Columbia Oak Harbour II jacket review
A warm, waterproof jacket built for cold hikes and winter days out that offers impressive value for money.
Columbia Oak Harbour II Coat
Ideal for: Cold weather hikes, wet and windy weather, day-to-day wear
Not suitable for: Running, fastpacking, backpacking or wildcamping
The Columbia Oak Harbour II is a warm and waterproof synthetic jacket that thrives in cold and wet British conditions. With its Omni-Heat Infinity liner and Columbia Omni-Tech waterproofing, it delivers reliable insulation and weather protection. While it’s a bit heavy at 950 grams, its £180 price tag and robust feature set make it a strong contender for winter adventures where you don’t expect to need to pack this away and carry it in a pack.
The Good
Reliably waterproof
Immediately warm thanks to the Omni-Heat liner
Comes with hand-warmer pockets
Looks great as both an outdoor layer or a day-to-day jacket
Comparably affordable
The Bad
Omni-Heat liner feels sticky against exposed skin
Not very breathable
Heavy
Quite large
Columbia Oak Harbour II jacket review
Founded in 1938, Columbia Sportswear has grown from a small hat company in Portland, Oregon, to one of the most recognisable outdoor brands worldwide. Known for blending innovative technology with affordability, Columbia’s products cater to everyone from seasoned hikers to weekend wanderers. Their proprietary technologies like Omni-Heat and Omni-Tech are a staple across many of their lines, promising to keep adventurers warm, dry, and comfortable no matter what the elements throw at them.
The Columbia Oak Harbour II down jacket fits right into this ethos, offering substantial warmth and waterproof protection without the hefty price tag often seen with rival brands. Designed primarily for cold hikes and winter days out in the city, it’s a synthetic option that aims to strike a balance between insulation and weather resistance. At 950 grams for a medium size, it’s not what you’d call lightweight, but it compensates for the extra heft with a solid list of features and a price tag of £180 that feels refreshingly reasonable.
On the market, the Oak Harbour II finds itself up against some stiff competition. The Rab Valiance, for example, offers similar warmth and waterproofing but costs nearly twice as much at £330. While the Rab jacket does shave off around 200 grams in weight, the price difference makes the Oak Harbour II look like a bargain. Meanwhile, the Jack Wolfskin Wisper Insulated Jacket is another contender, offering a lighter build at 718 grams but lacking the Omni-Heat Infinity wrapping that makes the Oak Harbour II so toasty. In this context, the Oak Harbour II’s mix of warmth, waterproofing, and price makes it a compelling option if you’re looking for a warm coat. But how does it perform on outdoor adventures in the UK?
Our experience using the Columbia Oak Harbour II jacket
To see what the Oak Harbour II was really made of, we tested this Columbia coat over 8 weeks, using it and abusing it on a litany of outdoor escapades. First up, we put it through its paces on two full-day hikes in the Brecon Beacons. On both treks, the weather was predictably awful, with heavy rain and howling winds providing the perfect test for its waterproofing capabilities. We also took it on several freezing cold walks around the Chiltern Hills and Surrey Hills, with temperatures dipping to below -3°C on more than one occasion. And you know what? Despite its comparatively high weight, we found it mostly out-performed our expectations each time. Here’s why..
Features and performance
Our first real test for the Oak Harbour II was a day out in the Brecon Beacons, where the forecast promised hours of rain, gusty winds, and temperatures hovering just above freezing. From the off, the jacket’s Omni-Tech waterproofing proved itself worthy. Even after a solid four hours of relentless (albeit light) showers and a final half-hour of near-tropical downpour, the jacket’s outer shell remained impressively resistant to moisture. While some jackets can start to feel damp and heavy after prolonged exposure, the Oak Harbour II kept the rain out admirably.
Windproofing was another area where the jacket shone. British winds have a knack for cutting through all but the most tightly sealed layers, yet the Oak Harbour II’s cinch cords at the hips and adjustable cuffs did a stellar job of keeping draughts out. This was particularly noticeable on exposed ridges, where even a brief stop to admire the view can quickly turn chilly. The hood, though not helmet-compatible, played its part too. With the velcro toggle and pull cords cinched down, it stayed put even in gusts strong enough to make walking a challenge. The peak offered decent protection, keeping rain out of our eyes without restricting peripheral vision, which is always a bonus when you’re navigating rocky trails.
