Really impressed with this Columbia Watertight II jacket. When first ordering, I wanted the MED size, but it was out of stock. Anticipating some rainy weather, I opted to deal with the large--and if it didn't fit well--I'd return it. For about $46+ (price has increased to $51+ as of this post), this jacket had all the right qualities I'd been looking for (water and wind resistant/proof, adjustable hood and price). Lucky me! It fits nicely (not as snug as I wanted, but good enough). It's good around the chest area, but a little generous around the waist. Not bad though. Used it twice so far, for riding the bike at night (commuting). I live in the Magic City, so the weather this time of year is often perfect (upper 70s during the day and 60s at night). Well, some nights are a bit nippier (upper 50s), and I'd already "dealt with" some cooler night rides. I love that weather too, but didn't want to increase chances of getting sick. Wind doesn't help, and the prediction of rain would really spoil the commute. Even a light mist will soak you in minutes, when traveling at 12-18mph (plus wind). Since we're talking about a hybrid bike with a rack, and not a road bike, the commute usually involves shorts and a shirt in daylight (with a change of clothes inside the knapsack--on the rack), and a return night trip with the possible addition of long sleeve, henley-style shirt. For all you folks up north, my apologies...this review describing relatively nice weather is not meant to cause any issues. Hopefully it can help when the Spring comes around. Well, the Columbia Watertight II packs nicely in a knapsack. There is mention (on the manufacturer's label) of some "hidden" pocket for packing it. The mysterious pocket is REALLY well hidden, for I have yet to find it. I decided to fold the jacket on itself, roll it up and stow it in the hood (possible missing pocket?), then stuff it in a 8.5"x11" padded envelope (to save space in the knapsack). The padded envelope is not essential, but it keeps things separated. Though not very pretty, it works for now. I'm sure a nylon zip bag would be even better. So far, I've used the jacket twice. Both nights were clear and cool (upper 50s, maybe low 60s). With the flu going around, I didn't want to tempt fate. Well, let me tell you...this jacket ROCKS! When I first tried it on (at home, of course), it was a bit awkward. The zipper (a nylon flap covers the zipper making this a right-handed zip) is a bit smaller than normal (not sure why, since it's an easy fix), but comes with a cord attached to help pull it up or down. It zips cleanly both up and down. There are velcro strips (hook and loop, if you prefer) along the zipper line, to help seal the front of the jacket from wind and rain. The velcro can be a little annoying at first, especially to those of us not used to dealing with the zip+velcro combination. After wearing a few times, it's no longer an issue. When un-zipping with one hand, simply use the other to help un-stick the velcro. On the road, this Columbia Watertight II jacket blocks or diverts the wind completely. The material really doesn't let any wind through. The hood is adjustable, with a nifty tighten-loosen system. A stretchy cord woven into the hood has ends that exit at the base of the hood, on either side. Each of those ends fit through a small cylinder (on each side of the hood) that gently holds the cord snug and in place. Pull on the cord just enough, and it will either loosen or tighten. Pretty good system, since the material is light weight. There is a token lip/visor at the top of the hood, but no support or insert to keep its shape correctly. Ah well, not bad anyway. The jacket interior is lined with a mesh material that feels nice and it prevents your arms from sweating directly onto the inside of the nylon jacket material. On a cool night (upper 50s), this Columbia Watertight II jacket was immediately comfortable and retained body heat inside. Within seconds, I felt the difference between just wearing the two shirt combo (short sleeve + henley) and adding this very lightweight jacket. While riding, it was a pleasure to wear, by allowing me to keep comfy and preventing wind from buffeting my ears (the wind isn't bad at all, but seems to pick up tremendously while riding). After arriving home with some heat build up, the jacket was very easy to remove. My arms did not stick to the inside and I wasn't sweaty. As mentioned above, it's very light, so you can hang it anywhere. Due to the good heat retention, my guess is that it has limited breathability (Mr. Webster, is that a word?). For now that's fine. Am thinking that if it does become an issue, a trusty old henley underneath will solve the problem. I give this product 5 stars for wind resistance and heat retention in cool temps. I'm confident it would keep you somewhat comfortable down into the windy 40s, with just a long sleeve shirt underneath. For the 30s, I'd be sure to wear more layers (including a sweater). Other buying options I checked into were on Columbia dot com's website. It's on sale there for $59.99, but also involves "points". