Harrier Exmoor waterproof trail running jacket long-term review

We’ve had a Harrier Exmoor trail running jacket in our arsenal for several years now, and we’ve put it up against everything the UK can throw at it in that time — including several soaking-wet ultras, numerous multi-dayers and 1000s of miles of training runs. This is what we think of it.

Harrier Exmoor waterproof trail running jacket

Ideal for: Lightweight backpacking, trail running, fastpacking, gravel riding, bikepacking

Not suitable for: Mountaineering, deep-winter use

Harrier’s Exmoor waterproof trail running jacket is a well-designed and thoughtfully constructed running coat that comes with tons of awesome features purposefully added to improve your runs through rough British weather. Lightweight, comfortable and easy to carry, it’s a great choice for any wet weather running — and comes in at a very reasonable price.

Harrier Exmoor waterproof trail running jacket

Harrier’s Exmoor waterproof jacket is the brand’s purpose-built coat for wet weather trail running. Designed to deliver unrivalled functionality at an unbeatable price, the jacket is a product of the brand’s goal to ‘make trail running accessible to all’; to break down the financial obstacles that face many who want to get out onto the trail — and to deliver products that simply work, all while costing up to half as much as many more ‘premium’ brands.

Say hello to Harrier

Not heard of Harrier, yet? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. This British brand was founded back in 2020 by passionate trail runner Kate Parker. Having previously consulted numerous larger, more premium trail running brands, Kate was keenly aware of the markup that gets added to a lot of kit, especially in the burgeoning trail running space. And as running should really be the cheapest form of exercise (let’s face it!), she set about trying to break down the financial barriers that prevent many people from taking up the sport. As such, Harrier was born who, with a direct-to-consumer model and a lean product line, are (in general) able to offer their products at substantially lower prices while still delivering the same considered design and solid performance.

The Exmoor waterproof jacket is one of only two jackets produced and sold by the brand. With this lean product line, then, the brand has been able to dedicate R&D resources to creating this purpose-built line. And staying lean has other benefits, too: The Exmoor trail running jacket only costs £94.99 when bought directly from Harrier, which is multiple times cheaper than similar products from more established brands. Take The North Face’s Summit Superior Futurelight trail running jacket, for example, another coat that has been in our gear room for several years now. And while this jacket packs down smaller and weighs 100 g less than the Exmoor, it’s going to cost you almost 3 times as much for the privilege. Another fair comparison is perhaps the Marmot Precip Eco, a jacket that, despite being designed for hiking, lends itself well to wet weather trail running thanks to a billowy fit and huge pit zips. When you shop around, this can be picked up for between £90 and £120, so in the same price range as the Harrier Exmoor — it’s just void of all of the trail running-specific features the Exmoor comes with. In that sense, we think this entry by Harrier is a real bargain for the price, making it an equally phenomenal choice for beginner and experienced trail runners alike.

Our experience using the Harrier Exmoor waterproof trail running jacket

As previously mentioned, we’ve had the Harrier Exmoor in our gear room for several years now, and we’ve probably worn it at least once a fortnight since then. It’s joined us on an untold number of wet weather runs (both trail and road) across the southwest, as well as on almost a dozen ultras, with distances ranging from 30 - 100 miles. We’ve worn it on warm days while running along the Thames, on freezing days across the top of Cadair Iris, on supremely wet and windy runs over the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons, and on pleasant mid-season training runs to keep sporadic rain showers off. All in, we’ve easily wracked up well over 1,000 miles in this thing — so it’s safe to say we’re well acquainted with it by now.

Water and windproofness and breathability

The first thing worth noting is that the Harrier Exmoor does exactly what it says on the tin. Which is to say that it keeps you dry in the rain. Coming with a hydrostatic head rating of 15,000 mm, quality stitching and fully taped seams, we’ve found it to be reliable even in a short deluge, although we did notice some slight water ingress on a particularly long training run where we ran through sustained rain for around 5 hours. But don’t read that as criticism: Trail running jackets need to be light, flexible and breathable — a tricky recipe that means they’re always going to be less waterproof and durable than your typical 4-season mountaineering waterproof hardshell. So we’ll be deducting no points from Harrier for that one.

What’s more, the jacket is also decidedly windproof, cutting off any and all wind easily and immediately; something we’ve been thankful for dozens of times over the years. As the material is so thin, however, you do still feel some of the cold if it’s pressed against bare skin. But wearing it over a baselayer quickly solves this problem. Additionally, as the Exmoor comes with thumb loops, you can also keep the wind off your hands if you run with closed fists, and the hood really helps keep the cold (and the noise) off your ears.

