Meet the tester
Adidas Terrex Xperior Windweave: first impressions
The body-mapped fabrics that boost either warmth or breathability in the areas that runners need it most is the key feature of the Adidas Terrex Xperior Windweave windproof jacket.
• List price: $140 (US) / £85 (UK)
• Weight (women’s size 12): 147g / 5.2oz
• Colors: Women’s: White / Turquoise / Black; Men’s: White / Light Blue / Black
• Fabric: 100% recycled polyester
• Sizes (women’s): XS-XL
• Sizes (men’s): XS-XXL
• Compatibility: Cold to mild, windy weather on trails and roads, any distance
Those areas include: the upper chest and back, making it great for wearing with a running pack; underarms, an obvious source of heat; and (unexpectedly) the top of the lower arm. Perhaps this last area is because often when you start to get hot on the run, you feel like rolling your sleeves up. So this particular area of more breathable fabric means you don’t have to.
The fit of the jacket around the hips is good for a woman with pear-shaped or hour-glass figure, thanks to the stretchy elastic sides. The full zip means the jacket is easy to get on and off and the two zipped side pockets with nice, long zip-pulls are handy for running gloves.
The hood is a basic, elasticated covering large enough to accommodate a ponytail or beanie and the elasticated cuffs have thumb loops, with a slightly longer arm length to make them usable in comfort.
As windproof jackets go it could lose a few features (pockets, hood) and be lighter, but it’s a pretty reasonable weight for everything it has going on.
Adidas Terrex Xperior Windweave: on the trails
When looking for a windproof jacket I’m mainly focussed on weight over other features (this jacket is around 60g / 2.1oz in a women’s size 12) because I’m mainly trail / ultra running with a pack on so I don’t need pockets, and I’m carrying a waterproof jacket with a hood for when the weather really doubles down.
That said, the more breathable body-mapped fabric on the Adidas Terrex Xperior Windweave windproof jacket is in all the key areas that you would be covering with a running pack, so it’s definitely compatible with trail and ultra running if you don’t mind a bit of extra weight.
If you’re doing plenty of running without a pack or an additional jacket, for example short runs and supported races in windy, drizzly weather, this is where this jacket excels. The two long-zippered, running glove-friendly pockets come in super-handy for snacks, and the hood is a bonus addition when the wind picks up – plus it’s big enough to cover a ponytail or running hat and the soft elastic fabric sits snugly around your face.
The elasticated cuffs with thumb loops work well, and it’s good to see a slightly longer length in the arm to ensure you can use these comfortably. It’s also a versatile fit for different body shapes with the wide, comfy, elastic band at each side.
