The Best Winter Motorcycle Jackets For Cold Weather Riding

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Some ride through the winter because they want to, others because they have to. Whatever your reasons, make sure you've got the right winter motorcycle jacket for the job. 

Most riders prefer not to ride in the winter for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, that means there's little incentive for gear companies to design and manufacture winter motorcycle jackets, which in turn means your options are fairly limited.

There are a handful of great winter-specific riding jackets out there, mind you, and we've used our fair share of them touring and commuting over the last few years. Whether or not you actually need one, however, might be another matter... 

Below you'll find our top recommendations for jackets that keep you warm and dry in the coldest conditions.

Before you pull the trigger on one, however, give our checklist a read to make sure you don't already have everything you need. 

Quick List of Winter Motorcycle Jackets:

Jacket:	Summary:	Price
Klim Badlands Pro Jacket	Utterly bulletproof crash and rain protection that works year-round, rain or snow.	CHECK PRICE
Dainese Springbok 3L Jacket	A handsome 3-layer jacket with unmatched versatility.	CHECK PRICE
Alpinestars Andes V4 Drystar Jacket	Laminated waterproofing and quality insulation at a solid value.	CHECK PRICE
Scorpion EXO Optima Jacket	Laminated and insulated jacket for an outstanding price.	CHECK PRICE
Dainese Tempest 3 D-Dry Jacket	Outstanding all-rounder for road riders that punches above its price point.	CHECK PRICE

What Makes A Good Winter Motorcycle Jacket?

So do you need to buy a purpose-built winter motorcycle jacket or not? Here's a quick checklist of what you'll need to stay cozy in the cold. If you've already got gear that checks all these boxes, some higher-quality insulation might be all you really need.    

Windproof, Waterproof

"Weather protection is paramount for winter riding."

If winter-specific performance is what you're after, weather protection is your top priority. All the usual crash protection rules still apply, but because exposure to the elements is a risk of its own, you can't afford to compromise here.

For that reason, the outer fabric of your winter motorcycle jacket should be thick enough to keep the lion's share of wind out. Laminated fabrics are usually pretty good at this, while the rain liner in a three-layer system can serve the same purpose.  

As for waterproofing, both laminated fabrics and removable waterproof liners do the trick. Pick whichever approach you prefer, but make damn sure cold water can't creep through to wet out your insulating layers underneath.

Insulation

"Layers are your friend, and a thermal liner on its own is rarely sufficient for winter temps."

Most winter-specific motorcycle jackets come with a removable thermal liner. Those are great, but they can also easily be replaced by any generic, synthetic insulated jacket, so don't consider that feature as a deal-breaker either way.

Quality, stand-alone insulated jackets work just as well as any liner, and double as something warm and casual to wear around town. Throw in a high-quality set of base layers (merino wool or synthetic), and any good rain and windproof shell earns its keep. 

In other words, a winter motorcycle jacket's ability to block cold air is its most important feature. You'll typically need to supplement your jacket's thermal liner with added insulation anyway, so keep that in mind as you budget.

Ventilation

"More ventilation is never a bad thing, so long as it's adjustable."

Last but not least, a word on ventilation. Letting cool air in might be the furthest thing from your mind when there's snow on the ground, but having some degree of ventilation in your winter motorcycle jacket is important.

Conditions change, and freezing mornings often turn into reasonably pleasant days, even in the dead of winter. It's nice to be able to crack a few vents when things heat up rather than having to pull over and shed a layer.

Just make sure that any zippers on your jacket that can potentially vent directly to your body are fully waterproof.

Water-resistant pockets backed by a rain liner are fine, but there needs to be a reliable barrier between moisture and your insulation.

The Best Winter Motorcycle Jackets We've Tested

Bearing the above rules in mind, here are the jackets we've used over the last year or two that outperform the rest. Some are winter-specific while others are three and four-season designs, but they've all proven to keep us warm and dry in the cold. 

Klim Badlands Pro Jacket

Case in point: our favorite all-weather, all-season jacket of all time, the Klim Badlands Pro, isn't technically a winter motorcycle jacket at all. It's a proper four-season laminated shell that works great in the dead of winter or the peak of spring riding season.

The secret sauce here is that all twelve of the Badlands Pro's intake and exhaust vents are sealed with waterproof zippers. Open them all up, and you've got enough airflow for summer tours. Zip them shut, and you're 100% windproof and waterproof. 

"The Badlands Pro keeping Eric comfortable on a wet and chilly tour through Europe."

Combine the exceptional versatility of that layout with insanely heavy-duty fabric and ventilated CE level 2 armor in the shoulders, elbows, and back, and you've about as bombproof a jacket as money can buy. The Badlands Pro wants for nothing.

