Windbreakers, wind shirts, or wind shells, are ultralight jackets, running shells, pullovers, or anoraks weighing 2 to 5 ounces that trail runners, hikers, and backpackers wear as a barrier to prevent winds from stripping away their body heat. They’re usually made of highly breathable and thin (low denier) nylon that can be worn over a fleece or base layer to block the wind and keep you warmer when hiking or trail running. They’re amazingly warm, considering how lightweight they are.

Here are the best windbreakers and wind shirts available today. Note: when shopping for windbreakers and wind shells, retailers may list them under trail running jackets or running jackets since there’s so much overlap with hiking and backpacking.

1. Patagonia Airshed Pro Pullover

The Patagonia Airshed Pro Pullover is made from 100% recycled polyester stretch-woven ripstop with a durable water-repellent (DWR) finish made without PFAS. The sleeves and hood are made from a lightweight stretch-knit that can be pushed up on the forearms for added venting and comfort, while the hood fits snugly to retain warmth. The deep front closure has double zippers that allow for added venting while the left chest pocket converts into a stuff sack for easy packing. A woman’s model is also available. Review forthcoming soon.

2. Patagonia Houdini Jacket

The Patagonia Houdini is one of the most legendary wind shirts available today. Weighing just 3.7 oz, it’s made with a 15 denier 100% nylon ripstop shell with a DWR finish for improved water resistance. Elastic wrist cuffs make it easy to pull up the sleeves if you get too warm, while a drawcord cinches the hem. The hood adjusts with a single drawstring, while the jacket packs snugly into its zippered chest pocket with a carabiner clip-in loop. A women’s version is available. Read the SectionHiker Houdini Review.

3. Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt

The Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt is an incredibly refined, 2.4 oz wind shirt, available with 7d, 10d, or 20d nylon with an adjustable hood, elastic wrist cuffs, a drawcord hem, and a full-length zipper. While most windbreakers and windshirts have elasticized hood openings, the Copperfield hood is adjustable with pull cords, so you can completely seal off the face from drafts and prevent the hood from flapping loudly and violently in high winds. The sleeves are cut to be comfortable when wearing a backpack, and the fit runs about a half-size large for layering. A woman’s model is also available.  Read the SectionHiker Review.

4. Mammut Aenergy WB Hooded Jacket

The Mammut AEnergy WB Hooded Jacket is an ultralight breakable windbreaker designed for trail running, hiking, and ski touring jacket with a high neck, adjustable hood, and stiffened front brim. It is highly breathable and ultralight with a two-way YKK Vislon zipper for superior ventilation and a drawstring on the hem that can be adjusted with one hand. The fit is athletic, with elasticated cuffs that provide excellent functionality and good wind protection. The entire jacket can be easily stowed in its zippered chest pocket. A woman’s model is also available. Read the SectionHiker review.

5. Katabatic Gear Crest Windshell

The Katabatic Gear Crest Windshell is a minimal sub-2 ounce jacket made with highly breathable 7D Pertex Quantum Air fabric. Its textured yarn remains soft on the skin while also layerering nicely in harsh conditions, and its DWR finish sheds light rain or snow. An elasticized hood and cuffs and a simple cinch closure on the bottom hem keep it snug when you’re working hard. A woman’s model is also available.

6. Rab Vital Hoody

The Rab Vital Hoody is a lightweight hooded jacket with an elasticated hood with a stiffened peak and rear volume adjustment, so it stays in place in strong winds. Made with 20 denier nylon, it has two zippered hand pockets, a front zip with an internal storm flap, elasticated cuffs, a hem drawcord, and an internal stuff pocket. Weighing 4.6 oz, it’s a relatively heavy windbreaker because it is so rich in features and internal storage. A women’s version is also available.

7. Montbell Tachyon Hooded Wind Jacket

8. Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody

The Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody is made with Pertex Quantum Air fabric. It has elastic binding on its hood for a secure fit with two zippered hand pockets and stuffs into an internal pocket that has a carabiner clip loop. The hoody has raglan sleeves and underarm gussets for enhanced mobility with elastic binding at cuffs and hem for a secure fit and to seal in warmth. A woman’s model is also available.

