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The Best Light Jackets for Men Are Crisper Than the Autumn Weather

21 windbreakers, anoraks, parkas, and more to keep you high, dry, and extremely fly all fall long. 
21 Best Light Jackets for Men in 2021 Windbreakers Trench Coats Trucker Jackets and More
Photograph courtesy Getty Images; Collage by Gabe Conte

We’ve finally reached the sweet, sweet days of early fall—Goldilocks weather, if you will—which means it’s time to break out the best light jackets for men. Windbreakers! Fleece zip-ups! Parkas! Anoraks! Shirt jackets! The potential for layering greatness is damn near infinite right now, people. Whatever your silhouette of choice, the finest autumnal outerwear should work as well with a simple tee underneath in September as it does over a fuzzy sweater in November, keep you toasty and relatively dry when the weather turns on a dime, and be compact enough to stuff in a tote when the sun comes out to play. These 21 light jackets for men hit all those marks and then some. Whether you’re after a bomber or a chore coat, a trench or a trucker, we’ve got the cream of the jacket crop all lined up and ready to go.

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  • 1/21

    Barbour Beacon wax patch Bedale jacket

    A groovy patchwork update to Britain's most storied wax cotton jacket.

    $269 at END.
  • 2/21

    Patagonia Nano Puff jacket

    When it's colder outside than you anticipated, but not quite cold enough to break out your monster puffer jacket, this lightweight, low-profile down number has you covered.

    $199 at Patagonia
  • 3/21

    Adidas Essentials 3-stripes tricot jacket

    You may have missed out on that Wales Bonner collab (again), but you can always count on the original Adidas track jacket.

    $50 $33 at Amazon
  • 4/21

    Columbia OutDry Ex Blitz jacket

    Seam sealed and totally waterproof, this Columbia rain jacket is advanced enough to handle the worst of weather and cheap enough to fit almost any budget.

    $99 $69 at Amazon
  • 5/21

    The North Face TKA Kataka fleece jacket

    Looks and feels like a gorpcore teddy bear.

    $99 at The North Face
  • 6/21

    Polo Ralph Lauren water-repellent twill walking coat

    Rakish with a button-up and dress pants, positively louche with a hoodie and jeans, looks incredible rain or shine.

    $298 at Ralph Lauren
  • 7/21

    Arc'teryx Beta LT jacket

    Arc'teryx's Beta LT jacket is prized among outdoors enthusiasts and gorpcore nerds for its windproof, waterproof properties and lightweight design.

    $399 at Arc'teryx
  • 8/21

    Dickies unlined "Eisenhower" jacket

    An icon so perfect it can traverse both greasy car garages and plush red carpets.

    $60 at Amazon
  • 9/21

    Evan Kinori zip jacket

    Top-notch construction and the luxest of fabrics make this clean jacket a certified grail.

    $795 at Evan Kinori
  • 10/21

    Baracuta G9 jacket

    You've seen every menswear icon—from McQueen to James Dean—wear this jacket. Now it's time to get your own.

    $429 at Baracuta
  • 11/21

    3sixteen lightweight Type 3s denim jacket

    A lightweight trucker that's heavy on denimhead street cred.

    $265 at 3sixteen
  • 12/21

    Issey Miyake Homme Plissé monthly color August jacket

    Issey Miyake's famed crinkly fabric delivers the absolute perfect drape.

    $555 at SSENSE
  • 13/21

    Pendleton Board shirt

    Fashioned from premium wool in a classic fit, there's plenty of room to layer this shirt jacket over a hoodie on chillier days.

    $149 at Amazon
  • 14/21

    Uniqlo pocketable UV protection parka

    Is that a parka in your pocket or are you just happy to see some nice weather?

    $40 at Uniqlo
  • 15/21

    Alex Mill garment dyed work jacket

    A perfectly-weighted chore coat with the ideal number of pockets.

    $175 at Alex Mill
  • 16/21

    Uniqlo fleece color block long-sleeve half-zip pullover

    Feeling kinda chilly? Love wearing fleece? Got 30 bucks? Get this.

    $30 at Uniqlo
  • 17/21

    Arc'teryx Incendo hoody

    When it's unexpectedly warm, lugging a jacket around can be a bummer. Good thing this jacket packs up into a convenient pouch.

    $139 at Arc'teryx
  • 18/21

    Levi's trucker jacket

    Like a pair of their famed 501 jeans, Levi's trucker jacket goes with just about everything and turns any fit into a certified hit.

    $90 $70 at Levi's
  • 19/21

    Nike Repel Wild Run Windrunner graphic running jacket

    This jacket may look like it's from the future, but you should cop it right now.

    $125 at Nike
  • 20/21

    Engineered Garments Sonor shirt jacket

    It's a shirt! It's a jacket! It's a hoodie! It's the ultimate piece of outerwear!

    $492 $246 at Nepenthes
  • 21/21

    Fear of God Essentials coach jacket

    We can't guarantee this will help you win your fantasy football league, but it's worth a shot.

    $125 at SSENSE
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