Running Shells

Featured review by Alicia MacLeay

The Patagonia Houdini Jacket is a classic. An excellent, all-around, windproof, water-resistant, lightweight shell, it performs in a wide range of outdoor scenarios. I've had mine for more than six years and use it primarily running, hiking, and skiing, but have also taken it biking, paddling, traveling, and more. It conveniently stuffs into its own pocket as a just-in-case layer, and at less than 4 ounces there's no excuse not to bring it along.

  hiking in the Houdini Use I've had my Patagonia Houdini Jacket for six years and regularly wear it running in the rain or snow, hiking, cross-country skiing, and more. It's a basic, lightweight, nylon windbreaker with full-length zipper and hood and is extremely versatile and well made and durable. It fits and moves well, whatever your outdoor activity. My husband, Dave, also has a Houdini and uses his regularly as well. Both stay in rotation in our mudroom year-round. Materials & Weather Resistance Current versions of the Houdini are made with 1.2-oz 100-percent recycled nylon ripstop with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish and are Fair Trade Certified sewn.

Read more: Patagonia Houdini Jacket reviews (11)

Reviewed by BigRed

A basic, lightweight, hooded, nylon windshirt with a partial, light wool lining in the hood. There’s not a lot of wool-warmth here, and no real rain protection, limiting the useful weather window, but it's well made and does its small job well. Best for light and fast summer trail runs or day hikes when there is wind but no rain in the forecast.

Sometimes a simple windshirt is the right choice for a day outing. It’s a warm summer day, no rain in the forecast, perfect for a trail run or power hike. So you set out for the summit in shorts and a t-shirt, with a small fanny pack with a water bottle and some snacks. You work up a massive sweat as the trail winds up steeply through the forest. By the time you reach treeline, the temperature has dropped with altitude and you notice there’s a little breeze, but, no problem, you’re still running hot by virtue of forward motion.

Read more: Smartwool Merino Sport Ultra Light Hoodie review (1)

Featured review by Andrew F.

A simple, inexpensive but highly functional wind shell. The nylon shell is wind and water resistant but will soak through and will let air through in a stiff breeze. Zipper pulls and some cords seem intended more for town or campus but do the job. On the plus side, highly breathable and apparently built to last. Hood is best used with a ballcap or it will fall down over your eyes.

In high school and until I lost it in college, the LL Bean anorak was one of my favorite shell jackets. Lightweight, all-purpose, indestructible, I wore it all season, all the time. The last couple of years, Bean reintroduced the anorak, and I recently decided to give it a try. LL Bean's Mountain Anorak is an old school windbreaker, basically. It's a pullover with a half-zip in front. You can pull the hood tight with a bootlace-looking string that has leather disks to keep it tight, elastic cuffs, and an elastic shock-cord you can tighten at the hem.

Read more: L.L.Bean Mountain Classic Anorak reviews (2)

Featured review by Tpar

A truly phenomenal product.

Years ago I bought a Marmot DriClime Jacket. It was too warm for me so I gave it to my wife. Finally Marmot came out with the Ether.  This product is significantly lighter than the standard Driclime and matches my high-sweat, high-body-heat very well. In windy, cold conditions, I hike with only a very thin short-sleeved shirt under the Ether. This is my go-to hiking garment for any hike where the temperature may go below 50°F.  The Driclime lining is thinner than a standard Dri Clime jacket, so this jacket has less insulating value than you might expect.

Read more: Marmot Ether DriClime Hoody reviews (2)

Featured review by Bigskyrunner

A nice balance of breathability, wind resistance and precip resistance — more durable than your average windshirt (but heavier too).

This isn't your average ultralightweight windshirt, for one it comes in at 8.2 oz in XL, about double what my other (Patagonia Houdini) windshirt is. But there are some advantages.   The Schoeller material has a nice stretch to it and is definitely going to be more durable than any of the real lightweight windshirts. It strikes a nice balance of wind resistance, breathability (~ 40 cfms) and sports a very good DWR; the HH on this shirt (from Black Diamond) is 500mm (my Houdini is ~ 100), so it's very water resistant.

