ActiveOutdoorsOuterwearPatagonia Storm Racer Jacket 2024 review: light as a featherPatagonia revised its trail running jacket for the new season – how good is it?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictThe revised Patagonia Storm Racer Jacket offers ultra-lightweight, packable convenience with PFC-free waterproofing. Made from 100% recycled nylon ripstop, its close-to-body cut is roomy enough for layering. However, while it excels in breathability and mobility for trail running, its waterproofing may fall short in heavier rain. Overall, it’s a superb, stashable option for high-intensity outdoor activities.Reasons to buy+Ultra lightweight and packable+Made of 100% recycled nylon ripstop face fabric+Easily adjustable hoodReasons to avoid-Can’t withstand heavy rain-It’s easy to mix up main and pocket zippers without lookingWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
ActiveOutdoorsOuterwearPatagonia Storm Racer Jacket 2024 review: light as a featherPatagonia revised its trail running jacket for the new season – how good is it?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictThe revised Patagonia Storm Racer Jacket offers ultra-lightweight, packable convenience with PFC-free waterproofing. Made from 100% recycled nylon ripstop, its close-to-body cut is roomy enough for layering. However, while it excels in breathability and mobility for trail running, its waterproofing may fall short in heavier rain. Overall, it’s a superb, stashable option for high-intensity outdoor activities.Reasons to buy+Ultra lightweight and packable+Made of 100% recycled nylon ripstop face fabric+Easily adjustable hoodReasons to avoid-Can’t withstand heavy rain-It’s easy to mix up main and pocket zippers without lookingWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Patagonia revised its trail running jacket for the new season – how good is it?
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictThe revised Patagonia Storm Racer Jacket offers ultra-lightweight, packable convenience with PFC-free waterproofing. Made from 100% recycled nylon ripstop, its close-to-body cut is roomy enough for layering. However, while it excels in breathability and mobility for trail running, its waterproofing may fall short in heavier rain. Overall, it’s a superb, stashable option for high-intensity outdoor activities.Reasons to buy+Ultra lightweight and packable+Made of 100% recycled nylon ripstop face fabric+Easily adjustable hoodReasons to avoid-Can’t withstand heavy rain-It’s easy to mix up main and pocket zippers without looking
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
T3 VerdictThe revised Patagonia Storm Racer Jacket offers ultra-lightweight, packable convenience with PFC-free waterproofing. Made from 100% recycled nylon ripstop, its close-to-body cut is roomy enough for layering. However, while it excels in breathability and mobility for trail running, its waterproofing may fall short in heavier rain. Overall, it’s a superb, stashable option for high-intensity outdoor activities.Reasons to buy+Ultra lightweight and packable+Made of 100% recycled nylon ripstop face fabric+Easily adjustable hoodReasons to avoid-Can’t withstand heavy rain-It’s easy to mix up main and pocket zippers without looking
T3 VerdictThe revised Patagonia Storm Racer Jacket offers ultra-lightweight, packable convenience with PFC-free waterproofing. Made from 100% recycled nylon ripstop, its close-to-body cut is roomy enough for layering. However, while it excels in breathability and mobility for trail running, its waterproofing may fall short in heavier rain. Overall, it’s a superb, stashable option for high-intensity outdoor activities.
T3 Verdict
The revised Patagonia Storm Racer Jacket offers ultra-lightweight, packable convenience with PFC-free waterproofing. Made from 100% recycled nylon ripstop, its close-to-body cut is roomy enough for layering. However, while it excels in breathability and mobility for trail running, its waterproofing may fall short in heavier rain. Overall, it’s a superb, stashable option for high-intensity outdoor activities.
Reasons to buy+Ultra lightweight and packable+Made of 100% recycled nylon ripstop face fabric+Easily adjustable hoodReasons to avoid-Can’t withstand heavy rain-It’s easy to mix up main and pocket zippers without looking
Reasons to buy+Ultra lightweight and packable+Made of 100% recycled nylon ripstop face fabric+Easily adjustable hood
Ultra lightweight and packable
Made of 100% recycled nylon ripstop face fabric
Easily adjustable hood
Reasons to avoid-Can’t withstand heavy rain-It’s easy to mix up main and pocket zippers without looking
Can’t withstand heavy rain
It’s easy to mix up main and pocket zippers without looking
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Jump to category:Price and availabilitySpecificationsDesign and build qualityPerformance and comfortVerdictAlso consider
Jump to category:Price and availabilitySpecificationsDesign and build qualityPerformance and comfortVerdictAlso consider
Patagonia Storm Racer deals
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Although it was only recently launched, I have been testing the newly updated Patagonia Storm Racer Jacket for a couple of months, thanks to the brand, which kindly provided T3 with an early review sample.
Lucky (?) for me, January and February have been terrible in terms of the weather, with lots of rain and wind, creating the perfect playground for testing the updated Storm Racer jacket. Better still, I’m also getting ready for a marathon in April, meaning I have been doing more running than usual.
