Choosing a windbreaker hoody, but more from an everyday use perspective.

[Haakon R]

I consider getting another windbreaker even though I already have a jacket or two that would fit in that general category.

The background / justification is that I need something that better covers my everyday needs, e.g. commuting to/from work. I try to implement as much movement as possible into my everyday routines, and one such way is to walk as much of the distance to and from my workplace as my time schedule allows. Sometimes running too, but that’s much easier from a clothing perspective, as it always involves showering anyways.

As autumn making its arrival is ever more evident (around here at least) with large fluctuations in felt temperature; from crisp morings, the occasional blazing hot and sunny mid days to chill evenings – it’s becoming increasingly necessary to adjust layers throughout the day.

I’ve done some thinking with regards to priorities, and while good wind resistance and some water resistance would be welcome traits in the rapidly changing weather conditions my area is known for, the primary goal is to have some easy to carry protection against the elements that I can throw on without arriving at my destination soaked in sweat. So my priorities in order of importance (though the two first are almost equally important) is breathability, packability and to some degree looks. It doesn’t have to be fashionable, but I’d like to avoid high viz colors etc.

I haven’t done a ton of research in advance, but based on what I’ve incidentally picked up from reading this forum and others, I think the MH Kor airshell hoody may be a candidate. But that’s pretty much all I have going into this, so it would be very  interesting to hear if there are (subjectively) better or similar alternatives I should consider before I make a decision.

[MJ H]

I’ve carried a Patagonia Houdini in my bag perpetually since I first got one for hiking. Now I have one for hiking and one for every day.

[Thom]

Dooy at Amazon breathes well cheep

[Haakon R]

Patagonia Houdini would be the easy choice. It’s very easy to find in stores (which can be an issue with some brands and models around here).
What gives me pause with the Houdini is that from the tests and articles I’ve read it seems slightly more geared toward wind resistance and a little less toward breathability. If it’s enough to matter is hard to determine without trying.
Another thing I noticed in Engearments video review is that the arms seems a bit short compared to other models. Being quite lean and tall, I usually wear a size small if body and arms are long enough, but that’s not always the case.
Should be easy enough to find Houdinis in a physical store, so the sizing is something I should be able to assess up front.

The Dooey may even be too breathable from what I can gather. But a good recommendation indeed.

[bradmacmt]

Patagonia Houdini for the win. I’m very slender, 5″10″ – 139 lbs. I typically were a Small in most items, but in the instance of the Houdini I had to go to a Medium – it’s a very athletic cut. I have fairly long arms for my size, and it fits mine to perfection.

[JCH]

I’m likely in the minority here, but I’m quite happy with my Montbell Tachyon

[Matthew / BPL]

I like my Tachyon too. I have a more recent (2019?) one in white with no collar and a full zipper that I like a lot more than the older dark grey anorak version I used to have. This one seems to breathe better. Also the darker one felt instantly like a sweaty trashbag if the sun hit it for two seconds.

To the OP, how about an Arcteryx Squamish? I purchased on a long coastal CA car camping trip in 2017 when I left my Tachyon at home. I knew some people here like it. It’s heavier (presumably more durable) than the Tachyon. The patterning and features are top notch and it’s definitely more breathable than the Montbell windshirt. It looks much less weird too, which sounds like a selling point for your use case.

I like the fauxdini too but it doesn’t seem durable and definitely looks really weird. I wouldn’t want to wear it to work or a grocery store.

[David D]

I reach for the Dooy first when needing to just cut a bit of wind with the highest breathability (and it packs down small), but its a bit fragile, the looks are what they are and it doesn’t provide any warmth in camp.  I find the Houdini is a sweat bag on the move and own that too, but its use case is different.  Its more for camp or moving slower in a very light rain.

Sometimes I throw my Silver Ridge Light over a base layer or light fleece when hiking and it does a nice job cutting a bit of wind, but the Dooy is noticeably more breathable and provides more options in a layering system.

