Owner Review by Russell F. Wilson

Owner Review - Columbia Icefield Parka

Reviewer Information
Name: Russell F. Wilson
Age: 46
Gender: Male
Height: 6'4" (1.9 m)
Weight: 215 lb (97.5 kg)
e-mail: pack6cubmaster (at) yahoo (dot) com
Region: Western Illinois

Date: 26 November 2004

Backpacking experience
I have been involved in backpacking since my youth. My participation increased throughout college and graduate school to reasonably frequent weeklong or multiple- week trips during any available free periods. Backpacking trips are now our primary family vacations, including extended weekend trips throughout the Midwest and longer trips in the spring and summer to the Sangre de Cristo, Smokey, and Sierra mountains. I am also the advisor for a BSA Venture Crew that normally takes one regional backpacking trip each month in Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, or Indiana and at least two extended backpacking trips each year. Traveling with the family precludes ultralight backpacking, but we do attempt to save weight and space whenever possible.

Product Information Columbia Sportswear Company
Year of Manufacture: 2003
Manufacturer URL: http://www.columbia.com
Listed weight: Not specified
Weight (size: men's Large-Tall)
   Shell: 33 oz (936 g)
   Liner: 24 oz (680 g)
   Hood: 3 oz (85 g)
Product Description: 3-way interchangeable jacket/parka
MSRP: $295.00

The Icefield Parka incorporates Columbia's "TECH Interchange System" that effectively gives the user three jackets in one and is one of Columbia's "Titanium" performance level garments. It consists of an outer shell and an inner liner that can be worn separately as the weather dictates or zipped together and worn as a parka.

The shell is tightly woven rip-stop nylon, laminated with Columbia's proprietary Omni- Tech waterproofing for waterproof and breathable protection. All seams are fully taped and sealed, and the jacket is lined with a moisture-wicking polyester mesh to provide additional comfort while not obstructing the breathability of the micro-porous laminate. The fabric is reinforced at the shoulders and outer portion of the arms with a heavier nylon of contrasting color (dark grey on light grey for my coat). The wrists are elastic with a Velcro closure to adjust the opening. The closure is sufficiently adjustable to be used over gloves or to fit snuggly around my wrists.

The sleeves are darted at the elbows for comfort and ease of movement and have extra long armpit zipper vents. When closed, the zippers are covered with shell fabric that is held in place by Velcro tabs. Columbia also covers the armpit zippers on the inside of the liner with a storm flap to ensure protection from the weather. To provide unobstructed ventilation when unzipped, the cover folds over and is held open by a second set of Velcro tabs. Two of the four outer pockets are placed closer to the side, near the bottom of the armpit vents and the mesh of the pocket is adjacent to the openings in the underarm vents. When left open, these make up the Columbia "Radial Venting System" and provide additional ventilation.

The shell design incorporates a plethora of pockets: four on the outside and two on the inside. All of the pockets are constructed from the mesh lining which is open enough to allow air to circulate, but with a weave small enough to prevent small items such as keys from poking through. All of the outer pockets securely close with a zipper, and all zippers are covered to prevent exposure to the weather. Two pockets, as noted above are part of the Columbia "Radial Venting System." In addition to the zipper closures, these pockets have fabric covers with Velcro tabs to hold them partially closed to keep the weather out and protect contents, but open enough to allow ventilation, especially when used in conjunction with the armpit vents. They are quite large (extending from near the underarm vent to the center (main) zipper and from the upper chest to the waist) and therefore are suited for carrying a variety of equipment. They can also serve as hand warmer pockets but, because they are not insulated, they provide protection from wind and precipitation but no thermal protection. The other two outer pockets are placed near the center zipper. Like the first two, these are large, again extending from the upper chest down to the waist. However, whereas the first two outer pockets are formed from a complete pouch of the mesh material, these two are simply slash pockets with a mesh liner, leaving the microporus laminate directly exposed to the contents and subject to damage from sharp edges that would effectively destroy the waterproofing. On the inside of the liner are two more pockets?one on each side: one smaller (but still generous) pocket with a zipper closure and another large, open pocket (suitable for bulkier items) that is partially secured with elastic at the opening. The main (center) zipper is capable of being opened at the bottom while remaining zipped (for comfort while seated) and is covered by a double storm flap that closes with the aid of three Velcro tabs. The top 9" (23 cm) of the zipper has a protective flap of shell fabric with a soft lining for comfort and protection when the jacket is worn partially closed. The tops of the liner attachment zipper and the front of the collar interior are similarly covered with a strong but soft material for maximum comfort. There are locking elastic draw-cord adjustments at the top of the collar, the waist, and the bottom of the jacket and an adjustable powder skirt for additional protection from the weather.

The hood has a slightly stiffened brim and attaches with a zipper at the back of the neck approximately 3.5" (8.9 cm) below the top of the collar and with Velcro tabs near the center zipper (enclosed by a pocket in the shell fabric) to offer wrap-around comfort and protection. The hood is also equipped with three separate elastic draw-string adjustments and one Velcro tab adjustment to customize the fit of the hood for maximum protection while allowing full range of motion and retaining peripheral vision. It is lined with the same moisture wicking mesh as the rest of the shell but has no thermal lining.

