Disclosure: The Columbia Field Test Team contacted me to try these apparel products at no cost to myself. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete a survey after trying the items. I was not pressured to write this review, nor was I pressured to make a positive endorsement.
Columbia describes their Triple Trail Shell jacket as “a lightweight-yet-warm bonded construction that blends Omni-Tech® waterproof breathability with our innovative thermal reflective liner and strategically placed stretch panels.” This is one of those fancy high-tech truly protective hard shell jackets that is great for keeping you dry, and combined with appropriate underneath layers will keep you totally warm as well. What is unique and different is Columbia’s new Omni-Heat® thermal reflective inner lining that returns the heat your body generates.
The jacket has full-seam sealing so it is completely waterproof, including the outer zippers. It has an adjustable storm hood, a drawcord at the bottom hem to secure your torso, and zip-open underarm vents if you get a little too warm and need some air. The cuffs have velcro connectors to assure a tight fit around the wrist. The first time I used the jacket was climbing Mt. LeConte in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a windy 30° day in late November with a very damp fog and mist. As you can imagine, I needed every bit of the warmth and dryness provided by the jacket. I noticed right away the hood protected me from the cold wind. It was quite a relief. Otherwise, it would have been a very long uncomfortable hike. On some of the steeper stretches when I started to sweat, the underarm vents really helped to keep me from overheating.
The shell is made of 100% nylon in three layers. The trim lining is 89% nylon and 11% elastane to allow for stretching when worn over several layers. The interior includes a zip closed security pocket that is great for protecting expensive electronic equipment like an iPhone, as well as another open interior pocket that is perfect for a knit cap or balaclava. The outer pockets are completely waterproof and roomy enough for your hands, and for a camera and large gloves, items I like having close and available. The back center of the jacket is a touch longer than the front to keep your lower back and butt covered.
Because of the polyester construction, you can wad up the jacket to stuff it in your pack. No need to worry about folding it all neat and tidy because when it comes out it springs back to shape and is not a wrinkly mess. It can be laundered at home. Just put it in the washer by itself in cold water without any bleach. You can also put it in your tumble dryer on low heat, and you can even use a low heat iron on it if necessary. Do not dry clean. Mostly though, any dirt or mud will come right off with a wet cloth.
I’ve never had a hard shell jacket before because I always thought they would be stiff and restrictive. After wearing the Triple Trail I discovered I was mistaken. Because of the lightweight construction, it wasn’t the least bit inhibiting and moved very well with me. I love the way the jacket protected me on that cold, windy, wet day on Mt. LeConte. My camera, my phone, my gear and I stayed completely dry and a lot less cold than I might have been otherwise. Thank goodness it was especially protective against the wind, as it was a really raw day.
In the time I’ve been using the Triple Trail Shell I only have two negative comments. While the front zipper works perfectly well when the jacket is off, it is tight and difficult to lower when the jacket is on. I suspect that will improve as I continue to break in the jacket. After a particularly grueling section of climbing I had worked up a pretty good sweat. My baselayer clothing did a nice job of wicking the perspiration to the outer shell. When I got to a warm shelter and took off the jacket, I noticed there was a film of moisture on the thermal reflective lining. By the time I put the jacket back on 20 minutes later, it was completely dry, but it makes me wonder if the Omni-Heat® lining is affecting the wicking properties of the shell.
I’m a little guy, so I like that Columbia has a size small to fit me. On the other side of the scale, this jacket goes up to size XXL. It does have a snug fit, so if you plan on wearing the shell over a ski jacket or something heavy, I would recommend going up a size from your normal. However, if you only plan on wearing it over layered shirts and sweaters, the fit is true to size. The men’s styling comes in three colors: (1) Hot Rod, Red Element, Dynasty (a red and blue combo), (2) Black (seen above) and (3) Abyss (dark blue). For the women the colors are: (1) Imperial (a light blue, dark blue combo), (2) Leapfrog (yellow, blue and red), and (3) Black.
Columbia also sent me their new Baselayer Midweight Long Sleeve 1/2 Zip and Baselayer Midweight Tight to try. From the moment I first put these on I loved the fit. They are nicely tight to the skin, making for a very comfortable yet protective first layer. The fabric is very stretchy so they maintain that snug fit even after several hours, and also after laundering.