Yes, it's incredibly expensive, and no, it doesn't come with its own insulation. Still, it's one jacket that works anywhere and everywhere in any weather, and one that will easily last you for a decade or more of regular use and abuse. 

CHECK PRICE:
Klim Badlands Pro Jacket
SHOP RIDE ADVENTURES
REVZILLA | AMAZON

Dainese Springbok 3L Jacket

While Klim's aggressively over-engineered approach might be the most effective, few would call it the most cost-effective. If you want a premium, well-made jacket at a more reasonable price, Dainese's Springbok 3L is our favorite alternative. 

Massive direct vents on the chest and back kept us cool while running a BDR in Georgia this summer, while full-length thermal and rain liners kept us cozy at freezing elevations in the Himalayas earlier this fall. 

"Testing the Springbok 3L in Patagonia three years ago: it's still going strong!"

Italian design and suede leather details also make this an awfully handsome jacket that gets a lot of compliments anywhere we wear it. The more we wear it, the better it looks, which is good because we'll be wearing it for years to come.  

As for drawbacks, the Springbok is cheaper than the Badlands Pro, but it's still an expensive piece of gear. The three-layer system can also be a little inconvenient compared to a laminate alternative, particularly in rapidly changing weather conditions.

CHECK PRICE:
Dainese Springbok 3L Jacket
REVZILLA

Alpinestars Andes V4 Drystar Jacket

Alpinestars' Andes series of adventure touring jackets has always been a solid value. Their newest iteration, the V4 Drystar, is by far the most capable and versatile we've tested yet.  

For just over $300, you're getting the same laminated shell and direct ventilation approach as the Klim above, plus a removable thermal liner. We also dig that there's a decent amount of stretch worked into the fabric without sacrificing wind protection.

"Airing out the Andes V4 over the fall."

That makes the Andes V4 a bona fide four-season contender that comes winter-ready straight out of the box. We particularly dig the waterproof exterior pockets on the Andes, which make storing documents and electronics convenient and worry-free.

The armor in the Andes V4 is only CE level 1, and there's no included back protector. It also has far fewer total vents than the Badlands Pro, which makes it less suitable for aggressive warm weather riding, but otherwise it's absolutely dialed.

CHECK PRICE:
Alpinestars Andes V4 Drystar Jacket
REVZILLA | AMAZON

Scorpion EXO Optima Jacket

If you need a warmer jacket for the colder months but don't want to spend a ton of money, the Scorpion Optima is your ticket to ride. We love this one because while it's budget-friendly at under $250, it's by no means cheap. 

For starters, this is a proper laminated waterproof shell, just like the Alpinestars and Klim jackets above. The Optima's thick material works great for wind protection, and its full-length "EverHeat" thermal liner is warmer than most we've used. 

"The Optima isn't flashy, but it's unfailingly warm and dry in the cold."

What's even more impressive is that Scorpion was able to work 100% waterproof zippers into the asking price, which means the dual chest vents send air straight to your torso as needed. For a winter-specific motorcycle jacket, the ventilation is outstanding.

The Optima's cut is on the larger/bulkier side due to its basic CE level 1 shoulder and elbow armor, but there's plenty of room for layering underneath. We'll also note that the heavy fabric runs too hot for summer use in our experience, so versatility is limited.   

CHECK PRICE:
Scorpion EXO Optima Jacket
REVZILLA | AMAZON

Dainese Tempest 3 D-Dry Jacket

If you know you want a dedicated cold-weather jacket but you're willing to spend a little more for the right one, Dainese's Tempest 3 D-Dry jacket is probably our favorite all-arounder. It's a handsome jacket, and the material quality is a step above most. 

That's evident in the Tempest's tough-but-stretchy D-Stone fabric, as well as its D-Dry waterproof membrane, both of which we've found to be utterly bombproof. The same goes for the Tempest's armor, which is super thin, flexible, and CE 2 rated. 

"For cold weather pavement use, the Tempest 3 is outstanding."

We also appreciate that the Tempest 3 is loaded with convenient touring features like dual waterproof pockets, a removable thermal liner that doubles as a standalone jacket, and tons of adjustability in the waist, arms, and neck.

Our biggest complaint with the Tempest is that $370 is a lot to spend on a winter-specific jacket. We noticed it's currently on sale for the insanely low price of $230 though, so at least for the time being, the Tempest is the best deal going for cold-weather riders.

CHECK PRICE:
Dainese Tempest 3 D-Dry Jacket
REVZILLA | AMAZON

Hello there. RIDE Team here, and we hope you found the perfect jacket for your cold-weather riding! If you have a second, we would like to thank you for your continued support of our blog: We appreciate that you enjoy human-made content like ours. If you would like to support us further, please subscribe on the right sidebar so you don't miss any of our future posts. Thanks again and RIDE on! 

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