Columbia Selkirk Mountain Parka

Try to keep track of Columbia's clothing line and you'll find yourself looking at jackets and pants named after every river, creek, glacier, mud puddle and crevasse in the Northwest. Ah, well, they do make fine outdoor gear, and a lot of it.

This lightweight parka with removable hood is so waterproof that I use it for kayaking as well as XC skiing and for alpine skiing on warmer days. Not much in the way of insulation, but with proper layering, you will be warm and dry not matter what the activity.

This is a minimalist design--two outside pockets, a sleeve pocket, one gusseted inside pocket. All you really need. The hood cinches down well, covers your entire face if need be as is easy to remove.

The jacket material is the best I've seen in the crowded waterproof-breathable category, and that includes The North Face, Marmot, HH, and others.

Totally waterproof kayaking Oregon rivers in the rain, breathable in hard XC skiing, although not as breathable as Gore-Tex. Tradeoffs are just that. I prefer the waterproofing.

After a year of backpacking and kayaking, it's still holding up well. A good value bought on sale. Otherwise, a bit spendy.