Salomon Bonatti Pro running jacket review: exceptional waterproof you can wear over a hydration pack

French brand Salomon was founded in the Alps in the 1940s, so has a fair bit of heritage when it comes to keeping bad weather off sports folk. This is the Salomon Bonatti Pro running jacket that sits at the top of the product range, something reflected in the price – but if you are serious about staying warm and dry when out all day then it can be worth an investment. So is this the jacket that deserves that? 

From the off I liked the look of this jacket. I prefer a colour to black or white (though these options are available) as I do a lot of remote running so like the extra bit of visibility for safety. This green is bright without being garishly neon and I like that Salomon offers similar colours to both men and women in this jacket. There are also enough reflective details to give 360° visibility which is good. 

Sizing and fit

I’m a size large here, which was probably a bit big for me overall but as I’m wider at the hips I based the sizing off needing to do the zip up at the bottom. A slight flare to the shape here would have meant I could have sized down – though slimmer-hipped runners won’t have this problem. Elastic at the hem also means you can draw it in if need be. 

I did find the sleeves very long. They are part-elasticated and did a good job of keeping the rain off my hands when it poured, but I did find myself folding them up out of the way when I was wearing the jacket to keep the wind off. 

Weatherproofing

On the subject of rainfall, the Bonatti Pro features 20,000 HH waterproofing and taped seams which more than ticks the boxes of most essential kit lists for races. In some spring heavy rain showers the water had zero chance of getting inside this jacket. At 6.2oz/175g it’s heavier than the other running jackets but only by a little and nicely toes that line between feeling like a substantial-enough jacket for awful weather without being annoyingly heavy to wear or carry when you get warm.

Breathability was good, though for me this would be more of a winter jacket. Two vents, one on either side of the back of the jacket, help with this. 

Extra features

The hood here is a great design. It’s large and includes the collar, capacious enough to tuck most of your face in, with the peak to keep the water from running down your face. There is a ‘halo’ elastic pull at the back too, which means you can secure it back if you don’t want it covering your face. 

For storage there is a zipped chest pocket which I stashed my phone in without too much bounce. This pocket niftily turns inside out with a mesh layer to create a stash bag as well. 

Unusually, this waterproof jacket also features a long back vent which is designed to allow you to wear a hydration pack underneath. Not a consideration for short runs, but I always have a trail pack with phone, hydration and other essentials with me when I run long so it was nice to have the option to stash it under my jacket when the heavens opened.

Salomon Bonatti Pro specs