To the Test: Columbia Powder Lite Hooded Jacket

Our latest love from the Columbia Omni heat collection is their Powder Lite Hooded Jacket.

Columbia Powder Lite Hooded Jacket

Price: from €105

We’ve found the perfect Irish autumn/winter coat to keep you toasty in Ireland’s wild places this year. The Columbia Powder Lite Hooded Jacket is versatile, water resistant and fitted with an Omni-Heat thermoreflective lining to keep you warm and dry at minimal expense. We won’t be heading to the Antarctic in it anytime soon, but it is ideal to throw on after a winter surf in the Atlantic, an adventure race or simply as your everyday jacket of choice.

Here are a few of the features we loved.

1. It’s warm

Columbia’s Omni-heat technology is a game changer. The Omni-Heat™ thermal reflective material is made up of thousands of silver dots (like an emergency blanket) that reflect heat back in on the user and reduces the need for more expensive insulation. Your hands will also be grateful for the microfleece-lined pockets on a cold day and the thumbholes in the cuffs. The jacket has a high collar and the hood has the same insulation as the body and arms of the jacket which all help to further reduce heat loss.

2. It’s water resistant

The shell of the jacket is a Storm-Lite DP II 100% polyester, it’s water-resistant and breathable. It has got me through the whole Irish winter without getting wet so I am a fan.

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3. It’s adjustable

It has an adjustable hood and drawcord hem to tighten around your waist which helps keep you comfortable in a whole range of elements. It also allows you to tailor the fit to your body and keep the draught out. Added helpful features are the interior security pocket and zipped hand pockets.

4. It’s cheap

You’re not going to get a coat as versatile and warm as this for less! The cost is kept down by using synthetic down, 100% polyester insulation which is cheap to manufacture. The Omni heat is the saviour here. As of yet, I don’t know durable it will be but I’m six months in and it’s still going strong.

5. It looks good

It comes in a ton of great colour combinations which means you can get quite a retro one if you want. The chunky zips and thumb holed cuffs are a nice touch. Down jackets are all the rage right now and when you wear this for a day you’ll realize what all the fuss is about!

Available from: Great Outdoors & Basecamp.

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