These Women’s Running Jackets Keep You Warm and Dry All Year Long

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As the weather turns colder, some runners move their workouts to a treadmill or turn to indoor cross-training. But if you prefer to keep your runs outside, it’s important to layer with a base layer, a mid layer, and a good running jacket so you can stay comfortable and safe in the cooler temps.

Your running jacket needs to do more than keep you warm, though—it should protect against water and wind while remaining flexible so you can pump your arms and lightweight so as not to slow you down. With these standards in mind, we’ve rounded up the best women’s running jackets on the market, all of which effortlessly combine performance, protection, comfort, and a sleek profile.

Looking for more apparel to take you through the colder months? Check out our picks for the best winter running gear, neck gaiters, and fleece-lined leggings.

The Best Women’s Running Jackets

• Best Overall: Patagonia Houdini Air Women’s Running Windbreaker

• Best Value: C9 Champion Full Zip Cardio Women’s Running Jacket

• Best for Frigid Temps: Athleta Inlet Women’s Running Jacket

• Best Drop-Tail Jacket: Lululemon Mist Over Women’s Running Windbreaker

• Best Lightweight: Arc'Teryx Norvan Windshell Women’s Running Windbreaker

What to Consider

Materials

A somewhat stretchy jacket is ideal so the fabric can move with you as you pump your arms, lift your legs up, and bend at the torso. Polyester is a good option because it’s flexible, especially when combined with elastane, and wicks moisture well. Nylon is another good moisture-wicking option. Moisture-wicking is especially important for cold-weather running because it allows your sweat to evaporate before it can freeze and cause a shiver-inducing chill.

Insulation

The amount of insulation you need depends on the conditions you’re running in and, to a certain extent, your personal preference and natural physiology (for instance, how hot you get when you run). Lots of runners prefer to use a running jacket as a windbreaker and waterproof layer, and then add merino wool base layers underneath to stay warm.

People with faster metabolisms generally run warmer and won’t need as much insulation. Even people who run colder will need less insulation on a 40-degree day during a high-output run than if they were walking around at a slower pace that same day.

When it comes to designs specifically for women, some companies employ body-mapped insulation or venting that varies between women’s and men’s styles based on where you’re more likely to feel hot.

Weatherproofing

If you don’t mind logging miles in the rain and snow, you should add a water-resistant or waterproof jacket to your arsenal, even though they usually aren’t as breathable as non-waterproof coats. Both water-resistant and waterproof constructions also block wind.

Water-resistance, often achieved with a durable water repellent (DWR) coating, offers a moderate level of protection that will keep you dry in light precipitation. A waterproof jacket, on the other hand, offers a higher level of protection, thanks to a bonded membrane that seals out water at the seams. That’s great if you’re going to be out in heavy precipitation for a long run, but keep in mind membranes often limit breathability and slow down drying.

How We Evaluated

The original author of this piece, Marissa Cruz Lemar, is an avid runner who especially prefers cold-weather running in the 30- to 40-degree range—as such, she’s had plenty of opportunity to test a variety of jackets. Because she runs outside year-round, Lemar used her expertise to recommend the best winter running jackets for women that’ll keep you warm and, when you need it, dry.

In addition to Lemar’s recommendations, we used our staff’s experience and researched the market to find the best running jackets for women. This guide includes a variety of styles—insulated, waterproof, pullover, and lightweight—so you’ll be covered no matter the weather or your preferences. We prioritized jackets made from materials that are stretchy and breathable, and we evaluated each model based on weather protection, value, comfort, and style.

For the jackets that made the cut, we included an estimated temperature range in Fahrenheit. For jackets we’ve run in, this temperature range is based on our personal experience; for models we haven’t tried, we made assessments based on product descriptions and customer reviews. Keep in mind that these temp ranges are estimations, and your own experience might vary—our “what to wear” tool can help with that.

Women’s Houdini Air Running Jacket

Also rated as our best overall windbreaker, the Houdini Air straddles the line between two of Patagonia’s other top jackets: the lightweight, packable Houdini and the soft, breathable Airshed. It borrows the former’s wind- and water-resistance, but it also offers some of the latter’s softness, making it a perfect all-rounder for chilly runs above freezing.

Need to ditch your outer layer? The Houdini Air also packs away into a reversible chest pocket, stuffing all that functionality into a package the size of a point-and-shoot camera.

Full Zip Cardio Running Jacket for Women

This mid-weight jacket is ideal for keeping warm in just-above-freezing temps. Although very form-fitting, it’s made of polyester and spandex, so it gives way as you move, and the thicker fabric still wicks moisture and dries fast—that last point can be critical when the wind gets icy.

Instead of a hood, the Cardio Jacket sports a tall mock neck that fends off bone-chilling gusts without flapping around. If you want the overhead coverage a hood provides, you’ll need to look elsewhere, but you may also feel just fine wearing a cozy hat instead.

Inlet Women’s Running Jacket

If you want to keep conquering your outdoor runs when the weather becomes inhospitable, you’ll appreciate some extra insulation—that’s where the Inlet’s down stuffing comes in handy. This jacket can keep you comfortable all the way down to zero degrees, and despite the fluffy layer of feathers, it still provides an impressive amount of arm mobility.

Other neat finishing touches include a removable hood, thumb holes for extra hand coverage, and a water-resistant treatment on the Inlet’s outer layer—ideal for unexpectedly snowy days.

Mist Over Windbreaker

Lululemon offers a mobile, slim-fitting jacket in the Mist Over windbreaker. Its drop-tail design, which provides some extra rear-end coverage, pairs nicely with leggings or running tights while providing some bonus warmth.

In addition to wind protection, you’ll keep dry thanks to this jacket’s water-repellent fabric. It’s made of a stretchy polyester and elastane blend, but plan to size up if you want to comfortably add layers underneath—this is definitely a more fitted option.

Norvan Windshell Running Jacket for Women

For days when you’re not sure if it’s going to get cooler, but you don’t want to be burdened with a heavy jacket, look no further than the Norvan Windshell.

At only 3 ounces, you can pack this jacket down, throw in your pocket or bag, and completely forget about until you need some extra wind protection. And while it’s technically a windbreaker, the Norvan still provides some breathability for your higher-intensity runs.

Laureate Women’s Thermal Fleece Pullover Jacket

This Baleaf piece brings the benefits of a jacket to a fitted pullover style. Don’t let the brushed fleece interior fool you, though—it’ll keep you warm without trapping heat.

The moisture-wicking material helps you stay comfortable as you get warmed up, and the half-zip style means you can unzip for extra ventilation. This option is extra stretchy because it’s made of a polyester and elastane blend, like the Lululemon Mist Over, so you’ll have lots of flexibility as you move.

Women's Park View Grid Fleece Full Zip Jacket

This jacket is another superb mid-weight option for yucky-weather runs. Wear it on its own as an external layer or as a mid-layer under a weather-resistant shell.

The full polyester design is stretchy, making it ideal for lovers of form-fitting clothes, but it also offers a looser-fit alternative to the C9 Champion jacket that earned our Best Value designation.

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