When it comes to breathability, however, this is a tricky one. When running, you’re going to sweat — whether you’re wearing a jacket or not. And we’ve never come across a trail running jacket that breathes like the manufacturer states it does. Especially when you’re plodding up a steep hill or racing over undulating terrain, your body is going to warm up and your skin will get covered in sweat. So, where do you expect it to go? Thankfully, to mitigate this issue, Harrier has designed the Exmoor with a ton of zips and ventilation ports that allow you to dump heat. You can open the main zip down the centre of the jacket, you can open the alternative zip that sits under your collarbone (which is designed to allow you to access a running vest; more on this later), or you can open the pit zips under the arms. Our favourite feature on the whole jacket has to be the central stud, however. This allows you to clip the material together to stop it from flapping around when running with the jacket wide open, which is a genius yet simple design element we’d love to see included on other trail running jackets.

Overall, with this many options for ventilation, you can really manage how much of a sweat you work up in the Exmoor, which makes it a comfortable choice for high-intensity runs through the worst British weather.

Extra features

Running vest compatibility

One of our favourite features of the Harrier Exmoor trail running jacket is the fact that it’s fully compatible with a running vest. If you’re wearing it under a vest, silicone detailing on the shoulders prevents slippage and allows the vest to sit on your shoulders, almost as if you glued the straps down. And if you decide to wear it over a vest, an extra zip slightly off-centre allows you to open up the jacket enough to easily access anything you’re carrying on your chest, such as soft flasks, snacks or safety equipment.

Pockets

The Harrier Exmoor trail running jacket comes with two hip pockets that are easy to use and an additional chest pocket for carrying things like maps or a phone. In our experience, however, due to the billowy fit of the jacket, carrying heavier items in any of the jacket pockets isn’t particularly comfortable as they can be tossed around somewhat as you run.

In the back, there’s also an internal stuff pouch that can be used to stuff the jacket in when not in use, or for carrying other bits and bobs you don’t need as readily to hand when out on a run.

3-way adjustable hood

The hood on the Exmoor is very functional. This can be cinched down tight around the neck and along the head, and it comes with an additional duckbill peak that’s designed to keep the rain off your face. We did find, however, that the brim alone doesn’t prevent your face from getting wet, but it seemed to work really well when paired with a cap.

Hip-belt compatibility

Another feature Harrier advertises as unique to the Exmoor is the ability to turn it into a hip belt. Simply by rolling the jacket up into the hem, you are supposed to be able to carry this thing like a running belt or a bumbag. Unfortunately, we could never quite make this feature work. Every time we tried, it would unravel and end up trailing out behind us like we were running in a cape…

Durability

Manufactured from a 4-way stretch polyester, the jacket is reasonably durable, though you do need to be careful how and where you use it. This is not your typical Gore-Tex mountaineering hardshell, after all. In fact, when we slipped running along a steep gravel trail (in a disused quarry), we immediately ripped a small hole in the sleeve. But had we fallen in mud or onto grass, we’re confident it would have come out in much better shape.

Harrier Exmoor waterproof trail running jacket FAQs

The Harrier Exmoor is very waterproof for a trail running jacket. It comes with a hydrostatic head rating of 15,000 mm, and it’s never let us down in all the years we’ve been using it.
The Harrier Exmoor waterproof trail running jacket is reasonably breathable. Coming with an official rating of 15,000 g/m2, it’s more than capable of keeping you comfortable on long zone 2 excursions in cool weather, though you will quickly work up a sweat in this when doing high-intensity sprints in summery conditions. Thankfully, the jacket comes with a ton of ventilation options, including a really smart central stud that keeps the jacket together and prevents flapping when running with the central zip fully open.
The Harrier Exmoor waterproof trail running jacket performs very well in UK conditions. Designed with the British weather in mind, it’s reliably water and windproof, and it does a great job at keeping you comfortable atop a windy fell or a claggy moor.
Yes, absolutely. Rather frustratingly, trail running gear is getting more expensive every year, so being able to pick up a product this functional for under £100 makes it very much worth the investment in our opinion.

Conclusion

Overall, we really rate the Harrier Exmoor waterproof trail running jacket. Coming in at a fraction of the cost of lines from more premium brands, such as the Summit Superior Futurelight from The North Face, the jacket delivers incredible bang for your buck in a space that’s becoming increasingly more expensive year after year. Cleverly designed, the Exmoor also comes with tons of smart features that tangibly improve your experience of running through bad weather and help you focus on the race ahead.

All in, then, we think that the Exmoor is one of the best value jackets out there right now — and whether you’re new to trail running or a seasoned racer wanting a well-performing jacket at a good price, the Harrier Exmoor will almost certainly more than fulfil your needs.

Harrier Exmoor waterproof trail running jacket long-term review

We’ve had a Harrier Exmoor trail running jacket in our arsenal for several years now, and we’ve put it up against everything the UK can throw at it in that time — including several soaking-wet ultras, numerous multi-dayers and 1000s of miles of training runs. This is what we think of it.

Harrier Exmoor waterproof trail running jacket

The Good

The Bad