Peak 2 Peak Jacket

The Peak 2 Peak is a great hard shell for almost any conditions. The jacket was designed to be used in any high-alpine situation. One thing that I noticed right out of the box was how lightweight yet durable this jacket felt. Being part of the Titanium series in the Columbia line, this jacket is built for high-energy outdoor activities.

The Peak 2 Peak is composed of a 3-layer fabric that makes the Jacket waterproof, windproof and breathable. This is done with Columbia’s patented technology Omni-Dry. One thing that I noticed in this jacket was how well it breathed. Columbia claims that “With Omni-Dry, air is able to circulate through the fabric, helping to regulate the conditions in the garment and keep excess moisture from collecting inside, while still maintaining its wind blocking properties.” I found this claim to be true. The jacket also has fully taped seams.

For extra ventilation during high energy activities the jacket does come with pit-zips which allow air to escape and fresh air in. There are also two front pockets on this jacket that give you room to store a few items.

The hood is helmet compatible and has a lip to help keep the water off your face. The hood was comfortable with or without a helmet which was nice when wearing hiking and climbing. The sleeves have hook-and-loop (velcro) on the ends to secure the sleeves as well as keep the water out. A drawstring around the waist of this jacket keeps the jacket close to the body.

This has been one of the wettest springs/summers here in Utah and this jacket has performed flawlessly for me. One of the rain storms I wore this jacket in reminded me of the rain I would see when a typhoon was coming through in the Philippines. It is a boomer jacket and one that I would highly recommend. One of the nice things about the Peak 2 Peak is that it is stylish enough to wear around town, yet durable enough to handle anything the backcountry can send its way.

An interesting tidbit about the jacket’s fabric, “Omni-Dry®, is that it is highly air permeable (100cc/minute vs. 0cc/minute for Gore-Tex®) and extremely thin and lightweight (7 grams per yard vs. 40 grams per yard in Gore-Tex®).” You can learn more about it here. http://www.columbia.com/Omni-Dry/Science_Omni-Dry,default,pg.html

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