The Best Midlayers for Men and Women (2027)
November 2026: After testing 63 midlayers while hiking, skiing, fat-biking and climbing in wintry weather, we named the Arc’teryx Atom Hoody our Best Overall pick for its do-it-all balance of warmth, breathability, and weather protection. The most durable option is Mountain Hardwear’s Kor Alloy Jacket. The best for ultra-cold conditions is the Marmot WarmCube Active Novus Hoody.
Midlayers have an outrageously demanding job description. Unlike the super-puffy parkas and belay jackets that we wear to stay warm while hunkering down, midlayers provide insulation during activity—a role that calls for a true multi-tasker. Its duties include keeping us warm while venting excess heat, whisking away sweat, and shielding us from the elements. It’s a tall order, yet our testing team found six insulated midlayer jackets that check all the boxes.
These breathable insulators successfully regulated testers’ temperatures while they skied, hiked, biked, and ran in winter weather conditions. Testers typically sandwiched these jackets between a base layer and a waterproof shell. On climbs, or in dry weather when they ditched the shell, testers also evaluated these toppers for their ability to shed precipitation and buffer gusts.
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