Columbia omnitech watertight rain jacket

#COLUMBIA OMNITECH WATERTIGHT RAIN JACKET FREE#

TheyвЂ™ve been trouble-free up to this point, but I wouldnвЂ™t be shocked if they eventually have issues as I continue to use the jacket. The one area that gives me pause, however, is the lightweight and fragile feel of the zippers.

#COLUMBIA OMNITECH WATERTIGHT RAIN JACKET FREE#

The nylon exterior remains free of any defects or rips and the Velcro cuffs still function like new. After a number of outings, both around town and on the trails, I have few concerns regarding its durability. The jacket feels quite plasticky in-hand, but it surprised me by being exceptionally tough and robust. In terms of build quality and feel, budget-oriented products like the Columbia Watertight II simply canвЂ™t compete with premium offerings from brands like Patagonia (and arenвЂ™t really designed to). When packed, the Watertight II is slightly larger than a Nalgene.

And in terms of packability, the jacket stuffs down nicely into its left-hand pocket, which features an easy-to-operate two-way zipper. Compared to slightly more expensive alternatives that offer better weather protection, like the Marmot PreCip Eco (10.1 oz.) and The North Face Venture 2 (11.6 oz.), the Watertight II starts to look a little heavy.

At 13.7 ounces for a menвЂ™s medium on our scale, itвЂ™s slightly heavier than its listed weight of 13 ounces but right in line with other popular budget options like the REI Co-op Groundbreaker (13.8 oz.) and Rainier rain jackets (13 oz.), although the Rainer does include pit zips). In terms of weight, the Watertight II feels average in hand: itвЂ™s neither too hefty nor very light. The bottom line: entry-level and even mid-range rain jackets are lacking in the breathability department, and for that functionality youвЂ™ll need to spend up for a performance-oriented piece. Even a 2.5-layer jacket like the Patagonia Calcite, which has pit zips but uses in-house waterproofing, still isnвЂ™t a great breather and costs over $200. For example, the REI Co-op Drypoint GTX uses Gore-Tex Active and doesnвЂ™t get nearly as clammy during heavy use but costs a whopping $249. The reality is that to achieve high levels of breathability, youвЂ™ll need to spend up for premium waterproofing (Gore-Tex is the market leader) or get a more performance-oriented feature set like pit zips. Not only does this prove to be relatively ineffective during any kind of serious activity, doing so leaves your pocketвЂ™s contents exposed to the elements. The jacketвЂ™s lack of pit zips is a major downfall in this department-instead, it relies on the mesh-lined hand pockets to regulate body temperature. I do tend to run a little warm while exercising, but after about 5 minutes of hiking uphill on a 50-degree rainy day, I was ready to shed the Watertight II. Although it breathed well during use around town-I never felt clammy or hot while running errands-I quickly began to overheat as my activity level increased. Rain jackets typically arenвЂ™t praised for their breathability, and the Watertight II is no exception. All things considered, we wouldnвЂ™t take the Watertight II out for extended trips into the backcountry, but for casual use and short hikes, it should get the job done in most cases.

While the shell and DWR coating held strong, the stitching on the hood and at the end of the cuffs began to fail, causing the rest of the fabric in these areas to become saturated (the jacket is listed as being вЂњfully seam-sealed,вЂќ but that clearly has limitations). For example, after being exposed to about an hour of heavy rain, the Watertight II started to soak through. The Watertight II is serviceable for short to medium jaunts in bad weather, but canвЂ™t match the performance of jackets that cost twice as much or more. ItвЂ™s important to have realistic expectations for a $60 rain jacket. In terms of wind protection, the jacketвЂ™s hood, hem cinches, and Velcro cuffs effectively sealed out drafts. After half an hour of standing in pouring rain, the Watertight IIвЂ™s fabric held strong. In use, the 2-layer Omni-Tech waterproof shell fabric adequately kept moisture from soaking through, and the jacketвЂ™s DWR coating beaded drops on the surface exceptionally well. To see how it stacks up against the competition, see our article on the best rain jackets.ДЇor errands around town and occasional off-season hiking trips, ColumbiaвЂ™s Watertight II is a solid value in a rain jacket. Below we break down our experiences with the Watertight II.

The jacket isnвЂ™t a standout in wet-weather performance-youвЂ™ll need to spend up for that-but its approachable price, durable construction, and extended range of sizes make it a staple for casual outings, commuting, and the occasional rainy-day hike. There are a healthy number of budget-oriented rain shells on the market, and ColumbiaвЂ™s versatile Watertight II is among the most popular.

Columbia omnitech watertight rain jacket