The Columbia marketing types tell us the top’s “bodymapped design keeps you warm and dry in all the right spots by placing Omni-Heat® reflective dots in zones that need warmth most, and Omni-Wick™ in high-perspiration zones for maximum moisture transmission. Antimicrobial treatment keeps the fabric feeling (and smelling) fresh during high-exertion activities, while a deep neck zipper helps you moderate heat when you need to.” I found all of that to be true. I have worn these baselayer items a lot in the past few weeks and they definitely work as advertised. They have superior wicking qualities, drying very quickly — and they do not stink. I can wear the shirt and tights multiple times between washing with no unpleasant odor. The zipper makes the top easy to get on and off, and I like the height of the neckline; kind of a mock turtle.
The tights have a wicking waistband that sits slightly below the waist and an inseam of 29.5 inches. On me, that comes just above my ankles, so they fit comfortably either under or over socks. The tights do not have a fly, so guys, keep that in mind. The fabric of both items is 86% polyester/14% elastane. Laundering is simple — cold water wash with no bleach and no fabric softener, and a gentle tumble dry with no iron. Ironing isn’t even necessary because of the polyester fabric. I’ve found them to be wrinkle free. Don’t dry clean.
A nice feature on the baselayer top is the thumb holes. With conventional long sleeve shirts, when you put on gloves the sleeves tend to ride up leaving exposed skin between the cuff and gloves. With the thumb holes, the sleeves are held securely underneath the gloves. No more exposed skin at the wrists. Just be sure to put your watch on after you do this rather than before. Live and learn, y’know. The top has a nice long tail so it is easy to tuck in your pants, and stays that way.
The top comes in sizes XS through XXL and in three colors for men and four for women. There is no XXL for women. The tights have the same sizing choices and three colors for women but only black for men.
There’s only one thing I can find negative about these baselayer products. They do a terrific job of wicking perspiration and staying dry, however I’ve noticed that after they dry from a session of exertion, the areas with Omni-Heat® reflective dots dry a little tacky, or sticky. It isn’t a nuisance, but it is noticeable. Otherwise the fabric is very soft and comfortable to the skin, including the reflective dots.
Final result? I am very happy with the Columbia Triple Trail Shell and the Baselayer Midweight Long Sleeve 1/2 Zip and Baselayer Midweight Tight. My experiences with each have been very positive. I would purchase these products even if they were not given to me to field test. The jacket is a fine piece of protective outerwear that will last for years and years, if not decades. The baselayer top and tights are on par with comparable products from other outdoor gear companies. These are all products that will not languish in the back of my closet. They will be used frequently.
Disclosure: The Columbia Field Test Team contacted me to try these apparel products at no cost to myself. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete a survey after trying the items. I was not pressured to write this review, nor was I pressured to make a positive endorsement.
As the hot season arrived, I thought I’d try some of the extremely lightweight hiking apparel available now. I’ve had a Patagonia sweater for 30 years that works and fits as good as new, so I thought I’d look at their offerings. Patagonia marked down a lot of their summer stuff for end-of-season, so I purchased their Trail Maker Shorts and Capilene 1 SW Stretch T-Shirt. It’s fair to say I loved them both the first time I put them on, and using them has done nothing to change my mind.
The Trail Maker Shorts [pictured above] are made of very lightweight microfiber polyester that is recycled from used soda bottles, unusable second quality fabrics and worn out garments, and 9% spandex. The inner liner is moisture-wicking and formfitting, using a soft and stretchy tricot fabric that is very comfortable and supportive. It is then coated with Patagonia’s proprietary Deluge® DWR, a water repellent finish. Add all that together and you have a remarkably comfortable and airy pair of shorts.
I’m a little guy. I am 5’9″ and weigh about 138 pounds, with a 30″ waist. So I wear size small clothing. It’s getting harder and harder to find size small these days. It seems like the scale keeps getting larger and larger too. What is a medium now is what used to be XL 20 years ago, or so it seems to me. Patagonia offers size small, and even x-small in some items. The liner layer fit nicely snug like I like, a fit I have trouble finding in other lined shorts. The first time I wore them was during my daily exercise walk and core workout. Unlike with cotton underwear, the liner kept me dry, with no chafing or other irritating friction. There was no bunching or riding up; the shorts liner stayed snug around my thighs and butt. I have since found the same comfort when out on the trail for hours at a time.
The outer layer is so light and breathable, it’s like having next to nothing on. The length is just above my knees, an 11″ inseam. The waistband is elasticized, with a drawstring, but the sizing was perfect for me without having to adjust the string. There are plenty of pockets for hiking, but because of the lightweight nature of the material, it is easy for small items to fall out of the pockets when seated. There are two front drop-in pockets that are plenty big enough for my point-and-shoot camera. The two back pockets are also large, with one being zippered. There is an elasticized key fob in the zippered pocket to help with that all-important car key security. That’s one of my hiking nightmares — losing my keys out in the wilderness. There is also a side pocket down the right leg that is perfect for my iPhone. It has a velcro closure that holds the phone securely in place.
The small, subtle Patagonia logo on the front and back of the shorts is reflective, if you happen to be out after dark. Have to pee? Pull them down, there is no fly in these shorts. For some reason they’ve sewn a faux fly into the shorts for appearance — kinda hokey and unnecessary in my view.
Natural fibers like cotton, and the wool your mother made you wear growing up, tend to hold moisture. Through exertion, like climbing a mountain, I sweat, even when it’s cold. Likely you do too. A cotton t-shirt next to my skin would simply soak up the perspiration, and hold it in the shirt. This can cause chafing, but worse, it adds unnecessary weight to the garment, and you run the risk of overheating. For the past decade or so, apparel manufacturers have gotten much better at creating “wicking” baselayer products to keep us dry. Microfibers and polyesters have been good choices for this. Wicking occurs because of capillary action, the ability of water to flow through porous materials. If the base layer wicks moisture away from your skin, you stay cooler in summer, and warmer when it’s cold out.
The Capilene 1 SW Stretch T-Shirt has also been delightful for me. Capilene® is Patagonia’s proprietary microfiber fabric. This is their lightest weight Capilene tee, the SW stands for silk weight. Capilene baselayers feature a moisture-wicking polyester fabric that dries quickly. I found that even after a strenuous climb, or session of exercise, the shirt would totally air dry within 20 minutes, or less. Like the shorts, Capilene polyester is also recycled, recyclable and features Gladiodor® garment odor control.
The shirt does have 15 UPF sun protection rating, not a lot compared to other microfibers, but remember this is their lightest weight Capilene. The heavier Capilene also has a higher UPF level. Like the shorts, the tee was sized just right for me. It has a snug, but not overly restrictive fit. The length is good — it can be worn out, or is long enough to tuck in and show your fabulous abs. This particular shirt is a crew neck with a ribbed collar.
I’ve worn the shorts and shirt hiking a couple times now and they maintain their shape well. Despite sweating considerably, neither item holds my body odor, unlike some other microfibers I’ve tried that smell horrible from perspiration. I’ve laundered each and there was no shrinkage, or stretching, no snags in the material. They both maintained the same snug, comfortable fit they had when new. Patagonia advertises that their garments with the Deluge® DWR finish have like-new water repellency after years of extensive use. We shall see.
This is good stuff. I am very happy with my Patagonia shorts and shirt purchases, but I’m not surprised because Patagonia has built a solid reputation for quality, durable products for decades. They are a bit pricey, but don’t let the sticker shock dissuade you. If my thirty year old sweater is any indicator you definitely get your money’s worth. Do like I did and wait for their end-of-season markdowns or holiday sales.
I have not received compensation for the endorsement of this product. The product was not given to me by the manufacturer or any of their representatives. I paid for the product myself.
Disclosure: The Columbia Field Test Team contacted me to try these shoes at no cost to myself. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete a survey after trying the shoes. I was not pressured to write this review, nor was I pressured to make a positive endorsement.
On May 29, 2011 the Columbia Field Test Team emailed me the following:
Send us your mailing address, [shoe size] before this Tuesday, and we will send you a free pair of Master of Faster Low Omni-Tech shoes to try out in the field. We’ll follow up with a survey to capture your feedback after the test. Your expert feedback, honest and forthcoming, is what we will ask for in return. Tell us about the conditions you put it through. Tell us how it performs. Tell us how you feel.
So, I took them up on their offer. On June 17, 2011 I received the shoes.
When trying on the Columbia Master of Faster Low Omni-Tech for the first time, my initial reaction was that they are rather stiff and would require some breaking in. They seem to be built more like a lighter weight low-top hiking boot than a trail running shoe. The next couple weeks would tell me if that was a good thing. The fit is snug, which I like. I don’t like my foot moving around inside the shoe. Blisters are more likely to occur with a shoe that is too loose. Because of the stiffness, I thought it best to break in the shoes for a week or so before I wore them on a hike. I walk 3-4 miles every day for exercise, so the Columbia’s became my walking shoes. After about a week, some of the stiffness began to go away.
