Sometimes when you are out roaming the countryside all you need to keep at a pleasant temperature is a windproof layer. Here's why to try one, what to look for, and some of the best products reviewed

When you reach that ridge or cliff path and suddenly feel the force of a 50mph wind, you will rapidly feel the chill. You could pull a rain jacket on – but rain jackets are usually cumbersome and can soon feel sweaty in sunny weather, even on a windy ridge.

That’s where a good windproof comes in. So lightweight you barely know they are there, they excel in changeable weather. Especially good for hill or coastal walks, where the wind can really get up, they are also great for fast-hiking or trail-running on colder days, too.

Adding one to your pack is no burden – they often roll up into their own pocket, forming a tiny, lightweight package that can be easily stuffed into a corner of your pack.

Hooded windproofs are available and may suit you. I tend to prefer my windproof without a hood. Windproofs tend not to be particularly waterproof, so why bother with the hood at all? You can always pull on your hooded raincoat if it's wet, or a cap to keep off the sun. Besides, unused hoods don't fit so neatly under other layers.

Wind-proofs tend to come in the form of jackets (with full length zips), or wind ‘smocks’ and ‘shirts’ (with quarter- or half-zips). Here is one of each, tested and reviewed for you.

Our verdict: Ultralight and breathable smock ideal for fast hiking and trail running

With a vanishingly low weight of just 60g, you may forget you are wearing this windproof smock.

The fabric – made from recycled nylon – is highly breathable, making it noticeably pleasant on cold-weather runs and fast-hikes. When things get warmer, the half-zip helps you cool down. A small collar helps keep out drafts and provides some protection from the sun.

It’s close-fitting, so while there’s plenty of room for a thermal baselayer underneath on cold days, you may have to go up a size if you want to accommodate a microfleece layer too.

The cuffs and hem are elasticated to keep the garment close to you – and that prying wind out.

An inner breast pocket might be used for small items, but won’t fit a phone, and has no zip.

The jacket rolls up neatly into this pocket, forming a softball-sized package for stashing in a pack.

Finally, the smock is treated with a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) that will keep you dry in short periods of light rain. This will wear off though – so to maintain it, you will need to use technical washing and reproofing liquids.

The men's LiteSpeed is also available as a jacket, with full-length zip and hood. JP

The closest equivalent for women is Montane’s Featherlite Trail Running Jacket, with a full length zip and just 100g in weight.

Our verdict: Versatile, lightweight, breathable and competitively priced

This windproof jacket adds some useful and well-designed extras, making it that bit more versatile than the LiteSpeed.

A full-length zip improves ventilation, and makes it easier to remove. When unzipped, a stud attachment on the breast holds the jacket together and helps stop it flapping in the wind.

The zipped external breast pocket is big enough for phone and compass, wallet or satnav device, and doubles up as stuff-sack. A little webbing loop inside the pocket can be used to attach keys, or to fix the packed jacket to your backpack; and the whole jacket can be stuffed into the pocket to make a tiny stuff sack.

The men’s version is available with or without hood; the women's is hoody only. The hoodless Vital I tried has a good collar, providing better protection from the sun than the LiteSpeed’s, and lined with microfleece. Elasticated cuffs and a cinch on the hem keep cold air from creeping in.

The fabric is breathable enough that you may find yourself wearing it all day.

At just 110g, it’s a mere 50g heavier than the Lite-Speed, and the price is significantly lower, too.

Rab make a Vital for women, but only in the hoodie version

Reviews by Joe Pontin (JP)

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