[A self-paying comparison review without any consideration] It's light, comfortable, and makes your sweat come off. Practical tests are the top 10 best candidates from the evolving windshell top 10.
written by Murakami Haruki
Windshell is a classic gear you can rely on in mountains where the weather is uneven. It has a good balance between windproof and breathable properties, and is equipped with a hood, making it easy to adjust the temperature, so I use it myself. Recently, the number of people using rain jackets has been increasingly being used in combination, but the latest windshells that are lightweight and easy to remove sweat are definitely being evolved. This is the item to be noted again now.
In this article, we have carefully selected 10 items from the 2025 model models, with excellent specifications that are "light, easy to use, and comfortable". We have reviewed the three best selections from among them.
You're sure to find a piece that suits your mountain climbing style.
table of contents
- 10 lightweight windshells
- Select the 3 best candidates for Windshell from the above and test the field.
- Test environment and field test results
- Impressions of each model
- Overall BEST: MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR Core Air Shelf Hooded Jacket Maximum comfort, adequate breathability and windproof. Recommended for all hikers!
- Best value for money and lightweight: mont-bell EX light wind parka Recommended for UL hikers who are interested in light weight reduction
- Excellent breathability! Recommended for violently moving fast packing and cold hikers who want to warm their core! Patagonia Airshed Pro Pullover
- Summary: The ability that cannot be measured by lightness alone. Personally, I recommend "MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR Core Air Shelf Hooded Jacket"
10 lightweight windshells
Sales in 2025, weighing less than 150g and with a hood, we chose 10 items that are excellent in windproof, breathability, weight, and comfort, with fast packing in mind.
- Zpacks Ventum Wind Shell 46g
- mont-bell EX light wind parka 61g
- Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell 72g
- SALOMON SENSE AERO WIND 88g
- TETON BROS. Wind River Hoody 100g
- patagonia Airshed Pro Pullover 100g
- mont-bell UL stretch wind parka 117g
- MONTANE Featherlite Packable Hooded Windproof Jacket 120g
- Rab Vital Hoody 130g [Try on]
- MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR Core Air Shelf Hooded Jacket 137g
Select the 3 best candidates for Windshell from the above and test the field.
I put my 10 selections through many windshells and made a list of them, but I was really worried about narrowing down to three points from here.
The first three things I chose were as follows:
- mont-bell EX light wind parka 61g
- patagonia Airshed Pro Pullover 100g
- MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR Core Air Shelf Hooded Jacket 137g
Here's why I chose these three points.
The first point is the EX Light Wind Parka, which I've been interested in for a long time, because it's an ultra-lightweight windshell. I had a hard time with the Zpacks' "Ventum Wind Shell," the mont-bell's "EX Light Wind Parka," and the Black Diamond's "Distance Wind Shell," but I chose the mont-bell's "EX Light Wind Parka" because of its incredible cost performance and ease of picking up.
The second point is the "Core Air Shelf Hooded Jacket" because it is a windshell that can be used for all-round purposes. TETON BROS.'s "Wind River Hoody", Rab's "Vital Hoody", and MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR's "Core Air Shelf Hooded Jacket" are all masterpieces, so I was really worried about it. Furthermore, all three items have the same fabric as the Pertex® Quantum Air. In the end, I chose the MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR "Core Air Shelf Hooded Jacket" because of the intuition of the sleeves and the thickness of the fabric (20d).
The third item, "Airshed Pro Pullover," is a unique windshell made from a combination of different materials, and I chose it because I wanted to check how it would go with fast packing and the contrast between it and the other two points was interesting.
Test environment and field test results
Which windshell has a good balance between windproof and breathable properties and is lightweight?
