Raidlight Ultralight 2.0 MP Plus Jacket Review: Featherweight Waterproofing for Mountain Racing

Introduction

Some running jackets chase weight savings by giving up protection. The Raidlight Ultralight 2.0 MP Plus jacket tries to refuse that trade-off entirely. It weighs just over 100 grams in a men’s medium, yet claims a 25,000mm waterproof rating and a 60,000mm breathability rating, all wrapped in a fully taped, highly packable shell. After running it in everything from mild sunny days to 50mph gusts with heavy driving rain, we have a clear picture of whether those numbers translate to real-world performance.

Who This Jacket Is For

This is a jacket aimed squarely at runners pushing hard at the front of the pack. If every gram of mandatory kit matters, and you want protection without feeling weighed down, this is exactly the audience Raidlight designed for. It is deliberately stripped back, and that focus shapes every design decision on the jacket.

At £250 in the UK, it is not a cheap running waterproof. The price buys extreme lightness and high performance in a tiny package, which we think justifies itself for competitive mountain and trail runners, but less so for casual use.

Specs and Features

In a men’s medium, the Ultralight 2.0 MP Plus weighs an astonishing 108 grams, and it is available in six sizes from extra small through to double XL. The construction uses a 100% polyamide fabric with an ultralight ripstop face, paired with an extremely breathable MP Plus membrane, making it a genuine three-layer waterproof without the bulk.

Feature highlights include:

• Fully taped seams and a lightweight fully waterproof front zip
• A fully adjustable hood with a wired peaked brim and internal elasticated collar for a precise fit around the face
• High-visibility detailing on both arms and the back
• Grippers on the shoulders to control movement under a pack and add durability
• Elasticated hem and cuffs, with thumb loops inside the cuffs for extra protection in hostile conditions

One welcome change: Raidlight has dropped the clear plastic watch window from the end of the sleeve that appeared on some earlier jackets. In practice it fogged up with condensation as soon as you started running, and the harsh material made the sleeve uncomfortable. Removing it is no loss.

Weight and Packability

The weight is the headline, and it is the lightest running waterproof we have worn. On the body it feels more like a wind layer than a waterproof. Getting there means compromises: there are no pockets at all. That suits runners who carry kit in a race vest or running belt rather than bouncing items around in jacket pockets, but it will not work for everyone.

Compression is excellent. The jacket folds into a small internal pocket in the hood, turning inside out to become its own stuff sack, and packs down tiny enough to leave plenty of room in a race vest for other mandatory kit. Despite the stripped-back approach, the hood retains proper adjustment with two quick bungee cords, elastic at the back, and that internal collar pulling it in around your face. It articulates well when you turn your head, stays put in strong wind, and the wide peak is a genuinely impressive attention to detail at this weight.

Waterproofing Performance

Over an extended test period, the jacket has seen everything from mild dry days to runs where the rain was effectively horizontal. It kept us well protected from wind and rain throughout, dry and warm even in prolonged bad weather, with the fitted hood adding an extra level of security. Against a 25,000mm hydrostatic head rating, the jacket has delivered exactly what that figure promises, and after some past disappointment with earlier lightweight Raidlight jackets, this one restored our confidence in the brand’s waterproof claims.

Breathability: The Standout Feature

Keeping rain out while letting heat escape is the hardest problem in a running waterproof, and this jacket handles it extremely well. On a cold, crisp day with a merino base layer underneath, it genuinely felt as though air was passing through the fabric as body temperature rose. That is how breathable it is.

One tip that matters here: always wear a good long-sleeve technical base layer under a waterproof. Short sleeves will make any jacket feel clammy and leave you wetter on the inside than the outside. Paired with merino long-sleeve base layers, the jacket stayed comfortable across the whole test range.

Things to Consider Before Buying

There is only one design quirk worth flagging. The thumb loops work, but the sleeve length felt slightly short when our thumbs were hooked through them, making it hard to straighten the arms and slightly restricting arm swing. Without using the loops, the sleeve length was perfect, so a small length adjustment would make them friendlier. If you rarely use thumb loops anyway, this is a non-issue.

The other consideration is price. At £250 this is an expensive waterproof jacket, and if you do not care about weight or packability and want pockets and storage, this is not the jacket for you. That said, breathability is genuinely difficult to achieve on a budget, and cheaper waterproofs we have used have consistently been let down by that exact attribute. Here, you are paying for performance that actually delivers.

Buying Advice

If you are a competitive trail or mountain runner counting grams of mandatory kit, who wants a jacket that packs down small, protects properly, and breathes at a level that rivals anything we have tested, the Ultralight 2.0 MP Plus deserves a close look. In performance terms, it sits right alongside the best lightweight waterproofs we have used, including the inov-8-style class leaders and our usual running waterproof of choice. That is high praise. If, on the other hand, you want pockets, storage, and a do-everything jacket for slower days, spend your money elsewhere.

Conclusion

The Raidlight Ultralight 2.0 MP Plus jacket lives up to its impressive claims. At 108 grams it barely registers on your back, yet it protected us in horizontal rain and 50mph gusts while breathing like few waterproofs can. The lack of pockets and the short-sleeve-feel thumb loops are minor trade-offs in a jacket that otherwise gets the essentials right. For runners at the sharp end of mountain races, this is an easy recommendation.