What is your favorite water resistant light weight jacket/shell?
lporter229
Posts: 4,907 Member
I am looking for a new running shell. I want something that can keep me dry in the rain, so not too heavy, but can also be worn over my base layers to keep me dry in the snow. I prefer to have a hood and also some reflective accents, but these are not necessarily requirements. What do you wear and what do you like or not like about it? Thanks for the help!
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Hmm. I have a super lightweight Saucony jacket they don't make any more, but I used to wear that over a long-sleeve and a tank top under the LS to keep my core warm (my arms/hands stay pretty toasty all by themselves). My running group tends toward Nike ($$$) and North Face gear for wet and windy winter runs.
Personally, since my arms do stay pretty warm, I prefer a waterproof vest and long sleeves. Vests tend to fit a bit tighter, so less bouncing when I've got things in the pockets. And then I can still show off my winter running wardrobe
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I have a pair of light weight Brooks jackets in bright yellow, with a vented back. I have a mismatched pair of Boston celebration jackets. I have a SportTek wind shell jacket that is embroidered for the 25th Anniversary Race with Grace. And I have a 6 year old Walmart wind shell that is a candidate for charity donation next Patriots' Day. All of them function pretty much the same for wind and water resistance. The Brooks jackets are lightest, the RWG jacket is heaviest, and the Boston celebration jackets are about what I consider the standard weight for this type of thing.
None of these have a hood. I have several hoodie type jackets that I will wear in the coldest weather, so I can put the hood over my hat; but none of them are great at water resistance. For weather that is warm enough for rain, I wear hats that are not part of the jacket. I think the Walmart jacket that I left in Hopkinton last April had a hood, but I never used it.
I really like the bright yellow visibility of the Brooks jackets. The Boston and RWG jackets are sentimental, and the RWG jacket is what I want for slightly colder weather when I'm layering, but it's black so I really only want to wear it in broad daylight. I don't want to run a lot in the Boston jackets because they're kind of a bragging rights badge; I wear them socially in appropriate weather. It's good to have variety of weights so I can fine tune what I wear for the weather.0 -
I have a North Face shell that keeps me dry, but it is not especially breathable.0
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Keeping dry during a run was never a consideration of mine. I'm getting wet, either from the inside or the outside.0
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Keeping dry during a run was never a consideration of mine. I'm getting wet, either from the inside or the outside.
I second the above, but have a cheap (as in Lidl grocery store weekly special grouped with ski equipment) jacket that keeps the sleet and snow from getting inside and keeps me warm (plus has great inside pockets-I've fit water bottles and all sorts of stuff in there while running).
Mostly it's probably a matter of preference.0 -
Patagonia Houdini.
No jacket will ever keep me dry on a run since I'll be sweaty. The Patagonia is super light weight, blocks wind, and is very well made. I found mine on clearance for $50 at REI0 -
Patagonia Houdini.
No jacket will ever keep me dry on a run since I'll be sweaty. The Patagonia is super light weight, blocks wind, and is very well made. I found mine on clearance for $50 at REI
This. The best time to buy a wind shell is in the spring, when the winter clothing is at clearout prices. I bought my pair of Brooks jackets on a 2 for 1 sale. At $90, I would have thought them pricey; at 2 for $90, they were quality worth the price. It's really nice to have the second one to wear so I don't have to do laundry as often.0 -
Arcteryx norvan sl hoody. Note the "sl." The regular norvan is heavier and not what you want. Single best thing in my running kit, bar none. 3oz goretex shell that packs tiny. As breathable as you will get in a waterproof jacket. Pricey, yes, but worth it. Though it seems like it would be fragile because it is paper thin, it's durable even with a running pack.0
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Patagonia Houdini.
No jacket will ever keep me dry on a run since I'll be sweaty. The Patagonia is super light weight, blocks wind, and is very well made. I found mine on clearance for $50 at REI
I have been looking at this one.Arcteryx norvan sl hoody. Note the "sl." The regular norvan is heavier and not what you want. Single best thing in my running kit, bar none. 3oz goretex shell that packs tiny. As breathable as you will get in a waterproof jacket. Pricey, yes, but worth it. Though it seems like it would be fragile because it is paper thin, it's durable even with a running pack.
Wow. That is compact. But, yeah, quite pricey. Although looks like they have it at REI and I have some rewards to spend. Maybe I will check it out.
Thanks for the suggestions!
For those of you that say you do not stay dry on a run due to sweat, do you wear a Merino wool base layer? I would not say that mine keeps me completely dry, but it does a heck of a good job at wicking away that sweat!0
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