Field tests were performed under the following conditions and verified:
Test environment
[Period] March to April
[Temperature] 2℃ to 20℃
[Mountain area] Tokai Nature Trail (Osaka, Kyoto), Kyoto Around Kyoto Trail (Kyoto), Rokko Mountains (Hyogo)
[Weather] Sunny, Rain
[Activity] Fast packing
[Layering] Active insulation, wear windshells on T-shirts
Field test results
| type | No. 1 in comfort, all-around type | It's lightest and the lightest type in the class | A mix of different materials that is extremely sweaty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item name | MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR Core Air Shelf Hooded Jacket | mont-bell EX light wind parka | Patagonia AirJed Pro Pullover |
| image |  |  |  |
| material | PERTEX® QUANTUM AIR 20 denier | Ballistic Air Light® 7 denier | 1.2 oz recycled polyester 100% 2.3 oz recycled polyester 100% |
| Actual weight (g) | 137 | 61 | 100 |
| Left and right hand pockets, inner pocket | none | Chest zip pocket | |
| Packable | 〇 | 〇 | 〇 |
| Reference price (as of May 2025) | 19,250 yen | 11,000 yen | 19,800 yen |
| This is ◎ |
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| This is △ |
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| Outdoor Gearzine Rating | |||
| Windproof | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Breathable (resistant to stuffiness) | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| weight | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ease of movement | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Comfortable | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ease of putting on and taking off | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Storageability | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Comparison with OD can 110. A distinctively small EX light wind hoodie (top right)!
The large-looking Airshed Pro Pullover (bottom left) is probably given priority to the size of the pocket, and the contents are sparse and can be made even more compact.
Impressions of each model
Overall BEST: MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR Core Air Shelf Hooded Jacket Maximum comfort, adequate breathability and windproof. Recommended for all hikers!
The MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR core air shelf hooded jacket weighs 137g, the heaviest of the three items.
When I first put it on, it was a very well balanced piece, except for the weight.
First of all, it's worn.
168cm, 56kg, size M, Black
A spacious size that can be worn over active insulation
The back covers the bottom all the way up
The stretch is overall effective, and I felt that the hood in particular is highly versatile, allowing it to cover a wide range of body shape and neck length.
Next, the 20 denier PERTEX® QUANTUM AIR blocks the wind well, yet is well ventilated and breathable even when exercising vigorously.
It is comfortable to wear and feels smooth.
The design is not too sporty, so it can be used for a variety of purposes, such as traveling.
It combines important functions as a windshell at a high level, and I felt that I would like to use it even if it weighs a lot, so I chose it as the best I want the most.
This windshell is recommended for not only hikers considering purchasing a windshell for the first time, but also for all hikers considering replacing them.
Hand pocket (with zipper) that is easy to insert your hands into
PERTEX® QUANTUM AIR with high stretchability
Even if you sweat when you climb at a temperature of 20°C, there is little stickiness
It is the heaviest of this time, but I didn't really notice it that much.
It is breathable and comfortable to wear, so I walked around feeling like I wanted to wear it forever. Whether you want to wear it forever is an important point of review.
Best value for money and lightweight: mont-bell EX light wind parka Recommended for UL hikers who are interested in light weight reduction
When I first wore an EX Light Wind Parka, I was impressed by its incredible lightness and comfort I had never experienced before.
What will happen if you use this gear in harsh mountain environments? We conducted field tests while excited about the potential of an ultra-lightweight windshell.
First, let's start with wearing it.
168cm, 56kg, size XL, dark green
Minimal design with no pockets and only reflection
The hood also has a moderate amount of room.
Next, the windproof properties of the 7 denier Ballistic Air Light® blocked the wind well and fully functioned as a windshell.
However, when strong winds blow at a temperature of around 10°C, it feels a little cold, and the temperature range that can be used alone is slightly narrower.
I don't see this as a disadvantage, layering active insulation etc. gives it a perfect balance and keeps it in a state that is neither hot nor cold.
Furthermore, although the fabric itself is not highly breathable, it is notched in the sides where heat tends to accumulate, and the heat is removed, and the fact that the fabric itself is not highly windproof, it does not get stuffy, resulting in an exquisite balance.
It's hard to see in the photo, but there are multiple ventilation holes around the sides to help relieve heat.
The fit of the hood, which is an important point when choosing a windshell, is simple yet fully adjustable, and you will be captivated by the "function is beauty" that Mont-bell puts in love with. Raising and lowering the sleeves is also stress-free. In this high-priced era, you can purchase it for 11,000 yen, making it the best value for money.
