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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Value

This jacket sports an affordable price tag — and you can usually find it on sale for even cheaper. It was on the low end of the price spectrum of the jackets we tested. Though not the warmest or the most water-resistant, for the price, this jacket could be a great fall jacket or late winter!

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.