Written by 11:24 amOutdoor Gear

Best Men’s Running Jackets Buyer’s Guide & Reviews

This is a photo of a man wearing a blue running jacket at the beach.

We’ve all had more time to ourselves than normal this year. Lockdowns across the world have seen an explosion in personal fitness. While gyms have been closed, running has made the ultimate fitness comeback. We can see why after all, what do you need to run other than a good pair of running shoes? We recommend a mens running jacket.

Most runners know that wearing a jacket while running can not only make the whole experience more comfortable but also helps you burn extra calories. There is much to consider, with thousands of brands and performance fabrics out there, we’ve compiled some of the best jackets on the market along with some standard features to consider to help you perform your best!

Best Men’s Running Jackets

1: Columbia Men’s Glenmaker Lake Rain Jacket

Photo of a man standing wearing a loose jacket in gray and black color

Specification: 12.28 x 9.21 x 3.11 inches | Weight: 10.55 oz

Over the last couple of years, Columbia has burst onto the fashion scene with the emergence of street style. Known for their sleek and functional sportswear, they are much loved by celebrities, skaters, and runners alike.

The first product on our list is the Glenmaker Lake Rain Jacket. This cool and functional running jacket is made from Hydroplus Waterproof Nylon which makes it waterproof, lightweight, and comfortable. It’s machine washable, low maintenance, and has a stowaway, fully detachable hood to take you from showers to sunshine in an instant.

The stitching is described as expert, the materials are high quality so you know that it will last, as Columbia put it, ‘for seasons to come!’ According to Amazon’s rating menu, this jacket is number one in Trench and Rain Coats, Men’s Big and Tall Trench and Rain Coats, and Men’s Outdoor Recreation Jackets and Coats.

Pro's:
  • Zippable hand pockets and packs down into chest pocket.
  • Many colors are available.
  • Adjustable cuffs.
Cons:
  • Often sells out.

2: Marmot Men’s Tempo Soft Shell Jacket

Close-up photo of a gray jacket with yellow color zipper running from the bottom to the tip of the neck part.

Specification: 15.75 x 10.87 x 2.13 inches | Weight: 16 oz

This softshell is the ideal mild climate running jacket! Made from water-resistant and breathable Nylon this machine-washable jacket promises to protect you from wind and water, and provide a comfortable workout garment for a whole range of outdoor sports.

It has lycra bound cuffs, three zippered pockets and, an angel wing movement design. The drawcord hem and hood will keep you in and the rain out!

These regular fit jackets are made in Iceland and come highly praised. Marmot’s philosophy is breathability and wind and water protection while ensuring a lot of comfort. There’s a lot of colors to choose from too!

Pro's:
  • M3 fabric for comfort and breathability.
  • Dries very quickly.
  • Budget option.
Cons:
  • Often unavailable.

3: Columbia Men’s Tall EvaPOURation Jacket

This is an image of a man wearing a jacket, blue color, unzippered and hood hanging loose

Specification: 15 x 10.8 x 2.2 inches | Weight: 11.04 Oz

The second entry to the lineup from Columbia, we couldn’t leave this great running jacket off of our list! THe EvaPOURation jacket comes in over 6 different color options and includes a helpful size chart to help you find the right fit, as some customers have said this jacket can run slightly large.

This particular jacket is loved by competitive runners and fashionistas alike! It has taped seams, Omnitech fabric for greater performance and comfort, and includes sweat-wicking technology.

It’s breathable, durable and packs into its own pocket, and is versatile and durable with high-quality materials, minimal movement noise, and cold weather compatibility.

It has underarm vents for controlling your body temperature, a packable hood, dries quickly, and takes you from a training session to cool casualwear in an instant!

Pro's:
  • Tailored fit
  • Designed for prolonged heavy use.
  • Drops creases during wear.
Cons:
  • Runs a little large.

4: Marmot Magus Men’s Lightweight Rain Jacket

A photo of a pink jacket with hood and zipper that runs upward

Specifications: 16.1 x 10.4 x 1.8 inches | Weight: 10.41 Oz

Making men s running jackets is a competitive business, but here again, are the small Icelandic company Marmot featuring their Magus running jacket. Proving once again they deserve a spot in our lineup.

This jacket provides ample weather resistance, it has a 2.5 layer NanoPro stretch fabric to protect you from rain, snow, and wind. With weatherproof double stitch seams, adjustable hood, and PitZips to ensure temperature control by increasing airflow and comfort.

The Marmot Magus also has the classic adjustable hem and weatherproof zippered chest and hand pockets to ensure you and your valuables stay dry. If that wasn’t enough to tempt you, it also boasts a 17,000 B breathability rating and packs into the chest pocket when you’re not using it making it great for travel and events.

