9 women’s running jackets to get in your miles, no matter the weather

I found Ciele’s VLVinsulator to be the best women’s running jacket. The luxe jacket lets you take cozy on the road. With fantastic insulation, it’s surprisingly lightweight and won’t distract from your stride. Honestly, this is the kind of layer that’s easy to forget about once you slip it on — it simply keeps you warm without adding bulkiness, pinching anywhere, or making a racket as you pump your arms back and forth. (I was shocked by just how quiet the fabric is.) The only time I noticed it was during a hard interval session when temperatures crept into the 50s, and I got a bit too toasty. Although there is venting in the back for breathability, I’d save this jacket for serious winter weather. (

Sure, this pick is not cheap. But with quality, high-tech materials and a lifetime guarantee — if anything goes wrong, Ciele will offer a repair, replacement, or a refund — I’d argue it’s worth the investment.

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I’ve taken this Hoka jacket out in downpours and come home with a completely dry torso — aside from my own sweat. Yes, it’s not the most breathable jacket (Janji’s rain jacket has better venting). But it holds up to serious amounts of rain when you really don’t feel like getting dumped on.

One detail that I love is the hood, which has a little extra visor at the top that helps keep rain from getting in my eyes; there’s also an elastic cord that I can tighten in the back to make sure the hood stays right where I want it. Plus, reflective details in both the front and back of the torso help me stay visible to cars when it’s dark out, but they aren’t so obnoxious that they scream “running nerd.”

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For the best midweight women’s running jacket, I’d recommend the Norrona senja alpha90 hood jacket. It boasts a slew of smart features that have had me reaching for it over and over again during the past couple of winters.

The inside is a grid of soft, sweat-wicking fleece that keeps me both warm and dry. There’s wind-resistant fabric across the chest and along the tops of the arms, providing just enough shield for somewhat blustery days without making the garment stiff overall. (If you’re looking for more robust wind protection, though, I’d suggest Janji’s rainrunner pack jacket.)

I also appreciate that the neck comes up just high enough to keep out the chill, while the long arms with thumb holes at the end let me slip my hands inside, and the low cut along the back helps add some extra warmth to my backside. Norwegians are known for embracing the outdoors even when it’s freezing out, so I’m not surprised that this Norwegian brand knows just what you need to run comfortably in the cold.

Sometimes you don’t need full-on weather proofing so much as a light extra layer that you can zip and unzip as you warm up. Enter: Adidas’ popular half-zip, which I’d say is the best budget running jacket.

While it won’t protect you from major rain or cold, it will help keep you from shivering on chillier runs in 40F and 50F weather. If you want to be a bit more insulated, I’d recommend the winterized version.

On either option, thumbholes allow you to drape the sleeves over your knuckles, while the mock neck goes right up to your chin to keep out the breeze. And the relaxed fit makes this style ideal for layering. Once you start sweating, you can unzip for more airflow, while the moisture-wicking fabric will keep you from getting waterlogged.

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Tracksmith’s chiltern jacket has been designed for drizzly runs in relatively mild temperatures. The shell features wind- and water-repellent fabric along the front, shoulders, and the tops of your arms. But it has mesh down the back, sides, and under the arms to keep it light and breathable. It’s just enough protection to keep you from getting wet without being so heavy that you overheat.

The fitted cut is on the slim side, and I found the piping across the shoulder blades just a smidge tight, so if you want a looser fit for thicker layers underneath, size up. Also know that, because of the mesh, you’ll cool off pretty quickly once you stop running.

Rabbit makes some of the softest running tops you’ll find on this planet, and this pullover is no exception. When you’re looking more for comfy warmth than wind protection, this buttery soft micro-fleece feels downright heavenly.

I was initially afraid it’d get waterlogged once I got sweaty, but I’ve found the fabric stays light and stretchy even when I’m wet and sticky inside. It is definitely warmer than something like Oiselle’s zip-up jacket. But you can take advantage of snaps along the neck and chest that open up, and also let out the bungee cords on the hem for more airflow when you don’t want to overheat. Just don’t wear it over another loose layer — the fleece will catch and annoyingly bunch it up inside as you run (stick to a tight-fitting shirt that won’t move instead).

With a roomy cut, this waterproof shell gives you plenty of space to layer up underneath, making it a versatile pick for a variety of weather scenarios. Rainy 50s? Slip it on over a T-shirt to stay dry without overheating, thanks to venting panels all around your core. Snowy and gusty? Put it on over a thick base layer, and it’ll effectively insulate you from the wind — you can even slip on the fitted, adjustable hood to protect your head from the elements, too.

My only quibble is that the loose fabric around the arms is pretty darn noisy as I’m running. But its three-season versatility makes this jacket an exceptional value compared to something like the waterproof Hoka tecsky, which doesn’t have quite as much room for layers and isn’t as breathable.

When you’re done wearing this lightweight jacket, it folds into its own integrated pocket, becoming about the size of a small, rolled-up sock — tiny enough to stash in a pocket and keep running. I’ve found that it’s so futuristically light that it feels like I’m wearing (or carrying) next to nothing. Yet the fabric is windproof and water-resistant to keep stormy weather from getting in the way of my run.

While it’s not super warm — it’s specifically made with breathable mesh in the underarms, similar to Tracksmith’s chiltern jacket — it will offer a welcome layer of protection when temperatures are above freezing. Just know that this next-gen material is so thin that it’s actually see-through. I also find that as my sweat dries, it weirdly sticks to my skin. But those are tradeoffs I find to be worth it for something so light and packable.

If you’re looking more for something soft and stretchy than stiff and waterproof, I recommend this zip-up from Oiselle. Although the style is similar to Lululemon’s popular body-skimming define jacket, Oiselle’s version has a more relaxed fit that’s slim enough to stay out of my way on the run but loose enough to keep me from feeling restricted (or self-conscious).

Put another way, it’s flattering but layers well. Meanwhile, the tall collar kept my neck warm, and the thumbholes kept my hands cozy, so depending on the shirt I zipped it over, it provided enough insulation for temperatures anywhere from the 30s to the 50s.