Columbia Watertight II Jacket

A great entry level, lightweight jacket perfect for warmer weather from Canadian spring to fall.

The Columbia Watertight Jacket is a great entry level rain jacket. It's meant to keep you dry, and it does just that! It's very simple, with not many bells or whistles, but it fits true to size and looks pretty sharp. I find it to be very comfortable to wear with just a t shirt or long sleeve underneath, but if you are looking to wear a fleece or thicker shirt, I would recommend buying a size up. 

The jacket itself doesn't allow for much to be adjusted, but there are velcro straps on the sleeve cuffs and an elastic cord running through the hood that allows the wearer to tighten the cuffs and hood to their liking. The jacket is well designed, and doesn't really need many adjustments to be effective.

                            Fall use while on a rock climbing trip in Southern Ontario

Columbia states that the jacket is waterproof, and they're right. I've been through a few light rain storms as well as an absolute down pour, and the waterproofing of the jacket has held up perfectly. Water runs right off and has never soaked through to date.

One thing that this jacket lacks that more expensive models may allow for is breathability. This jacket isn't necessarily a sweat shack, but I do find that in higher activity or in warmer weather that I tend to feel a little sweaty wearing it, but that can e solved by undoing the zipper to allow for some airflow if the rain holds off. 

Having worn this jacket on many trips through the bush, I can confirm that it holds up well. I have been nice and friendly with branches, bark and other pokey things, and have yet to puncture it. 

Another great benefit to the jacket is that it stuffs down into one of the pockets for ease of packing. It doesn't take much to work the coat into the pocket, and it's easy to get out as well when the weather spikes.

Winter wear while cross-country skiing in Muskoka