The North Face Flight Futurelight Review

A running jacket is a personal choice that's informed by your geography, physiology, meteorology, and kinesiology. It's nearly impossible to please all runners with just one jacket, and The North Face, perhaps realizing this, chose not to try. The North Face Flight Futurelight is a jacket aimed at mountain and adventure runners. Lighter than most traditional hard shells, this jacket is nevertheless a hard shell in all but name, packing a host of features taken directly from extreme weather technical trekking gear. And its remarkable breathability despite having no venting is a testament to The North Face's in-house Futurelight material's breathability. Daily road runners might have a hard time fitting this jacket into their rotation, but for adventure seekers and storm chasers, this jacket will be a welcome companion. Paired with a breathable mid-layer, this is a truly competent bad weather running jacket and a natural choice for our Top Pick for Harsh Weather Conditions.

Performance Comparison

Breathability

The North Face made a similar choice to other lightweight hardshell makers and did not include true venting on the Flight Futurelight. This is as much a design choice as it is a bet on the breathability of the waterproofing fabric. All waterproofing fabrics have a water resistance rating and an air permeability rating. Generally, as one goes up, the other goes down. Some (usually very expensive) materials can manage high water resistance and high air permeability. The Futurelight material in this jacket is one of them.

Despite running in punishing downpour, the jacket stayed dry and comfortable, with enough airflow that it was possible to feel the stiffer breezes pass right through the membrane. As with all waterproof materials, time will tell whether the initial performance holds up, but with two solid months of testing and over a hundred miles, the Flight Futurelight remains comfortable and airy.

Weather resistance

Running in the warm spring storms of the Mid-Atlantic tests a waterproof material on two fronts: the high heat and humidity minimizes the movement of internal moisture out through the pores while pounding rain taxes material's the water resistance. The Flight Futurelight performed admirably across multiple tests in Maryland storms, not wetting out while also breathing surprisingly well.

While the jacket is a champ against moisture, its breathability can become a liability when the weather suddenly turns colder. In a longer test run in a forest, a cold wind blew in as night fell and took the temperature down considerably. Because the jacket is highly breathable, it did almost nothing to keep us warm against the wind. As with so many other aspects of this jacket, this is due to its similarity to a hard shell: hard shells are only meant as moisture protection. Insulation layers worn beneath them are meant to keep you warm.

While this is understandable, it does mean that this isn't a "complete" weather solution in a single garment. When running in a place that could have weather extreme enough for this jacket, an extra insulation layer should also be part of the kit.

Comfort and Mobility

A phrase that keeps coming up in this review is "like a hard shell." We're going to use it here, too. Like a hard shell, this jacket is cut for layering. Unlike more sleek, body-hugging options from other brands, the Flight Futurelight leaves extra room in the arms and torso to accommodate thicker clothing beneath it. Despite that, the jacket never feels boxy or awkward. Intelligent choices in cut mean that it sits attractively despite the extra room.

Unlike most hard shells, the Flight Futurelight uses a stretchy face fabric that gives it better-than-expected mobility. The flex is subtle, but it has a real effect at the edges of mobility. Unlike some other jackets we've tested, we never felt like we would accidentally "hulk out" of it or break a seam if we needed to bend over to tie our shoes. Still, it's worth saying that the Flight Futurelight is comfortable and mobile by the standards of a hard shell. This isn't a jacket you might fall asleep in like some of the lighter models in our lineup.

A soft backing material on its 3-layer waterproofing gives it a good next-to-skin feel: it never felt clammy. All things considered, this is among the most comfortable running jackets we've tested despite its weight. Like other technical jackets (but far too few running jackets), it has hood and hem adjustments to fine-tune the fit.

Portability

It's difficult to call the Flight Futurelight "packable." It is, in the strictest sense. It packs into its own pocket given time and patience. But if you're anything like us, you'll give up that effort halfway through and just stuff it in your pack or tie it around your waist.

The plus side is that if you do either of those, it's not that heavy. Despite being double the weight of our lightest reviewed running jacket, it's still not what most people would call heavy at 9 ounces (250 grams). And stowed in a container larger than its own pocket, it's still unobtrusively small. Nevertheless, don't try to compare it to the more flyweight running offerings. It's neither as compact nor as packable as the best-in-class.

Features and Visibility

The previously-mentioned hem and hood adjusters are the most obvious standout features of the Flight Futurelight. Other notables include a full-sized zipper garage, a surprisingly capacious lumbar pocket with a waterproof zipper that fits an XL-sized phone comfortably, and one of the more comfortable hoods we've tested. Finally, despite many jackets seemingly being designed without any thought for running at night, this was one of only two jackets tested with full (and ample) 360 reflectivity.

On the other hand, the lack of certain features is notable. No active venting and no pockets other than the lumbar give the flight a very stripped-down feel. As in other areas, the lack of creature comforts points to this jacket being a serious piece of kit for hardcore adventures. Still, it's hard not to wish they hadn't pared quite so much away.

Value

The Flight Futurelight is one of the most costly running jackets we've tested. But the price feels justified against the performance. From its bomb-proof construction to its rock-solid fit and finish, this jacket feels every penny of its price tag and then some. Balanced against true hardshell jackets that often cost twice as much, the Flight Futurelight holds its own and warrants a recommendation for crossover use where one might normally opt for something much heavier and less comfortable.

Conclusion

The Flight Futurelight finds itself in an awkward position. It's not a "throw-on-and-go" single piece like most running jackets. It's not great for rapidly changing weather conditions. It's not as packable nor as light, nor as manageable as the lightweight offerings from other brands.

It is a jacket that might keep you alive on a hillside fifty miles into a mountain race when the weather turns bad. It is a jacket that fits right into an adventure race kit list. In short, it's a jacket that you're probably already looking for if your needs are this niche. If your running needs get this extreme, this jacket is an easy recommendation. If you live in a relatively mellow climate or your running needs never involve ice or snow, this jacket might be overkill. But if you want one of the most technical, breathable, and durable running jackets we've tested, the Flight Futurelight is the obvious choice, and for that, it takes home our Top Pick for Harsh Weather Conditions.