Grey is where the bomber jacket makes the most sense to us. Black reads a little harder than most men want, navy starts to compete with too many other things in the wardrobe, but grey sits between both and works with almost everything. A good grey bomber over a white shirt and dark jeans is one of the better casual formulas going. We’ve also seen it work over a simple crewneck when the weather sits in that awkward territory between a light jacket and a full coat.

What we look for is structure without stiffness. The collar and cuff ribbing needs to hold its shape after a season of wear. The fabric weight should sit somewhere that layers comfortably without adding bulk. Shell and nylon options have their place, but our favorites tend to be the ones with a bit more material presence.

These are the grey bombers we actually go back to, not just the ones that photograph well.