Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

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Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby South_Aussie_Hiker » Fri 27 Apr, 2018 5:18 pm

Has anyone tried or purchased one of these?

Looks the goods to replace my current rain jacket, but details are very scant. No detailed reviews to be found anywhere.

250g for a size medium. Columbia’s outdry tech has impressed me ever since it came onto the market. Specs say this jacket is good for use with backpacks.
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Re: Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby nq111 » Fri 27 Apr, 2018 5:43 pm

Yeah, I've had the Outdry Extreme version for a couple of years and have been impressed.

It looks and feels a little like one of those old vinyl raincoats but is surprisingly light - my Outdry jacket is lighter than my Montane eVent shell.

I have seen some reputable test results suggesting it does not breathe so well but real world it seems to perform. I suspect the difference is durability - a clean and dry eVent shell with its full DWR coating still in place no doubt breathes better. But give three days in the rain, with packstraps, brushing trees, charcoal, mud, etc. The eVent is much less breathable and likely at least partly wetting out by then. The Outdry is super durable and probably still breathing close to its original capacity. So I see it' durability and consistency as ideal for multiday and tougher conditions. Keep the flash eVent and Paclite etc. for selfies on the ski fields.

Original comments here: http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=22582&p=293262&hilit=outdry+extreme#p293262
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Re: Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby South_Aussie_Hiker » Fri 27 Apr, 2018 6:19 pm

Thanks for the comments and link.

The ex featherweight is a pretty different jacket to the extreme. I saw the heavier versions (including titanium) in a US shop last week and they looked the goods, but I’m particularly interested in the lightweight equivalent.
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Re: Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby Lamont » Fri 27 Apr, 2018 9:13 pm

I have it, purchased recently. The large is about 200 grams and yes, it is not the one from a couple of years ago. A different beast-"will not wet out", only have about 20 hours on it in rain with my kilt.
Edit-The pics and info on Columbia's site are not all correct.
and just checked -220 grams.
If you are interested my initial comments on BPL April 11th and 12th in the Richard Nisely series "A NEW PARADIGM FOR UNDERSTANDING WPB FABRICS"-If you haven't read it from the beginning it is an excellent read. Look for out Fearless Fly! Cheers.
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Re: Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby slparker » Sat 28 Apr, 2018 6:04 pm

Hi Lamont,
Can you give some advice on price, fit etc?
I too am looking at this jacket.
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Re: Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby Lamont » Sat 28 Apr, 2018 7:01 pm

G'day splarker,
I am 103cm around chest and 96cms waist and 179cms tall. -Large is really perfect, I could not have asked for a better fit!
Just the right amount of room for me (not too tight -air can move around the front of my torso) it sits over half/most of my groin and most of my upper backside/khyber/bottom-it does not look like a plastic bag but it feels light and hangs really well.
Webtogs 20% sale right (not for long) now you would get it for less than I paid.
"etc ?" Please check the link I referred to above -anything else I am glad to offer what help I can, can you give me a specific question that wasn't covered above and I will try and answer? RN answered most of the things that will interest most people I reckon.
As he said, this is the "only version of a backpacking use jacket of this type" (waranteed for BP use) all the others thus far (according to he) have been running jackets, then Marmot sold their (Phoenix) version during his research. I seem to be one of the "early adopters" of the Featherweight Ex.
NB -I only have 20 hours of constant rain use tho" -Cheers.
Last edited by Lamont on Sat 28 Apr, 2018 9:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby nq111 » Sat 28 Apr, 2018 8:17 pm

South_Aussie_Hiker wrote:The ex featherweight is a pretty different jacket to the extreme.


Yeah ok - interesting. Didn't Gore-tex have a similar product to Outdry (no membranes), but much lighter a few years ago? I think they only marketed for running etc. as was considered too light for backbacks.

Quick google the Ex Featherweight and it is clearly marketed for backpacking unlike the Gore-tex version (not sure if it is still around).
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Re: Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby slparker » Sun 29 Apr, 2018 4:50 pm

Thanks for the info. I have been following the BPL discussion with some interest.
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Re: Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby Lamont » Sun 29 Apr, 2018 5:33 pm

No worries at all. I might add that the mechanical venting is really very effective via the front vents and no rain ingress with rain hitting the front of the jacket in some wind.
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Re: Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby slparker » Mon 30 Apr, 2018 7:05 am

nq111 wrote:
South_Aussie_Hiker wrote:The ex featherweight is a pretty different jacket to the extreme.