The liner is made of "MTR" fleece (an acronym for "Maximum Thermal Retention"), which is simply a fast drying non-pilling, polyester fleece. Like the shell, the liner is equipped with extra long underarm zipper vents. The liner has two zippered outside hand- warmer pockets and a large inside pocket for carrying gear. The inside pocket is large and somewhat loose and does not have a closure mechanism. The bottom of the liner is fitted with a locking elastic drawstring closure to keep out the wind.

Field Information
Locations
Forests and hills of Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri in varying weather conditions from hot?90 F (32 C), humid summers to cold?0 F (-17 C), snowy winters.
The arid Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northeastern New Mexico at altitudes ranging from 6,000 ft (1,829 m) to 11,000 ft (3,353 m) in temperature ranges from 50 F (10 C) to 90 F (32 C).
Mineral King sub-alpine valley in the Sequoia National Forest.

Use and Performance
Worn by itself, the liner is a comfortable fleece jacket enhanced with extra long underarm vents and is quite adequate for early spring and late fall trips. After over a year of use? both on the trail and as a casual jacket around town?the liner shows few signs of wear and no "pilling" of the fabric. As stated in the description, the inside pocket is open, loose, and does not have a closure mechanism so there is some concern over the possibility of losing items placed in it, but because it is quite deep, I have not had any problems, but this probably isn't where I'd want to store my car keys or cash). The drawstring adjustment at the bottom of the liner is a nice thought, however I have found that the liner does a poor job of blocking the wind and is therefore a poor insulator in windy conditions when worn without the shell.

There is no question about the waterproof performance of the shell. The Omni-Tech barrier renders it absolutely waterproof. On a two-week trek in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, we were treated to a brief but intense thunderstorm almost every afternoon and my clothing remained completely dry. This is a testament not only to the performance of the Omni-Tech barrier, but also to the ability of the moisture wicking mesh to handle perspiration and to the effectiveness of the "Radial Venting System." However, the rip-stop nylon fabric does little to repel water so the outer fabric absorbs rain and becomes quite wet. It is fast drying, even in relatively high humidity, and does not tend to drip (after being shaken off), so the effect of the wet fabric is minimal. In addition to being waterproof, the Omni-Tech laminate is extremely breathable, and, in conjunction with the "Radial Venting System" makes the shell very comfortable in spring and fall. The Icefield is longer, heavier, and somewhat bulkier than traditional rain gear, but served quite well. I would not recommend it for use as simple raingear in summer or warmer climates. In the relatively flat terrain of the Midwest, I will opt for the lighter, more traditional rain gear. However, when my itinerary involves higher altitudes or varying climatic conditions, the Icefield fills the bill superbly. It is warm and comfortable when the temperatures drop, and it provides excellent protection from summer rains while remaining adequately comfortable, eliminating the need to carry an additional rain jacket. In colder weather, the combination of the fleece liner and waterproof shell is ideal. The shell provides excellent protection from the wind and the attached liner provides the layered insulation needed to stay warm. I have not experienced any problems with the fabric getting wet in the snow, but when faced with a freezing rain, the outer fabric retained the water and refused to dry after three more days on the trail. It provided ample protection from the weather and did not soak through the Omni-Tech barrier, but was simply uncomfortable to wear.

The jacket is generously proportioned, but not "baggy," allowing good range of motion and room for additional layering and both the liner and shell offer slightly more room in the underarm area, which seems to make arm movement somewhat easier.

Summary
The Columbia Icefield Parka is a well-designed, well-constructed jacket/parka combination suitable (if not ideal) for year-round wear (depending on location and climate). It exhibits an attention to detail that is difficult to quantify, but that is apparent and appreciated every time I put it on. Put simply, everything seems to have been thought of, is in the right place, and works.

In spring and autumn, the liner by itself is an excellent jacket-warm, soft, and comfortable. The windproof and waterproof shell is almost ideal for spring rains and of course offers the option of simply zipping in the liner if the weather turns cold. While the shell can be used as rain gear during the summer or in warmer climates, its parka design makes it less than the ideal choice, but it is not designed for this purpose. It is longer, heavier, and more bulky to pack than traditional rain gear, but when encountering changing conditions, the shell can perform double duty and eliminate the need to carry additional rain gear while retaining a reasonable comfort level. When zipped together or layered, the shell and liner provide excellent protection from the cold and snow and may be the only outerwear needed by most hikers/backpackers.

Things I like
Breathable waterproofing of the Omni-Tech laminate.
Comfort features (Radial Venting, Radial Sleeve design, covered zippers and connection points.
Internal and external pockets.
Fully adjustable hood.

Things I don't like
Water retention of the outer fabric.

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Reviews > Clothing > Jackets > Columbia Icefield Parka > Owner Review by Russell F. Wilson

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