Columbia Faster and Lighter Shell - Women's - 2007 BCS

I'm so excited to rave about this jacket! Here's a run down: PORTABILITY: Its ridiculously light (lightest jacket I've ever felt actually) and it folds/rolls up into about a large hand-sized ball! WATERPROOF? Ha! I ran the sleeve under the sink for about a minute and the water just ran off. FABRIC: nice, comfortable, and even a bit stretchy (not plastic feeling like some shells). FIT: I'm a small girl (5'3") but I have really broad shoulders- which is always a concern with jackets- The M instead of S fits great. It's long enough to cover down to my upper/mid hip. Also, when I raise my arms up the jacket body doesn't lift at all which is awesome! I would CAUTION ladies with broad shoulders, long arms, or extra-long torsos to size up. COLOR: (cinder) Its a really nice/flattering color. I would describe it as a dark cherry/burgundy/red-brown. :)

BOTTOM LINE: I travel a lot (Scottish downpour... here I come) and also spend a lot of time backpacking where rainstorms are sudden and intense. This is going to be a staple on EVERY trip because its super portable, light, and effective!!!!

She's impressed by it's super light weight and waterproofness. She loves it when we rode our bikes to work 18 miles each way in the rain. It breathes fairly well under mid to high aerobic activities.

I enjoy the light weight fabric. I wish I would have bought a men's version because it is a short jacket. Not good for falling in a ton of powder. The vented pockets are refreshing, but almost not necessary because the jacket is so light. Great for touring. My biggest issue with the jacket is that the overlying cloth over the zipper gets stuck which becomes a pain in a snow storm. Overall good jacket for outdoor travel.