9. Outdoor Research Shadow Wind Jacket

The Outdoor Research Shadow Wind Hoodie is breathable yet highly wind-resistant, making it the perfect outer layer for trail runs, fastpacking, and backcountry touring. It provides light water resistance, features a hood that stows away into the jacket’s collar when not in use, and zippered pockets for essentials. It also conveniently packs up small, using its zippered chest pocket as a stuff sack. A woman’s version is also available. Read the SectionHiker Review.

10. Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell

The Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell is a lightweight 15d Jacket with a basic feature set including an adjustable hood with a rear volume adjuster and elasticized face opening, elastic wrist cuffs, a zippered chest pocket, and hem adjustment. The thing that differentiates it from other windbreakers is its DWR coating, which is woven into the jacket rather than coating its exterior. This makes it far less susceptible to wearing off due to abrasion from stuffing and unstuffing, providing longer-lasting protection in mist and drizzle. It doesn’t make the jacket waterproof like a rain jacket, but it does extend its range in variable weather. The fit is slim.  A women’s version is also available. 

Windbreaker and Wind Shirt Buyers Guide

Here are the key features and factors to be on the lookout for when choosing a windbreaker or wind shirt.

Wind Resistance

The wind resistance of a windbreaker depends on how tightly the fabric it’s made with is woven and features that help seal the jacket from drafts like elastic wrist cuffs, a drawcord hem, and a fully adjustable hood. Most windbreakers and wind shirts are made from thin, low-denier nylon or polyester that is highly breathable and windproof. Some windbreakers are cut slim, which is good for running, while others are more generously sized so you can wear them over a mid-layer, which is often desirable for hiking, backpacking, climbing, and mountaineering.

Breathability and Venting

Unlike rain jackets, nylon windbreakers, and wind shells usually have quite good breathability right through the fabric, which you can verify when you feel the fabric becoming damp under your armpits from perspiration. In general, the thinner the fabric weight, measured in terms of denier, the better it will be from a breathability standpoint. Keep in mind that very thin fabrics wear out much more quickly than thicker, more durable ones. Some jackets also use more specialized nylon that has a very tight weave for improved wind resistance, even though this can mean they retain more heat. If heat buildup is a concern, it’s better to get a wind jacket with a full-length zipper instead of relying on underarm vents for additional ventilation. Foregoing a hood is also another strategy that can reduce a wind jacket’s level of heat retention.

Weight and Packability

Wind shells typically range in weight from 1.5 oz up to 6 oz and are highly packable, usually compressing down to the size of an apple because they’re made with such lightweight nylon. When hiking and backpacking, it’s often convenient to stuff a wind shirt or wind jacket loosely in your backpack, filling in the voids between stuff sacks and gear, rather than scrunching it up or stuffing it into its chest pocket, unless you want to attach it to a climbing harness.

Water Resistance

Most windbreakers and wind shells have a DWR coating on the exterior to repel mist and drizzle, but you shouldn’t count on a wind jacket to keep you dry in the rain. The DWR coating will also quickly wear off the more times you stuff the jacket into a backpack or into a pocket, rendering it useless. If you need a rain jacket, buy a proper one designed for that task. Similarly, most rain jackets are too warm to use as windbreakers.

Wind Jackets vs Pullovers

Windbreakers are available as jackets with full-length front zippers or pullovers with quarter-length or half-length chest zips. Full zip jackets are usually preferable in terms of ventilation because they allow more airflow, but pullovers are usually lighter because they forego the added zipper weight or are hoodless.

Hood Adjustability

An adjustable hood is important to seal out drafts, particularly around the face. Look for jackets with neck toggles and barring that, ones with tightly fitting elasticated face openings. A rear volume adjuster is also beneficial to downsize a hood to a human-friendly size if it’s helmet-compatible.

Fabric Denier

Fabric denier is a unit of measurement used to determine the fiber thickness of individual threads used in the creation of fabrics. Fabrics with a high denier count tend to be thick, sturdy, durable, and heavier. Fabrics with a low denier count tend to be sheer, soft, silky, and lighter in weight.

Venting

While venting, as in pit zips is helpful, it’s just not as effective as a full-length zipper. Because weight is at such a premium on wind shirts, if there are pit zips, they’ll be permanently open rather than having zippers.

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