Warmth
Warmth was, unsurprisingly, one of the Columbia Oak Harbour II’s biggest strengths. The Omni-Heat Infinity liner is a bit like wearing a survival blanket that you don’t have to wrestle your way into — it traps body heat almost immediately, making those first few minutes out of a warm car or tent significantly less miserable. We found it particularly effective on sub-zero mornings in the Surrey Hills, where temperatures dipped to -3°C. Paired with just a t-shirt and a thin mid-layer, the jacket kept us comfortably warm without any of that awkward chilly wait while your body heat gets up to speed. The synthetic insulation, while not as immediately cosy as down, did a solid job of retaining warmth even when damp, which is a reassuring feature if you’re out in sleet or wet snow.
The handwarmer pockets were another highlight, proving to be a small but much-appreciated luxury. Lined with fleece, they did a brilliant job of warming up numb fingers on frosty mornings. Due to gravity doing what it does, however, we did note that during the soggiest rounds of testing, the fleece liners took on some water, which then took a while to dry. It’s not a dealbreaker — this is almost unavoidable if you’re using pockets in heavy rain — but it’s worth being aware of.
Breathability
One area where the Oak Harbour II does show its limitations is breathability. On less demanding trails or when moving at a steady pace, the jacket managed to vent well enough to prevent us from overheating. However, push the pace even a little — like when we were tackling some of the steeper inclines in the Chiltern Hills or when yomping over Pen y Fan in the Beacons — and things started to feel stuffy fairly quickly. The lack of pit zips doesn’t help, meaning you’re stuck with unzipping the front for a bit of airflow when things get too clammy. For winter walks and moderate hikes, this isn’t a huge issue, but if you’re planning anything more strenuous, it’s something to bear in mind.
Additionally, it’s worth noting here that the Omni-Heat liner isn’t the most comfortable thing against naked skin. Much like your standard Gore-Tex outer layers, it is prone to getting sticky quickly if worn just over a t-shirt — which is why we always paired it with a mid-layer, even if one wasn’t strictly necessary for warmth reasons.
Packability
Despite its weight, the jacket’s bulk wasn’t as noticeable as we’d expected. At 950 grams, it’s no featherweight, but because it’s designed to be worn rather than carried, we rarely found ourselves thinking about it. The slightly boxy cut gives you room to layer up without feeling constricted, which was handy when we threw on a fleece for a particularly chilly start in the Peak District. However, the pack size is substantial. It compresses down to about the size of a 2-season synthetic sleeping bag, which isn’t unreasonable given the waterproofing and insulation, but it’s definitely not something you’ll want to stuff in a daypack unless you’re certain you’ll need it at some point.
Durability
Durability also deserves a nod. British hills are notorious for shredding jackets on everything from brambles to abrasive gritstone, but after multiple outings, the Oak Harbour II’s shell showed no signs of wear. The reinforced stitching and waterproof zippers felt reassuringly robust, handling everything from overgrown paths to snagging on dry-stone walls without a hitch. Given the price point, this kind of durability is impressive and suggests the jacket is built to last through more than a few winters.
Columbia Oak Harbour II down jacket FAQs
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The Oak Harbour II is very warm, thanks to its Omni-Heat Infinity liner. It retains body heat efficiently and is capable of keeping you comfortable in temperatures around freezing, especially when layered properly.
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This jacket is great for cold hikes, winter walks, and everyday use in wet, chilly conditions.
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Thanks to the Omni-Tech membrane, the jacket handles heavy rain and prolonged showers well.
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At £180, it’s a solid investment for the warmth and waterproofing it offers.
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Built with robust materials and reinforced seams, the Oak Harbour II will certainly last. As we’ve only had it for a few months, we can’t comment on how the waterproofing changes over time, however.
Conclusion
The Columbia Oak Harbour II isn’t perfect, but it’s very good at what it’s designed to do — and it feels very much at home in UK conditions. It might not have the breathability of some more expensive options, and the weight won’t win over ultralight enthusiasts, but for the sort of cold, wet, and windy weather we see more often than not, it’s a solid performer. For winter hikes, weekend rambles, and even city commutes in grim weather, it delivers on all the essentials without costing the earth. If you’re after a winter jacket that can shrug off British weather without draining your bank account, the Oak Harbour II makes a convincing case for itself.