From the Columbia marketing team I was told, “The breathable mesh upper features Omni-Tech® waterproof-breathable technology for protection against the elements, welded seams for minimal-yet-strong support, and a Techlite™ collar and tongue for a comfortable fit. A three-part Techlite midsole with multiple density settings provides cushioning and support where you need it most, and a high-traction outsole boasts a built-in independent suspension system for great grip no matter what you’re cruising on.”
The first hike I wore the Columbia’s on was to Panthertown Valley, more than eight miles, so a good first test to be sure. When I hit the trail the shoes felt good. They were comfortable around my hiking socks and had good traction on the dirt and gravel surfaces of the trails. After a couple miles, I was into the hike and wasn’t even thinking about the shoes, always a good thing. When I am out on the trail, the last thing I want to worry about is if my gear is causing me distress.
The Master of Faster is very lightweight, only 12¼ ounces for a size 9. That weight is very comparable to other low-top hiking shoes I have worn. The Techlite midsole and Omni-Grip® high-traction rubber compound outsole provide the necessary cushioning and surface grip without adding significant weight to the shoes. I wanted to test the gripping capability of the outsole, so I took note when my friend and I were climbing a particularly steep granite trail section that had a wet surface. I was able to stride right along without any hint of a slip or slide. I did slide, however, in one muddy section, but I think it would have happened even in golf spikes. I left about a four inch skid mark where the trail crew had completely skinned the trail surface. It had rained the night before and left this area prone for slippage — not the shoe’s fault.
I also wanted to test the Omni-Tech® waterproofing liner that protects the inside of the shoes. Near the end of the hike I put my foot into a creek up nearly to the top of the shoe and held it there for about 10 seconds. When I pulled it out, my sock was still completely dry, and the shoe did not seem any more heavy from water saturation than it had been before. Waterproofing in a hiking shoe is very important to me because I do a lot of creek crossings and squishy mud tromping. The Omni-Tech® liner did not appear to be quite as breathable as other shoes with waterproof liners that I have worn. Either the mesh upper is not quite as airy, or the liner is a little heavier, but my feet got just a little bit hot when wearing the shoes for five hours.
The Columbia’s definitely passed their first excursion out on the trail. I had no blisters or other foot discomfort. My shins and knees were fine as well. I had no bruising on the bottom of my feet from rocky, rooty trail. I did not slip on wet rocks, and they stayed dry when I dipped my foot in the creek. When I got home and took them off, they did leave a little pile of trail crumbs that had gotten inside the shoes, something to keep an eye on for the next test.
A week later I wore the Columbia’s on a longer hike, this one a full 18 miles and eight hours. This would be a very good test as I absolutely have to trust my shoes when hiking that far. I did many of the same tests as the week before with water resistance and rock grippage. There was one especially steep downhill section of trail where there was a kind of loose marbling effect from pebbles and broken stones. It was so steep I was quite worried about slipping. The shoes handled it beautifully. The grip was superb.
Over such a long hike, I hit just about every trail surface there is in western North Carolina. There was gravel forest service road, wet and muddy black dirt, granite stone, roots and even a little red clay for good measure. The shoes performed equally well on all surfaces. My feet did get a bit warm again. After 13 miles I took the shoes off to dip my feet in the river, but I would have done that with any shoe.
This shoe style is presently available in three colors for men; Castlerock and Lime Green, Black and Chilli Pepper (the one they sent me), and Dark Shadow and Golden Glow. It also comes in Moonrock and Amporo Blue for women as well as a mid-top version if you need additional ankle protection and support.
Final result? I am very happy with the Columbia Master Of Faster Low Omni-Tech Trail Running Shoe. The cushioning is terrific. I managed an 18 mile hike with only tired feet, not sore. Again no blisters, no water leakage, no slipping. It’s only fair to say I did have another pile of trail crumbs when I took the shoes off. Apparently the upper doesn’t fit quite securely around my ankles. It certainly isn’t a comfort issue, but little pieces of debris do get inside the shoes. However, it was never anything I felt the need to remove the shoes to dump them out. The positives of this shoe far outweigh any minor negative annoyances. After more than two weeks of wear, and two long hikes, the stiffness is a thing of the past. If you are looking for a lightweight, durable, tough low-top hiking shoe, the Columbia Master of Faster is worth considering.
Disclosure: The Columbia Field Test Team contacted me to try these shoes at no cost to myself. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete a survey after trying the shoes. I was not pressured to write this review, nor was I pressured to make a positive endorsement.
I am Jeff Clark, founder of Internet Brothers and passionate hiker. I live in western NC near the Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah National Forest, so the content will focus on this area, but let me know what you would like to see on the site. 
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