Columbia Watertight II Jacket
Andy and Tami McDaniels 03.31.15
The famous humorist Will Rogers once said “If you don’t like the weather in Oklahoma wait five minutes, it will change.” Never were more true words said; one day it’s warm and the next it’s cold. You can go from sunshine to rain with almost no warning. For the average person, Oklahoma’s weather is really hard to get used to, but it is the perfect place to field test outdoor gear, especially clothing. I was excited to be asked to field test Columbia Sportswear’s new Watertight II jacket and after nearly a month in the field, I am convinced they designed this jacket with Oklahoma’s weather in mind.
Staying dry when you’re going to be spending a lot of time outside is important. The Columbia Watertight II fits great and has fully sealed seams that keep the rain from getting in and soaking your clothing while the microporous Omni-Tech fabric repels water and blocks out normal rain and drizzle. I spent several hours in the field scouting for wild mushrooms one afternoon during a steady, slow rain and the Watertight II jacket really preformed great; I stayed completely dry.
Even if a jacket keeps you dry, you can get very uncomfortable quickly if the jacket isn’t breathable as anyone who has ever gone hiking or fishing in a plastic poncho on a warm day can attest. Breathability, is the extent to which the fabric allows heat and vapor to escape and is as crucial to staying dry as whether or not your rain jacket is waterproof. I really liked the fact this jacket has mesh in the pockets, it really added to the breathability while keeping the waterproof integrity. Breathability really matters when you’re in the field and this factor stood out to me more than any other. The Watertight II features Columbia’s waterproof/breathable Omni-Tech and when coupled with fully sealed seams, it makes an excellent choice for just about anything you would like to do in the outdoors.
The Watertight II rain jacket is comfortable and it really looks great, it comes in an assortment of different colors with an adjustable storm hood with draw cord, zippered hand pockets with an abrasion resistant chin guard. I really like the fact it is easily packable into the hand pocket. I also liked the fact that after some really rough treatment and constant wear the Watertight II is rugged and held up very well to any environment while keeping its shape and cleaning up easily. The price is great as well. I didn’t expect to find a jacket of this quality for under one hundred dollars. However, it’s available for $59.99 from Dick’s Sporting Goods. The Columbia Sportswear Watertight II is a whole lot of jacket for a very good price.
Quality
Very well made, I was impressed with the durability of this jacket and the fact that it weighs almost nothing. In addition, the jacket is ultra-light and comfortable. Columbia’s microporous Omni-Tech is breathable and waterproof and the Omni-Shield water and Stain Repellent really held up well to the wear and tear I put it through after days in the field.
Reliability
Rugged, dependable and good looking all in one package – I really put this jacket through some rough wear and tear and it looks as good now as when I opened the box. It did an excellent job of keeping the rain off while being comfortable and breathable at the same time.
Price/Value
When you research good quality rain jackets online the overall consensus is to expect to pay over one hundred dollars for a good quality rain jacket, the Columbia Sportswear Watertight II MSRP is available for much less than that.
Referability
I was really impressed with the Columbia Sportswear Watertight II, the price was a real shocker and even my younger sons like the way it looks, I would recommend this to my closest friends and family.
Andy McDaniels is the Sportsmen’s Outreach Coordinator for the National Wildlife Federation’s Vanishing Paradise Campaign. Andy works with hunters, anglers, outdoor media and the hunting and fishing industry throughout the United States. Andy also serves as the Conservation Director of Pro-Staff for Hardcore Decoys and Huntducks.com. He believes that conservation is the cornerstone of hunting and fishing, and he has committed himself to educating hunters and fishermen about the conservation issues that will affect our children and grandchildren. His effort on behalf of conservation and his outreach to hunters, anglers, congressional members, political groups, and citizen action organizations has been monumental. In 2003 and 2004 Andy was recognized for his work on State Wildlife Grants by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. His efforts on the Farm Bill garnered him the esteemed Charlie Shaw Conservation Partnership Award from the National Wildlife Federation in May 2008.
Tami is a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma. She is a certified English teacher and freelance writer. She has published numerous articles on a variety of outdoor topics. Her most recent articles on outdoor subjects include 10 Indicators of a Quality Guide, The Anatomy of a Hunting Guide Website, Hunting Guides along the Corridor, and First Steps to Get Kids Hunting and Back into the Outdoors. In addition, she is the web content administrator for three websites. Her volunteer work includes managing web and social media sites, writing grants, organizing fundraising activities, and planning community events.
