The 18 Best Men’s Bomber Jackets to Rock This Spring and Summer

The best bomber jackets, in fact, all modern bomber jackets, are based on the MA-1 bomber jacket designed for military pilots in the 50s. Worn on and off duty by pilots, the now iconic style was copied by menswear brands. After James Dean wore a red bomber jacket in Rebel Without a Cause, it became an outerwear staple. Fun fact, the actual bomber jacket from that movie was valued between $400,000 and $600,000 when it went on auction in 2018.

The style, with its ribbed waist and cuffs, zippered and slashed pockets, was originally popularized by European airmen. These jackets were also the basis for the varsity, baseball and souvenir jackets, and their close cousin, the track jacket. Styling-wise, the only difference is the fabrication: varsity jackets have leather sleeves, while both souvenir and baseball jackets are made from a shiny satin or silk-like material. These days you can find men’s bomber jackets for every season in everything from velvet to linen. Easy to wear, they can be layered over t-shirts and even heavy sweaters — and they look damn handsome on.

Check out some of the best bomber jackets for men to wear now that will surely turn some heads as you strut down the street this season.

1. Alpha Industries MA-1 Bomber Jacket

BEST OVERALL

The MA-1 Bomber Jacket from Alpha Industries may just be the most popular bomber on the planet, and for good reason. Alpha Industries is like Levi’s, Jeep or Coca-Cola — an all-American brand. This company got its start producing flight jackets like the MA-1 for U.S. military jet pilots, and the modern iteration of this jacket hasn’t changed all that much. Perfect for street style and your favorite pair of jeans, this iconic Alpha Industries bomber jacket is available in a loose fit and slim-fit. You can also opt for the brand’s famous NASA MA-1 bombers, which instantly signal that you’re wearing the best bomber jacket of all time.

2. Calvin Klein Rip Stop Bomber

RUNNER UP

A basic black bomber from Calvin Klein is one of the most versatile jackets you can have in your closet. Wear it with dark wash jeans and a light blue oxford button-down, and bring out some of the crazy designer sneakers you just bought for a little pop. Throw on olive chinos, a grey crewneck sweatshirt, some beat-up canvas sneakers and walk to the bar around the corner for some Sunday football. Wear it to the stadium for a soccer game! Wear it with white jeans in the spring! No matter how hard you try, you really can’t go wrong here. Calvin Klein always makes great fitting clothes, and their outerwear has a standard fuller cut. The black polyester is tough, water-resistant and will look nice and crisp for a long time to come.

3. WULFUL Casual Lightweight Bomber Jacket

BEST BARGAIN

Take your look to the next level with this lightweight, handsome-looking bomber ready to take on the day. This bomber is a functional yet stylish option for dudes to sport when it’s chilly outside given the jacket’s numerous pockets and modern design. It’s made with that classic wind-breaking material you can expect from other bombers and has silver-tone zippers that add to its premium style. The best part of all might be the noticeably unique arm zipper for stashing any small goods you might be carrying. While we do love this green color, note that the bomber’s also available in a number of other colors like pink, black and baby blue.

4. Zara Linen Bomber Jacket

MOST VERSATILE

Linen’s a kinda “grown up” material that’s traditionally been used to make lightweight classic menswear staples like suits, separates, and dress shirts. Now it’s being used for weekend wear, and it adds a refined, urbane flair to outwerwear like this men’s bomber jacket (and anything else you can think of like a linen tee or jeans). It’s a great fabric for spring and summer as it’s breathable, drapes beautifully over the body and is incredibly soft, like silky soft to the touch. When you have the urge to amp up your daily wfm uniform, toss on Zara’s linen jacket on and it’s like you’re selfie ready, even if you’re just heading out to the market. Try wearing it with a v-neck, joggers, and slip-ons for a change of pace when you’re out and about.

5. H&M Nylon Bomber Jacket

BEST DEAL

We have a love and hate relationship with H&M; love them because their mix of style basics are reasonably priced and their on-trend stuff are equally priced well, but we hate them because when we walk into an H&M, planning on only buying a couple of t-shirts, we end up with a large shopping bag full of other things too. And we’re never sure exactly how that happens. This nylon bomber jacket falls neatly into something you need, a lightweight jacket for spring and summer and an on-trend item that you gotta, gotta own. It comes in three other colors: black, navy and olive green. The striped ribbed cuffs and waist make it sporty looking, and there’s an inner pocket that’ll hold important stuff.

