****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I know this is an older coat and Columbia has since put out newer material but this is my all time favorite coat. Obviously if you're somewhere in subzero temperatures, hiking in Alaska or skiing in Colorado this coat isn't going to be enough but for everyday use this coat is perfect for every temperature. I'm a bit of a finicky person and my biggest issue with coats is the bulk and when they hold in your body humidity and you start to feel like you're wearing a sauna. I hate when I go from outside in below 30 degree weather to the inside of a store and feel like I'm sweating to death within the first 10 minutes of being inside. That does not happen with this coat. The liner of the coat supposedly reflects your body heat back towards your body. What I notice is initially when I go outside I feel cold but warm rather quickly to comfortable temperature. When I go inside while wearing this coat initially I'm a bit warm just due to the temperature change in the environment, but after a minute or so the coat adapts to my body heat and the temp around me and I feel completely comfortable. This is the first coat I've ever owned that I'm comfortable wearing inside and while I'm driving with the heater on. In the past I've had a few soft shell coats that are fleece lined and they hold a lot of heat and do not breathe well which causes the sauna effect I'm referring to. This coat is actually less bulky than previous coats I've owned but just as warm and it breathes and adapts to my temperature. The exterior is very tough, stain resistant and cuts through the wind. You barely feel the wind in this coat. I've caught the coat on a few sharp objects over two winters now and it hasn't torn, none of the edges are fraying, no lose threads, and despite having kids and spilling coffee on myself numerous times everything has washed out. The only dirt that has been tough to get out has been around the cuffs of the sleeves and some on the collar which happens with most articles of clothing that aren't washed after each use. I will say that when the temperature is below freezing I do add an extra layer under this (a fleece vest) because as I mentioned before this coat is warm based on your body heat and when its too cold your body doesn't put out enough heat for the coat to feel "toasty." You're not freezing by any means but you can definitely feel the cold air in the coat even with the drawstrings pulled tight. But adding another layer to trap in some more of that heat solves the problem and still allows me to feel comfortable even when I'm indoors.
