The 13 Best Fall Jackets for Men, Tested by Style Editors

THERE'S A CHILL in the air and leaves on the ground, which means it's time to check out some fresh outerwear. The best fall jackets for men are light enough to function in a range of temperatures, resilient enough to deal with some wind and rain, and looks great with just about anything in your closet. Men have more fall jacket options to pick from than ever before. Old standbys like wool "shackets", the Harringtons, and shell jackets are just as stylish as ever, while modern looks like ultralight rain jackets and nylon bombers have been added to the mix. They all look great, but when picking out fall jackets for men, you want to focus on versatility first.

Best Fall Jackets for Men

Fall is layering season because you’re facing unpredictable temperatures. Unlike heavy winter coats that we tend to take off indoors, lighter fall jackets see much more time on our backs. That means you should always think of your fall jacket as part of your everyday fit. This is why a lot of designs have collars and fit more like a blazer than a parka. Our writers and editors looked for neutral colors like navy blue, brown, and gray. This will allow jackets to work well with a wide range of fall clothing.

Last, but not least, we searched for lightweight outerwear. Fall jackets should be weather-resistant enough to handle wind, rain, and chilly nights. However, you want to be just as comfortable wearing it with a T-shirt on warmer days, as you would with a cable-knit sweater and scarf on a chilly evening. So we wanted to keep insulation to a minimum and keep the fit a little loose, especially in the shoulders. Don’t be hesitant to size up if needed, because all the fall jackets for men on this list will look good with everything you wear.

What to Consider

Weight

Fall style is all about layering, so you want jackets that work as outer layers for many different outfits. That means you should stick to lighter fabrics. Loose and boxy fit jackets are in style right now anyway, and that cut also allows you to comfortably wear hoodies, sweaters, and thick wool shirts underneath without feeling too snug. If a jacket is cut a little trim, consider buying one size up from what you normally wear.

Weather Resistance

Spring may be the wet season, but fall gets just as much wind and rain in most parts of the country. That's why you want a fall jacket that can handle inclement weather. Look for water resistant fabrics, and bonded seams are always a plus. A big collar that you can flip up to protect you from the wind is nice, but a hood is even better. Most brands will list a jacket’s weather resistance in the description. For example, canvas and corduroy are wind resistant, while waxed cotton and nylon have the added benefit of water resistance.

Colors

Fall jackets don’t need to be in an autumnal color pallet. You want your top layer to be neutral enough that it matches whatever you’re throwing it over. Stick to colors like navy blue, charcoal gray, khaki, and black. Earth tones work well too, like olive and burnt orange. Fall jackets, more so than heavier winter coats, expose what you’re wearing underneath. Think about your favorite hoodies, sweaters, flannel shirts, and oxfords when you’re picking a jacket color. Go with a color that will compliment as much as possible in your fall wardrobe.

How We Selected

To find the best fall jackets for men, our editors and writers—led by Fashion Director Ted Stafford—have personally tried on over 32 different coats since 2022 and tested each of them for at least two weeks by wearing them on different occasions. We vetted each pick based on their style, type, comfort, fit, and how well it protected us from the elements. We also tested fall jackets on different body types, from slim to athletic to buff, to ensure the most unbiased results.

J.Crew Garment-Dyed Field Jacket

Fall weather is all over the place. That's why J.Crew’s Garment Dyed Field Jacket landed the Best Overall selection on this list for displaying seemingly limitless versatility across a few categories. To begin with, the mid-weight cotton fabric handled a wide range of temperatures and weather. It worked in the high 70s with a t-shirt, just as well as in the low 50s with a sweater. The cotton allows for body temperature regulation, but the weave is tight enough to keep out light wind and rain. But if you get caught out in a downpour without an umbrella, water will get through.

As for styling, this was one of the two or three most useful jackets that we tested. J.Crew based the look on an American military jacket from the ‘50s, which has been worn by some of the most stylish men in history. We’ve seen it give a rough edge to a suit and make a t-shirt and jeans look put-together. This is a coat that you can hang by your door and throw on over every outfit, all season long.

One detail that stood out the most in our testing is the particular type of fabric weave that J.Crew chose for this jacket, or rather, how the brand chose to use it. Right there in the full name is “reverse cotton sateen,” which means that it is a sateen weave that has been flipped so that the silky soft texture is on the inside, and the rough canvas-like texture is on the outside. This keeps the vintage military canvas look of the jacket, while giving a smooth texture on the inside, which made it very comfortable to wear.