I love Patagonia like the next person, so the opportunity to test one of its products for longer excited me. At this point, I must have put over 100 km in the Storm Racer in varying conditions, from windy to rainy and everything in between. Certainly long enough to form an opinion.
Is the Patagonia Storm Racer thebest waterproof jacketfor runners? What’s new, and how does it compare to its competition? Let’s find out.
(First reviewed March 2024.)
Patagonia Storm Racer Jacket 2024 review
Price and availability
The updated Patagonia Storm Racer Jacket was released in February 2024 and is available to buy now at Patagonia US and Patagonia UK for a recommended retail price of $299/ £270.
It comes in bothwomen’sandmen’sversions and in a couple of colours each: Endless Blue and Black for men and Subtidal Blue and Pimento Red for women.
Patagonia is currently selling thejacket’s predecessorfor 40% off if you’re after a bargain! It’s not PFC-free, though, so there is that.
Specifications
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Design and build quality
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
The first thing you’ll notice when taking the Patagonia Storm Racer out of its bag is just how lightweight the shell is. My men’s medium weighs a mere 204g, which is far lighter than most waterproof jackets I came across recently.
For example, theArc’teryx Beta Lightweight Jacket, which has the word ‘lightweight’ in the name, comes in at 373g. Of course, the two jackets are designed for different purposes, but it illustrates well just how feather-light Patagonia’s offering is, especially for a 3-layer performance waterproof shell.
The Storm Racer isn’t just light; it’s also ‘ultra-stuffable’, as Patagonia says. The jacket has one chest pocket, big enough to house myiPhone14, and you can stuff the whole jacket in here. Better still, the zipper in the pocket can be closed while the jacket is stuffed inside.
It’s made from 100% recycled nylon ripstop face fabric and a tricot backer, the latter of which provides a soft next-to-skin feel.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
The hood can be adjusted with one hand, although I found it fit well as is. (Adjusting the hood does improve peripheral vision.) Since the Storm Racer is designed for trail running, there isn’t enough room under the hood for a helmet.
The Storm Racer has a close-to-body cut but is roomy enough to fit lighter technicalfleece jacketsunderneath. If you feel the need to keep the breeze out, there is an elasticated pull string around the waist.
One of the most important updates is the now PFC-free waterproofing. I’m waiting for Patagonia to confirm what kind of waterproofing it is; all I know is that it isn’t Gore-Tex ePE. Whatever the technology might be, it falls under the company’sH2No Performance Standard(links to Patagonia), which is Patagonia’s benchmark for waterproofness, breathability and durability.
Performance and comfort
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
As mentioned in the intro, I’ve been using the Patagonia Storm Racer for well over two months now. During testing, I experienced everything from gusty winds to torrential rain, giving me a good understanding of the shell’s capabilities.
My favourite feature of the jacket is certainly its lightness. The least you want is a stiff, heavy shell when out doing long runs in the rain. Thanks to its featherlight and stuffable construction, you can pop the Storm Racer in arunning backpackor belt when not in use and deploy it when the weather turns sour.
The jacket’s fit allows you to move freely, which is exactly what you need from a trail running shell. Breathability is decent; there is some condensation in the shell over long runs, though. The Storm Racer provided a decent amount of wind protection during my runs, but you definitely need a mid-layer when running in the cold, as the jacket is thin and doesn’t provide any insulation (understandably).
As for waterproofing, the Storm Racer does a fine job keeping moisture out in light rain, but I got pretty wet when I ran in moderate rain for over an hour. On that occasion, you could clearly see the water seeping through the seams around the shoulders, especially where the chest pocket is.
Verdict
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
The updated Patagonia Storm Racer 2024 is a superb waterproof shell for trail running. It’s incredibly lightweight and allows you to move without restriction when tackling technical trails and forest paths. Its stashable nature ensures it can be carried easily and deployed when needed.
All things considered, I loved using the Patagonia Storm Racer 2024, and I’ll keep using it in interchangeable weather in the future. It really is the ideal packable waterproof shell for high-intensity outdoor shenanigans.
Also consider
If you need more of a walking waterproof shell, the Columbia Ampli-Dry coat offers lightweight, waterproof protection with spacious pockets, a functional hood, and excellent breathability for year-round walking. Read Pat’s excellentColumbia Ampli-Dry Waterproof Jacket review.
Another alternative is the Montane Phase Lite Waterproof Jacket. It excels in fast-paced mountain pursuits, offering reliable protection from rain and wind. It’s lightweight, compact, and equipped with an excellent storm hood. However, its reduced durability and lack of vents may lead to internal dampness in moister environments. Read Pat’s fullMontane Phase Lite Waterproof Jacket review.
Patagonia Storm Racer: Price Comparison
$299$208.99View$299View$299View$299ViewNo price informationCheck Amazon
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$299$208.99View
$299$208.99View
$299$208.99
$208.99
$299View
$299View
$299View
$299
$299
$299View
$299View
$299View
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$299View
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$299
No price informationCheck Amazon
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