach high overhead without the jacket hiking up.

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The fit is athletic, not bulky, with room for a midweight base layer and a light vest underneath.

The adjustable hood closes around your face to stay put in wind and when turning your head side to side, and fits over a helmet.

One of the beauties of an ultralight, packable shell like the Alpine Start is the ease of bringing it along just in case: I stuffed it into a small hydration pack on a morning hike-run up Ryan Mountain in Joshua Tree, when I never actually needed the jacket.

And it stuffs into a zippered chest pocket, with a carabiner clip loop to hang it from a harness.

BUY IT NOW

You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s or women’s Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody at blackdiamondequipment.com, backcountry.com, or rei.com.

See my review of “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Backpacking Jackets” and all my reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, trail-running apparel, hiking apparel, and outdoor apparel at The Big Outside.

NOTE: I’ve been testing gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.

—Michael Lanza

You live for the outdoors. The Big Outside helps you get out there. Join now and a get free e-guide!

Ultralight Wind Shell
Outdoor Research Helium Hybrid Jacket
$165, 5.5 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s S-XL, women’s XS-XL
outdoorresearch.com

On a 7.5-mile trail run in Idaho’s Boise Foothills near my home, on an April morning with temps in the 50s and a strong, cool wind blowing, I stopped after climbing uphill for close to an hour. Sweating hard in that wind, wearing a lightweight, long-sleeve top that was now wet, I felt almost instantly chilled. Ahead of me were the last few, mostly downhill miles. So I pulled on this ultralight shell. While I was still perspiring for the rest of my run, the jacket delivered enough wind protection that I stayed warm. And when I finished, the inside of the jacket was only slightly damp.

Fabric and features distinguish the Helium Hybrid from other ultralight wind shells, as I discovered on numerous days trail running, road and mountain biking, rock climbing at Idaho’s Castle Rocks State Park, and biking around town in the full range of spring weather: temps ranging from the 40s to 60s Fahrenheit, wind, fast-changing conditions from sun to clouds, and spitting rain. The hood and shoulders are made with Pertex Shield fabric, which has a breathable, waterproof coating, while the rest of the jacket is made of a lightweight, nylon ripstop fabric with a little stretch to it. The shell repels a light rain effectively, while still moving moisture out at a rate that prevents the inside from getting more than damp from sweat. At times of highest exertion, it felt only slightly clammy.

The hood’s adjustability sets it apart in this jacket category—even strong gusts never yanked it off my head—while a low-profile, moldable wire brim shielded my face from spitting rain. The mesh chest pocket has an internal port for an ear buds cord. And the jacket stuffs into that pocket, leaving a sack that squishes down to slightly larger than my fist, with a short, external cord and clip for attaching to, say, a bottle belt if you’re not wearing a pack. Other details include taped seams in critical areas to enhance protection from precipitation, elastic cuffs, and a drawcord hem.

The Helium Hybrid Jacket delivers good weather protection and performance in a tiny package, making it ideal for fast-moving activities completed in a day or less, from bike rides and trail runs to ultra-hikes.

See my reviews of two other ultralight wind shells, The North Face Apex Lite Jacket and the Westcomb Crest Hoody. See also my other reviews of favorite apparel for dayhiking and trail running and all of my outdoor-clothing reviews.

NOTE: I’ve been testing gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See all of my reviews by clicking on the Gear Reviews category at left or in the main menu.

—Michael Lanza    

Ultralight Wind Shell
Westcomb Crest Hoody
$140, 5 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s XS-L
westcomb.com

With the plethora of very similar, five-ounce-or-lighter, nylon wind shells out there to wear on a trail run, ride, or dayhike, it’s hard to choose. But the Crest Hoody stands out in this pack for one reason: the wicking ability of its Pertex Equilibrium fabric. On spring trail and street runs and mountain bike rides, from the Boise Foothills to New England, I was surprised at how well the jacket wicked moisture off my sweaty base layer, even when I had this hoody zipped up to my neck.

On several outings in temperatures ranging from around freezing to the mid-50s, in wind and with no wind, I worked up a good sweat, soaking my synthetic T-shirt, but the inside of the jacket hardly got damp. On a mountain bike ride in the Boise Foothills, with temperatures in the mid-50s and no wind, I put the jacket on for the long downhill return after a 50-minute climb that left my synthetic T-shirt wet with sweat. In 20 minutes of downhill pedaling, my T-shirt dried out under the jacket: Basically, the Pertex Equilibrium breathed well enough to allow my body heat to push the moisture from my base layer through the jacket. By comparison, the nylon fabric of many ultralight wind shells does not breathe; they just offer some protection from wind and a light shower, but will trap most of your perspiration on the inside. The Crest Hoody also cuts wind and repels light precipitation, though it will wet out in a steady rain. Two minor complaints: The hood has no adjustability or elasticity and flaps around loudly in wind, and the chest pocket lacks a port for an ear buds wire.

See my reviews of other favorite hiking apparel and trail-running gear, including another ultralight wind shell, The North Face Apex Light Jacket.

NOTE: I’ve been testing gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See all of my reviews by clicking on the Gear Reviews category at left or in the main menu.

—Michael Lanza