Pro's:
  • The brand is known for snowsports and durability.
  • Compatible with lots of layers.
  • True to size.
Cons:
  • Not a budget option.

5: ARSUXEO Winter Warmup Thermal Softshell

A photo of a black jacket, arms stretched in V-position

Specifications: 14.5 x 9.5 x 1.8 inches | Weight: 18.4 oz

This running softshell is a great bit of temperature controlling gear. On sale for under $40 this jacket certainly packs a punch! Made from a Polyester and Spandex blend, this jacket will move with you, and keep you warm!

The jacket is comprised of three layers: The top layer is like a windbreaker and provides a lot of weather resistance. The second layer is a waterproof breathable membrane film. The third and innermost layer is a soft and warm fleece to keep you comfortable and cozy on those early morning winter runs!

It has adjustable cuffs and reflective front and back panels to help keep you safe in low light visibility. It has three zippable pockets to keep your valuables safe and protected from the weather. The stretchy panels will make this a comfortable and warm softshell, and help circulate the air around your body.

Pro's:
  • Loved by cyclists.
  • Easy Access Pockets.
  • Good chest and neck wind protection
Cons:
  • Not a budget option.

6: BALEAF Men’s cycling and running jacket

Image of a man in a neon green jacket with black-colored zips running from the bottom up to the neck part

Specifications: 3.94 x 3.94 x 1.97 inches | Weight: 6.35 Oz

Featuring number one in the Amazon category for men s running jackets, this jacket from Baleaf offers reflective weather protection for under $50.

It’s lightweight, wind and water protective, and fully seam-sealed for great protection from the elements. Made from 100% polyester, this jacket packs into its own back pocket to make it easy to travel with. The interior is laminated with TPU membrane, which has a rating of 5000 mm waterproofing and 3000 mg / m2 24 hr breathability.

There are two inner pockets to store your valuables, a big hood design to protect your eyes from the rain, you can see that this garment was designed with runners and cyclists in mind. Baleaf also has an extremely helpful and easy to follow size chart to make sure you get your perfect fit.

Pro's:
  • Versatile and can be used for many sports.
  • The brand has over 5 years of experience.
  • Reflective.
Cons:
  • Often unavailable.

7: BALEAF Men’s Hi-Vis Running Jacket

Image of a man in a neon green jacket with black-colored zips running from the bottom up to the neck part

Specifications:13.39 x 10.94 x 1.65 inches | Weight: 7.05 Oz

Baleaf is a dedicated sportswear brand made by sportspeople for sportspeople. The brand ethos is focused on breathability, high performance, and weather protection, and this jacket is no different. Made from 100% polyester and two zippable hand pockets it’s sure to give you bang for your buck!

Once again it packs down into its own back pocket for effortless travel. There are ventilation panels on the back and even has detachable sleeves and hood for ventilation and weather versatility. This jacket is a real comfortable fit for novice and experienced runners alike and has a lot of high visibility features for your safety.

Baleaf has created a versatile and functional jacket that will keep you dry and safe for a retail price under $40, plus lots of offers on their website. They have also made an ecological pledge to use as much recycled fabric as possible, for the earth-conscious athletes among you!

Pro's:
  • Loved by runner s.
  • Hundreds of five-star reviews.
  • Adjustable mesh back panels.
Cons:
  • Zips can be stiff.

8: WANTDO Men’s Reflective Running Fleece

A close-up photo of a fleece black jacket without hood on a white background

Specifications: 5 x 5 x 5 inches | Weight: 15.34 Oz

Wantdo is an Asian sportswear brand that promises great quality products at a low-end price, they also rigorously test all their fabric to make sure they are tough and functional. Wantdo says they want to create sportswear that can be transitioned from performance to pleasure.

This stylish reflective running fleece has a lot of cool features to help you perform in a range of conditions and activities. It has an adjustable elastic belt, adjustable storm cuffs and, a reflective logo, and panels for safety in low light conditions.

The composite layers provide great thermal performance, and the other layers provide breathability. the Polar fleece keeps body heat too. As a softshell, you know it’s going to be comfortable. This fleece is in the top 20 categories for men’s running jackets, and number 10 for men’s cycling jackets.

Pro's:
  • High-quality materials.
  • Great customer service.
  • Good water resistance.
Cons:
  • No hood

9: Patagonia Houdini Full Zip Rain Jacket

An image of a black jacket with hood hanging and with elasticized armholes

Specification: (dimensions unavailable) | Weight: 3.07 Oz

Randall Scott Company is America’s number one premier outdoor retailer, and doesn’t the world know it! Known for outfitting celebs and skaters, Patagonia is another sportswear brand that has shot to fashion fame in the last few years.

