Columbia Waypoint Rain Shell

Columbia Waypoint Rain Shell – Super affordable rain shell.

In early 2008, the Columbia Waypoint Rain Shell made the cut into Outside Magazine Gear of the year issue. One reviewer said it best when they said this; “Lets put it this way: if the other jackets listed here are Audis, the Columbia Waypoint Rain Shell is a Toyota.” While the Columbia Waypoint Rain Shell is made out of top of the line materials and built up to Columbia standards, it cost about $150 less than most others in its class.

How can the Columbia Waypoint Rain Shell be half as much as some of the top rain shells, but still perform well enough to be in the same league? This is mostly thanks to Columbia’s revolutionary Omni-Tech waterproof-breathable fabric. It works just as well as the outer fabric found on its competitors.

The Omni-Tech waterproof-breathable fabric stands up to rain like a champ. One of the testers for Outside Magazine mentioned that fly fishers could stand in a light drizzle all day and manage to stay dry. It might do well to protect you in a hurricane, but the Columbia Waypoint Rain Shell can hadle just about anything else.

The quick & dirty:

Where you can get one:
Amazon.com: $89

Why they rock:

• Material: 51% Recycled polyester, 46% polyester, 3 % elastane.
• Waterproof Rating: Water resistant
• Breathable Rating: Not specified
• Core Venting: No
• Pockets: 2 Hand, 1 chest
• Seam Taped: No
• Powder Skirt: No
• Hood: No
• Zip-in Compatibility: Yes
• Recommended Use: Hiking, climbing, running, spring skiing
• Manufacturer Warranty: Lifetime

Seat-of-the-pants rating: 9 out of 10

For the price, it’s hard to beat the Columbia Waypoint Rain Shell. It has all the features you could want and performs extremely well. The only drawback here is that even though the Columbia Waypoint Rain Shell offers plenty of pit ventilation, it still manages steam up sometimes and give you that clammy feeling of old non-breathable rain coats.

Looking to Buy? Check out these sites:
Amazon.com: $89