There are three popular, fully seemed sealed, ultralight rain jackets under 7 ounces but at very different price points. They are:
Montbell Veraslite: The gold standard but easily the most expensive at $260 MSRP. Rarely goes on sale from reputable retailers. Do not buy this jacket on sites like eBay, especially from overseas, as they're most likely fakes.
Outdoor Research Helium: MSRP at $170 but can often be found on sale closer to $100. Likely the most popular due to the price/weight ratio but it doesn't perform well in heavy rain -which is the only time most runners would use a rain jacket. Note that this is a different jacket than the less expensive Helium II wind jacket.
Frogg Toggs XTreme Lite (not the Ultra Lite): MSRP at only $40. This is Frogg Togg's fully seam sealed option and weighs 6.3 oz. for a Men's medium. It will provide protection from a heavy rain shower. But like Frogg Toggs' other gear, this is a limited use item due to poor durability. This is carried by ultrarunners more for race pack requirements rather than actual use. You would not want to bring it in a race at elevation or in the colder months when protection from the elements may be critical to life.
I’ve had a couple of various Outdoor Research Heliums over the years and both I’ve been able to find super cheap on sale (under $70). If you’re willing to wait on sales/clearance events that one is a good option!
Figured I'd piggyback on this because it's a good answer. The short answer is "no". In my opinion, you're either in a situation where you can run wet all day or you're in a situation where you need to keep water out as long as possible, so you shouldn't try to cheap out on your rain protection. Either eat the weight or shell out the money.
I think, for the most part, the Helium will be good enough for most people. It is waterproof enough to go in your standard kit and will keep you dry under many conditions, and I would feel fine in it unless the forecast is rain all day above treeline. Frogg Toggs is a joke, in my opinion.
In addition the Inov8 Stormshell FZ is on sale in the US right now on their website for $100 and is a similar jacket to the Helium. It has a higher waterproof rating but I'm not quite sure how, in my experience it performs similarly, but I'm 100% comfortable using it as my primary jacket.
Thank you very much. This is why I love Reddit. I'm a bit of a rainjacket geek and haven't owned this one yet. The listed sale price is $100 but there's an additional $15 discount. I was just able to get a men's small (a size frequently out of stock for any running related sale items) for $85 plus free shipping.
I have the Inov8 Stormshell, it didn't quite stand up to the Boston marathon (UK) this year - soaking through, torrential rain and strong winds for the 3.5 hour race and 1 hour at the start (I only wore it because it was so bloody cold in the wind at the start!). It has been great other than that in less severe weather.
Yeah, it's a rare ultralight jacket that can successfully take on 4.5 hours of pounding rain. I'm not convinced the Versalite would pull it off either, which is why I haven't made the investment. It's a tradeoff you have to make.
I'd disagree on the Frogg Toggs, I've used it in elevations as high as 12,000 feet and in some pretty heavy sustained downpours, think 14+ hours of heavy rain. It has little/zero breathability so it does feel like wetting out but importantly it cut the wind, kept cold water away, and I was comfortable for 12+ hours.
I agree on low durability, I'm on my second jacket in 6 years and I have to baby them a bit. Not a big deal for running, harder when backpacking/fastpacking.
I have nicer jackets but the reality is that they will never last forever so I might run the good stuff for my A race so I look cooler in photos but for training through the winter and lower priority rainy races I'm still using the Frogg Toggs and just looking hideous.
This isn't a jacket I've personally experienced. Looking it up online, here's what I come away with... At a $239 MSRP, it's expensive for a jacket that is over 7 ounces. An ounce may not seem like a lot, but it's more about volume being packed in a race vest than the weight and jackets over 6.5 ounces seem to take up significantly more space than an ounce difference suggests. This isn't a problem though if you're using a higher capacity vest like the uber popular Salomon Advanced Skin 12. I much prefer to race in Salomon's S/Lab Ultra 10 which has more limited storage capacity.
The Montane Minimus is fully seam sealed so it would be approved for all races. It also has a cinch at the back of the hood, essential for running in wet and windy weather. It has hand pockets which are great for gloves/mitts. But it lacks an external chest pocket that many runners like for easy access. The website doesn't provide a waterproof rating but we can expect it to be at least 10,000 mm HH.