6. Stolen Girlfriends Club Scorpion Death Bomber Jacket

BEST REVERSIBLE

Two, yes, two eye-catching spicy styles in one. Stolen Girlfriends Club Scorpion Death Bomber Jacket’s got colors that reflect your mood; feeling like a billion dollars, wear the yellow satin side (this side zips up) that’s got a honkingly large black scorpion embroidered on the back. Feeling a little stealthy? Turn the jacket inside out and it’s all black highlighted by snazzy silver snap buttons. Cut slightly on the bigger side — so you can layer sweaters or hoodies when it gets cooler again. Toss on a pair of distressed jeans, graphic tee, a pair of combat boots or sneakers and you’re good to go.

7. Billionaire Boys Club Astro Appliqued Felt Bomber Jacket

BEST STREETWEAR 

The bomber jacket has gone very sporty for spring and summer 2021. Could it be that it’s because we’re slowly coming out of our homes and getting ready to explore the world again? Could it be we’ve all been struck with a sense of nostalgia and remember what it was like sitting in a ballpark under blue skies, eating lousy hotdogs and cheering our favorite teams? We’re not sure, but we do know that Pharell Williams and Nigo’s Billionaire Boys Club’s streetwear clothing and accessories have always been accessibly luxe. In fact, you can now surround yourself with BBC stuff as they’re now making home décor stuff. Speaking of décor, you can decorate yourself (oh, what a really bad pun that was) with their two-tone bomber.

8.  Alpha Industries L-2B Loose Bomber Jacket

BEST LOOSE FIT

If you love the classic stylings of Alpha Industries but prefer a looser fit in your bomber jacket, then go with the brand’s popular L-2B Loose Bomber Jacket. It’s available in a range of colors, but we especially like the gunmetal gray and navy blue, the latter of which is pictured below. This water-resistant bomber has all the details you’d expect in an Alpha Industries bomber jacket: the Alpha Logo on the zipper extension, MA-1 utility pocket on the sleeve, and the brand’s signature “Remove Before Flight” tag.

9. Celine Homme + Tyson Reeder Printed Satin Bomber Jacket

BEST PARTY JACKET

High design and high art come together in this bomber jacket. Tyson Reeder is an American-born artist whose works are hung in the Museum of Modern Art. Hedi Slimane asked six artists including Reeder to participate in Celine Homme’s “The Dancing Kid” summer ‘21collection, an ode to skate culture and resilience of youth during the pandemic. Reeder chose the vibrant tropics for his theme, which is reprinted on this satin bomber jacket. Lush palm trees float seemingly float over a vivid blue background. The question is do you wear the bomber jacket or frame it?

10. Billy Reid Suede Bomber

BEST SUEDE BOMBER 

When you want to add a bit of luxury (c’mon you deserve it), you can’t go wrong with a suede bomber jacket. The style is always in, and suede is a material that as it ages, it just gets better looking. Menswear designer Billy Reid understands that fashion and style can be two different things, and when they dovetail into one item, it’s something that gets more loved for as long as you own it.  Made in Italy from buttery-soft calf suede, this bomber jacket is lined in cotton and has a ribbed collar, cuffs and waistband.

11. SHEIN Camo Bomber Jacket

BEST CAMO

In the past, prints like camouflage and animal ones have gone from being an “in the moment” trend, to being tossed aside for something equally eye-pleasing. While fashion can change quickly, the world of textiles seems to move more slowly. Now animal prints and camo have not only gone full circle trend-wise, but they’ve also moved into the mainstream world of prints. Moving forward, you’ll always find something camo, tiger, zebra or leopard print hanging in a store or online. One of the things we like about camo, is that it’s so easy to match something with the print, it’s like it has an invisible Grranimals tag. SHEIN’s affordable bomber jacket has contrasting ribbed trim and zipper. Try it with dark jeans, white sneakers and a v-neck tee.

