Materials

The Columbia OutDry EX Diamond Piste Jacket features new technology for fall 2018. It uses Omni Heat 3D lining which they tout as groundbreaking technology for its ability to increase both heat reflection and retention. Testers were overall extremely pleased with the performance of this jacket with this new warmth enhancing technology. The jacket also has 800 fill down insulation which is some of the warmest insulation you could have in a jacket. The jacket is coated with an OutDry waterproof membrane to protect the down lining and is even seam sealed on the outside to ensure no water leaks through. The fabric is made out of durable material to prevent feathers from poking through. In addition, the shell material is slightly stretchy so the range of mobility isn’t compromised. The main complaint that testers had was that the material had a plasticky feel to it that both looked and felt cheap. It didn’t help matters that the external seam tape and a large red OutDry logo were both a bit unsightly.

Features

The OutDry EX Diamond Piste has many of the features of a standard resort jacket. It comes with a removable powder skirt which is expected for such a cold weather jacket to prevent cold air or snow ingress. It also has fleece-lined hand warmer pockets which proved a nice extra touch for gloveless hands. The double external chest pockets are plenty spacious for easy access items. For added storage space, it has mesh pockets inside the jacket that are slightly harder to access than other jackets. For those with an RFID pass or that like to have it in a handy pocket, there is the zippered pass holder pocket on the arm. Two features that all the other heavily insulated jackets tested had that the Diamond Piste was missing were wrist gaiters to seal up the cuffs and integrated RECCO reflectors. However neither of these were features were ones that testers thought were essential in a jacket of this nature.

Weatherproofness

Since this jacket uses 800 down fill, testers were hoping it would be accompanied with a suitable exterior shell to prevent water from getting in. They were pleased to note that the outer shell was very durable and waterproof during their season of testing. The external seam tape is a unique feature to ensure the waterproofness of the jacket.

Temperature Control

Heavily insulated jackets have a tough challenge of keeping the user warm in even the coldest conditions while also not causing them to overheat and subsequently get cold on the chairlift. Testers found the Columbia OutDry EX Diamond Piste did a great job of breathing due to its down insulation which can also absorb moisture if overheating. The jacket was extremely warm yet the testers never reported a sense of clamminess when wearing it. Due to the down insulation and minimal features testers also appreciated the high warmth to weight ratio of this jacket.

Fit/Comfort

Overall testers though the fit and comfort of the Columbia OutDry EX Diamond Piste were pretty standard though some took issue with the rubbery feel of the exterior. The jacket was comfortable to wear and had a great range of motion which testers enjoyed. It was also was true to size and was plenty long to not allow any snow or cold air in around the waist. However, the general texture of the outer fabric has a strange feel to it which creates to a cheap look and sounds crinkly when moving around which testers didn’t enjoy.

Value & Style

At $499 the Columbia OutDry EX Diamond Piste is a typical price for a quality heavily insulated jacket. Considering the 800 fill down insulation, and the overall warmth to weight ratio, testers considered this to be a great overall value. On the downdownsidesters were so put off by the style of the jacket initially they didn’t even want to wear it on the mountain. The external seam tape and high denier fabric felt more like wearing a duffel bag than a ski jacket, and the variety of dark green coloring on the test piece wasn’t going to be getting any looks at the bar. But color and looks aside, there was no denying that this jacket was tough, warm and comfortable. If we see some better color options from Columbia, this may become a serious hit with the cold weather ski crowd.