The best men's vests for weird weather days
- When the weather's unpredictable, a vest has you covered.
- Whether worn on their own or over a sweater or hoodie, a vest can be a great option to get you through fall when the weather can be at its weirdest and most unpredictable.
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Dressing appropriately for the weather conditions can be a tricky business, especially during the tempestuous fall season with warm days and cool nights. That doesn't even include those weird-weather winter days where it can jump 20 degrees in a few hours. That's where cold-weather vests come in thanks to their ability to keep your core warm without overheating you like a coat can.
While the most popular style by far is the puffer vest, there are multiple other styles out there, from sherpa fleece to packaways (thinner waterproof vests that are easy to store) to more upscale Mackinaw wool vests. There's a vest out there to fit any need and personal style.
It's also worth noting that, though the vests on this come from the men's section and are designed for a specific body type, there's no reason anyone of any gender couldn't wear them. If you're someone with curves or a full bust looking for a gender-neutral vest to keep you warm, most of the options on this list should work for you — just make sure to size up or opt for a style with stretch.
Whether worn on their own or over a sweater or hoodie, a cold-weather vest can be a great option to get you through all those days when the weather can't seem to make up its mind.
Here are 13 men's vests for those weird weather days:
Patagonia Men's Retro Pile Fleece Vest
Product Name: Patagonia Men's Retro Pile Fleece Vest
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Patagonia's Retro Pile Fleece Vest is great for colder weather. It combines classic looks with sustainable production methods, and has well-thought-out details like Spandex armholes for ease of movement.
Patagonia, the outdoor company that's been making climbers, hikers, and other nature lovers look and feel good for close to 50 years, has been a leader in cold-weather vests for decades. Known for its commitment to ecological issues—they donate one percent of all sales to environmental issues among other initiatives—and the durability of its clothing, Patagonia's Retro Pile Fleece Vest is a prime example of their ethos and standards.
This warm and comfortable shearling-style vest is made from 100% recycled polyester and is Fair-Trade certified, meaning the folks who do the sewing are paid a fair wage for their work. The vest has a classic look for this style, with a zip-up front and stand-up collar with two slash front pockets and a vertical chest pocket. It's trimmed in spandex at the armholes and hem for ease of movement. It's solidly constructed and comes in six colorways and a good range of sizes, from xxs to xxl.
L. L. Bean Upcountry Waxed Cotton Down Vest
Product Name: L. L. Bean Upcountry Waxed Cotton Down Vest
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The L. L. Bean Upcountry Waxed Cotton Down Vest merges an old-school outdoor look with modern technical materials for those who love traditional style but appreciate staying warm and dry through modern means.
L.L. Bean has been around since 1912 and is still located in Freeport, Maine where it was founded. The company is famous for its quality and its generous return policy. The Upcountry Waxed Cotton Down Vest combines classic outdoor looks with new technical materials to produce a vest that's lightweight, durable, and water repellent.
The Upcountryis made from waxed cotton that develops a beautiful patina as it ages and incorporates a box stitch pattern. Inside, the vest is insulated with DownTek 650-fill down, which repels 33% more moisture and dries 66% faster than standard down, according to the company.
L.L. Bean's famous 100%-satisfaction guarantee changed in 2018 (you used to be able to return their products no questions asked). Customers can still return a product up to a year after buying it with proof of purchase. After that, they'll only accept returns for defective products.
North Face Thermoball Eco Vest
Product Name: North Face Thermoball Eco Vest
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The North Face Thermoball Eco Vest incorporates eco-conscious materials that offer suburb warmth in a slim fit. It's also easily packed down for traveling.
The North Face, which has been around since the 1960s, is another outdoor brand that continues to be a leader in cold-weather vests. The company's ThermoBall Eco Vest is made from 100% post-consumer recycled content and incorporates a special recycled, man-made material instead of down so you'll stay warm while feeling good about this environmentally friendly product.