Read more: Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody reviews (2)

Featured review by Sean Parker

Great windshell for variable alpine conditions and snow.

Introduction Paramo is a British company that offers an alternative to traditional waterproof textiles. Instead of relying on a membrane to confer waterproofness, the Paramo system relies on the properties of pile fibres to move water using the heat of the body (like animal fur). The shell of their garments is proofed with Nikwax which assists with preventing the pile from becoming saturated.  This  is not pseudoscience but those interested in the system can easily search for the technical details.

Read more: Paramo Fuera Windproof Smock reviews (2)

Reviewed by LoneStranger

Massdrop's Veil is a really light and small to carry simple nylon shell with hood. Easy to carry means you won't be tempted to leave it home and then regret it on a windy summit. Great for any outdoor activity where adding a wind blocker is a valued option including hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and skiing.

Massdrop has evolved into Drop these days, but they still sell the Veil Wind Shell under that old name. Simple, yet very functional, the Veil does exactly what the name implies. Weighing 3.3oz/93g for the XL size, it is easy to stash and carry. There aren't a lot of moving parts to this thing, but let's take a quick look. I apologize for not having pics of it being used on overnight trips, but the times when I wore it were not times for taking pictures. High wind ridges and chilly campsites are both places where I'm too busy to remember the camera, but those were the times I found the Veil most useful.

Read more: Drop Veil Wind Shell review (1)

Reviewed by E Bohne

Light-as-air fabric magically protects your legs from cold wind and light rain! Wonderful for hiking in the cold and damp when the wind kicks up. From now on, I won't hike without them.

The Montane Featherlite Pants are my new favorite thing in the world. I went hiking in the Adirondacks this past weekend, and the weather was sloppy and damp, chilly (about 33 degrees), and windy. The first day, I wore my typical synthetic, warmish tights, and had a very cold posterior most of the day. The second day, we decided to do a little mountain climbing. I pulled out these pants, which I normally keep buried in the pack for emergency use — well - they are no longer for emergency use only — they were fantastic! I wore them layered over my tights, and they magically blocked the wind.

Read more: Montane Featherlite Pants review (1)

Reviewed by Twig

The Smartwool PhD Ultra Light Sport Jacket is an extremely lightweight, portable, and comfortable shell for chill and windy days that might also include a little rain. It is a great jacket to take along on a day hike or trail run for just-in-case scenarios or might just work as the sole jacket of a minimalist thru-hiker.

Description: This is an ultralight wind jacket combining merino mesh panels for breathability and comfort and a DWR nylon to provide wind and weather protection. The merino mesh panels are strategically located (or "body-mapped" as Smartwool puts it) in areas where heat and moisture build-up occur, i.e. the armpits and upper back and can be identified in my pictures by the darker pink material. Materials: Shell: 100% nylon with DWR; Mesh/Trim: 54% Merino Wool / 46% polyester Weight (my sample): 127 g / 4.5 oz Conditions of Testing: I am 5'9", 130 lbs and received a women’s size small.

Read more: Smartwool PhD Ultra Light Sport Jacket review (1)

Reviewed by PhilNC

Comfortable soft-shell hiking pants that do what they say—keep wind and even light rain and most snow off your legs and keep warm in cooler temps while also allowing venting in warmer (but not hot) weather. Durable, comfortable, and can even pass for decent pants in town stops.

Features REI documents the following features, and I have provided my comments on each alongside, with more explanation in the appropriate section. Fully windproof and highly breathable, GORE WINDSTOPPER fabric is water repellent enough to keep you dry in anything but a prolonged downpour.  True - see Weatherproof section below. They kept me warm in winds up to 40 mph and through light rain and heavy snow storms. Stretch soft-shell panels at front of knees and back of thighs permit excellent freedom of movement while maintaining windproof, water-repellent and breathable warmth.

Read more: REI Vaporush Windstopper Pants review (1)