Packable Lightweight Running Jackets for Unpredictable Weather

This lightweight rain shell is in almost every jacket roundup of ours because, well, most of us have been using it for years. There’s nothing fancy about it. It’s basic black, has a simple hood, a single zipped pocket, and the fit is tight-but-not-too-tight. Yes, it’s as basic as it gets, but it also will last you for years.

As the name says, the Shakedry jacket truly does shake dry, making it easy to stuff back into your pack when the storm has passed. It’s saved me on more than one run, and it’s handled a wash/dry cycle more often than it probably should.

If you’re a cyclist in addition to being a runner, here’s good news: It has the best on-bike fit out of all of the jackets that we have recommended here.

The only downside is the high price tag, but also its limited availability since it can be hard to find. If you snag one, you won’t regret it.

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This jacket’s superpower is that it’s extremely breathable—when we conducted a fabric-permeability test using a hot sauna, the Canopy released more vapors than any other waterproof running jacket in our lineup.

Its combined light weight and packability make the Canopy the perfect layer for unpredictable weather when you may have to stash or zip up. A longtime favorite from Brooks, the jacket also has a stowable hood so it won’t flop behind your head as you run. The front pockets feature a snug compartment—your phone slides right in.

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We’ve been raving about this lightweight rain shell for at least a decade. In that time the jacket has only gotten better in terms of design and style, thanks to some new patterned options.

The Houdini is made from recycled ripstop nylon with a DWR finish that keeps the wind and rain out without adding weight, though this comes at the expense of some breathability. It’s loaded with practical but simple features like a drawcord hem and sleeves, a zipper chest pocket, and a hood that can cinch down so it won’t flap around in the wind.

A carabiner loop on the zipper chest pocket makes the jacket easy to stuff into a ball and tote if it becomes too toasty to wear.

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The ON Zero is lightweight—so much so that the undyed version is thin enough to be see-through. It’s a good jacket to stash in a pack so that it’s always on hand, and it takes up almost no space.

This option will keep you comfortable on chilly mornings (or looking cool at the coffeeshop post-run. The cobalt dye on the sleeves turns this simple jacket into a fashion statement).

Because it’s so thin and only water-resistant—not waterproof—it’s only cut out for wear in a light drizzle. This is not the jacket for a full-on downpour. Note: If you find hoods more annoying than helpful this is a great choice. The reasonably high neck helps keep your core warm without the worries of a hood flapping around.

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If you run in the early morning or late at night, visibility is as important as warmth. With its woven-in fluorescence, high contrast, and 3M Scotchlite Carbon Black Stretch reflectivity, the Brooks Reflective Convertible Jacket will make you nearly impossible to miss on the roads.

For early risers who run until the sun is up and the heat starts rising, there’s an added benefit to this jacket: It stows as a pack that you can wear as a vest—and even the vest is covered with reflective accents. In addition to being highly visible, this convertible has all the standard bells and whistles of a regular running jacket including a water-resistant DWR treatment and a hood that can be stowed if you don’t need it.

Finding a raincoat that doesn’t feel like one of those early Nineties sauna suits is tricky, which makes rainwear options for those medium-temperature days difficult for runners.

For those spring showers, the Janji Rainrunner Pack Jacket is a must-have. It’s fully waterproof with taped seams and DWR coating, but the fabric is lightweight and still feels breathable thanks to 360-degrees of venting around the core.

The fit is slightly loose but still ergonomic—and for those who want a jacket that can work over one or two layers, the generous space is welcome. My favorite little extra? The jacket folds up into one of its pockets, and there’s a built-in elastic carry strap so you can easily hold it in your hand to finish your run if temps warm up.

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The Bonatti Aero Wind lightweight jacket is the easiest to tuck into a pocket or a pack once you’ve folded it up into its own chest pocket. Every effort has been made to shed weight in this jacket, including laser cut holes on back and underarms to improve airflow and save a milligram or two. In fact, it’s a great jacket to keep stashed in your regular run pack for emergencies.

The jacket is coated with a PFC-free durable water repellent so it can stand up to light showers, and it’s fully windproof. Because it’s meant to be ultralight, consider sizing up if you know you’ll occasionally double up on layers underneath: it does have a slimmer fit than most windbreakers.

The ON Weather Jacket is fun and stylish, yet all business when it comes to performance. The polyamide fabric is treated with DWR to render it water-repellent, but the fabric maintains serious stretchiness. While the stretchy aspect may not seem immediately important, it makes a huge difference when you add an extra layer underneath.

There are plenty of other adjustable elements that we love for dialing in the fit: the hood has a drawcord for when the weather gets bad, there’s another drawcord at the waist so you can opt to tighten it up or let it flow. The hidden chest snap lets you increase air flow when temperatures begin to rise.

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The Stretch Ozonic is made of soft fabric that’s waterproof and abrasion-resistant. You can secure the cuffs around your wrists or upper arm by adjusting the Velcro tabs. The jacket packs down into a zippered pocket for portability (though more likely for packing into a suitcase or duffel, since it’s too bulky to easily carry on a run).

Testers were kept dry running in the Stretch Ozonic but found themselves becoming sweaty later in their run due to little ventilation. Zippered underarm vents provide more airflow; however, unzipping them results in “a lot of exposure to rain,” said a tester.

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This cozy mid-layer falls somewhere between running shirt and jacket—it’s made from the same soft, Merino wool of the brand’s Downeaster hoodie, but it has integrated wind panels that span the front and upper back to give it a wind-vest effect. It also has a wind-paneled mock collar to keep you cozy.

When Caitlin Giddings tested this out on a crisp but sunny morning in Texas, she immediately loved its sweater-like warmth, wind shield, and classic New England style. Once she started moving, the boxy, just-below-waist fit was perfect—neither too tight nor too baggy. She considers it her most comfortable running layer for cold and windy days when there’s little chance of precipitation.

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