A hood with a shape that fits the shape of your head
The hood adjustment is simple, just pulling the cord, but it can be adjusted firmly and gives you a sigh of the beauty of the minimalist design.
One thing that bothers me is that it is extremely lightweight, so it is necessary to wear it in strong winds. You need to be careful not to let it fly.
It also has a very tight fit even among Montbells, so you need to be careful when choosing a size. When layering with active insulation, it is desirable to increase the size, so we recommend trying it on once.
Of course, it is recommended for UL hikers who are aiming to reduce weight, but this is a piece that I would recommend to all hikers at least once. I'm sure the concept of windshells will change.
It is also recommended for UL hikers who use both rain jackets and windshells, and is a functional and reasonable windshell that won't hurt even if it's 61g heavy.
Although it is made of 7 denier fabric, I didn't feel that uneasy about its durability.
It gives you a sense of stoic coolness with a minimal design. It's easy to swing your arms.
Super compact enough to fit in your hand! ! It can easily fit into your pants pocket.
Excellent breathability! Recommended for violently moving fast packing and cold hikers who want to warm their core! Patagonia Airshed Pro Pullover
I was very curious about the Airshed Pro Pullover. This windshell has knit material placed on the sides where heat is likely to get caught in. It's similar to the image of a hoodini jacket combined with a caprien light weight.
Will it be released from windshell's weaknesses, such as stuffiness and sticky sweat when climbing violently? ! I was so excited.
First of all, it's worn.
168cm, 56kg, size M, seabird grey
Knit material is available from the elbows and from the neck.
The hood stretches and contracts, and it is also made of knit material, so it feels great to wear.
My impression after field testing was "an outstanding breathability windshell." Its high breathability is the top of the three points, and is simply out of place, making it comfortable to wear over a wide range of activities and temperature ranges. The secret to its ease of removal is that knit material is placed from the sleeves to the sides! It won't get sticky even when you sweat, and the sleeves are much easier to lift, making it very comfortable to wear.
The feeling of rolling up your sleeves is the same as a long-sleeved T-shirt.
The knitted hood is also unique and can be used as a balaclava, making it a wide range of uses, including hiking in snowy mountains, skiing, and snowboarding.
Pullovers have a weakness that makes it difficult to ventilate, but Airshed Pro Pullovers have a deep zipper so they can ventilate well, and because they have double zippers, they can adjust the ventilation amount.
The zipper is well deep, and the double zipper is also a great feature!
So, it's quite good to be able to remove, but because it leaves the temperature below 10°C, the knitted sleeves become colder, which is a part of my preference.
The windshell is similar to a base layer, so you can adjust the temperature appropriately by layering synthetic insulation and rain jackets.
Not only is it suitable for fast packing with high exercise, but it is also perfect for hikers who are cold and want to walk slowly while warming their core.
Easy to use as a sun protection measure
It was comfortable even when I drove hard
Summary: The ability that cannot be measured by lightness alone. Personally, I recommend "MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR Core Air Shelf Hooded Jacket"
After field testing three points, what I wanted most was the MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR core air shelf hooded jacket.
The key point is that it balanced all the functions needed for a windshell, and its design is not too sporty, making it versatile and versatile, which can be used in a wide range of ways, from hard mountain environments to travel.
I finally found a windshell to replace the Patagonia Houdini jacket I had been using for about 10 years.
However, for me, the best was the MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR core air shelf hooded jacket, and the other two items were also very clear concepts and a great windshell with a strong character.
For example, the 61g mont-bell EX light wind parka can be used as a talisman by always keeping it in your backpack and using it as a talisman, while the Patagonia Air Shed Pro Pullover goes very well with trail running.
The appropriate model will vary depending on the mountain range used, season, activity, etc., so we hope that this comparison review will be the mountain climbing when you make a judgment.
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Murakami Haruki
He has been climbing for five years and two years at UL. He's still a hiker who's still trying to get trial and error. I like long hikes. I love traveling and go out both domestically and internationally. We will focus on what we feel from a beginner's perspective, and will explain it in an easy-to-understand manner so that readers can feel, "Let's go to the mountains again next week!"
