Columbia Insulated Jackets

Omni-Heat is Columbia's reflective thermal lining, the pattern of little metallic dots you see inside the jacket. It reflects your own body heat back at you rather than relying only on loft, so a jacket can hold warmth without being thick or heavy. That makes Omni-Heat styles a smart pick when you want real warmth in a slim jacket you can layer under a shell, and Columbia also makes warmer Omni-Heat Infinity versions with a gold lining for the coldest days.

Down gives the most warmth for its weight and packs down smallest, which suits cold, dry days and stuffing into a bag, but it loses much of its warmth once wet and is slow to dry. Synthetic fill is a little bulkier and heavier for the same warmth, but it keeps insulating when damp and dries quickly, which fits the wet Irish climate and anyone wearing it in the rain. For an everyday winter jacket here, synthetic is the safer choice; for maximum warmth for weight on dry trips, choose down.

Yes, for everyday Irish winter these are built for the cold, and the Omni-Heat lining noticeably lifts the warmth for the weight. For the very coldest days, standing at a match or heading out on a frosty morning, choose a heavier synthetic or a higher fill-power down, or wear the jacket as a warm midlayer under a waterproof shell. Layering that way blocks the wind and rain as well and traps more heat than any single jacket on its own.

Use a gentle, cold cycle with a technical down or tech wash rather than normal detergent, which can strip the insulation and, on down, harm its ability to loft. Down jackets in particular need a thorough tumble dry on low with a couple of clean tennis balls or dryer balls, which break up the clumps and bring the fill back to full loft, and the jacket must be bone dry before you store it. Synthetic jackets are more forgiving and dry faster. Store either loosely on a wide hanger rather than crushed in a stuff sack, so the insulation keeps its loft.

Yes, choose Click & Collect at checkout. Orders are usually ready within 24 hours and you will get an email when ready. Available from our Dublin Carrickmines, Dublin Blanchardstown and Cork City Centre stores.

Yes, we offer free standard delivery on all orders over €100.

We have four stores across Ireland: Dublin Carrickmines, Dublin Blanchardstown, Cork City Centre and Arnotts Dublin.