Customer Reviews Columbia Splash Side™ Jacket

If I could sum up my review in a few words, it'd be: Close, but unfortunately missed the mark (and I really wished it'd hit the mark!). To start: I've been looking for a longer (close to knee-length) rain coat — shell only — for a few months, with a budget between $100 and $300 (even $400 if it's really worth it); hoping, of course, to find a sweet spot in the middle. I live in New England, and the weather here is increasingly both rainy and unpredictable, and much as I love my fashionable, but not quite functional windbreaker, a proper raincoat is one of those gaping holes in my wardrobe that needs to be filled. I like Columbia as a whole, and think their products tend to offer value overall. So, that's what I kept in mind when I ordered this jacket: it looked to be of solid construction; the reviews were decent (one that's posted here was an accurate experience for me, too; more on that below); and while there were some stylistic elements I wished it had but didn't, it was within my budget and ticked off the other boxes in terms of length and function. As I mentioned before: this item is so close, but not enough that I'm opting to keep it, which is a bummer, because you get to a point where you just want to be done with browsing, already. Another reviewer pointed out the awkward snap placement: given that there's a covered placket, I didn't think much of it until I tried it on, fully zipped — she's right; the space between it and the next/last buttons leave a wide space that's both awkward and, I'll say it, kind of ugly. The hood was huge — yes, you can pull in the strings, but it tended so far over my head and cupped downward, blocking my vision (I'm one of those people who actually do utilize the hood when out for walks, especially on colder days). But, the biggest drawback for me, no pun intended, was the adjustable waist: unlike that hood, which had drawcord clips, there was nothing with which to keep the drawstring cinched in except to knot it, which is how it appeared when I took it out of the packaging. Even though they're on the inside, there's a few things wrong with this approach: the first is that it just looks and feels cheap — I would expect a design flaw like that from a "fast fashion" jacket, but not Columbia. Two, it makes it tough to adjust on the go, or even to get it to fit accurately since you lose the accuracy of the clip stopping the cord from unraveling. What I did like was that the length was just right — a few inches above my knee in an XS (I'm 5'4", about 135 lbs and with an athletic frame) — and that I had ample room to layer, should I have kept it. Last, I'll mention the incredible Zappos customer service associate who kindly helped make this purchase happen through chat — very easy and accommodating; thank you! Columbia, take note: you've got a customer who's willing to spend just a bit more if you'd be willing to make these "wrongs" into "rights." For now, it's back to the drawing board, and possibly back into my Helly Hansen insulated coat until the rain shell of my dream appears.

I bought this jacket less than a year ago I was mostly satisfied with it at the time. I liked the fit, the color, etc... I just lamented that it didn't have any sort of bungee to keep the extra hood material out of my face or pit zips. However, I'm just heading into the rainy season here so I hadn't worn it very much and today on my walk I went to unbutton it and one of the buttons pulled completely off! I'm pretty disappointed to have spent so much money on a jacket to have a button break off it after so little use.