****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
If you don't mind the crazy lining on this bad boy, it's really quite nice.Sizing seems about right. I bought a 3XL, and it fits similarly to other 3XL jackets I own from other brands. It might be a hair tighter or snugger than my other 3XL jackets, but not so much that I'd recommend ordering a size up from your usual size.Interestingly, I paid about 30 dollars when I ordered mine, and the prices seem to be much higher now. Guess I snuck in at the right time and lucked out. For 30 dollars, I'm rather pleased. If I wanted to order a 3XL as of writing this review, the prices are higher ($48 or $97, depending on color). For 30 dollars, I'm pleased. For 48 or 97, I'd be less pleased.The jacket is comfortable. It feels flexible and stretchy enough to be comfortable (as opposed to some jackets that are stiffer and less comfy). Yet it feels substantial enough to be warm. Granted, I'm writing this review in August and I live in New Mexico... so I haven't gotten to put the jacket through its paces in real cold conditions yet. But it feels like it will be quite warm. I can already tell it'll be too warm for me to wear it in summer or late spring. I might stash it in my car for my wife during those seasons just in case we run into a super-cold movie theater. But it feels too warm to get much use between from April through September, or thereabouts.Depending on whether you value fashion over functionality, the lining might be a problem for you. The lining is bananas. No other way to say it, really.When you click around and look at Columbia's "Omni-Heat" jackets on Amazon, there's a reason why they are engaging in very strategic photography. They're trying to mainly show you the jacket zipped up as much as possible, because the interior lining is bonkers. It's shiny and glittery looking. Like you're wearing one of those emergency survival blankets made of foil.Of course, if you're talking about an item of clothing meant to keep you warm, why is it a bad thing for it to employ heat-retention technology? So... I can only speak for myself, but I don't mind the lining, personally.I'm a bit of a dork. And anybody who knows me would take one look at the lining and then nod knowingly, because they know that it's probably a point of pride for me to be wearing clothes that are so functional. Anybody who doesn't know me, on the other hand, might think I'm wearing a lady's jacket (or a really flamboyant dude's jacket) if they get a good glimpse of the flashy lining.You might need to wander away from Amazon to find better pictures of the lining, to get a better idea of whether it's a deal-breaker for you.One thing I really like about the jacket is the sleeves. The sleeves have smaller, elastic sleeves sewn into the openings. This means that the elastic bit of the sleeve clings tightly enough to your wrist/hands to prevent too much cold air from getting in. It just looks like you're wearing a long-sleeve black t-shirt underneath the jacket, which isn't bad.