The vest has a slim fit with enough room for a good range of motion, is packable, and has the warmth and compressibility equivalent to 600-fill goose down (typical down vests average between 400 and 500-fill) and that means this vest will keep you really warm without a lot of bulk or weight. The insulation was developed by North Face in partnership with Primaloft, Inc., and is made from recycled polyester that can keep you warm even when wet.
Shop more The North Face here.
Filson Mackinaw Wool Vest
Product Name: Filson Mackinaw Wool Vest
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Filson's Mackinaw Wool Vest, which is made in the U.S., is both stylish and rugged with a vintage feel that never goes out of style, making it as at home in the city as it is in the wild.
Filson is another heritage outdoor brand known for its classic, well-constructed, long-lasting clothes and bags. Their Mackinaw Wool Vest is made from 100% virgin wool that's abrasion and water resistant and naturally warm. It's tough enough to take on the outdoors but handsome enough for a night out.
It comes in a classic red-and-black buffalo check or in navy, charcoal, and forest green with a good range of sizes. The vest is made in the U.S. and received five stars based on 440 reviews on Filson's website.
Alpha Industries ALS Utility Vest
Product Name: Alpha Industries ALS Utility Vest
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The Alpha Industries ALS Utility Vest combines killer street style and Alpha Industries' technical know-how for a vest that looks cool but will keep you warm and dry.
Alpha Industries has been around for more 60 years and began life as a U.S. military clothing supplier, best known for its super durable MA-1 Bomber Jacket that has become iconic in part due to its connection with Punk fashion. The company's ALS Utility Vest is made with the same exacting standards and rugged durability of the MA-1 but lighter weight and even more functional thanks to its four large pockets.
The ALS Utility Vest, like most of the company's gear, is made of nylon, making it lightweight and great for wet weather, with an onion-quilted design and polyester fill to keep your core warm. It comes in either a sage and light khaki or a two-tone electric emergency orange that will definitely get you noticed.
Shop more Alpha Industries here.
Stio Men's Azura Insulated Vest
Product Name: Stio Men's Azura Insulated Vest
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Stio's Men's Azura Insulated Vest is a superb choice for outdoor enthusiasts, providing a lot of warmth without a lot of bulk or weight with the bonus of eco-friendly materials.
Stio is a fairly young Wyoming-based outdoor apparel company that launched in 2012 and has made a name for itself for its well-designed and great-looking technical outerwear.
The Azura Insulated Vest manages to provide lots of warmth while remaining very lightweight thanks to the various materials used. It's made from 100% recycled nylon with a finish that sheds moisture and is lined with PrimaLoft® Gold Eco synthetic, a 55% recycled insulation with a great warmth-to-weight ratio.
Besides being packable, a great core insulator, and eco-conscious, this technical vest also comes in four colors, including a deep orange. It received a 4.8 out of 5 stars based on 79 reviews on the company's website.
ASOS Teddy Borg Vest
Product Name: ASOS Teddy Borg Vest
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If you're looking for something to make a statement and keep you warm, the ASOS Teddy Borg Vest is a great choice with its color-block pattern and super fuzzy, soft material.
If you're looking for something to both keep you warm and make a statement, the ASOS Teddy Vest is a winner. Borg is a manmade shearling-like fabric that's a good insulator. It's also super soft and is similar to the material teddy bears are made of, thus the "teddy" in the vest's name.
ASOS's version features a dark blue, gray, and teddy-bear brown color block design, a high neck with a full zip front, and a super plush feel.
Arc'teryx Incendo Vest
Product Name: Arc'teryx Incendo Vest
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The Arc'teryx Incendo Vest is great for cool-weather running or a late-fall hike thanks to its breathable, lightweight, minimalist design that still provides good wind and water resistance.
Canadian outdoor company Arc'teryx has been a hit with outdoor winter sports enthusiasts since its founding in 1989 thanks to their products' exceptional performance in cold-weather conditions.