Mammut Taiss HS Hooded Jacket Men

Going strictly by performance, a good shell jacket should make for the best autumn outerwear. We found the perfect example in Mammut’s Taiss HS Hooded Jacket. It is lightweight, functions in a wide range of temperatures, fully waterproof, and can layer over pretty much anything. Stafford was most impressed by the endless pocket space provided by this jacket. The outer pockets are equipped with very watertight zippers that kept everything in our pockets dry during testing.

Rain is usually the biggest weather concern in the fall, regardless of the temperature. Mammut performed the best with water in our testing for a few reasons. The DWR treated fabric causes precipitation to bead up and roll right off, all of the seams are taped to prevent leaking, and the hood has a really high neck—like up to our nose when fully zipped. Stafford really liked how the underarm zippers allowed him to regulate his body heat in various temperatures without getting wet.

Columbia Arctic Crest Hooded Down Jacket

Most down jackets have one big flaw in common: they are bulky. By incorporating a technical lining that helps trap body heat, Columbia was able to replace the pillowy panels used in traditional down jackets with narrow panels that use less material. Our testing showed that it resulted in a lightweight jacket that combines exceptional insulation with unrestricted movement. On top of that, the exterior of this fall jacket is water resistant and the hood and neck provide full head coverage, which handled the rain really well.

Packability is the other standout feature of this insulated fall jacket. It folds up into an inner pocket, which can be zipped shut. The folding process took some practice to get the quilted panels flattened out, but once we got it down, it made a convenient little bag that fit easily into a backpack or carry-on luggage. When combined with the exceptional insulation and weather resistance, this packable fall jacket is one of the best options for travel and commuting that we’ve ever come across.

Nobis Alta Men's Performance Shell Jacket

Nobis’s take on a fishtail parka is refreshing and functional. It blends old fashioned elements like patch pockets and a back vent, with a modern fabric and sleek color options. Fashion Director Ted Stafford was impressed with the weather resistant fabric, ample pockets, and overall quality of construction. It held up really well against the wind and rain in our testing, especially the adjustable hood with a high zip neck. Anyone who sits down on a train or bus to get around on a daily basis will appreciate the back tail providing a perfect seat cover.

As far as fall jackets go, this one is on the heavier side. Our editors found that it works best for people who live in colder areas or someone looking for a jacket that can take them from the fall, into the colder winter months. It is packed with Primaloft insulation, which has been exceptionally effective at locking in body heat every time we’ve come across it in outerwear testing.

Alex Mill Garment Dyed Work Jacket in Recycled Denim

Denim jackets and chore coats are both great fall outerwear because you can leave them on all day as a part of your outfit. Alex Mill combined both into one ultra-versatile jacket that we rocked as a blazer at the office and as a collared shirt for a night out, landing compliments in both cases. The recycled denim fabric is super soft to the touch and didn’t require any breaking in. Even without any stretch material in the fabric, the material had a natural flexibility to it, and the boxy shoulder offered plenty of movement.

Layering is crucial for a good fall jacket, and this one provides plenty of options. Our style editors used it as a casual top layer with a t-shirt, got a little fancier with a button down and tie, and warmed up with a hoodie. It also worked underneath warmer layers like a down vest and a parka. This is a piece that you can pretty much wear year round in a wide range of styles, making it one of the best bangs-for-your-buck option on the entire list.

Buck Mason Storm Stopper Bomber Jacket

One of the quintessential fall jacket styles is the bomber, so our style editors tested quite a few. Buck Mason was our top pick for that category because of the fit. The Los Angeles menswear brand did an excellent job of honoring the heritage of the design while making it more functional for everyday wear with a slimmer cut and less bulky insulation. We found ourselves wearing this jacket everywhere because it looked good with everything and, and is so easy to just throw on. Its usefulness comes from its simplicity.

Our style editors found that this jacket really shines with a t-shirt and jeans. It is a perfect option for that first jacket you put on when summer temperatures begin to drop. The fabric is light and breathable, so it did well on days where it was warmer as well as chilly evenings. Rain was the only big drawback for this jacket, since it doesn’t provide much weather resistance.

Eddie Bauer Chutes Pro Corded Shirt

Comfort was the adjective that came up again and again in our testing for this jacket. Eddie Bauer used two layers of microfleece, a flat layer on the inside and a corded layer on the outside. Our testers went with their typical size and it had a loose, almost boxy fit that gave plenty of room to move, but didn’t look over-sized or sloppy. The two hand pockets are even cozy, whether you’re protecting your hands from the cold or not.

The Chutes Pro Corded Shirt falls into the “shaket” category, working equally well as a heavy shirt or a light jacket. Our style editors like it as an easy option to grab during warmer transitional weather early on in the season. Once things get colder, it becomes a good layering piece. The super comfortable fabric makes for a great middle layer between a t-shirt and a heavy winter coat.

