Solid, but fit seemed off.

By Matt Ranked #336 - Men's 3-in-1 Jackets December 9, 2008

This is one of Columbia's higher-end 3-in-1 shells, part of the "Titanium" line. It is very solidly constructed of their 'Omni-Tech' material (basically, off-brand Gore-Tex), and has fully taped seams (so it should be VERY waterproof, but still very breathable.) The material feels somewhat heavier than on their cheaper shells, so it will probably be more windproof, a little warmer, and last longer. It has a snap-back powder skirt and pit zips, and a waterproof zippered chest pocket. The hood actually *zips* on, unlike the cheaper Columbia shells that only use snaps/velcro, so if you like to use the hood that's a big plus. The zip-in liner also seemed to be a little higher-grade than on the other shells, but I didn't care much for the styling. This uses the standard "Columbia Interchange System" for the zip-in liner, so you could substitute in any matching liner. (Also, as with other Columbia shells, you lose access to the powder skirt and all the internal pockets when the liner is zipped in. I actually prefer not zipping the liner into the shell when wearing both.)

I had two problems with this shell:

1) I wanted it in a tall size (Backcountry doesn't carry this, but some other sites do), and the tall version comes in any color you want -- as long as it's solid black. I don't normally care too much about how my gear looks, but since I also have solid black ski pants, and a black helmet, I'd be rocking the Darth Vader black-on-black-on-black look. That's pushing it. :-/

2) Inexplicably, the XL Tall size of this jacket fit differently through the shoulders/upper body than the other two Columbia shells I tried in the same size (the 'Whirlibird' and 'Bugaboo' models). Those two fit great; this one was tight on me through the shoulders and upper chest.

View Details: Columbia Lhotse Mountain Parka - Men's

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