[Phong D]

I have like 3 Dooy’s.  They are super thin and don’t look great.  The use case for them is to have a few of them for car/work bag/play bag.  With just a Dooy and a regular shirt, when hiking they are fine down to 45’s up to 70s depending on wind.  When sitting around or casual movement their range is probably mid 50’s up to 75 or 78 degrees or more if windy.

[David D]

The best use case for Dooy for me is snowshoeing below -15C.  At those temps high breathability is important so ice doesn’t form inside my mid layer like happens with less breathable wind blocks

With correct layering it’s great at any temp where breathability is important while cutting a good part of the wind.  It’s not an insulating layer so don’t rely on it for warmth

[Bill Budney]

I agree that the MH Kor Airshell is a great balance of breathability/comfort, light weather resistance, good looks, and packability. It ticks all of your boxes.

EE Copperfield, MB Tachyon, and Dooy are even lighter and more packable, but you trade off some comfort (or weather resistance in the case of the Dooy).

For strong wind or cycling I would consider something slightly heavier than any of the above — such as BD Alpine Start or OR Ferrosi.

 

[Haakon R]

@Matthew, the AT Squamish is quite good, I know because I already have one and use it a lot. And I would use it for this purpose as well if it wasn’t high-vis orange, very generously sized to allow layering and stained from many years of use. If I’m buying a new jacket anyways, it’s tempting to expand my horizon and try something new rather than owning two of the same (or almost the same, I’d reckon it has gone through some evolution during all these years).

@Bill, thanks for chiming in on the Kor Airshell. It seem to tick a lot of boxes indeed. I have other options for strong winds and cycling, so I’m very comfortable moving to the more breathable end of the spectrum for this one.

[Steve Thompson]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>+1 (or, given the number of people who seem to have one, +99) on the Houdini.  You do give some on breathability but the full zip ventilation compensates. I too, since I got mine, bring it on EVERY day hike and backpacking trek, and it is a rare day that I do not use it.</p>
Other than shoes, socks, and underwear, it is probably my most utilized piece of gear.

[Thom]

I agree that the MH Kor Airshell is a great balance of breathability/comfort, light weather resistance, good looks, and packability. It ticks all of your boxes.

I ordered one no hood $48. Plus’s shipping $57.40 total .  Thanks for the review

[Brad W]

Patagonia Houdini. Holds up incredibly well, looks good, lifetime warranty ($15 fee for repairs).

[Haakon R]

After all the great suggestions, I may have ended up ignoring all of them to impulsively bet on a dark horse.

Long story short, I ordered a Mountain Equipment Aerofoil hoody, which I only read up on and researched on the same day I ordered it.
Before I’ve even tested it, I know this choice comes with some pros and cons.
I had kind of settled on the MH Kor as my preferred choice on paper, but it’s not available domestically and I’m not sure about sizing – so that forced me to wait and see if some domestic stores will restock them for next season, or make a bet on the size and order from abroad.

When I read up on the ME aerofoil, I realised that it was both very light and presumably also very breathable. I have a couple of ME jackets already and they are some of my favourites as far as fit is concerned. Still I was a little worried with this one, as some commenters described it as very slim for its size and with next to no stretch. Given that I had gained some weight over the summer and that my shop only had size small in stock I expected this little detour from my plan to get the MH Kor to end in failure, but that’s the beauty of free shipping and free returns when shopping domestically. No risk.
Turns out Mountain equipment provided a perfect fit as usual. Long monkey length arms and a long torso even in size small.
I could definitively stand to loose some of that summer belly if I want to layer under this thing, but that’s not the intended purpose, so it’s already very suitable as is.
The colour isn’t great for the intended urban commute, but the dark blue (blue nights) is quite the improvement over my other wind shells that are very brightly coloured.
I haven’t weighed my sample in small yet, but according to reddit post these are the specs for a size L:
Fabric EXOLITE 45 stretch double weave soft shell fabric (100% Polyamide)
Weight 4.1 oz (Large)
Air Permeability 38 CFM (per ME Customer Service)

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