In this article I’m going to give you some of the best women’s lightweight cycling jackets.
Quality lightweight cycling jackets need to have good weather protection characteristics while at the same time not making you look like you’re heading to the arctic circle.
That is not as easy as it sounds, because protection comes in the forms of various layers to keep out the wind and the rain, and still maintain proper breathability characteristics.
Those elements are commonly found in both packable cycling jackets and soft shell jackets. With the first being the most minimal and the latter offer casual looks and adding protection against chilly temperatures.
In this overview I offer a range of options to choose from, from very affordable to somewhat less so. Whatever you choose from these women’s lightweight cycling jackets, they will keep you comfortably riding in the saddle for many more days to come.
Castelli Aria Shell W cycling jacket
The Castelli Aria Shell W jacket is an extremely lightweight packable cycling jacket, which can be folded and packed into itself.
With minimal protection against the rain and very lightly insulated it’s meant as the first protective layer when temperatures begin to drop. Temperatures can vary with the time of the day or with the altitude. Being able to take this with you means you stay warm, but enjoy the flexibility of not having to ride with a jacket.
Weighing just over 100 grams, this jacket is as minimal as they come.
- One of the lightest stowable jackets there is
- Delicate. Meant for instant minimal protection
Troy Lee Designs Shuttle cycling jacket
The Troy Lee Designs Shuttle jacket is a high-quality yet affordable packable cycling jacket.
As a casual fitting jacket for both men and women, it provides the first layer of protection against colder temperatures, but is not water-resistant, let alone waterproof, which is reflected in the price.
The jacket has a single pocket located at the lower back. Ventilation openings at the underarms and back.
- Affordable packable cycling jacket
- Single pocket. Not even water-resistant
Leatt MTB AllMtn 2.0 V22 cycling jacket
The Leatt MTB AllMtn 2.0 V22 jacket is an affordable entry into a packable jacket with a decent amount of water resistance.
The 5K water-resistant fabric will keep you dry through light and short showers, and has a hood you can pull over your helmet. The hood actually stays in place using a magnet.
2 zippered pockets let you take necessary items with you, like your phone and keys.
Offered in a single black version, it’s a clean-looking water-resistant and windproof jacket, which can fold into its own chest pocket.
- High-quality, yet affordable, entry-level MTB jacket
- Not waterproof
Gore Wear C7 GORE-TEX Shakedry cycling jacket
The Gore Wear C7 GORE-TEX Shakedry jacket sits resolutely in the more tech-oriented premium range of packable jackets.
Shakedry refers to the garment having great water beading characteristics that enable you to shake off the rain droplets should you decide to stow the jacket into its rear pocket.
It’s the lightest waterproof packable cycling jacket on this list at 110 grams, but it’s one of the most expensive as well. Gore basically stripped the entire outer layer from their traditional fabric.
The combination of high breathability but still being waterproof justifies that price for the more ambitious female roadies.
The lacquered finish makes the jacket look stealthy and premium.
- Stylish, fully waterproof, lightweight, stowable jacket. Maximum protection against the rain in a minimal package.
- Delicate and extremely expensive.
Gore Wear Ambient cycling jacket
The Gore Wear Ambient jacket is made from the GORE-TEX INFINIUM™ WINDSTOPPER® fabric, making it both windproof and water-repellant.
At just over 100 grams, that protection against sudden showers and the cold doesn’t weigh much.
For a waterproof jacket you need to look for Gore’s Shakedry version, but if you’re not the ride-any-condition type, but still want the protection against short rain showers, this is a perfect jacket.
- Extremely lightweight, windproof, and water-resistant jacket
- Delicate and not waterproof
Endura Women's Windchill Jacket II cycling jacket
The Endura Women’s Windchill Jacket II jacket is a high-quality, well-made, well-designed cycling soft shell jacket.
It’s warm enough for cold winter riding, but still provides a certain degree of protection from the rain with a DWR treatment.
3 stow pockets in the rear and a zippered one up front provide the carrying capacity you need for essentials like keys and your phone.
If the heat builds up, increased ventilation under the arms can be zipped open. And with reflective trimming on both sides and the rear logo, safety is increased in low light conditions.
It’s not the cheapest soft shell out there, but you sure get a quality garment for the money.
- Well-made soft shell jacket with ample options for ventilation
- Not waterproof. Not a winter jacket
Endura Women's FS260-Pro Adrenaline Race Cape II cycling jacket
The Endura Women’s FS260-Pro Adrenaline Race Cape II jacket is a long name for the most affordable waterproof packable jacket on this list.
