Columbia Ascender Softshell Jacket - Mens - 2009 BCS

This jacket is great for cool days and great as a layer! It looks awesome, fights off rain and wind way better than any fleece. Plus, the fleece lining inside is great.

Used it this weekend as a layer underneath my Columbia ski jacket and stayed warm all day and still had the mobility. I love it!

I got this jacket for christmas, so I've only worn it in the winter. It's not a winter jacket, obviously, but i've been able to wear it out in temps down to around 30 degrees with a couple layers underneath. Very good at repelling light snow that melts on your shoulders. The build quality of Columbia has always been really good, and the zipper on this jacket is solid and zips easy, which i really like. The inside of the collar is soft, too. You could definately use this jacket for spring, fall, and lighter/active winter season wear.

There's some size discrepancies on here which is my main reason for reviewing, I'm 5'9", 160lbs and i have a Medium. For reference, I'm a Medium in everything else I wear, Columbia or otherwise. This jacket has slightly more of a casual fit compared to the "athletic cut" tech-y jackets out there and it's on the *slightly* larger side of Medium if i were to speculate on such a matter.
So, if you're a Medium in everything else, get a Medium in this.

Anyway, I've got no complaints about it- get one, you'll dig it!

This jacket fits great, and I haven't had it out in any extreme cold/wind situations yet, but it definitely blocks out more wind than a normal fleece and light drizzles of rain just bead up and roll off. Don't waste your money on Northface (overpriced junk) unless your fraternity or sorority will frown on you if you don't :) sorry to offend, but that's all it's good for.

Fantastic. The Ascender fits like a glove ... After buying it for my boyfriend as a gift all I got were continued accolades on my talents as a winter wear purchaser.
Living in Montana provides ample opportunity to give this jacket a run for its money - and so far, it's keeping up. The material and minimal fleece lining provide the ability to have a full range of motion while wearing it and supply the perfect amount of warmth for daily activity. Whether it be from walking through campus or a day out in the forest, he always returns with a, "I never knew jackets could be this versatile!" He loves the pocket placement, the collar, the fit ... everything.

I bought this jacket for my boyfriend for Christmas to replace a Columbia Fleece he had. I thought the softshell would be a nice change. It is more wind resistant than the fleece and is water resistant. He really likes it. I like that the logo isn't too obnoxious and it doesn't have the goofy chest pocket that some of the other softshells have. If you're looking for a nice jacket for a bargain price, go for it. I don't think you can go wrong. If I had any gripe (it is a minor one), I am not a big fan of the way the cuffs are done. Kinda cheap looking, but that's just me being nit-picky.

For the money this is a great all around jacket. It gets cold in Utah and this jacket did a great job for warmth, water resistant in the snow and was fairly breathable. My only issue was with the size. I'm 5'8" and 200 LB's and wear either a L or XL, the large was probably the better fit for me but I had a hard time getting it on over long sleeve dress shirts so I kept the XL. The sleeves on the XL turned out to be way to long and had to return it.

Got this to replace my old columbia titanium softshell, and I couldnt be happier. This is a light jacket that keeps me warm throughout spring and fall here in denver.

I bought this jacket because I wanted something I could wear in the cold without breaking out the big ski jacket, but at the same time being warmer than just the shell of the ski jacket. It is warm and blocks out the wind well. One thing I really liked about it was that it blocks water from soaking in super well, and also it is quite tough. I have got out and hiked and also mountain biked and had it snag on a tree or bush and not had any problems with tearing. I'm almost six foot and very muscular (very humble too), and wasn't sure whether to get a large or med. I got the large and am very happy. the sleeves are perfect and the waist isn't too tight.

I bought this jacket because I wanted something I could wear in the cold without breaking out the big ski jacket, but at the same time being warmer than just the shell of the ski jacket. It is warm and blocks out the wind well. One thing I really liked about it was that it blocks water from soaking in super well, and also it is quite tough. I have got out and hiked and also mountain biked and had it snag on a tree or bush and not had any problems with tearing. I'm almost six foot and very muscular (very humble too), and wasn't sure whether to get a large or med. I got the large and am very happy. the sleeves are perfect and the waist isn't too tight.

I got this jacket to replace a much more expensive North Face fleece that was "appropriated" by a rental car company. This jacket (a medium) fits well -- with the North Face, the medium was too small and the large was too big.

It feels warmer than the North Face (perhaps due to a better fit) and is a good substitute. The "pocket count" isn't as high as competing jackets and the interior pockets could be a little nicer, but it's a great product overall.

Just bought this jacket for my husband after I purchased a similar one in women's. He is a 5'8 140lb frame and the small fits perfectly with just enough room to layer with a sweatshirt. Love Love Love these Columbia soft-shell jackets. Better than paying double to triple for the "NorthFace" yet you still get an equally great jacket.

This has gotta b the best jacket I've owned! half the price of a North Face, but comparable features! Highly wind n water resistent! Perfect for almost any weather! Gr8 fit! M for my 5'8" 160lb frame! Can't get much better than this!

this jacket is sweet. everything u could ask for in a light weight softshell. great wind and rain resistance, its not gonna keep u dry in a hurricane but will do fine in a good downpour. good and warm too, but once again not gonna keep u warm under 30 or 40 degrees but just adda few layers and u r fine. awsome light jacket although i think its being discontiued, probably for the jetstream.

We bought this jacket in Tusk. He liked it even better in person! Very wind-resistant, and perfect for a mild climate and seasons. We liked this so much, we went and bought the ladies' version! Great jacket!

I found this jacket for sale at backcountry.com. I thought it looked like a nice jacket for the price and I was right. This thing is pretty thin and light, it would be very easy to pack. Despite it's being thin it offers good protection from cool weather. For really cold situations it can be used as a mid layer. I think it also has zip-in integration for Columbia outer shells. This thing has a soft inner liner so it's comfy and warm right away. The fit is like a zip-up fleece coat. At 5'8" 148 lbs the small fits perfectly. Backcountry's service was good as always.

Well I got the blue jacket for my boyfriend for Christmas and he absolutely loves it. Plus it looks good on him. :)

Bought this jacket for use in N CA hiking and just around town. Perfect. Very breathable, yet still repels water and keeps you warm. Also, it is perfect for a day jacket back here in Houston's fall and winter climate. Couldn't ask for more.

Columbia has always been an underdog company, and I like to support underdog companies. So I bought this softshell jacket and was really excited about it. The jacket's material is top-notch, up to par with The North Face. Only problem is the fit. I usually wear a small and the small felt like a medium-large, so I returned it. I'm a little sad that this jacket did not fit as I expected, but if you have a bigger body than me, this jacket will fit perfectly. Now to hunt down a slim-fit North Face softshell jacket...