The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets of 2024

By Michael Lanza

You’re out on an all-day hike or a long climb or trail run or ride in the mountains. The weather forecast looked pretty good before you set out—but no one shared that memo with the wind that just started hammering your summit ridge, or the spitting rain and hail now pelting you as you contemplate the sudden drop in temperature and the miles between you and shelter. The question now is: What’s in your pack?

If you’re smart, it’s an ultralight jacket that takes up little space, but is about to gift you with just the right amount of weather protection when you need it.

This article offers my expert tips on how to choose the best ultralight shell for your needs, followed by my freshly updated picks for the best models on the market today, based on real-world, backcountry field testing and more than 25 years of experience reviewing outdoor gear and apparel, including more than 10 years running this blog and previously the lead gear reviewer for Backpacker magazine for 10 years.


Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Join The Big Outside to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here for my e-books to classic backpacking trips. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip.


The Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoodie.
The Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoodie.

Ultralight Jackets Explained

What is an ultralight shell jacket? There’s no consensus definition, and considerable variation among today’s models. But basically, the term “ultralight jacket” explains their primary advantage: They weigh under about 10 ounces—and some a fraction of that—and are very packable, often stuffing down to the size of a fist. In other words, they are usually less than half the weight and bulk of a standard waterproof-breathable jacket. While a few may be partly or even fully waterproof, many are water-resistant and windproof, providing a minimum level of protection from the elements.

While these jackets, also known as ultralight wind shells, are marketed primarily to trail runners, they are often a better choice than a heavier, bulkier rain jacket for dayhikers, climbers, and lightweight/ultralight backpackers who don’t expect to encounter heavy rain. I’ve used many of the models reviewed here for lightweight dayhikes and some of the more durable models for backpacking and climbing when the forecast threatened no more than passing showers or thunderstorms.

Although they certainly look very minimalist, they deliver all the protection you need from wind and light rain—the conditions many of us often encounter, far more often than full-on storms. Some of them are partly or fully waterproof-breathable, and kept me dry in steady rain; but they lack the full hood coverage, features, and degree of waterproofing that a heavier rain jacket provides, and I don’t recommend ultralight jackets for hours or days of sustained rain.

The truth is, because standard, heavier, waterproof-breathable shells are, by definition, not as breathable as shells that are simply water-resistant, they are not the best choice for activities where you sweat a lot, like running or rigorous uphill hiking with a pack on, because they often cause you to get soaked from perspiration. Waterproof-breathable shells have their place, for sure. (See my top picks for the best rain jackets for hiking, backpacking, and climbing.) But they are heavier, bulkier, and more expensive than an ultralight jacket, in addition to being generally less useful in the situations we commonly encounter in the backcountry.

The Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody.
The Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody.

The notion seems counterintuitive, but it’s possible to have too much of a jacket. If you rarely pull on a rain jacket because it’s too much for most circumstances, then you need an ultralight jacket.

Whether you’re a dayhiker, backpacker, ultra-hiker, runner, or climber, when you choose the right ultralight shell for your activity and climate, it will probably become the jacket you grab and actually wear most often—and possibly the most versatile piece of outerwear you own, useful in a layering system tailored to any season and multiple outdoor sports.

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How to Choose an Ultralight Jacket

While many ultralight shells are similar in appearance and weight, they can vary significantly in functionality.

Simply put, the best ultralight jackets for trail running may be different from the best models for cool-weather hiking, climbing, or ultralight backpacking, and your choice will also depend on the typical weather you encounter.

Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody
Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody.

Here’s what to look for:

Breathability vs. weather resistance. Ultralight jackets generally trade off fully waterproof protection for better breathability. However, models in this category can vary greatly in how each balances breathability and wind protection, and some have partially or completely waterproof fabrics while remaining ultralight and packable. But “waterproof” in an ultralight jacket doesn’t generally equal the protection of a two-layer or three-layer, heavier waterproof-breathable jacket (like Gore-Tex); sustained hard rain can cause it to wet through.