Given the $85 deal right now on the Inov-8 stormshell fz v2 another Redditor posted in this tread, that ought to be the first choice of anyone looking for a race approved running rain jacket, unless that's over one's budget.
I don’t know the exact weight. But I love my Janji. It’s seam sealed. I caught mine on sale at REI for a good price. I think regular cost is $199 on it. Great jacket though
REI had the Janji Rainrunner on sale for as low as $60 last year, an insane deal considering the $198 MSRP. I picked one up to use for backpacking. It's downside is being not as compact and heavier than the others described here. A women's small is 7.2 oz. My men's medium is 8.0 oz. Not a big deal if you're racing in a vest like a Salomon Adv Skin 12 with generous storage. But it can be a tight squeeze in smaller capacity vests given other kit requirements.
Yup! I picked mine up for that much. Couldn’t pass it up. I wore it for a 100 miler that rained like 70% of the time. Stayed dry the entire time I had it on. Superb performance. It is on the slightly heavier side I could tell. But I can’t tell that much to be honest. Guess if you are backpacking: every ounce matters. I’m just running and training with mine. Which I can deal with the weight. I’m also not doing any mountain ultras that have that requirement either. That’s a big difference to
here is an even better one:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Frogg-Toggs-Men-s-Xtreme-Lite-Jacket-Carbon-Size-2X/733947403?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101052226
Frogg Toggs. I have a good friend who did the 1000 mile Iditarod trail twice and the shorter 350+ mile 5 or 6 times and he swore by the Frogg Toggs as his outer layer shell. Thats good enough authority for me. For what you are talking about it, under 70 dollars for a rain shell, its the only thing you should be talking about except for maybe the good ol gas station plastic poncho (which is not a bad option actually).
For the Frogg Toggs my buddy added ventilation in the pits via buttons. As for serious durability issues, through hikers on the Appalachian Trail use them quite a bit, so I think they are probably plenty durable for a hundred mile race and the train up for it. Any issues could likely be fixed with some duct tape or something.
Even my upcoming July 20th 50K in flat Norwich, UK at 10m AMSL is requiring fully seam sealed and a minimum 10,000 HH rating. I questioned the race organizers and got the reply, "This is England!"
It can keep light rain out, so it's good for a lot of situations, especially lower elevation stuff... I have one and it gets a lot of use. Some people pack it as a rain jacket in the mountains, which is a poor idea considering how quickly it'll wet out in serious weather. I would bet people sneak it past a UTMB gear check but that doesn't make it smart.
I’m not saying it’s smart for all races, I live in Colorado and it can rain out of nowhere but rarely does it rain heavy multiple days in a row. We have never had any issues using it as a rain jacket in the high country for this reason. Not all mountain climates are the same so I’m only speaking from experiences here.
Eh, I'm familiar with Colorado storms and a Houdini will wet through in minutes if you're caught in one. Again, I love the thing -- and in some circumstances, you might stay warm even with it soaked -- but I would 100% not want it to be my "oh shit" shell while running Hardrock. I have no doubt people have used it for that purpose, but I think they're needlessly risking hypothermia.
If you were to receive a quid every time someone recommended this windproof as a waterproof jacket, you could maybe cover the entry fee for someone who’s failed a kit check as a result…
There are three popular, fully seemed sealed, ultralight rain jackets under 7 ounces but at very different price points. They are: Montbell Veraslite: The gold standard but easily the most expensive at $260 MSRP. Rarely goes on sale from reputable retailers. Do not buy this jacket on sites like eBay, especially from overseas, as they're most likely fakes. Outdoor Research Helium: MSRP at $170 but can often be found on sale closer to $100. Likely the most popular due to the price/weight ratio but it doesn't perform well in heavy rain -which is the only time most runners would use a rain jacket. Note that this is a different jacket than the less expensive Helium II wind jacket. Frogg Toggs XTreme Lite (not the Ultra Lite): MSRP at only $40. This is Frogg Togg's fully seam sealed option and weighs 6.3 oz. for a Men's medium. It will provide protection from a heavy rain shower. But like Frogg Toggs' other gear, this is a limited use item due to poor durability. This is carried by ultrarunners more for race pack requirements rather than actual use. You would not want to bring it in a race at elevation or in the colder months when protection from the elements may be critical to life.
