Columbia Heavenly Long Hooded Review

Weighing in at 1.5 lbs, the Columbia Heavenly is one of the lightest models we tested. That said, it was nice wearing this coat in mild winter conditions, but the thin amount of synthetic insulation and water-resistant material didn't keep us warm enough in messy winter weather. There are five stylish and straightforward winter colors to choose from, which include light cloud, deep rust, major, chalk, and navy.

Performance Comparison

We actually liked the style of this jacket despite it not being intended for super cold winter weather. It's a great coat for in-between seasons or if you live somewhere that experiences milder winter weather. Reaching mid-thigh and insulated with synthetic down, this jacket is extremely lightweight.

Warmth

This model lands at the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to warmth. It's insulated with a thin amount of synthetic insulation, and we didn't feel warm when temperatures started to hit the freezing mark. It may be because the thicker outer shell did a better job at blocking cold winds, which allowed us to stay warmer. If the thin insulation of the Heavenly worries you, check out our Best Buy award winner, the Marmot Montreaux, which stole the show in the warmth category of our testing. The North Face Metropolis Parka II, the Patagonia Down With It Parka and The North Face Gotham II are warmer options, but also more expensive.

Columbia added Omni-Heat Reflective lining 100% polyester to the inside of the jacket. This lining did add to our warmth, but it didn't allow the jacket to be breathable. Bottom line: we weren't the biggest fan.

Insulated with Omni-Heat reflective lining, the inside of this jacket is very shiny. It didn't bother us, but it may bother some people. It did an okay job at keeping us warm, but we noticed that when we were active in this jacket (shoveling a driveway), it wasn't breathable and we were quite sweaty.

The hood is insulated with a fair amount of down. There was enough room to wear a beanie underneath for extra warmth on colder days.

Weather Resistance

The shell of the Heavenly is Storm-Lite DP II 100% polyester. It's also water-resistant, but not waterproof. When we tested in wet weather, the water beaded up and rolled off at first; however, after an extended period in heavy wet weather, this model became saturated. Our top pick for wet weather, the Patagonia Tres Down Parka or the economic Eddie Bauer Sun Valley Down Jacket are both excellent options. Both of these jackets are warmer and waterproof. The Arc'teryx Patera isn't as warm as the Tres or Arctic II, but it is a waterproof winter jacket that excelled in wet weather.

The water-resistant Heavenly did an okay job in wet weather, but it isn't waterproof. Precip initially beaded up and rolled off, but after a short time outside water began to saturate the jacket.

The cozy and warm insulated hood on the Heavenly did a decent job of adding extra warmth when we tested in cold and stormy weather. There was just enough room to add a beanie underneath if need be. We loved the thumb holes on the cuffs of the sleeves, as they added extra warmth and protection when we were in wet weather. The North Face Arrowood Triclimate Jacket scored slightly higher due to its durable waterproof outer shell. It also did a better job at blocking the wind.

The hood was cozy and warm. It wasn't stuffed with insulation, but it has an adequate amount. There was enough space underneath to fit a beanie if need be.

Style

This jacket oozes a sporty and athletic vibe. It reaches mid-thigh, and the exterior polyester fabric has a matte satin finish. There is also contoured baffling on the exterior of the coat, and it gives it a very stylish look.

The Heavenly has a sporty and athletic vibe. The contoured baffling offers a nice stylish look to the smooth polyester fabric.

If you want more of a classic winter parka style, our Editors' Choice award winner, the Canada Goose Kensington Parka will provide. It encompasses all that is winter; with its real fur ruff around the hood, cinched waist, and smooth exterior, you will be sure to turn heads and stay warm all winter long. If real fur isn't your thing, check out an equally unique winter parka, the Kuhl Arktik Down Parka. It's faux fur ruff, and the faux Italian trim turns heads.

Cute from all angles! As we stated before, this jacket has a sporty look to it. It does wear a bit loose in the mid-section, but that allows for an extra layer.

Comfort

Weighing in at 1.5 lbs, the Heavenly is lightweight. While we weren't comfortable when temperatures started to drop, we had no issues wearing this jacket to run errands in or taking the dog out for a brisk walk when the weather didn't drop near freezing. For ultimate comfort, we love the Canada Goose Camp Hooded.

This jacket isn't super form-fitting like some of the others we tested, but it doesn't lose its shape completely. We found with the extra room under the arms and in the torso we could fit a thicker layer underneath. This was nice for when temperatures really started to drop but we still wanted to wear the jacket.

The hood has an incredibly soft and cozy lining. It was one of the most comfortable hood liners we tested. There are also thumb holes on the cuffs of the sleeves that we loved.

Features

Columbia's main feature on this jacket has to be its lightweight synthetic insulation and Omni-heat lining. As we expressed earlier, the Omni heat lining did work in the right situations, but do not plan on wearing this jacket if you want to raise your heart rate and sweat. However, we just can't argue with how lightweight this jacket is.

We enjoyed the fuzzy and soft liner of the hood; it's an enjoyable and comfortable feature. The thumb holes on the cuffs of the sleeves are another great feature. We loved jackets that have cuffs, let alone thumb holes, and we could feel a difference when a contender didn't have an internal cuff. The Down With It Parka and the Fjallraven Nuuk Insulated Parka both lacked any internal cuff, which we quickly noticed. The two external pockets are lined with microfleece, and there is a small internal media pocket.

We loved this feature! We are always a big fan of jackets that have internal cuffs, but we get even more excited to see thumb holes on those cuffs. Yes, this feature may be unnecessary for someone looking for more of an elegant parka feel, but for those of us that commute to work or spend extended periods of time outside, this feature is awesome. Thumb holes on the cuffs are great because you won't need to carry gloves!

Durability

This jacket didn't show signs of wear and tear after three months of abuse. The synthetic insulation allowed for a faster rebound rate when it got wet, compared to jackets with down insulation. The outer polyester shell is thin, and there is a fair amount of exterior stitching, so we see a potential for snags happening, but we didn't witness any ourselves. We read reviews of this jacket stating that the zipper wasn't that durable and often broke. We didn't have any issues with it over the time we tested it, but we still wanted to address the user reviews. We also witnessed some feathers escaping from the seams, but it wasn't happening at an alarming rate.

Best Application

The Heavenly is a great, lightweight winter jacket for late fall/early winter or if you live somewhere that experiences mild winter weather. This isn't a jacket that would work well in super cold temperatures or wet weather. We like our Best Buy winner, Eddie Bauer Sun Valley Parka for a winter jacket that is warm, waterproof, and budget friendly! If money isn't an issue and you live in an environment like the PNW - we wholeheartedly recommend the Patagonia Tres Down Parka.

Value

With a price tag of $140 (and you can usually find this jacket on sale for even cheaper), it was on the low end of the price spectrum. This jacket wasn't the warmest or the most water-resistant, but for the price, this jacket could even be a great fall jacket or late winter! An even warmer option that won't cost you too much more than the Heavenly is our Best Buy award winner, the Marmot Montreaux; it's loaded with plush cozy down and will keep you warm when temperatures drop below freezing.

Conclusion

The Columbia Heavenly is a sporty, lightweight fun winter coat that lacks lofty insulation, but still did an okay job keeping us warm when temperatures stayed above and around freezing. There was also enough room to add an extra layer underneath if you want to wear this jacket in colder weather. However, it did score the lowest of the bunch when it comes to the warmth rating, so it will be best suited for milder winters.