Continuing with this week’s theme, I’ve got another lululemon showdown for you. This time, the theme is winter running jackets.
I have the first mile jacket (in darkest magenta) from last winter’s collection. This year, lululemon iterated on that with a new design: the extra mile jacket.
Both are designed to be cold-weather running/active jackets and both were priced at $228. In this post, I’ll outline key features of the extra mile jacket as well as how it differs from the first mile jacket.
I bought the extra mile jacket in white in my usual lululemon size (2). It fits true to size, however you’ll notice it does run a bit short. I’m only 5’3″ but it hits around high hip on me. The fit is tailored, but not tight. I definitely have room for layers underneath.
The jacket has a double-zippered front (similar to the fleecy keen jacket of years past) that attaches to the hood. The whole inner zipper plus hood can be zipped out and removed when you want less bulk. Note that the front part of the inner zip does not extend more than a couple inches on either side of the zip. It’s not a full inner layer.
The fabric is water-repellent, meaning it can be worn in light rain/snow but won’t hold up to an intense downpour. The jacket is warm enough for moderately cold temperatures, but isn’t quite as heavy-duty as a down/puffer jacket.
Now let’s get a little more into the comparisons, which will hit a couple other key points about the extra mile jacket along the way.
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[/ezcol_1half_end]There are a few very obvious design differences, like aesthetic differences and the double zipper versus a heavier-duty single zipper. Both jackets are made of essentially the same fabric: a mix of of insulated, water-repellent fabric and stretch panels. That said, they differ on the inside. The first mile has more stretch panels, which have a brushed, soft feel on the inside. The extra mile has more of the insulated panels and thus has very little soft fabric on the inside. Overall, the extra mile feels just slightly less cozy when I put it on.
A common complaint about the first mile is that there was a venting seam across the rear shoulder area that made the shoulders a bit tight. There is no such seam on the extra mile, so the shoulder area is fully flexible. If the shoulders were a problem for you with the first mile, don’t expect that to be an issue with this design.
Another issue with the first mile was the lack of thumbholes, which also been addressed with the new design. The thumbholes on the extra mile are horizontal slits, not vertical like many of lululemon’s other tops. Both jackets have fold-over cuffs.
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[/ezcol_1half_end]As I mentioned above, the extra mile fits fairly short. These comparison photos really reinforce that, since you can see it’s noticeably shorter than the first mile by a couple inches. The extra mile flares slightly at the hem as well. The reduction in coverage means it will be slightly less warm, although the jackets are otherwise very similar in thickness. Also on the topic of length, the sleeves also seem to be just slightly shorter. Tall ladies: proceed with caution!
In this photo, you can also see that the first mile has a stretch panel across the entire middle back, while the extra mile has an insulated panel that runs almost up the entire back, except for a small arch of stretch panel across the top of the shoulders underneath the hood.
You’ll also notice that the collar of the first mile jacket stands up on its own and is not attached to the hood. The inner collar of the extra mile is attached to the hood, so if you zip it all the way up, the collar will not stand up, which is a downside if you like to zip up your collar for warmth. However, if you zip out the inner layer and hood, the outer layer has its own collar, but then of course you lose the hood and extra zipped layer, so it’s a trade-off.
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[/ezcol_1half_end]Both jackets have two front zip pockets, but the pockets on the extra mile are placed a couple inches higher. The extra mile pockets hit almost at the natural waist rather than the high hip. That said, the pockets are quite deep.
Speaking of zippers: the first mile has zippered “armpit vents” (note the subtle zip directly above the pockets) while the extra mile does not. The only zippers on the extra mile are at the pockets and the front closure.
Although the extra mile is absolutely a very cute jacket, right now I’m leaning toward returning it. The first mile fits me just slightly better (and feels slightly better too), which makes the extra mile a little tougher to justify spending the money on. That said, it’s a very cute jacket and definitely practical for winter running and hiking. I’ll have to deliberate on this one a little longer.
Currently, the extra mile jacket is still available in 3 colors online with almost all sizes still in stock.
the length of the extra mile attracted me at first because im very short (shorter than you!). so i went to check it out instore and i totally agree with your review. i feel like the first mile is more flattering, even with its extra length. it’s also more cozy and comfy.
its a relief, tbh. i dont need 2 down jackets in what passes for Tx winters!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels that way! Like you, I would’ve expected it to be better given my shorter stature, so I was a bit surprised that I still prefer my past season jacket.
jackets are hard when one is short, i think. :D
i need a raincoat but i cant even w/ the choices. theyre all so long!