Yeah ok - interesting. Didn't Gore-tex have a similar product to Outdry (no membranes), but much lighter a few years ago? I think they only marketed for running etc. as was considered too light for backbacks.

Quick google the Ex Featherweight and it is clearly marketed for backpacking unlike the Gore-tex version (not sure if it is still around).


Hi NQ,
Gore-tex have a 'shakedry'jacket for running and cycling which has the membrane on the outside. It is absurdly expensive but (allegedly) has a high vapour transfer and permanent DWR. It is too flimsy for off road or bush use.
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Re: Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby nq111 » Sun 13 May, 2018 7:50 pm

I know that the Outdry ex featherweight is a bit different to the older stuff but figured this may still be of interest.

Back from a week in the Western Arthurs which I wore the Outdry (Extreme ex. Gold version) most of the time (either due to rain and/or wind). Have noticed that the pack belt has worn off some of the coating/armour in a couple of places on the back of my hips:
IMG_20180513_105823.jpg


Tried pooling water on the abraded area for 10 minutes or so:
IMG_20180513_105854.jpg


No sign of water coming through or wetting out.
IMG_20180513_110042.jpg


Not sure if more wear will cause an issue. The jacket is about 2 years old (bought it within a month or two of the product's release). Overall durability is still excellent - no other damage to report from the week or previously.

I can report for the trip that the jacket never leaked or wetted out. I also had no issues with condensation - other than usual sweat patches on my back behind the pack that I get whether I am wearing a shell or not. Overall, still very happy with the products' performance.
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Re: Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby wayno » Mon 14 May, 2018 7:59 am

the original outdry rainwear are 100% polyeurethane with an undisclosed process that makes the polyeurethane more durable than normal... it did away with a woven face fabric
from the land of the long white clouds...
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Re: Columbia Ex Featherweight RainJacket

Postby Lamont » Mon 14 May, 2018 2:04 pm

Just a wee update on the EX Featherweight.
I now have about 35-37 hours I think (absolutely NEVER wet out thus far), in total, all in the rain- Saturday morning just gone, I had 8 mm over four hours, with strong wind, on the jacket.
I walked (just short of) the entire time this last Saturday with the front vents fully open. I did shut them when I stopped for twenty to have a coffee, then left them shut for about 20 mins to warm back up. Temps were between 5-8 (with the wind chill). There is a BOM station nearby.
No rain ingress even when walking face first into the wind and rain. By that time though the rain was falling in smaller drops.
I was not dodging branches nor seeking them out, just walked, hit a few, brushed a few, got mud all over the back from the pack after putting it down in mud-Richard Cranium.
The movement (?) of that humid air seems worth remarking on.
One, through the fabric with absolute certainty I can't comment. Would need some apparatus for that. But my arms and torso not right near the vents were quite "dry" to my touch. My under (LS Merino polo shirt) clothes remained "dry", even the feel of my 100wt fleece (230gms in M) surface was "dry" except for two small patches 6cms X 6 above my chest. (And between my shoulder blades) I maintained a good pace walking up and down (not mountainous) for 4 hours covering about 18ks.
My very thin like a stocking almost, merino beanie remained "dry" as did my head under it. The inner fabric of the jacket hood was a tad "damp".
Two, through the vents. With them open I kept warm/comfy not over heated. Thus, I was pretty right for that temp with those clothes. I also had shorts and rain kilt on light mesh runners and my feet were wet (not cold) for about 2 and 1/2 hours.
Some bush (not heavy), track and road walking. Checked around all the points where rubbing abrasion might be noticed, none at all to be seen to the naked eye.
This was all done Daywalking, with a 3-5 kg pack- I loaded it heavier than I would normally and walked a bit faster to to try and inundate the fabric with some extra heat. Abrasion/or lack of from a heavier sack I cannot comment upon at this time.
I do trust it (to the extent that) now I will take it walking with me on my next multi day walk (4 days) using a 9-10 kg total sack, where I will be basically on tracks and where rain is expected, as my wet weather protection. So these are my preliminary (very) thoughts after very limited use.
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