12. FILA Bug Jacket

BEST TIE-DYE

Tie-dye isn’t going anywhere, and this summer’s blended patterns are ready for anything. FILA’s known for their impeccable tennis stuff and streetwear, so when they decide to do a bomber jacket, you know it’s going to be cool. Floating shades of bright reds, blues, and greens predominate the print, making it easy to throw together an outfit that looks good. Because this bomber jacket’s made from athletic materials, you can wear it when you’re working out, playing baseball, hoops or whatever tickles your fancy. It’s also got a built-in hood and large pockets, so if you’re a runner who doesn’t care what the weather’s like, toss this on before your next rainy run.

13. Wildswan NASA MA-1 Biker Bomber Jacket

FOR PATRIOTS ON A BUDGET

You can’t get more authentic than this NASA jacket that’s sure to spook any alien in a five-mile radius. This jacket sports two front pockets with button closures and a zippered pocket on the sleeve, which obviously features the American flag. There are a number of decals spread about the bomber to create a bomber that looks pretty close to the real thing any space cadet might wear. All in all, the jacket’s a dope conversation starter that’ll constantly evoke the saying, “Houston, we have a problem”.

14. Levi’s Acid Washed Cotton Bomber Jacket

BEST NEW NEUTRAL

In the 18th century, aristocratic men wore pink, mauve and pastel shades. in The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby wore a pink suit to lunch, and pink hues are always on the runway during Men’s Fashion Week. Pink, mauve and all the tones in that color family are now considered unisex shades. Levi’s has come out with a bomber jacket that screams summertime fun. Acid wash, that big go-to for 80s jeans has gotten sophisticated this season, instead of looking like an extra in some weird but oh, so fun music video, Levi’s took the acid wash idea and used it to diffuse colors, the final effect looks like a much-loved jacket that has a soft pink hue. Finished with ribbed cuffs and waistband, the jacket has a zippered sleeve so you can stow your ID, whatever you need to grab quickly.

15. Logeeyar Men’s Printed Slim Fit Bomber Jacket

BEST FLORAL PRINT

There’s always something cool about the juxtaposition of delicacy and toughness in a design. This slim-fitting floral print bomber is a good example of that. Red roses float elegantly against a darker black background and the result is pretty hardcore. The zip front bomber jacket has two front slash pockets. It also comes in numerous patterns that range from skulls to camo and blue flower petals.

16. Ben Sherman Harrington Signature Harrington Jacket

BEST HOMMAGE

A lot of the best bomber jackets for men evoke James Dean’s look, and this could be Dean’s Rebel Without A Cause style twin. The cotton front zip bomber made by British menswear company Ben Sherman updated the style for today. It has the same stand-up collar as Dean’s, and is lined in the brand’s signature check pattern. It has two front button-flap pockets. If you’re not a fan of the shade but like the style, the jacket also comes in 11 other colors

17. Standard Issue Souvenir Men’s Bomber Jacket

MOST WILD

The souvenir or sukajan jacket’s invention created by the American servicemen who were stationed in Japan after WWII. They commissioned local tailors to create a bomber-like jacket design that was made from parachute materials, Japanese silks and were embroidered with traditional Japanese motifs. They were called “souvenir jackets” because they actually were souvenirs for the G.I.s. They had extraordinarily little room to take things back home, and a jacket could be folded easily into a duffel bag. This unisex jacket uses the standard bomber jacket design and is made with embroidered dragons on a silk-like polyester. It has two front slash pockets and a front zipper

18. Burberry Mermaid Applique Nylon Jacket

BEST BADASS

Burberry is known for its iconic tan-checked designs that have draped scarves, wallets, jackets and more for years. To many people, owning a Burberry trench coat completes their wardrobe. We’re loving this take on the classic souvenir bomber jacket that’s infused with attitude. The black bomber jacket has a spacious zippered pocket on the sleeve, while the back shows off a wild embroidered applique scene complete with mermaids, a shark and the ocean in the midst of a crazy storm. If a designer bomber jacket is in your budget, then this jacket is sure to turn heads wherever you go this summer.