Best Winter Running Jackets 2026, Tested
With the mornings turning and the light going by five, now is the moment to sort out a running jacket. A good one keeps the weather off without cooking you, and the difference between a good one and a cheap one is obvious by the second mile.
We have updated this guide for winter 2026 with what is actually on the shelf. Six jackets, from £52 to £330, chosen for how they behave on a run rather than how they look on a hanger.
Before you buy
Dress for mile two
The commonest mistake is dressing for how cold you feel at the front door. Add about ten degrees to the forecast and dress for that. If you are comfortable standing still, you are overdressed.
Do you run hot or cold?
If you overheat, you want light and very breathable, and probably no insulation at all. If you are always cold, a heavier windproof with some insulation will keep you out longer.
What is it for?
Running in all weathers wants a proper waterproof. Club runs on dark roads want reflective detail and breathability more than rain protection. Racing trails and ultras wants something that packs to nothing and weighs less than your phone.
Materials and hoods
Windproofing comes from a tight weave. Waterproofing comes from a membrane: Pertex Shield, Gore-Tex and OMM's own fabric are the ones you will see here. If you run in the wet a lot, an adjustable hood is worth more than any other feature.
The jackets
Ronhill Core Jacket, £52
Best for: windy days, light drizzle, night running. Fit: relaxed. Hood: no.
Lightweight, breathable and reflective, with a lined pocket and a fit that goes comfortably over a long sleeve. Our tester found it very comfortable and ideal for layering, with enough wind and water resistance for most autumn runs. It is not the jacket for a proper downpour, and at £52 it does not pretend to be.
Ronhill Tech Afterhours Jacket, £70 men's, £90 women's
Best for: dark evenings on the road. Fit: relaxed. Hood: roll-away.
New in this year and built for exactly the problem the clocks going back creates. Reflective panels rather than a strip of trim, water and wind resistant, breathable, with a hood that rolls into the collar when you do not need it. If most of your winter running is after work on unlit roads, this is the sensible answer.
Men's Afterhours · Women's Afterhours
Montane Featherlite Jacket, £90
Best for: fast trail running and anyone who likes their kit weightless. Fit: close. Weight: about 100g. Hood: no.
Made from Montane's Wind Barrier Dynamic fabric, which is light, breathable and stretchy enough to move with you. Our tester's note from the last time we did this still stands: it did not ride up as he ran, unlike some cheaper jackets. Several colours in both men's and women's.
Men's Featherlite · Women's Featherlite
Inov8 Stormshell FZ V2, £160
Best for: racing and hard training in the wet. Fit: slim. Weight: about 150g. Hood: yes, fully adjustable.
Pertex Shield fabric, taped seams and a 20,000mm hydrostatic head, which is a serious waterproof rating for a jacket that packs into its own chest pocket. Our tester did not feel a drop get through on a very wet training run. One of our bestsellers, and it comes in proper men's and women's fits rather than a compromised unisex cut.
Men's Stormshell · Women's Stormshell
OMM Kamleika Jacket, £210
Best for: long days out in real weather. Fit: athletic, cut for running. Hood: yes.
OMM's four-way stretch fabric is the thing here: it is a full waterproof with taped seams that moves like a soft shell, so it never flaps or pulls. About as breathable as a waterproof can be. Laura calls it the best jacket she has probably owned, and if you are out in weather often and for a long time, this is the one that stops being an expense and starts being equipment.
Montane Phase Nano, £330
Best for: serious mountain and trail running. Fit: close. Weight: about 250g. Hood: yes.
Thirteen-denier Gore-Tex Active with fully taped seams: the lightest full Gore-Tex shell most people will ever wear. Voted Trail Running magazine's jacket of the year when it launched, and our tester found the fit secure with no riding up at all. We have very few left in stock, so if this is the one, do not wait for the weather to turn.
Which one?
Dark roads and drizzle: the Afterhours or the Core. Fast and light on trails: the Featherlite. Proper rain, most runs: the Stormshell. Proper rain, long runs, and you want it to last for years: the Kamleika. If you mainly need a jacket for wet days rather than cold ones, our separate guide to what to wear running in the rain covers socks, caps and drying your shoes as well.
All of these are in store at 42 Broad Street, Stamford, to try on with whatever you run in underneath, and online with UK delivery. Whatever the weather, whatever the distance, Bog Dog have you covered.