Columbia Bugaboo Interchange Jacket

9.3
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Columbia Bugaboo Interchange Jacket Review Facts

If you have the original Columbia Bugaboo, then you will appreciate this 3-in-1 upgrade to the tried-and-true dependable version. Using the technology of Omni-Heat and Omni-Tech, this unique garment has two pieces that act as an outer layer and a liner. They can be used in combination for adverse winter weather or separately as a rain jacket or a fleece sweater.

They call this interchange system 3-Point and Zip-In because that is how they connect by zipping together. You get moisture-wicking for comfort and dryness from the liner. Also, the outer shell has breathable, waterproof, windproof, and resistant to abrasions qualities.

The Columbia Bugaboo's reflective thermal lining allows the wearer to go without multiple layers of clothing under an outer shell. That can often be bulky and hindering of movements. Best for all types of snow sports from snowboarding to skiing and regular use in winter, the Columbia Bugaboo jacket includes five pockets with zippers, an adjustable/removable hood, and Velcro cuff closures. There is also a storm flap covering the front zipper to keep out precipitation when outdoors.

If you are thinking about purchasing a great winter jacket, read more this one. Our detailed review points out all the pros, cons and its most distinguished features.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Moisture-wicking and insulated for comfort and dryness
  • Inner liner and the outer shell used together or separately
  • Abrasion-resistant and breathable
  • Classic modern fit; back is hip length
  • For snow sports, downhill skiing, snowboarding, and general use
Cons
  • Some people said it was not warm enough
  • All liners are gray; the silver Omni-Heat lining can show

Key Features

-The technology of Omni-Heat and Omni-Tech
-Interchange system is 3-Point and Zip-In
-The outer shell is breathable and waterproof
-Zipper and Velcro closure in the front
-Chest, hand, and security pockets
-Pockets are deep and useful
-Storm hood that detaches and is adjustable
-Velcro cuff closures

Comfort

The updated Columbia Bugaboo Jacket for men features the insulation of Thermal Reflective Omni-Heat, which is tiny silver dots on breathable material to reflect your body heat. It eliminates the need for layers of clothing that can be bulky and is moisture-wicking for comfort and dryness. The lining is made of 210T taffeta 100% nylon material, and the liner is constructed of Dotswarm fleece of 100% polyester.

With the technology of Omni-Heat and Omni-Tech, the more layers you wear underneath the jacket, the less this feature works to reflect your body heat. The key to experiencing the warmest possible feel is to wear as few layers as you can to allow the layers to work their best. The chin guard or collar is warm and soft on the skin too.

Flexibility

With the interchange system of 3-Point and Zip-In, the two pieces of this incredible jacket work together or alone to protect your upper core and keep you comfortable in varying weather conditions. The outer part layer is a light jacket for rain, and the inner lining is warm and not as thick as a sweater that zips up. Worn separately, they will act accordingly.

However, together, these two portions of jacket work in unison to keep you both dry and warm in some pretty severe temperatures and surroundings. The fleece liner zips in when you want to use them both together. This double layer is good for all cold and freezing temperatures above zero degrees according to customers. For wind and snow conditions, add another separate layer as a base for the most extreme weather.

Protection

Being that the two pieces of this garment can work separately apart, we want to discuss them that way too. Each is strong enough and important enough to warrant their discussion sections. The shell of the Columbia Bugaboo is constructed of a 100% nylon Ultra Touch plain weave of Omni-Tech material, which is breathable, windproof, abrasion-resistant, and waterproof.

Perspiration can escape through the layers to keep you dry and comfortable. It has both zipper and Velcro closures in the front with the Velcro acting as a storm flap to keep precipitation from entering the jacket through the zipper teeth or stitching. There are also sealed seams on for weather protection plus.

One buyer suggested that snaps would be better than Velcro for the main zipper storm flaps thinking they would be easier to handle. The Velcro can be somewhat tricky when you are in a hurry or trying to get this garment on in adverse conditions.

Size

We noticed plenty of discussion and concerns about the sizing of this Columbia jacket for men online. It has a classic modern fit with the back coming to the hip. Most of the remarks from users say that the jacket runs large even in their regular size.

Others had issues with certain parts of the jacket being too tight or small. Areas such as the arms and chest were particularly troublesome for a few people. It is hard to understand how one could not get an almost perfect fit with the given company information you can use before ordering.

The product information gives a size chart to get the ideal fit. It even tells you how to measure yourself for the vital parts that affect the scale, such as the neck, hips, inseam, sleeves, waist, and chest. If you take the time to measure these body areas for yourself and compare them with the chart, then you should get a very good fit.

