Spring and autumn jacket: how to choose a transitional jacket by the weather
A transitional jacket for autumn and spring: how to choose between softshell, a jacket with a membrane and a lightweight quilted jacket to suit the weather. The guide also covers layering under the jacket and when to reach for a winter jacket.
Short answer: In autumn and spring, choose a transitional jacket to suit the weather: a softshell for wind and showers, a lightweight jacket with a membrane and taped seams for rain, and a lightweight quilted jacket for cold, dry days. You adjust the warmth with the layers underneath, so one jacket serves in both autumn and spring. NORDBLANC spring and autumn jackets with a TERATEX® membrane have a water column of 5,000–15,000 mm, and softshell jackets 10,000 mm. Women’s and men’s models are chosen by the same criteria.
Which jacket for autumn and spring?
It depends on the weather, not the month: the same jacket copes with an October morning and an April one, only the layer underneath changes. The table shows which type of jacket to choose and what to wear under it.
| Weather | Type of jacket | What to wear underneath |
|---|---|---|
| Cool and dry, a calm walk, town | lightweight quilted jacket | long-sleeved T-shirt or a thin sweatshirt |
| Wind and the occasional shower, walking or cycling | softshell jacket | functional T-shirt; when it is cold, a thin fleece or gilet |
| Persistent rain, all day outdoors | jacket with a membrane and taped seams | functional T-shirt and a thin sweatshirt, no cotton |
| Cold wind and long periods of standing, for example at a bus stop or a playground | quilted jacket, or a softshell with a gilet underneath | sweatshirt or gilet |
| Brisk movement: running, cycling, fast walking | lightweight sports jacket | functional T-shirt, possibly lightweight thermal underwear |
| First frosts and wet snow | winter jacket | thermal underwear and a sweatshirt |
The table is a rough guide; pace, wind and humidity also play a part. You will find a selection in the collections women’s autumn and spring jackets and men’s autumn and spring jackets, and a wider range in the category autumn and spring jackets.
What is the difference between an autumn jacket, a spring jacket and a transitional jacket?
In practice, none. A transitional jacket is a lightweight jacket for the period between winter and summer; autumn jacket and spring jacket are simply its names by season. It is thinner than a winter jacket, has little insulation or none, and protects mainly against wind and water. The layer underneath makes the difference: in autumn you add, in spring you take away. So you do not need two jackets; one is enough, chosen for the weather you expect most often.
Membrane jacket or softshell for spring and autumn?
Both stop the wind, but they are built differently for water. A comparison based on the details on NORDBLANC products:
| Feature | Softshell jacket | Spring and autumn jacket with a membrane |
|---|---|---|
| Material | SOFTSHIELD® 10000, polyester with elastane | TERATEX® membrane, nylon or polyester |
| Water column | 10,000 mm | 5,000–15,000 mm |
| Taped seams | not among the features | most models |
| Waterproof zips | only some models | some models |
| Insulation | none | none |
| Suitable for | hiking and everyday wear | everyday wear, most also hiking |
Softshell is more stretchy and comfortable on the move, but water can get through the seams and zips before it gets through the fabric. It is enough for a hike with a shower, but for all-day rain a jacket with a membrane and taped seams is safer. On the NORDBLANC Waterproofness scale, which serves only to compare models with one another, 5,000 mm falls under Water-repellent and 8,000–15,000 mm under Waterproof. What the numbers mean and why a jacket gets wet even with a high water column is explained in the guide Water column and breathability. The difference between softshell and hardshell is compared in the guide Softshell or hardshell.
For persistent rain and longer hikes, outdoor jackets with a 15,000 or 20,000 mm membrane are intended; almost all have taped seams. You will find softshell in the collections women’s softshell jackets and men’s softshell jackets.
Is a lightweight insulated jacket good for spring and autumn?
Yes, on cold, dry days. A lightweight quilted jacket keeps you warm without the bulk of a winter jacket. According to the details on NORDBLANC transitional jackets:
- Insulation. It is synthetic: mostly FURTHERM hollow fibre, on some models THERMOLITE® EcoMade T-DOWN, which according to the manufacturer, The LYCRA Company, is made from recycled PET bottles and keeps you warm even when damp.
- Outer fabric. Most often 100% nylon without a membrane. No water column is stated, and almost all models have the lowest level, Light rain, on the Waterproofness scale.
- Intended use. These are jackets for everyday wear, almost all with a Regular fit, and some models are ultralight.