Hybrid vs. uniform shell. “Hybrid” in this context refers to the shell blending some fully waterproof-breathable fabric—usually in the shoulders, torso, and hood—with more breathable, non-waterproof fabric in the sides and underarms, allowing the jacket to release body heat and moisture in areas not likely to receive much direct precipitation. These jackets are versatile for a wide range of conditions and activity levels. By “uniform” shell, I mean either a water-resistant soft-shell fabric or a waterproof-breathable fabric—but one or the other, not a hybrid combination of both.

Insulated or not. While it’s not usually the case, ultralight jackets occasionally feature a light amount of strategically placed insulation—typically in the torso—making them more of a cool-weather, shoulder-season garment, but also versatile for everything from climbing bigger mountains in summer to aerobic activities like running, Nordic skiing, or hiking and snowshoeing in winter.

Hood or no hood. For the most part, I find a simple, uninsulated shell hood almost essential in an ultralight jacket—it provides a noticeable boost in warmth and weather protection at very little cost in terms of weight, bulk, or dollars. Many ultralight shells, but not all, have a hood or a hooded version, and this comes down to personal preference as well as typical usage: If you need a shell simply for local runs of an hour or two in wind or cool temps, with a chance of a light shower, you may not need a hood. If you’re heading into the mountains for hours or days, you probably want a hood.

The Best Ultralight Jackets

I’ve listed the following jackets in order from lightest to heaviest.

My advice: Look at each of the reviews below to narrow your choices to the two or three that sound best for your needs, and then go to the complete reviews of those jackets to help you make your pick. You will support my work on this blog by purchasing any of these jackets through the affiliate links provided here or in the complete reviews, at no cost to you; in fact, you’ll usually find the best prices at those links. Thanks for doing that.

I encourage you to share your thoughts and experiences with any of these jackets, or another ultralight shell that you like, in the comments section at the bottom of this story. I try to respond to all comments.

Need a new rain shell? See “The Best Rain Jackets For Hiking and Backpacking.”

JacketScorePriceWeightWeather ProtectionBreathabilityPackabilityDurabilityWeight-to-Performance
Arc’teryx Norvan Windshell Jacket4.1$1303.2 oz.35534.5
Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell4.4$1403.5 oz.3.5553.55
Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoodie4.5$1295 oz.3.5554.54.5
Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody4.4$1505.1 oz.3.55544.5
Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket4.4$170 to $1806 oz.4454.54.5
Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody3.9$1857.5 oz.3.54.5443.5
Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody4$2409 oz.44444
The Arc’teryx Norvan Windshell Jacket.
The Arc’teryx Norvan Windshell Jacket.

Arc’teryx Norvan Windshell Jacket
Best for: Maximum breathability and lowest weight and bulk.
$130, 3.2 oz. (men’s medium)
arcteryx.com

On winter and spring trail runs in my local foothills in a range of windy to calm conditions and overcast to sunny skies, and on a 6,200-vertical-foot hike-scramble of 11,330-foot Twin Peaks in Utah’s Wasatch Range on a sunny October day with temps ranging from the 40s to the 50s Fahrenheit and cool wind at times, the Arc’teryx Norvan Windshell Jacket demonstrated its strengths and minor shortcomings as one of the very lightest of the many ultralight wind shells you’ll find today.

The ultralight Canim nylon ripstop polyester fabric blocked wind well enough to prevent me getting chilled—and breathes better than mostin this category and arguably better than any other, or at least matches the very best in that department. Thanks in part to lighter, highly breathable Permeair 20 fabric on the underside of the sleeves and the sides, it never allowed much moisture buildup inside, even when I sweated hard; that enabled my wet base layers to quickly dry out while moving downhill. At just 3.2 ounces,the Norvan Windshell has few competitors for weight-to-performance ratio; highly packable, this shell stuffs into its one zippered hip pocket, squishing down to the size of a baseball.

See my complete review of the Arc’teryx Norvan Windshell Jacket.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s Arc’teryx Norvan Windshell Jacket at arcteryx.com or rei.com.

Planning your next big adventure? See “America’s Top 10 Best Backpacking Trips
and “The 25 Best National Park Dayhikes.”

The Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell in Spain's Picos de Europa Mountains.
The Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell.

Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell
Best for: Lightest and most packable protection from wind and light rain.
$140, 3.5 oz. (men’s medium)
blackdiamondequipment.com

The more I wore the Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell—the lightest and most packable hooded shell in this review—the more I liked and used it. Those outings ranged widely, including running the Grand Canyon 42 miles rim to rim to rim in one day in early October, a five-day June trek through Spain’s Picos de Europa Mountains, a September weekend of rock climbing in cool temps and gusty wind at Idaho’s City of Rocks, and mountain biking through a sudden downpour. And not only does this shell perform well, but it may be the greenest ultralight wind shell on the market.

The Distance Wind Shell has a basic suite of features found in other ultralight shells: It stuffs easily into its one zippered chest pocket, packing down tosmaller than a baseball, and has elasticized cuffs, an adjustable hem, and an adjustable, helmet-compatible hood. But it replaces a traditional DWR (durable, water-resistant) fabric treatment with a PFC-free, water-repellent finish that gets permanently hyper-fused to the fabric fibers, making it more durable and greener than DWRs. Best of all, of course, its breathability and weather resistance compare with the best in this category.

See my complete review of the Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s or women’s Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell at backcountry.com or blackdiamondequipment.com.

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The Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoody.
The Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoody.

Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoodie
Best for: Optimal balance of low weight, weather resistance, breathability, packability, and durability.
$129, 5 oz. (men’s medium)
backcountry.com

From hiking up and down crazy-steep trails in fall and early spring in Utah’s Wasatch, New Hampshire’s White Mountains, and Idaho’s Boise Foothills, to the breezy heights of Hawaii’s 13,803-foot Mauna Kea, and the windblown depths of the Grand Canyon, OR’s wafer-thin Helium Wind Hoodie fended off cool wind while taking up no more space in my daypack than my long-sleeve jersey.

The very packable Helium Wind Hoodie strikes an appealing balance between weight, breathability, weather resistance, and durability. The water-resistant, 30-denier ripstop nylon Pertex Diamond Fuse fabric uses yarns with diamond-shaped, interlocking filaments, lending it likely the best durability and abrasion resistance among jackets this light, while its flat surface sheds water. And breathability is good: I pulled it on after hard, sweaty ascents and the jacket moved moisture quickly, drying my wet base layer to prevent me from getting chilled in wind and temps in the 40s and 50s. The adjustable hood wraps snugly around your head and its low-profile brim provides better face protection than some ultralight shells. Plus, the jacket stuffs into its one zippered chest pocket.

It’s a great choice for dayhikers, trail runners, and climbers who will work up a sweat while possibly encountering a wide range of conditions short of hard rain as well as backpackers facing a forecast of dry weather or no more than light showers.

See my complete review of the Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoodie.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking either of these affiliate links to purchase a Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoodie at backcountry.com or outdoorresearch.com.

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The Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody.
The Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody.

Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody
Best for: Great balance of high breathability, low weight, packability, weather resistance, and durability.
$150, 5.1 oz. (men’s medium)
backcountry.com

After sweating hard on a hot and humid June morning hiking up the brutally steep headwall of Huntington Ravine on Mount Washington, we hit the cool wind in the mountain’s alpine terrain—so I pulled on my Kor Airshell Hoody and it tamed that wind while breathing so well that the wet sun shirt against my skin dried out quickly. And that pattern of sweating and hitting wind continued throughout that two-day hut trek in New Hampshire’s Presidential Range.

A midweight ultralight wind shell at a hair over five ounces,the highly packable Kor Airshell Hoody balances its two superpowers of low weight and excellent breathability with respectable weather resistance and durability, as I also found wearing it running hilly trails and hiking from the Boise Foothills to early spring backpacking trips on a section of the Arizona Trail and in Arizona’s Aravaipa Canyon. Besides its breathability, the ultralight, recycled, 20-denier Pertex Quantum Air ripstop nylon fabric lends the Kor better durability than the lightest ultralight shells.

With a comfortable fit, an elasticized hood with a low-profile brim that provides decent coverage, elasticized hem and cuffs, and two zippered hand pockets—more thanfound on many competitors—it’s a great choice for dayhikers, trail runners, climbers, and others who mostly need good breathability but may encounter a range of weather conditions short of sustained, hard rain.

See my complete review of the Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking either of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s or women’s Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell Hoody at backcountry.com or moosejaw.com.

