Columbia Watertight II (men’s) review: an inexpensive first rain jacket
A wet hiker loses heat quickly, and a rain shell is the layer that keeps the weather out. The Columbia Watertight II is an inexpensive, seam-sealed, packable jacket that handles showers and short storms, and a reasonable place to start.
Quick take
An inexpensive first rain jacket. The Watertight II has seam-sealed Omni-Tech fabric, an adjustable hood and a cut that layers over a fleece, and it stuffs into its own pocket. It keeps you dry in showers and short storms. In rain that lasts for hours, water can get in at the front zip and around the hood, and with no pit zips it is warm and humid on a climb. Buy it for day hikes, travel and daily wear; for regular hiking in wet weather, spend more.
What it does
The Columbia Watertight II is a lightweight waterproof-breathable rain shell built around Columbia’s Omni-Tech membrane with fully taped (seam-sealed) seams , the detail that separates a real rain jacket from a “water-resistant” one, since untaped stitch holes leak. It has an adjustable, attached hood, elastic cuffs, a drawcord hem, and zippered hand pockets, and it packs down into one of its own pockets so it disappears into a daypack as your just-in-case layer. It is a shell, meaning no insulation: it blocks wind and rain and traps the warmth of whatever you wear under it, so you pair it with a base layer and a fleece or puffy when it is cold. It is one of the least expensive seam-sealed rain jackets from a major brand.
What verified buyers say
Owners, commuters, hikers, students, and outdoor workers, repeat the same points:
- Actually waterproof. The standout praise: it keeps rain out where cheaper “rain” jackets soak through, people who work outside for hours vouch for it.
- Light and packable. Buyers love that it stuffs into its own pocket and lives permanently in a pack or car for sudden weather.
- Great value, true to size. Repeatedly called an excellent jacket for the money, with a traditional cut that fits a layer underneath.
- A do-everything shell. Owners use it hiking, commuting, birdwatching, and at work, a versatile wind-and-rain layer, not just a trail piece.
Worth knowing
Three limits. First, sustained rain: this is a two-layer budget shell, and in rain that lasts for hours water can get past the front zip, at the chest and around the hood opening. It suits showers and storms you can wait out, not a full day of rain. Second, breathability: there are no pit zips and the mesh lining holds heat, so on a hard, warm climb you are likely to be damp from the inside. Open the front and slow down. Third, it is a shell only, with no warmth of its own, so wear it over a base layer and insulation in the cold (see our guide to staying warm on a cold night). The water-repellent finish wears off with use and has to be renewed to keep water beading.
Who it is for
The Watertight II is for the new hiker, commuter or traveller who wants a packable rain jacket without spending much, for day hikes, short storms and daily wear. If you hike often in wet weather, the Marmot PreCip Eco (men’s) vents better, and the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L (men’s) is more waterproof and lasts longer. For a Gore-Tex shell with full side-zip venting for hard backcountry days, see the Outdoor Research Foray 3L. For a waterproof layer that weighs and costs very little, keep a Frogg Toggs suit as backup.
Specs at a glance
- Type2-layer waterproof-breathable shell
- WaterproofingOmni-Tech, seam-sealed
- Ventingnone (no pit zips)
- Packs into its own pocket
- Adjustable hood, zip pockets
- Listed weightunavailable
- Best forshowers, short storms and daily wear
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The Verdict
The Columbia Watertight II is a sound first rain jacket at a low price: seam-sealed, packable and comfortable over a fleece. It is a jacket for showers and short storms; in prolonged rain water gets in at the zip and hood, and it does not vent. For regular hiking in wet weather, step up to the Marmot PreCip Eco (men’s) or the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L (men’s). For hard mountain weather, see the Outdoor Research Foray 3L. For an emergency layer, keep a Frogg Toggs suit in the pack.
