Columbia Men's Watertight II Jacket - Waterproof Rain Jacket for Outdoor Hiking, Camping & Travel - Lightweight Windbreaker with Adjustable Hood

Sure - you can spend a TON on rain gear. But I'm not outside in the backcountry all the time where my life depends on my gear. I needed to stay dry on hiking trips and whale watching excursions in Alaska. This did the trick admirably. Tested by rain several times - couple hours in the wind and rain on the back of a boat for a whale watching trip, hiking on the shore in moderate rain. I was dry under the gear. My pants were soaked because I was too lazy to put on rain pants. But that's my fault, not my gear. :-) Lightweight and comfortable. Packs down pretty small. Hood fits well. Good design.I looked at almost 100 jackets in stores and websites before I decided on the Columbia Men’s Watertight II Jacket, and I was not disappointed. Here are the features I wanted and how well they satisfied my needs:WHAT I WANTEDI live near the ocean where mist, spray, and rain are playing all the time. Also, I’m planning a trip near the Rhine River where I expect it to be raining almost constantly. I wanted a light, combination windbreaker and rain jacket that I could pack in little space and rely on to keep me dry.WEIGHTMy Columbia Men’s Watertight II jacket weighs 15 ounces on my digital scale. That’s fine.WATERPROOFINGMy Columbia jacket has been out in some heavy rains, without any leaks. The sealed seams kept out the weather, the hood and cuffs didn’t leak, and I stayed dry.THE HOODThe nylon hood is large, and better worn over a cap. It adjusts with an elastic cord held tight in rubber washers. It keeps the wind away and blocks the rain well. If you pull the cord tight, it closes up the area under your chin.THE ZIPPERThe fine zipper keeps the jacket closed up and over your chin. Small patches of Velcro on the storm flap protect from sideways-blowing wind and rain. An elastic cord in a tensioner keeps the bottom loose or tight around your body.As in all other light jackets I have owned, you have to guide the zipper over folds in the fabric. If you grab it at the bottom and give it a John Wayne heave, it will get caught.THE SLEEVESThe sleeves are plenty long and close with Velcro bands, so wind and rain don’t sneak in. The sleeves are lined right down to the cuffs, with netting and a double layer of nylon. Whatever your arm length, the Velcro bands will keep the cuffs where you want them.THE POCKETSThere are two large mesh-lined side pockets with zippers under flaps. One of them has a double zipper so you can stuff the jacket inside the mesh pocket, leaving a zipper pull outside.BREATHABILITYOn windy days, the jacket keeps me warm, especially with a sweater underneath. I haven’t found myself perspiring as in nonbreathable fabric jackets. The coated nylon fabric is backed by an open mesh. When you move your arms and torso, air trapped inside the jacket vents, improving ventilation. If you want more ventilation, unzip the mesh pockets, and open the bottom.WINDPROOFINGWith the hood, sleeves, and bottom shut, the wind cannot leak inside. Several times on windy days, I thought it was calm and opened the zipper only to find the wind whipping through.RECOMMENDATIONSThis Columbia Men’s Watertight II jacket meets my requirements, and I look forward to wearing it around town and carrying it on my rainy trip. If what I’ve written appeals to you, you’ll like it too.Columbia products are almost always solid quality. I’m a tall, gangly guy, so finding anything with long sleeves that actually has the right proportion has almost always proven a challenge.That’s why I had familiarized myself with returns process before this jacket came because I wasn’t expecting it to fit that great anyhow (I couldn’t pass up the price).It’s a handsome piece, and the original price was $110. I ordered a Large Tall. Put it on… and it was literally like someone had hand tailored the thing for me. And Columbia is excellent quality.I originally bought this jacket for my husband for a gift. He really likes the jacket. So when we were planning a trip to Ireland where it rains often, I ordered one for myself. It fits very well, it is weather resistant, and just the right weight. I ordered a size larger than I normally would so that I could layer it. I normally wear size 8-10 ladies. I bought a size large. It’s a little big on me but I don’t mind. It works very well to keep the wind at bay as well.SO many rain jackets boast about their ability to breathe, i.e. allow moisture inside the jacket and get you wet. There is a trade-off between breathability and water tightness. When I buy a rain jacket I expect it to keep me dry, period. This jacket does just that.I wasn't expecting to like this jacket as much as I do. I'm very impressed. I can wear it when it's hot and when it's cold out, which is nice.My hubby is 6’2” tall with an 8’ reach. This jacket in XL Tall was perfect for our European cruise!!10+*****Bought as a gift for family member and given when they visited today. He is 6'2"-6'3", 185lbs, the jacket fits with enough room to be worn over a couple layers (or not) and still be form fitting.The columbia jacket is light and comfortable material (soft feeling), also the jacket is quiet when walking, not loud and crunchy sounding like others I have heard.Made in Vietnam, the threading is nearly flawless (I only saw one tiny loose thread), very happy about that :)There are drawstrings at waist and neck, albeit the neck drawstrings are unusual to me and may need a pinch stopper thing, like the piece used at the waist to stop the cord at the tightened length.Family member loves it and the color perfectly matches their columbia wide rimmed rain/fishing hat.This was my first time using prime try before you by, everything was easy and the package jacket appeared brand new, with tags and not worn.An fyi I learned with this order, prime try before you buy does not use gift card balance, only your card payment method.Lastly, shipping arrived early :) I would and may buy more of the jackets for myself and others.Very smart jacket, very waterproof, nice lining, so close to being perfect. Unfortunately it isn't very breathable and it doesn't have pit zips so you end up getting very damp and sweaty, as a waterproof jackets job is to keep you dry I find it to be counter productive. If you were doing a low intensity stroll (around the shops or walking with young children) then it is perfectly fine. I have kept it as a backup jacket.The Columbia evaPOURation jacket is far better than the Watertight II as it is breathable and has pit zips, but it does lack the comfortable mesh lining.This is not the proper Columbia jacket. Despite the images showing it should be..The logos on the chest and arms are cheap prints and not the correct styling. The hood is twice the size it should be and the general fit is way off.Bought as a gift, recipient delighted with fit and performance has been tested to the max in the recent inclement weather conditions, would def recommend.Questioning whether I got a fake? Seems to fit smaller Than most reviews seemed to suggest.Logo and tag seem a bit off (vinyl appliqué for the logo instead of embroidery and tag at the collar instead of sewed to the back of the jacket) and the arms are suuuper long.If this is a real one, kinda disappointed with the quality NGLWill be returning it.Wore this for first time during a constant but not torrential rain fallAfter a few hours I could feel my shirt getting wet around my torsoI sit on a lawnmower for hours and the rain pools in the folds of the coatWithin hours I was soaked from below my chest to my kneesI also purchased Columbia rain pants and they too are not waterproofProbably fine if your standing and water can run off but not good for what I need .