Get the right pack for you. See “The 10 Best Backpacking Packs
and the “The 10 Best Hiking Daypacks.”

The Outdoor Research Helium II Jacket.
The Outdoor Research Helium II Jacket.

Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket
Best for: Very light and packable waterproof-breathable shell.
$170, 6 oz. (men’s medium), $180, 6 oz. (women’s medium)
backcountry.com

In the world of waterproof-breathable outerwear, the Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket pushes the extreme low end in weight and packability—very appealing to hikers, ultralight backpackers, and trail runners. I’ve worn this six-ounce hooded shell on trail runs and hikes in my local foothills, in weather ranging from biting wind and temps in the 30s to heavily falling, wet snow for over two hours. I also wore it at times on an early September, five-day backpacking trip on the Wonderland Trail in Mount Rainier National Park, where it fended off heavy mist and cool winds, and through cold wind and some light rain showers on a five-day hike in The Maze District of Canyonlands National Park in early March—and for trips with no serious rain in the forecast, it saved me from carrying twice the weight and bulk in a standard rain jacket.

Constructed from 30-denier ripstop nylon, waterproof-breathable Pertex Shield, it employs Diamond Fuse technology, which uses yarns with diamond-shaped filaments that lock together, lending it relatively good durability and snag-resistance for a fabric this light. It fought off dumping wet snow while I ran and hiked and didn’t build up too much moisture inside; but breathability is not exceptional. It has an adjustable hood, comfortable fit, and one zippered chest pocket that the shell stuffs inside. For anyone needing a just-in-case ultralight shell for wind and rain, the Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket delivers waterproof protection in a compact package at a good value for its performance and low weight.

See my complete review of the Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase the men’s or women’s Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket at backcountry.com or moosejaw.com, the men’s Helium Jacket at outdoorresearch.com, or the women’s Helium Jacket at outdoorresearch.com.

Which puffy should you buy? See “The 12 Best Down Jackets” and
How You Can Tell How Warm a Down Jacket Is.

Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody
Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody.

Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody
Best for: High versatility with a balance of weather resistance and breathability.
$185, 7.5 oz. (men’s medium)
blackdiamondequipment.com

The range of uses to which I’ve put my Alpine Start Hoody speaks volumes about its versatility. I’ve worn it in strong wind, light rain, and cool temps on a 17-mile dayhike through New Hampshire’s Northern Presidential Range; on a 25-mile dayhike in light rain in the Grand Canyon; trail running in the hills of central Massachusetts and standing on the blustery summit of New Hampshire’s Mount Monadnock in spring; while climbing in February in Joshua Tree National Park; during a November overnight hike of The Narrows in Zion National Park; on a chilly, October hike and scramble up 9,820-foot McGown Peak in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains; and on numerous local trail runs and rides and bike commuting.

The highly breathable Schoeller stretch-woven, soft-shell fabric blocks most wind, sheds light rain, and dries within minutes from body heat in temperatures ranging from the 30s to the 60s. The athletic fit leaves room for a midweight base layer and a light vest underneath, and the gusseted underarm panels let me reach high overhead without the jacket hiking up. The adjustable hood closes around your face to stay put in wind and when turning your head side to side, and fits over a helmet.

See my complete review of the Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody.

BUY IT NOW: You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s or women’s Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody at backcountry.com or blackdiamondequipment.com, or a women’s Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody at moosejaw.com.

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Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody
Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody.

Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody
Best for: Warmest ultralight jacket with good weather resistance and breathability.
$240, 9 oz. (men’s medium)
arcteryx.com

The warmest and only insulated shell in this review, the Atom SL Hoody has been a go-to piece for me in situations as varied as backpacking in August in Canada’s Kootenay National Park and in October in Idaho’s White Cloud Mountains; scrambling a 10,000-foot peak in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains and hiking to the very windy summit of 10,243-foot Mount Washburn in Yellowstone National Park in September; and numerous times Nordic skate-skiing in temps in the 20s and 30s.

