Best Women's Columbia Jackets

Updated October 2020

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.Read more

Bottom Line

Pros

Cons

Best of the Best

Columbia

Women's Kaleidaslope II Jacket

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Bottom Line

A light, comfortable jacket that layers well for cold winter days.

Pros

A great down alternative if you like to layer clothes. Includes a piece of fleece at the top to warm your neck and cuffs that go over the hands to keep them warm. Lightweight and comfortable. Well-made. Includes 2 convenient zippered pockets.

Cons

May be tight for women with larger chests. Without layers, suitable only for mildly cold days.

Best Bang for the Buck

Columbia

Women's Arcadia II Jacket

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Bottom Line

This well-priced, lightweight rain jacket is great for travel.

Pros

Includes a hood to keep your hair dry in wet weather. Thin material makes it compress well for travel. Jacket stands up to daily use. Does a great job of keeping you dry with adjustable wrist closures and a zipper protector.

Cons

Material makes a crunching sound. May feel tight for those who are smaller on top and wider at the hips.

Columbia

Women's Benton Springs Full Zip Fleece Jacket

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Bottom Line

An attractive casual fleece jacket for running errands or day trips.

Pros

Soft, medium-weight fabric makes this a pleasure to wear. Layers over and under other clothes well. Sturdy construction. Includes large zippered pockets that keep your belongings safe when you don’t want to bring a purse.

Cons

Those with a smaller chest may find it baggy on top. Some colors aren’t as they seem on the computer monitor.

Columbia

Women's Fast Trek II Full Zip Fleece Jacket

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Bottom Line

A medium-weight fleece jacket that's perfect for those who like lots of pockets.

Pros

A midweight fleece jacket that’s good for layering in cooler weather. Good quality materials. Has plenty of pockets for when a purse isn’t convenient, including 2 outside, 2 hidden inside, and a small one on the sleeve. Cozy fleece material.

Cons

Some colors aren’t what customers expected. A bit roomy if you have a smaller chest.

Columbia

Women's Pardon My Trench Rain Jacket

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Bottom Line

This jacket is a flattering modification of the classic trench coat.

Pros

Doesn’t hang heavy on the body. Includes a generous hood to protect your head from rain. Can adjust the cuffs to your wrist size. Most women find the belt around the waist flattering. Packs well into a bag because of its thinness.

Cons

Has a finicky double zipper. Fabric isn’t breathable for humid climates.

How we decided

We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.

51 Models Considered

24 Hours Researched

2 Experts Interviewed

203 Consumers Consulted

Zero products received from manufacturers.

We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.

When it comes to warm winter jackets, there are few better brands than Columbia. They’ve been around for more than 80 years and make jackets for all types of activities – skiing, rain gear, and just good snow jackets. Many of them are puffy jackets that are great for insulation and layering. When buying a Columbia jacket, you’ll want to consider what you’re using it for, what temperature you’ll be at, and whether or not you’ll want to layer on or below your jacket.

Other Products We Considered

The BestReviews editorial team researches hundreds of products based on consumer reviews, brand quality, and value. We then choose a shorter list for in-depth research and testing before finalizing our top picks. These are the products we considered that ultimately didn't make our top 5.

Columbia

Women’s Mount Erie Interchange Winter Jacket

Columbia

Women’s Chatfield Hill Winter Jacket

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Women’s Switchback III Waterproof Rain Jacket

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Women's Peak to Park Insulated Jacket

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Women's Switchback Lined Long Jacket

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Womens Heavenly Long Hooded Jacket