Columbia Men's Geocache Down Jacket - Lightweight Water-Resistant Winter Coat for Hiking & Outdoor Activities | Warm Insulated Puffer Jacket for Cold Weather Adventures

There are a few important aspects to this jacket; I'll try to cover them all to some extent. My duration of ownership is around one and a half winter months. I've gone weeks where I used the jacket multiple times daily, and days where I haven't touched it. I've probably used it a little less than half of all the days, on average. So, on to the jacket:--the design (aesthetics)--This is the easiest to cover. The jacket looks good. I have the blue one, and it's VERY blue. This isn't a bad thing, and I really like the look of it. It's cut well, and it doesn't feel or look bulky (as far as down jackets go). The back of the jacket drops down to below the waist to prevent loss of heat, and the jacket itself is tapered well. My girlfriend approves, so I'm happy with it. You can look at pictures to get an idea of this--it's pretty clear what it looks like/how it fits.--the warmth/performance--This is a very light jacket in terms of weight. It is definitely a 550 fill power jacket (in that it isn't a heavy down jacket, but it's still warmer than a duck feather or ordinary polyfill jacket). I am comfortable with the jacket alone over a t-shirt down to about 2-3 degrees Celsius (I think that's 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit), and if I'm wearing a long sleeve shirt or a thermal underneath, I'm comfortable down to freezing (a hat makes a big difference here). I have also layered a fleece underneath this jacket when it was a few degrees Celsuius below freezing, and I was perfectly warm. The pockets are wonderfully designed, as is the collar. They are lined with soft and extremely warm microfleece, which is kept close to your body, underneath the protective warmth of the jacket's baffles. I feel substantially warmer when my hands are in the pockets. The sleeves could be warmer; occasionally my elbows get cold relative to the rest of my torso. The lengthened back makes for a substantial difference in overall warmth as it prevents heat loss.The surface is definitely repels water. I accidentally found this out when I had to walk home in the rain (the day started out COLD, but ended up wet... oh, Oregon). The rain wasn't particularly heavy, but it wasn't a light sprinkle, either. Water beaded up on the surface of the jacket, and it was only slightly damp by the time I got home--this was about a 15 minute walk. It seems to be a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating, rather than a physical property of the material. It's branded with Columbia's "Omni-Shield: Advanced Repellency" trademark, which I believe denotes DWR coated fabrics. I'm pleased.--the lining--The lining may be a bit gimmicky, but for the warmth/weight ratio I've felt, (this jacket is VERY light, but is pretty darned warm) it must be doing something. Sometimes I'm sure the lining is making a marked difference; sometimes I don't think it's doing anything. In short, I honestly can't tell. It is warm, though, and that's the important part. Columbia claims that independent tests have found it to increase warmth by 20%. That sounds about right: it's enough to notice sometimes, but not all the time.--the durability--The jacket material is somewhere between the ultra-thin nylon of stuff-able down jackets (think $250 Mountain Hardwear down sweaters) and the thicker paneling of heavy down coats. It's sturdy enough so that I'm not paranoid about tearing it, but I wouldn't want to trim blackberries in it, if that makes any sense. I've lost on the order of 30 feathers (only very small feathers and fuzz) through the outside of the coat, and it seems like it's a pretty constant rate. I'm not too thrilled about that fact, but I doesn't seem to be an appreciable enough rate to reduce the effectiveness of the jacket. The inner lining is very sturdy, and I have yet to see a feather come through on the inside. I enjoy the silvery look of the lining, and the dots seem like they're there to stay.If you have any questions, feel free to post them. I'd be happy to provide answers.The jacket is attractively designed, but the interior reflective material is kind of weird (like almost having aluminum foil on the inside of your jacket). Supposedly this jacket is quite warm for being as light weight as it is; I have found it IS lightweight, but the warmth is about average for the thickness of the jacket. The nylon shell seems heavy enough, and I find the jacket comfortable to wear when the temps are in the high 40's and 50's. Forget it if it is in the 30's. Still, I am happy with the quality, looks, and overall feel of the jacket. The main thing (I keep alluding to it) is the lightness for the reasonable warmth. Kind of pricey though for the money.Just got this jacket. The fit is great! The quality is OK. The feathers are start to come out after wearing it for about a week! I love the way it looks on my husband. Great Price!!! The Jacket is not thick and feels light, which is a big plus for a winter wear. The inside is very cool silver color. Looks even better than a photo. However, if you are looking for a ski jacket I would not go with this one. My husband does not skim but I do. With my experience Marmot is the best jackets for skiing. I own one for 15 years now and it is still looks and feel great. Most importantly it is not heavy and extremely warm.This made in Vietnam product from Columbia seriously challenges my past experiences with their other products. First off, Is there any down in this thing? Seriously under stuffed. Main warmth is from sleeping bag type reflective interior. Good as a "Sweater" type inner liner at best with a good quality outer shell. Kind of overpriced for what you get. I'll keep it to wear under my excellent Marmot outer shell.excellent