I am sure there are many positive reviews for Columbia Wear, even more so for their jackets. Since my high school years I have owned at least one. They continue to be one of the best winter and I will say, all year coats around.
My first jacket, from back in high school, came without an additional liner added to it and was just a big size ski coat. It held up well as I still use it today when working around the house and shoveling snow in the winter, but that is not the coat I want to talk about. Two years ago I bought Bug-a-boo jacket complete with fleece liner. I don’t think I have ever had such a great versatile jacket in my life.
The inner lining is fleece and has withstood many washings and kept its softness. Its zippers have never failed and it retains its original color. The liner from the jacket can be removed to be worn by itself and I tend to do so during the spring and fall months as I fine that adequate enough to keep me warm. If it does happen to rain, by itself, it even tends to keep the moisture away from my skin, though after a heavy pouring I am still wet.
However that is where the outer shell comes in. The outer shell is completely water and wind proof, great for those rough weather times. The outer shell can be worn separately during any season to protect against inclement weather. It is a must have for the heavy rain and sleet. Adding the two layers, this jacket is unsurpassable. I have never gotten soaked in this jacket. The hood seals tightly around your head. The lining warmth is all you need as I have worn it at 13,000+ feet in subzero temperatures during a snow storm while skiing. It miraculously kept the right amount of warmth in so that I never felt a chill and it did not over heat me to where I was sweating. I could not have imagined being so comfortable while on the mountain.
On a side note I also wore a pair of Columbia snow pants that were just as good as the jacket. Though being on the ski lift did cool down my butt, as long as I wasn’t sitting, just having a pair of long johns underneath those pants was more than adequate to keep the warmth.
Columbia has continued to make a great product throughout the years for the outdoorsman. Not only that, when you wear them, they make you look good as they are and always have been pleasing in color and design. My first choice for outdoor wear easily goes to Columbia.