Unfortunately I have no suggestions there. :( All I have is an Arc’Teryx rain shell, and it barely gets any use since rain here is so sporadic. It’s not the most flattering jacket ever created (are rain shells ever??) but it does the job. :)
thats exactly why i havent bought a rain coat/rain shell — everything is so boxy!
ah the search continues!
These detailed comparisons are wonderful – thank you! These LLL jackets are expensive, so to get a very thoughtful comparison before investing that much money is really helpful.
I think the shorted arm length is a deal breaker for me, even though this jacket is very cute. I’m too tall!
You’re welcome! Glad I could save you some trouble. :)
nice comparison! that white color is very sharp. i do think it looks too short though… i think especially when jackets have a big hood and collar area, it just looks silly and dated when they end closer to the waist instead of going longer and curving back out to complete the “hourglass” shape. your jacket from last year is cuter and the fact that it is more comfortable makes it a no brainer.
p.s. have you seen the teal boyfriend vest from sweaty betty. GAH. there goes my money! cute AF.
I’m glad you agree! These comments are making me feel better about returning. :) Re: SB, I’m really liking the look of the reflect seamless LS. I love the seamless mockneck I bought last year, so I’m guessing it’ll be a similar story.
Thanks for the comparison. I’m so sad I didn’t buy the first mile jacket last year, I ended up buying a fleecy keen on ebay but I want the first mile too! I think the first mile looks classy whereas the extra mile looks plain jane/ generic athletic wear not like LLL. Ebay wants like $325 for my size of the first mile in black so I guess I’ll keep waiting :(
Yeah, that’s definitely too much markup for it to be worth it. :( The fleecy keen is a great jacket too, though. Fingers crossed you can find a first mile for a non-crazy price!!
Girl I live fir your reviews :) do you recommend either of these for someone who owns a fleecy keen? I’m a runner and live in cold climate. But typically stop running when it hits below -10C.
I run all winter long. Especially in high elevation. My New England winter temps in January is below 10 degrees minimum. I own fleecy keen and first Mile. I love them for running. I bought Extra Mile white and dark olive and planning on wearing them this winter. I wear a swiftly long sleeve under these jackets. These jackets have kept me very warm and sweat wicking when I get hot.
awesome, thank you for your comment. I believe my city’s winter climate is a good 10-20 degrees colder than yours (I’m in Ottawa, Canada. Our average winter temp is about -20C…which is about -5F). But either way I don’t run outside in extreme cold. What leggings do you recommend for running in slightly below 0 temps? (or 10Deg F as you state in your post)?
I wear all of lulu’s tech fleece tights. I can’t remember the names. I think one of them is First Mile tech fleece tight or something like that. They have held up nicely and keep my legs warm. I tend to dress warmer on top than bottom. I can handle super freezing on the bottom more than my upper body.
The other commenter pretty much already covered it, but I’d say both the first and extra miles are similar in warmth to the fleecy keen. :)
P.S. My favorite thermal leggings from lululemon are the toasty tech tights. They’re a bit warmer than some of lulu’s recent releases. I’m hoping they release something similar this year, but ebay works in a pinch. Also, I’m not sure how easily you can access Athleta in Canada, but their cold weather tights are generally very substantial and warm.
Your comparison reviews are the best! I can’t believe how much of lulu’s product range has been redesigned over the past few months!
I like the look of the first mile jacket way better and I’m sad I didn’t get it last year, even when the black and white went on markdown over the Boxing Day sales! Doh!
I hope they come out with more heavy weight running jackets out this winter!!
the First Mile jacket is still available on the Canadian website (not sure where you are located). On;y in white and olive colour but they are there.
ah thanks! but I’m in the UK :( I’m hopeful that a random few pieces will either make its way back to the markdowns or they’ll re-release them.
Yes, I’m hoping it’s not the last we see of nice running jackets. That said, I’m guessing next on the list will be a down jacket, and I haven’t been super-thrilled with those the last couple years, so we’ll see how this year compares. Hopefully there will be something fleecy before the year is out!
Hi Suzanne,
I’ve just recently bought an extra mile jacket and it doesn’t seem to have fold over cuffs. Do you know if they get rid of that feature this year?
Hmmm, I’m looking back at my photos and I don’t think the extra mile jacket had foldover cuffs in last year’s version either. I’m not sure if they were hidden or if I wrote that line of the post by mistake. The first mile jacket (which I still own) for sure has foldover cuffs, though.