Stability

What does anyone love about a jacket or coat the most – the many, many pockets! Well, you are in luck if you like having plenty of pockets in an outer garment because the Columbia Bugaboo has a total of five in the outer shell.They are in-depth and useful and even closed with functioning zippers.

There is an interior pocket for security items you want to keep protected, two hand pockets, and two chest pockets that are good for goggles, media, and anything you want to bring along. The two hand pockets are on the hips and have side entry instead of being accessed from the top. These are the stable parts of the jacket besides its warming and protective features that you can count on for excellent functioning and comfort.

Style

Best for snow sports, skiing, snowboarding, downhill skiing, and general use in winter, this product comes in a vast assortment of solid vibrant colors. It is long enough, according to several buyers, to be rightly considered a parka and not just a jacket.

We would have listed some of the exciting color choices but could not decide which one to highlight here. They all have great names alluding to enticing colors. You will surely have a tough decision when choosing one unless you have your heart set on a particular color to best match your wardrobe.

It is an updated version of the Interchange Jacket with the technology of the reflective thermal material. Companies, such as Columbia, make constant changes and upgrades to their favored products based on customer suggestions and feedback. Only in this way do they know what their buyers want from their items.

For proper identification and branding, the famous Columbia logo is on the chest pocket and sleeves. This item has an excellent overall satisfaction rating from customers because of its superb qualities.

Support

There are several incorporated aspects on this garment that Columbia thought to include for comfort and support of what you desire from such a sturdy piece of weather gear. The waist has an adjustable drawcord as does the storm hood. You have the flexibility to either close off the bottom hem and hood enclosure or not depending on the weather environment. This hood is removable and adjustable to your liking and needs.

Some buyers found the hood to be a feature that could use some improvement. It is not lined like the rest of the jacket is and can come off from a significant wind. The drawstring on the hood is small and sometimes not very useful for the adverse weather conditions possible.

The front has a full zipper from the hem to the chin with a flap with Velcro to secure it and protect from rain coming through. The sleeve cuffs are also adjustable but with Velcro straps there too. Velcro makes it must easier for one hand to make the necessary changes you need based on the changing surroundings.

Version

As you can guess or may already know from owning one, there are several other men’s jackets that are very similar to this Bugaboo model. We want to point out some differences in them for you that may not be so noticeable in product descriptions or even the real product close up. The Bugaboo is similar to the Eager Air Interchange model except for the Omni technology in the Bugaboo and the drop tail of the Eager Air model.

The Whirlibird Interchange has a drop tail and all the other features of the Bugaboo except the fleece liner. The Summit Crest Interchange does not have the security pocket inside or the fleece liner. The Lhotse II Interchange does not have zippered pockets for the hands or the fleece liner, and the Powerkeg Interchange does not have the fleece liner. The only characteristic that the Columbia Bugaboo does not have that a few of these other products do is the drop tail.

Ease of Use

We want to share some customer comments, remarks, and suggestions with you that you may not have considered when contemplating the purchase of this jacket. Sometimes we need one or two aspects to sway us one way or another for buying or not buying a product. Hopefully, we can help you with that with the information we have dug up on this incredible garment that has already pleased so many people.

For the majority of folks, the Omni-Heat dots work well to reflect body heat, while they are not warm enough for others. Combined with the fleece liner, you should be protected in temperatures that can hover around zero degrees. If the liner is closed with the zipper, then the internal pocket cannot be accessed. The liners for all of the colors are gray, which was a disappointment for those that especially wanted a solid black jacket with a black liner and fleece.

Others did not like the silver lining layer of the Omni-Heat showing when the garment was not zipped or closed all the way. This is the technology that keeps you very warm in a seemingly thin jacket, so if being warm is more important than appearance, then you will not be bothered by this.

The product description information mentions that the jacket must be or is the best hand washed. We only found a few comments from customers about this concern that washed theirs in a washing machine with no problems. We would recommend going by the manufacturer’s directions to make the Columbia Bugaboo last as long as it should in excellent condition.

Bottom Line

We all know from the many excellent products that Columbia puts out that their quality is excellent with superb materials, craftsmanship, construction, and design. If there are any issues with their items, they are undoubtedly minor and do not indeed affect future sales. The Columbia Bugaboo has been revised to now be much warmer with the reflective thermal material of Omni-Heat and the protective waterproof layer of Omni-Tech material. Even so, some buyers say it is not warm enough for them. There were not many people who said this, however.

The liners are all gray for no matter which color of jacket you order, and others can see the reflective silver dots if the garment is not zipped all the way or open. If that matters to you, then this may not be the jacket for you. However, if staying warm is more important in a winter jacket for you, then you should try this protective, comfortable, warm, versatile, and dependable Columbia Bugaboo that you will be able to enjoy for many years.