The Houdini is a gorgeous jacket, its main feature is its incredibly compact size and weight. this jacket weighs less than four ounces and will definitely make a difference to your travels without weighing you down. it has a DWR coated full front chest zipper, good opening, and field of vision adjustment capability on the hood, and packs into its own chest pocket.

The jacket is water-resistant, with half elastic cuffs and a drawcord hem to keep the water out.

Pro's:
  • Reflective logo.
  • Fairtrade certified.
  • Made from recycled materials.
Cons:
  • Not a budget option.

10: Under Armour Qualifier Storm Jacket

A photo of a man on a bright-green jacket on a white background.

Specifications: 0.39 x 0.39 x 0.39 inches | Weight: 10.58 Oz

The final product in our list is from Under Armour, who is a household name in fitness. They have created the world’s biggest connected fitness platform and create workouts and workout wear for any possible fitness activity.

The Qualifier boasts UA storm technology to provide a wind and water resistant, comfortable piece of sportswear. The cuffs, hem, and hood are bound with elastic to keep you warm and dry while facing the elements. It has a two-way zip to ensure your workout gear stays in place, and as men s running jackets go, this is hard to beat.

It packs into a small zippable hand pocket and is easily packed into a bag or attached to a harness. The drop-shaped hem and back ventilation panels will keep your jackets in place while ensuring body temperature control.

Pro's:
  • UA performance fabric.
  • The brand has over 2 decades of experience.
  • High-quality materials
Cons:
  • Sells out quickly.

FAQs

Which is the best value men s running jackets?

The best value running jacket will depend on what for and how much you use it. Jackets can be anywhere between the retail price of $20 to $200 so you have to ask yourself how much you’ll be using the product, where you’ll be using the product, and when it will be used.

  • If you live in a place where it’s mostly sunny weather, and you find yourself almost always training in warm clear weather, it might not be necessary for you to splash out on a jacket with superior thermal technologies, for example.
  • If you like many have taken to running when the gyms have been unavailable this year, and you plan to run occasionally, both in the gym or hitting the pavement, it might be better to get a more all-rounder jacket, that you can transition through the seasons and terrains. Rather than spending fifty bucks on jackets for every eventuality.

There are some features that every good performance jacket should have:

  • It should be lightweight, ergonomic, and allow for maximum freedom of movement.
  • It should protect you from the elements (water, wind, or any type of extreme weather) without compromising performance.
  • It should be comfortable to train into and have hand pockets or a chest pocket for storage of energy gels, music players, or anything else you might need to train.

What is the most comfortable mens running jacket?

The most comfortable running jacket is again dependant on your needs, but there are some across the board considerations when it comes to training in comfort. Most runners are aware that wearing a jacket while training can burn more calories, but there are some features that make for a comfortable rain jacket, no matter which you decide to invest in.

  • FIT: The fit is an important consideration, as it’s more than if it just fits your body well. In a comfortable and well-fitting running jacket. You should be able to lift your arms over your head and still have your torso fully covered. This is why a lot of the jackets in our lineup are designed with a dropped hem. It should be loose enough to provide good breathability but tight enough that it fully fastens in the front without feeling like a squeeze. Another great functional fit feature is stretchy paneling, this allows your jacket to move with you while keeping its shape and optimizing performance and comfort.
  • WEATHER PERFORMANCE: The jacket should be able to pull sweat away from your body, this feature is known as sweat-wicking technology. It should provide at least some resistance to wind and water, but it is important to remember that the more waterproof the jacket, the less breathable it will be.

How is a running jacket different from a regular jacket?

It’s also important to remember these are performance garments. That isn’t to say they don’t have their place in cool and casual fashion, like Columbia, New Balance and Patagonia have proved in the last couple of years, these brands have transcended sportswear into fashion so seamlessly that barely anybody noticed! Their products are often seen as commonly on the street as on the running track.

That being said, there are a few things that set a running jacket from your standard coat, though, there are two main types of running jacket:

  • SOFTSHELL: These tend to be jackets that offer warmth and temperature regulation during hard workouts in the cold. They tend to be water resistant and offer some protection from the wind.
  • SINGLE LAYER: These are described as giving satisfactory protection in a tiny packable package. They provide enough protection against wind and water. But the feature that sets them apart is that they usually weigh less than five ounces (yes, really), and pack down into their own back, hand pockets, or chest pocket for ultimate portability. They tend to protect better from the wind, too which can increase your warmth and comfort.
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