SHELLS

From featherweight hardshells to do-it-all softshells, here are the best products for staying dry on the move in the backcountry.

- Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan

BEST FOR TRAIL RUNNING

THE NORTH FACE SUMMIT L5 VRT FUTURE LIGHT PULLOVER

OUR TAKE

Making a shell for trail running in foul weather is a delicate balance: It has to be light and breathable enough not to swamp out, but protective enough to shed precip. The L5 VRT nails the combo, thanks to The North Face’s FUTURE LIGHT fabric, an electrospun nylon textile that has millions of tiny, air-permeable pores. (It’s one of the most breathable fabrics on the market, about on par with Gore-Tex Shakedry.) “I unzipped on the uphills, but never took it off,” says one tester, who wore it trail running in 40°F weather on Colorado’s Front Range. The L5 VRT also cuts down on gear you need for longer runs: A supersize kangaroo pocket—big enough for a soft flask of water, a snack, and a pair of gloves, with an internal mesh pocket for phone and keys—let us ditch our waist pack.

THE DETAILS

The hood and brim cinch down tightly over a bare head. (Ding: We could have used a cinch on the jacket’s hem, too.) The L5 VRT packs down to the size of a baseball in the included stuff sack. $350; 7 oz.; m’s XS-XL, w’s XS-XL

BEST MAKEOVER

MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT IMPELLOR SHAKEDRY

OUR TAKE