As most of the country has seen this year, winter weather can be a
fickle beast. With bright and sunny conditions one day, pouring rain and
snow the next, just one jacket isn't going to cut it.
Columbia Sportswear's Ultrachange
3-in-1 Jacket ($450) does its best to accommodate your comfort in a
variety of conditions. The setup consists of Columbia's waterproof OmniDry outer shell with the breathable OmniWick liner and a removable synthetic insulated jacket lined with the reflective OmniHeat
lining. Hence the 3-in-1: you can pair the two for an insulated storm
shell, yank out the liner and just wear the shell for warmer
situations, or just wear the liner when it's cold and clear outside.
I took the Ultrachange out for a day of snowboarding at Columbia's
Fall '12 event, and the jacket negated any wind chill while I whipped
down the mountain. By the afternoon, the day had heated up enough for
me to take out the liner and just wear the shell for a while. I dug how
much cooler it was, but the shell's fabric has a bit of a scratchy
feel against the skin. I eventually swapped it for the insulating
jacket, which I absolutely love.
The insulator's nylon outer and liner feel good against the skin,
and the OmniHeat lining pairs up with the insulation to make for an
incredibly warm package. It's got stretchy/breathable side panels, and
it hooks into the shell via a loop on the back of the collar. I've made
it a habit to wear it on its own more often than paired with the
shell, but that'll probably change if California ever sees rain again.
It's scheduled for a Fall '12 release. Keep an eye out at Columbia.com.
Oh, and as an added bonus, the liner can be turned inside out for some early-90's bling action. So, technically, it's a 4-in-1.