The Incendo Vest was created for running and hiking in marginal weather. It's a super lightweight, minimalist vest that's permeable enough to allow for evaporation that aids in cooling yet still manages to provide a good deal of warmth and wind and water-resistance. It's made from durable nylon fabric, has ventilated mesh side panels, and stows away in its own pocket.
J.Crew Walker Vest
Product Name: J.Crew Walker Vest
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J Crew's Walker Vest is durable, stylish, easy to layer, and has received a ton of positive customer reviews.
The J Crew Walker Vest is a stylish, versatile, lightweight quilted vest that looks as good over a sweater or button-up shirt and chinos for business casual offices as it does with a henley and jeans. It also makes a great mid-layer thanks to its slim fit.
The Walker has a polyester outer and is lined in quilted cotton twill. According to the Gentlemanwithin blog, the vest is also durable. It received a 4.6 out of 5 stars based on 123 reviews on the company's website.
Wrangler Sherpa Denim Vest
Product Name: Wrangler Sherpa Denim Vest
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Wrangler's Sherpa Denim Vest has a classic Western look and is made from heavy-weight denim and features a soft sherpa lining, including on the collar to help keep out the chill.
Release your inner cowboy and stay warm with Wrangler's Sherpa Denim Vest. The company began life in North Carolina making workwear at the turn of the century and in the 1940s began making jeans targeted at actual cowboys.
The Sherpa Denim Vest has the classic Western look and features a button front with two button-flap chest pockets and two vertical welted pockets on the sides. Between the heavyweight 14.75-oz denim outer and the thick polyester sherpa lining, this vest is sure to keep you warm.
Pendleton Canvas Reversible Vest
Product Name: Pendleton Canvas Reversible Vest
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Pendleton's Canvas Reversible Vest is a two-for-one special with Merino wool on one side and tough canvas on the other.
Pendleton is a classic American brand with roots stretching back to the 19th century. The Canvas Reversible Vest is made from tough100% cotton canvas on one side and super soft Merino wool on the other. Merino wool is famous for its soft, non-itchy handfeel along with its ability to wick moisture, resist odors, and keep you warm while remaining breathable. There's an extra layer of polyfill insulation to keep your core even warmer when the temperature drops. The canvas side features a diamond quilt design and a gray-on-gray plaid with a hint of Western style. The vest had two large side pockets on both the inner and outer shell and a ribbed blade collar to keep out the cold.
Carhartt Men's Sandstone Arctic Quilt Lined Vest
Product Name: Carhartt Men's Sandstone Arctic Quilt Lined Vest
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Carhartt's Sandstone Arctic Quilt Lined Vest is a workhorse thanks to its durable materials — like sturdy cotton duck and heavy brass zipper — and easy-to-access, oversized front pockets.
Carhartt's been making durable workwear since 1889, and the Sandstone Arctic Quilt Lined Vest continues in that tradition. The vest is made from a heavy 100% cotton duck and lined in nylon with arctic-weight polyester insulation for warmth.
It's a hard-wearing insulated work vest that also features a sturdy brass zipper, oversized front pockets for easy access, a rib-knit collar for comfort, and a drop tail to keep your rear warm.
M&S Cotton Sleeveless Jumper
Product Name: M&S Cotton Sleeveless Jumper
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The M&S Cotton Sleeveless Jumper is made from sustainably produced cotton, comes in a wide range of sizes, and is best for cool days when you want a bit of a dressier look.
Marks & Spencer has been around since the 1880s and is still producing a quality product at a good price. Sometimes a classic sweater vest, or in British parlance, a sleeveless jumper, is exactly what those warm days with cool nights call for.
The M&S jumper is made from sustainably produced cotton, features a V-neck, and comes in five subdued colors, from gray to light blue to black. The sweater vest comes in a large range of sizes from XS to XXXX, and received 4.5 stars based on 34 reviews on the company's website.