Essentially an ultralight wind shell with some strategically placed insulation, it delivers just enough warmth for being active in cool temps without causing you to overheat. Credit the fleece under the arms and 40 grams of insulation in the torso, but no insulation in the hood or on the outside of the sleeves, where there’s just windproof shell fabric that breathes reasonably well. Arc’teryx’s Coreloft synthetic insulation is very compressible, retains heat when wet, and dries quickly. The adjustable hood stays put on your head, with or without a helmet. Whether I was standing on a windblown 10,000-footer, carrying a backpack through the mountains in conditions that shifted frequently between warm sunshine and overcast with cold wind, or perspiring profusely while skate-skiing, the Atom SL keep me warm but didn’t make me too hot. It’s ideal for cool to cold temps or anyone who gets cold easily in moderate temperatures.

See my complete review of the Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking either of these affiliate links to purchase a men’s Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody at rei.com or arcteryx.com.

See all trail-running gear reviews and outdoor apparel reviews at The Big Outside.

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Leave a Comment

7 thoughts on “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets of 2024”

  1. The Rab Borealis is a fantastic lightweight softshell. Water resistant and wind-proof, its soft, stretchy, shell makes it ideal for climbing, running, hiking or just wearing over your gym wear. Its so versatile for layering because it is so stretchy, and the hood is fantastic. It also has a UPF50 rating. I sound like an advert but i have zero affiliation, i just really love this jacket and have used it in all seasons and for multiple things. it goes with me everywhere. I highly recommend it.

    I very rarely comment on anything but i just discovered your blog today and have found your content very interesting and informative.

    Reply
    • Thanks for the suggestion, N, and the compliment about my blog, I appreciate that. I’ve used and been impressed with Rab outerwear and other gear and the Borealis indeed looks nice. I just want to point out that, at a bit over 10 ounces, it doesn’t really fit into this category of ultralight jackets, which are definitely under 10 ounces and often a fraction of that weight. But the Borealis looks excellent for high exertion in cold temps.

      Reply
  2. It’s always been hard to justify purchasing a piece like this on a minimal budget, the thinking being that if I’m going to drop $150+ on a jacket it better be a fully featured rain jacket (theoretically more useful). But I think you sold me on the benefits of an ultralight shell jacket; I think you’re right that especially a water-resistant one will be much more useful in a wider variety of situations, even if not nearly as protective in worst-case scenarios as a fully featured rain jacket. Now I just need to pick one.

    Reply
    • Hey Brady,

      You spotlight a point that I think is really fundamental to consider. Outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes… hikers, backpackers, climbers, etc… have long viewed the waterproof-breathable shell as the top priority. I’ve come to the understanding through years of backcountry travel that I spend much more time wearing an ultralight shell than I do a waterproof-breathable shell. Thus, the UL shell becomes, by definition, more useful.

      In a sense, I think that a good argument could be made that if you’re on a budget and you’re going to wear the ultralight shell much more than the rain shell, why not spend more on the UL jacket and get yourself a bargain rain shell?

      Choosing between these ultralight shells comes down to how and where you use the UL jacket: The level of exertion (hiking vs. climbing vs. running) and temperatures and weather conditions you’ll normally encounter, and whether you need more water resistance or more breathability.

      I hope that’s helpful. Good luck and thanks for raising a good point.

      Reply
      • Thanks, it definitely is. I think most people think (as I did) that for the most expensive pieces, they should perform at the highest level (i.e. most intense weather, etc.). But you’re right that the more you can actually use a piece, the more valuable that piece is overall. I think I’ll pick up a Black Diamond Distance or the Helium Hybrid next time it’s in the budget.

        Reply
        • Well, that’s exactly how my thinking on this has evolved. I don’t discount the importance of a functional rain shell if you expect to be out in severe weather, in a destination like Alaska, New Zealand, or even the Pacific Northwest or the Northeast mountains. Reliable waterproofing is important and a protective hood makes a big difference in comfort. But with pricier rain shells, you’re generally paying for better breathability, more durability in the materials and construction, and often a nicer fit and feature set. Moderately priced rain shells usually deliver on the reliable waterproofing, but make compromises in those other areas—so you’re not really compromising on safety. Besides, most backpackers aren’t heading out in severe weather, they’re usually choosing to take trips when the forecast looks good and canceling when it looks awful.

          You might be interested in my review of “The 5 Best Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking,” which includes a more affordable model, and my “5 Expert Tips for Buying a Rain Jacket for Hiking.”

          Reply