Lafuma Women ACCESS PANTS Beige Outlet Store

I really like this jacket. It provides a surprising amount of insulation for how light it is. It comes with a bag that can pack the jacket into a very small size for hiking. The pockets are very large, making it a more comfortable place to put your hands than most front pockets. The zippers on the pockets and the jacket feel sturdy. The quality of the stitching and material are impressive, I found no visual defects and it seems very water-resistant. Both the small and medium sizes fit as expected. I found the hood to be well-shaped for tightly covering the areas of the head that get cold without getting in your face.

I purchased this and three other jackets in preparation for a trip I was going on where I knew there'd be some light to moderate rain. Since the weather was otherwise expected to be warm, I didn't want to pack a heavy rain jacket, so I was in search of a light, packable, water resistant shell...preferably under $50. Of the four jackets I'd purchased, I wound up keeping this one...and after having used it on my trip, I'm glad to say that I'm very happy with my choice.

Please note that this is a shell and doesn't have an inner lining for warmth. If you're just looking for something to just keep the rain off, this is a great option! It packs down easily into its own pocket, and kept me dry while standing in moderate rain for 3hrs...it didn't seep through the fabric AT ALL. The hood provided adequate coverage for my head and easily tucks away into the collar when it isn't needed, and has an elastic bungee cord for adjustment. The zipper pockets were great for stashing my cell phone and camera and kept those dry as well.

I purchased this jacket in the Groovy Pink color, which is a very bright, bold pink...great for when you'd like a pop of color when the weather outside is gloomy and gray. I'm typically a size small to medium (I'm 5'4" and 125 lb), and purchased this in a medium so I could layer under during cold weather for year-round wear...it's pretty roomy if you only have on a single layer, but will fit well over additional layers and I personally prefer the more relaxed fit. The cut of the jacket keeps it from looking *too* bulky.

For those interested, I'd also purchased (and returned) the following jackets:

1) Sierra Designs Microlight 2 - would've been my 2nd choice after the Columbia Switchback, due to its fit, packability (comes with its own pouch) and roomy hood. However, after testing a drop of water on the fabric, the water gradually seeped through after sitting for a few minutes. Probably only good for light rain and I wanted something more water resistant.

2) Columbia Auroras Wake II - the fabric of this one is similar to the Sierra Designs Microlight 2, so not as water resistant as I would've liked. It's also more of a rain jacket with an inner lining for some additional warmth, and if it had the ability to pack into itself, I couldn't figure it out! Sizing seemed to run smaller than the Switchback (probably due to the lining), but still fit me okay.

3) Charles River Pack-n-Go Windbreaker - this is actually a men's jacket, but I figured I'd give it a try...I kinda figured it wouldn't be my best bet, but I thought it might surprise me (nope). The overall size of the XS that I'd ordered was okay, but it was a looser, bulkier overall fit that I didn't like.

I was able to get this jacket for about 50% of the original price, and since it worked out well for my particular need, I couldn't be happier with my purchase. I'm considering keeping it in my car in anticipation of unexpected weather, and am even considering buying another one to keep in my purse!