Take a quilted jacket, therefore, for dry cold in town and on the way to work, not for rain. For moving around in the countryside there are softshell jackets (hiking) and lightweight sports jackets, which on most models list hiking, running and cross-country skiing among their activities. Quilted models are in the collection transitional jackets, with the women’s ones separately in women’s transitional jackets.
How do you layer under a transitional jacket?
In spring and autumn, three thin layers work better than one thick one, because you can add or remove them depending on the weather:
- A functional T-shirt or lightweight thermal underwear against the body. It wicks sweat away, whereas cotton soaks it up and chills. The lightweight and all-season ranges are compared in the guide How to choose a baselayer, and you will also find them in the collections women’s lightweight thermal underwear and men’s lightweight thermal underwear.
- Middle layer: a thin sweatshirt, fleece or gilet. NORDBLANC powerfleece sweatshirts are made of polyester with elastane. A gilet warms the torso and leaves your arms free; when it is worth wearing is described in the guide Winter gilet.
- The jacket on top. It protects against wind and water and must not press on the sweatshirt you wear underneath.
Dress so that you feel slightly cool when you set off; you will warm up as you walk. Try the size on with the sweatshirt you will be wearing. The measuring procedure is summarised in the guide How to measure jacket size and in the size charts.
When should you switch to a winter jacket?
As a rough guide, when temperatures fall towards zero and below, wet snow is falling or you have to stand outdoors. A transitional jacket does not solve winter, but when you are moving it gets by with layers for longer than you might expect. Choose a winter jacket when:
- you are cold even though you are wearing thermal underwear and a sweatshirt under the transitional jacket;
- you stand or sit outdoors, for example at a bus stop, a playground or a stand, and have no way of warming up by moving;
- wet snow is falling and the jacket has no membrane.
NORDBLANC winter jackets mostly have synthetic hollow-fibre insulation. Choosing by where you wear the jacket is described in the guide How to choose a winter jacket, and the jackets are in the collections women’s winter jackets and men’s winter jackets.
Women’s and men’s transitional jackets: how does the choice differ?
The criteria are the same. A spring jacket for women and an autumn jacket for men from NORDBLANC are available as softshell, with a membrane, as lightweight sports jackets and as quilted jackets. Almost all have a Regular fit, meaning classic rather than close-fitting. Men’s sizes are XXS–XXXL, women’s 34–48.
- Women’s: autumn and spring jackets, softshell jackets, lightweight sports jackets.
- Men’s: autumn and spring jackets, softshell jackets, lightweight sports jackets.
What should you look at before buying?
- Taped seams and zips. For rain they matter more than the number itself. Most spring and autumn jackets and almost all outdoor jackets have taped seams, while on softshell jackets they are not among the features. Almost all outdoor jackets and some spring and autumn jackets have ventilation zips. Check them on the product in the Features section.
- Trying on. You can try a jacket on in our stores.
- Care. Wash membrane jackets and softshell according to the label without fabric conditioner and reproof them after a time; the instructions are on the Product care page.
Trousers go well with a jacket; choosing outdoor trousers is described in the guide Hiking and outdoor trousers. The terms in this article are summarised in the Outdoor clothing glossary.
Frequently asked questions
Will a lightweight quilted jacket cope with a rainy day?
Only a short shower. NORDBLANC quilted transitional jackets have no membrane and no stated water column, and almost all of them have the lowest level, Light rain, on the Waterproofness scale. For rain, choose a softshell or a jacket with a membrane and taped seams.
What should I do with a transitional jacket when it is cold in the morning and warm in the afternoon?
Regulate the warmth with the layer under the jacket, not with the jacket itself. In the morning put on a sweatshirt or gilet, in the afternoon take it off and leave the jacket open. Ventilation zips help too, and almost all outdoor jackets and some spring and autumn jackets have them.
What kind of hood is good for rain?
One that you can pull tight around your face so the wind does not blow it off. Almost all softshell and outdoor jackets have a hood with a drawcord, as do some of the spring and autumn jackets and lightweight sports jackets. A hood that packs away into the collar is found on only a few lightweight sports jackets.
Do autumn jackets have reflective details for walking at dusk?
Most NORDBLANC softshell, outdoor and lightweight sports jackets have reflective details, as do some of the spring and autumn jackets. In autumn, when it gets dark earlier, check them in the features on the product.
Is one transitional jacket enough for town and for outings?
Yes, if you choose a softshell or a jacket with a membrane. On all NORDBLANC softshell jackets, hiking and everyday wear are among the intended activities; on spring and autumn jackets everyday wear is listed, and hiking too on most of them. A quilted jacket is intended for everyday wear, and for an outing a softshell is better.