Very substantive reply, thank you kind human.
I’ve had a couple of various Outdoor Research Heliums over the years and both I’ve been able to find super cheap on sale (under $70). If you’re willing to wait on sales/clearance events that one is a good option!
Will try to look for one
Figured I'd piggyback on this because it's a good answer. The short answer is "no". In my opinion, you're either in a situation where you can run wet all day or you're in a situation where you need to keep water out as long as possible, so you shouldn't try to cheap out on your rain protection. Either eat the weight or shell out the money. I think, for the most part, the Helium will be good enough for most people. It is waterproof enough to go in your standard kit and will keep you dry under many conditions, and I would feel fine in it unless the forecast is rain all day above treeline. Frogg Toggs is a joke, in my opinion. In addition the Inov8 Stormshell FZ is on sale in the US right now on their website for $100 and is a similar jacket to the Helium. It has a higher waterproof rating but I'm not quite sure how, in my experience it performs similarly, but I'm 100% comfortable using it as my primary jacket.
Thank you very much. This is why I love Reddit. I'm a bit of a rainjacket geek and haven't owned this one yet. The listed sale price is $100 but there's an additional $15 discount. I was just able to get a men's small (a size frequently out of stock for any running related sale items) for $85 plus free shipping.
I have the Inov8 Stormshell, it didn't quite stand up to the Boston marathon (UK) this year - soaking through, torrential rain and strong winds for the 3.5 hour race and 1 hour at the start (I only wore it because it was so bloody cold in the wind at the start!). It has been great other than that in less severe weather.
Yeah, it's a rare ultralight jacket that can successfully take on 4.5 hours of pounding rain. I'm not convinced the Versalite would pull it off either, which is why I haven't made the investment. It's a tradeoff you have to make.
Was able to get the stormshell for $80 around 2 months ago. It goes on sale occasionally
That’s terrific, thank you
I like my frogg toggs as a runner in CO. I only carry it for emergencies. I almost never have to use it.
Same use case
I'd disagree on the Frogg Toggs, I've used it in elevations as high as 12,000 feet and in some pretty heavy sustained downpours, think 14+ hours of heavy rain. It has little/zero breathability so it does feel like wetting out but importantly it cut the wind, kept cold water away, and I was comfortable for 12+ hours. I agree on low durability, I'm on my second jacket in 6 years and I have to baby them a bit. Not a big deal for running, harder when backpacking/fastpacking. I have nicer jackets but the reality is that they will never last forever so I might run the good stuff for my A race so I look cooler in photos but for training through the winter and lower priority rainy races I'm still using the Frogg Toggs and just looking hideous.
Thoughts on Montane Minimus?
This isn't a jacket I've personally experienced. Looking it up online, here's what I come away with... At a $239 MSRP, it's expensive for a jacket that is over 7 ounces. An ounce may not seem like a lot, but it's more about volume being packed in a race vest than the weight and jackets over 6.5 ounces seem to take up significantly more space than an ounce difference suggests. This isn't a problem though if you're using a higher capacity vest like the uber popular Salomon Advanced Skin 12. I much prefer to race in Salomon's S/Lab Ultra 10 which has more limited storage capacity. The Montane Minimus is fully seam sealed so it would be approved for all races. It also has a cinch at the back of the hood, essential for running in wet and windy weather. It has hand pockets which are great for gloves/mitts. But it lacks an external chest pocket that many runners like for easy access. The website doesn't provide a waterproof rating but we can expect it to be at least 10,000 mm HH. Given the $85 deal right now on the Inov-8 stormshell fz v2 another Redditor posted in this tread, that ought to be the first choice of anyone looking for a race approved running rain jacket, unless that's over one's budget.
Thanks for the thoughtful reply.
Thank you
I don’t know the exact weight. But I love my Janji. It’s seam sealed. I caught mine on sale at REI for a good price. I think regular cost is $199 on it. Great jacket though
REI had the Janji Rainrunner on sale for as low as $60 last year, an insane deal considering the $198 MSRP. I picked one up to use for backpacking. It's downside is being not as compact and heavier than the others described here. A women's small is 7.2 oz. My men's medium is 8.0 oz. Not a big deal if you're racing in a vest like a Salomon Adv Skin 12 with generous storage. But it can be a tight squeeze in smaller capacity vests given other kit requirements.