The North Face 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket

This is the puffer jacket that set the standard for puffer jackets. North Face re-issued the classic 1996 design that helped take the brand from outdoors equipment to high end fashion. The feel is pillowy, like wearing a sleeping bag, which trades off a little mobility for extra warmth and cushioning. All of that down also acted as a strong barrier against the wind in our testing, but it was not very water resistant.

Walking around in a big puffy jacket is remarkably comfortable, but the real appeal for our style editors is the look of this bonafide classic piece of outerwear. It is an instantly recognizable design that is still simple enough to match a wide range of looks. We wore it with a hoodie and joggers, an oxford shirt and chinos, and a sweater and jeans. It just works every time.

Filson Wool Jac-shirt

Filson has a reputation for long-lasting durability, and it showed up in our testing for the Wool Jac-shirt. This burly shacket felt like a layer of armor against the elements. Sheep’s wool is naturally water resistant, and when it is woven very tightly, like it is here, it creates a strong barrier against wind and rain. When we wore it in a light fall shower, it kept us nice and dry underneath, however, it was not ideal for heavy downpour or prolonged exposure. Since wool is antimicrobial, it requires minimal maintenance to stay clean. A little spot cleaning when necessary did the trick in our testing.

As is often the case with wool, an itchy texture was the one big problem with this jacket. It got better after a few wears, but it was never as comfortable to the touch as cotton or fleece. We recommend always wearing a long sleeve layer under this jacket.

Ralph Lauren Fleece-Lined Corduroy Trucker Jacket

The corduroy trucker jacket with a fleece lining and collar is a retro look with a huge styling range. Ralph Lauren makes Stafford’s favorite take on this classic American look right now. The corduroy is soft, and the fleece lining provides an extra layer of insulation, while both materials provide nice texture to any outfit. Stafford recommends this as a go-to, everyday jacket that can carry an outfit by itself or be a neutral layering piece.

Plenty of fleece lined truckers are available, but Ralph Lauren stands out to our style editors by using extra long fleece. It provides more cushion and more insulation than the other options we tried out. The preppy stalwart also did a really good job picking a brown and tan that matched just about every piece of fall clothing we tried with it. There really isn't a bad way to wear this jacket.

Lululemon Warp Light Packable Jacket

Simple, sleek, and weather resistant, the Warp Light does everything you want a packable jacket to do. There are no bells and whistles here, just a reliable outer layer you can throw on in a pinch or use for fall outdoor training. It handled wind and light rain with no issue in our testing. The reflective details on the sleeves provide a bit of enhanced visibility but are really more of a styling detail. It folds up smaller than any other packable jacket we tested, which makes it the best option in that category.

This fall jacket is short on pockets, which we expected from a jacket that folds up this tightly, but the one big pocket on the back is very functional for training. Our tester appreciated the easy access zip closure, and the placement helps minimize the bouncing around of anything placed in there. We took it for a run and did some light cardio training with a phone and keys in there and it never caused a problem.

Todd Snyder Houndstooth Zip Jacket in Dark Wheat

A houndstooth harrington jacket is the kind of mid-century vintage menswear that our style editors would recommend for every man. It provides an instant boost to any wardrobe and is impossibly easy to work with. What makes this one even better is that Todd Snyder put a modern twist on this classic look by using a stretchy polyester fabric. It felt more like a track jacket in our testing, and there is even a matching pant to make a full tracksuit out of it.

The best fall jackets are lightweight pieces that can carry an outfit when thrown over a t-shirt and jeans. This harrington does that as well as any jacket we tested. Our style editors especially liked it as an office jacket because it has a refined look, but is super comfortable for commuting. We also wore it like a blazer, putting it over a t-shirt and under a heavier top layer.

Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Vest

Sometimes, the best fall jacket is a vest. The Ultra Light Down Vest from Uniqlo is an exceptionally useful piece for any man’s wardrobe, and is one of Stafford’s favorite pieces of fall outerwear. Put it over a sweater, sweatshirt, or button down for an easy top layer. It is lightweight and compact, fitting easily under heavier jackets or blazers. Uniqlo even provides a bag which the vest can fold up into, which is how we like to keep it on hand in a work bag or backpack.

Insulation was the most impressive feature of this vest in our testing. We field tested a few light quilted vests, and this one did the best job of locking in body heat to create a warm feeling pretty quickly and consistently. We rocked it for commuting to the office, on a chilly morning run, and layered it under a topcoat for a little extra warmth. This is the one vest we recommend that can do it all.