It uses 15K breathable fabric which is so thin, you can look through it. It’s an effective protection against rain, and is meant to take with you as an insurance, not to be used for the duration of an entire ride.
Since the jacket doesn’t have any pockets, you get a pack sack to carry it around.
- Lightweight, packable cycling jacket
- Not a replacement for a more standard cycling jacket
Fox Racing Ranger Fire cycling jacket
The Fox Racing Ranger Fire jacket is a premium soft shell jacket.
A brushed fleece interior lines a durable polyester shell providing protection from the elements in the form of being both windproof and water-repellant.
2 zippered hand pockets are located on the sides. Like many garments from MTB-oriented brands, reflective elements are lacking.
In combination with a minimal droptail, the jacket feels and looks more casual than your traditional cycling soft shell jacket.
- Versatile, windproof soft-shell with water-repellant finish for cold trail rides
- Not waterproof. Minimal droptail
Fox Racing Ridgeway cycling jacket
The Fox Racing Ridgeway jacket is a packable jacket which is actually insulated with Polartec Power Fill.
It looks the least like a cycling jacket, which some of you might appreciate. And 2 zippered hand pockets further add to its flexibility in terms of usage.
It’s water-resistant, not waterproof, so prolonged use in wet conditions will see water seeping through.
- Meant for the more fashion-oriented female MTB er
- I have a hard time calling this a cycling jacket
Fox Racing Pit Softshell cycling jacket
The Fox Racing Pit Softshell jacket is another great soft shell jacket option, especially for those riders seeking extra protection from the elements.
A waterproof zipper closes the 3-layer tightly woven polyester shell. Protection from spray is added in the form of a hood and waterproof back.
2 zippered hand pockets let you carry around your necessities in a well-designed soft shell jacket.
You don’t come across that many soft shell jackets with this level of weather protection.
- Reasonably priced, soft shell jacket with high level of protection against the elements.
- None
Inbike Outdoor cycling jacket
The Inbike Outdoor jacket is an affordable yet well-made allround soft shell cycling jacket.
Featuring reflective elements, and 2 zippered hand pockets, this jacket will protect you from the cold and light rain.
A large droptail design makes it perfect for cycling in general and road cycling in particular.
You either hate or love the bright color scheme, but you can be sure that you increase your visibility when the sun goes down.
- Budget-friendly soft shell jacket
- Not waterproof
Flylow Davis cycling jacket
The Flylow Davis jacket is a very durable packable jacket made from Intuitive™ S/G Lite nylon ripstop fabric with a DWR-free PFC coating.
Made for both men and women it’s an affordable water-resistant jacket with a single, easy-to-reach zippered breast pocket.
Coming with a variety of outdoor-oriented color-schemes, it’s a solid choice for casual-looking insurance against cold and rain.
- Casual-looking, allround, water-resistant jacket
- Loose fit not meant for roadies. Single pocket
POC W's Signal All-Weather cycling jacket
The POC W’s Signal All-Weather jacket has the honor of being the most expensive packable jacket on this list.
So what do you get for paying several hundred dollars for a minimal packable jacket? For one, the most waterproof jacket with protection against a 20K water column, which is double the protection when compared to the average other waterproof jacket. You can hang the packed jacket on your handlebars.
The jacket actually features a RECCO® Reflector and a twICEme® NFC Medical ID, something I normally see on jackets worn with skis or a snowboard. It’s an added protection for bikepackers.
The fact that such a jacket comes in a form, which can be easily stowed away indeed makes it the ultimate lightweight jackets for bikepackers.
- The most expensive minimal, waterproof cycling jacket you can pack and hang on your handlebars. Recco reflector and twICEme NFC medical ID
- Price, not well insulated
Pearl Izumi Quest AmFIB cycling jacket
The Pearl Izumi Quest AmFIB jacket is a premium soft shell cycling jacket with a loose fit.
Ample coverage in the rear drop tail and long sleeves make sure heat stays put, while the DWR treatment makes this jacket windproof and water-resistant.
You can close up the jacket even more with integrated waist adjusters, and a zippered pocket in the rear adds some storage capacity.
Small reflective logos add some degree of increased visibility.
I’m more a fan of hand pockets, but otherwise this 3-layer fleece brushed soft shell jacket in an assortment of colors is exceptionally well made.
- Premium soft shell jacket with loose relaxed fit.
- Not a fan of rear zippered pocket
Giro Stow cycling jacket
The Giro Stow jacket is a windproof and water-resistant packable cycling jacket made from Nylon ripstop fabric with a DWR treatment.
Clean-looking and affordable, it offers 1 zippered breast pocket and reflective logos.