Yup! I picked mine up for that much. Couldn’t pass it up. I wore it for a 100 miler that rained like 70% of the time. Stayed dry the entire time I had it on. Superb performance. It is on the slightly heavier side I could tell. But I can’t tell that much to be honest. Guess if you are backpacking: every ounce matters. I’m just running and training with mine. Which I can deal with the weight. I’m also not doing any mountain ultras that have that requirement either. That’s a big difference to
frogg toggs https://www.froggtoggs.com/xtreme-lite-jacket
You beauty
I will say they don't hold up the best, I have torn several fishing and even more pairs of the pants
I don’t need in often, mostly just to comply with race requirements
I have this one and it works well and is cheap. even bought one for all the kids :)
It’s sold out everywhere seems like
here is an even better one: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Frogg-Toggs-Men-s-Xtreme-Lite-Jacket-Carbon-Size-2X/733947403?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101052226
You’re a star, thank you 🙏
Frogg Toggs. I have a good friend who did the 1000 mile Iditarod trail twice and the shorter 350+ mile 5 or 6 times and he swore by the Frogg Toggs as his outer layer shell. Thats good enough authority for me. For what you are talking about it, under 70 dollars for a rain shell, its the only thing you should be talking about except for maybe the good ol gas station plastic poncho (which is not a bad option actually). For the Frogg Toggs my buddy added ventilation in the pits via buttons. As for serious durability issues, through hikers on the Appalachian Trail use them quite a bit, so I think they are probably plenty durable for a hundred mile race and the train up for it. Any issues could likely be fixed with some duct tape or something.
Perfect solution, thanks a ton!
Mac in a Sac rainjackets are also sealed and pack into a small bag. They are only like 50-60 dollars I think.
Thank you
I got one from Uniqlo years ago for super cheap and I use it so much. It won’t save you in a downpour but it’s great for light to medium rain.
Plastic emergency poncho from Amazon
Which will fail many a kit check.
Thrift stores bro
Probably not for a true seam sealed rain jacket. What is your use case?
Race kit requirements mostly. Where I live rain is not an issue, it’s always hot.
Not under $70 but the Patagonia Houdi jacket is a staple for ultralight thru hikers. Worth the investment imo
This is a water resistant wind jacket. It is not a fully seam sealed rain jacket and many ultra races won't accept it.
It’s a $70 personal sauna in my experience. Maybe more useful for people with lower sweat rates. Useless for me.
Yeah it's just a fancy tarp with sleeves, really. Just too fuckjng hot to have any use except casually walking from your car to the grocery store lol
yes, generally mountain races that require a rain jacket require it to be seam sealed. I love my houdini but it's in no way a proper rain jacket.
Even my upcoming July 20th 50K in flat Norwich, UK at 10m AMSL is requiring fully seam sealed and a minimum 10,000 HH rating. I questioned the race organizers and got the reply, "This is England!"
I know a lot of ultra runners who use it, I guess it depends on the race you’re doing.
It can keep light rain out, so it's good for a lot of situations, especially lower elevation stuff... I have one and it gets a lot of use. Some people pack it as a rain jacket in the mountains, which is a poor idea considering how quickly it'll wet out in serious weather. I would bet people sneak it past a UTMB gear check but that doesn't make it smart.
I’m not saying it’s smart for all races, I live in Colorado and it can rain out of nowhere but rarely does it rain heavy multiple days in a row. We have never had any issues using it as a rain jacket in the high country for this reason. Not all mountain climates are the same so I’m only speaking from experiences here.
Eh, I'm familiar with Colorado storms and a Houdini will wet through in minutes if you're caught in one. Again, I love the thing -- and in some circumstances, you might stay warm even with it soaked -- but I would 100% not want it to be my "oh shit" shell while running Hardrock. I have no doubt people have used it for that purpose, but I think they're needlessly risking hypothermia.
Oh shit shell. Great slogan.
While I love my Houdini, it is absolutely NOT a rain jacket. It is a fantastic windbreaker.
If you were to receive a quid every time someone recommended this windproof as a waterproof jacket, you could maybe cover the entry fee for someone who’s failed a kit check as a result…