Columbia Sportswear Recommendations.
Which Columbia jackets are the best that Columbia Sportswear has to offer? Who is the lady in the outerwear commercials? Columbia Sportswear got its start in 1937 when Paul and Marie Lamfrom left Germany to settle in Portland, Oregon where they bought a small company that sold hats. They originally named it the Columbia Hat Company after the local river. Columbia officially started the next year in 1938 after they became disappointed with their suppliers and decided to start making their own products. Columbia Sportswear also expanded their line to include shirts, fishing vests and outerwear. So who's the tough looking lady in Columbia's commercials? Believe it or not, it's 83 year-old Gert Boyle, the Chairman of the Board who runs the company along with her son Tim who is the President and CEO. Although Columbia Sportswear does make some great products, they like almost every other camping gear or hiking equipment company, make some not-so-great products too. So why not cherry pick their best offerings and leave the rest behind? After doing some research, the jackets below look to be the best Columbia jackets has to offer. (Other Columbia clothing recommendations can be found here.) Both the jackets below are excellent. The links will take you to BackCountry a store I like to recommend, as you may know if you've visited this site before, because of their great customer service. They along with a small handful of other stores "Get it". If you're looking for Columbia outerwear that can handle the weather year round, the Columbia Bugaboo Parka is a great jacket that can help you to pack lighter. What I really like about the Bugaboo is that it can adapt to different weather quickly. If you're out for the weekend and yesterday was cold and windy, but today it's warm and rainy, it's no big deal. Just zip out the fleece liner and you're good to go. Another thing I like about it is that it has articulated elbows that make it easier to bend your arms when you need to. If you've ever worn a slightly small long sleeve dress shirt with snug cuffs and then tried to bend both arms at the same time to touch your nose, you'll get the idea. Now add a layer of fleece underneath and it's easy to appreciate the extra bit of range of motion articulated elbows can provide. To me this says that a bit of thought went into the Bugaboo. The Bugaboo also comes with Omni-Tech so it's guaranteed to be waterproof and breathable. The pit zips are a nice feature and help to keep you cool and allow some ventilation if you start to get a little warm while you're hiking. There's one drawback though... If you're hiker that also wants to use this jacket for skiing in fresh powder, this jacket probably isn't for you as it doesn't come with a powder skirt, otherwise this is a great jacket for cold and cool weather. Pros: Pit zips can help a lot with ventilation during heavy exertion. Fleece liner zips in and out for various weather conditions. Articulated elbows make movement easier. Waterproof material keeps you dry. Cons: Doesn't have a snow skirt for hiker/skiers.
The Men's Phantom Spires ParkaOne of the things I really like about this particular piece of Columbia Sportswear is that it has so many pockets. 7 pockets, that's 2 hand, 2 chest, 2 inside and 1 sleeve pocket should give you more than enough storage for snacks, sunglasses, and other hiking equipment. The Phantom also comes with a snow skirt. Snow skirts are actually nice even if you don't ski because they help hold the heat in and keep the wind out. So if you're someone that gets cold easily you might consider a jacket that comes with one. Like the Bugaboo, the Phantom also comes with a liner. Pros: 7 pockets both internal and external mean lots of storage room. The pit zips and removable hood make this jacket very versatile. Cons: I like pockets, but the design of the chest pockets leaves something to be desired. In fairness though, I'm a bit picky when it comes to ergonomics. Both of these Columbia Sportswear Parkas offer lifetime warranties.
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