An all-round great companion on chilly trail rides.
- Affordable, stowable, windproof and water-resistant jacket
- Not waterproof
Giro Stow H2O cycling jacket
Should you want maximum protection in a lightweight package the Giro Stow H2O jacket is one of the best choices you can find.
With a 15K 2.5-layer polyester fabric with DWR treatment, this garment is waterproof, windproof and durable, and still somewhat affordable when compared to similar options.
It further adds to that flexibility in use, with 2 zippered hand pockets to stow away your stuff.
When not in use, pack it and stow it on your handlebars.
My personal pick for the best allround packable cycling jacket.
- Premium, waterproof, stowable jacket
- None
Giro Chrono Expert Wind cycling jacket
The Giro Chrono Expert Wind jacket is a solid choice if you’re looking for minimal protection you can quickly put away at any time.
Basically a packable water-repellent windbreaker, the jacket features Nylon ripstop fabric with a DWR treatment.
The jacket doesn’t feature any pockets and needs to be stowed away into a separate bag.
The entire back is perforated, which is great for ventilation, but not so much to keep out the rain.
The most affordable packable cycling jacket to keep you warm and offer some protection against the rain and wheel spray.
- If you're looking for a packable, water-repellent windbreaker
- Meant as first layer of protection against the elements, and not much more
Specifications women's lightweight cycling jackets
Name | Price | Material | Weather protection | Pockets | Reflectiveness | Packable | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Castelli Aria Shell W cycling jacket | 140 USD | Windproof woven microfiber front | windproof | none | none | yes | |
Troy Lee Designs Shuttle cycling jacket | 89 USD | TLD Wind Resistant Ripstop Fabric | windproof | 1 lower back zippered pocket | none | yes | |
Leatt MTB AllMtn 2.0 V22 cycling jacket | 90 USD | 5K water-resistant fabric | windproof, water resistant | 2 zippered hand pockets | none | yes | |
Gore Wear C7 GORE-TEX Shakedry cycling jacket | 280 USD | GORE-TEX SHAKEDRY™ | windproof, waterproof | 1 lower back stow pocket | reflective logos | yes | |
Gore Wear Ambient cycling jacket | 170 USD | GORE-TEX INFINIUM™ WINDSTOPPER® | windproof, water resistant | 1 lower back zippered pocket | reflective logo | yes | |
Endura Women’s Windchill Jacket II cycling jacket | 160 USD | softshell w. DWR treatment | windproof, water resistant | 1 front zippered pocket w. 3 rear pockets | reflective logos | no | |
Endura Women’s FS260-Pro Adrenaline Race Cape II cycling jacket | 110 USD | ExoShell20ST™ 20K fabric | windproof, waterproof | none | reflective logos w. striping | yes | |
Fox Racing Ranger Fire cycling jacket | 150 USD | softshell | windproof, water resistant | 2 zippered hand pockets | none | no | |
Fox Racing Ridgeway cycling jacket | 140 USD | Cordura® ripstop fabric w. DWR finish and Polartec fleece insulation | windproof, water resistant | 2 zippered hand pockets | none | yes | |
Fox Racing Pit Softshell cycling jacket | 140 USD | softshell | windproof, waterproof | 2 zippered hand pockets | none | no | |
Inbike Outdoor cycling jacket | 65 USD | softshell | windproof, water resistant | 2 zippered hand pockets | reflective logo and strips on back | no | |
Flylow Davis cycling jacket | 130 USD | Intuitive™ S/G Lite nylon ripstop fabric w. DWR-free PFC | windproof, waterproof | 1 zippered breast pocket | none | yes | |
POC W’s Signal All-Weather cycling jacket | 350 euros | 20K ripstop fabric | windproof, waterproof | 2 stow hand pockets and 1 zippered back pocket | none | yes | |
Pearl Izumi Quest AmFIB cycling jacket | 130 USD | AmFIB softshell w. DWR treatment | windproof, water resistant | 1 zippered back pocket | BioViz® striping | no | |
Giro Stow cycling jacket | 90 USD | Nylon ripstop fabric w. DWR treatment | windproof, water resistant | 1 zippered breast pocket | 3M® reflective logos | yes | |
Giro Stow H2O cycling jacket | 160 USD | 15K 2.5-layer polyester w. DWR treatment | windproof, waterproof | 2 zippered hand pockets | 3M® reflective logos | yes | |
Giro Chrono Expert Wind cycling jacket | 65 USD | Nylon ripstop fabric w. DWR treatment | windproof, water resistant | none | reflective strip on back | yes |
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