Columbia Women's Whirlibird Interchange Jacket - Waterproof 3-in-1 Winter Coat for Hiking, Skiing & Outdoor Adventures

I purchased this jacket for use in winter snowshoeing, hiking, and clearing my driveway of snow (though we haven't gotten much yet). I am 5'3" and 160 lbs. Short and busty! I considered a large, until I tried one on at a sports store and then decided to go with an extra large. I need room for the girls.The good:The coat is indeed warm. The versatile 3-in-one has always been my go to for winter wear. You never know what Buffalo weather will be like. The reflective layer keeps you warm while the outer layer keeps out the wind and wet weather. I was expecting a zipper flap, but the sealed zipper works as expected. The ruby color is more like a watermelon, and was much less expensive than the other colors. I only paid $95 here at Amazon, and I really like the color. The hood remains in place when up, and doesn't feel uncomfortable with a ponytail.The bad:Where did all of the pockets go? I hate carrying a purse in the winter, since the shoulder strap never stays on my shoulder with a winter coat. The older version of this coat had all of these nice pockets to stow my stuff. Those are gone. The two outer hand pockets are just big enough to put my gloves in, and the shell is lacking any internal pockets. An internal chest pocket is needed in this layer. This was where I could stow my phone, which I wouldn't dare put in a hand pocket for fear of it falling out. The only internal pocket is in the inner layer, which is good, since those hand pockets seem even smaller than the shell pockets.The breathability of the coat is lacking. The shell has two vents under the arms. When worn with the zip-out liner you will stay warm, but will sweat if your activity increases. After snowshoeing for two hours, with only long underwear and a thin fleece mid layer, I was sweating slightly. When I stopped, I started to get a chill, so I headed into a shelter. After I removed my coat, I realized why I was getting cold. The outside of my liner and the inside of the shell were wet, almost dripping. A friend suggested that I not wear the liner when partaking in physical activities.The fit was fine around my chest, which was a real concern for me. Unfortunately, I am short and these don't come in petite sizes. The jacket was longer in the body, which covered my rear (that was a plus), but the sleeves are very long. They come almost an inch past my fingertips, with my arms dangling straight. The cuffs, with their Velcro, are not designed to roll up.Final thoughts, I like the jacket and can change up how I wear it for the right activity, and it will keep me warm. The fit will be something I have to get used to, unless I can dump some weight and fit into a smaller size, but I don't see that happening soon. The disappointing part is the loss of pockets. Women's fashion seems to dictate that we don't need pockets or even regular sized ones. We don't all want to have to carry hand luggage, and we all know women generally carry more cr@p then men. Columbia, bring back the pockets!I bought a Whirligig a few years ago. After the zipper finally gave way, I decided to replace the entire jacket, as I'm now a smaller size than I was then.First the good news. The waterproofing is very nice. I walk my dogs in all weather, so waterproofing and warmth are very important to me. I was able to stay dry in a downpour. I think the hood styling has change slightly. This hood stays up more easily. I love the colors. Additionally, the exterior pocket (so far) has stayed dry. This was not the case for the previous model. Things in one's pockets would get wet in a good downpour.Now the bad news. If you're looking for the same features as the old Whirlibird, this doesn't have those. Gone is the exterior storm flap. I'm sure that the current model has a better waterproof zipper, but the storm flap also provided additional wind protection. Also gone are a significant number of the pockets. Instead of four exterior pockets on the shell, there are only two. Also, there used to be a very nice interior pocket in both the shell and the insert. Gone is the interior pocket for the shell.I dinged the review for the absence of those pockets. Come on, Columbia, we women need pockets, too!With respect to fit, my impression is that for the OmniTech technology to work, you need a snug fit. This means that if you're used to wearing a small, the size small will fit, but you won't have room for layers. If you want to add layers, order a size up from your usual size.This jacket made my trip! I was in desperate need of a new snow jacket...like an actual boarding jacket, not just a jacket that works in the snow. I love all the features from the inside pockets, the button in the front to keep the snow out when you fall (which is frequent for me), and the detachable hood. I went boarding 2 days in a row. The first day was cloudy, windy, and snowing. The jacket (both inner and outer layers) kept me warm and dry. The second day was sunny and warmer. I took out the inner layer and just wore a long sleeve with the outer layer. I didn't feel cold and it still kept me warm. Some of the cool features went away since many inner pockets are in the inner layer. But it was still great. I would recommend this style to anyone needing a new boarding or ski jacket.Great quality, features, and color. BTW, I ordered a large, white geo print. I am a true medium in most things, but after reading some of the reviews I opted to get a large. I have hips, so I'm glad I did because I'm not sure I would have been able to zip up the outer layer if I got a medium. Also, I can always add another layer if it gets unbearably cold. So the waist is a tad larger than I would like, but there are so many other things that make this jacket worth it.I'm so disappointed. I figured I would finally break down and buy myself a new winter coat (instead of poaching from my husband). I read lots of reviews and customer questions/answers before placing my order. I am 5'2" and weigh about 170, I have a 44 "chest. Based on what I read, I ordered the XL but it was too tight. I live in the Boston area and it can get cold. I always wear a sweatshirt. This jacket felt ok with just a T-shirt on, but who does that in winter? With a sweatshirt on, it was snug across the chest but even tighter in the arm pit/shoulder area. Driving would be difficult. I also thought the sleeves were too long, but with velcro at the cuff, it would be manageable. I'm returning this one and ordering the same in a 1X. The bummer part of that is that the larger size costs $65 dollars more : (EDIT: I have received the 1X. The fit is ok, with a sweatshirt underneath. Honestly, it is just a tiny bit bigger than the XL, and it seems as though the sleeves aren't longer than the XL. It will do the job for me and I will be keeping this one. If you are on the fence (after checking the size chart) about what size to buy, I would go with the 1X over the XL.I bought a 2x and normally wear an xl. The sizes on these things run really small. Otherwise I love it.This jacket is awesome and keeps me warm on the shores of Georgian bay. Its color is vibrant. I found it tight and thats probably cause i have gained a bit since Halloween. My children had so much candy I just couldnt bear to let them eat that much. No big deal and not the coats fault. Quite pleased. It's my second Columbia jacket and the first lasted ten years. So in about ten years I'll likely purchase again.Los materiales eran lo que esperaba pero lamentablemente fue la peor experiencia que he tenido, las chamarras estaban llenas de pelos de alguna mascota y tenía un agujero, espero que ya puedan enviar el reemplazo.La marca es excelente, he comprado muchas chamarras para familiares pero en esta última compra me decepcionó.A quién se le ocurre cocer una etiqueta en la prenda, de alguna manera dañan las chamarras. En otras chamarras que adquirí las costuras eran peores que la que muestro.Fue un regalo para mi tía y le encantó el color, compré está talla por qué era la más barata y aunque le quedó grande le fascinó. Columbia nunca falla!Good quality for a good price. Warm enough for Canadian winters when you properly layer underneath.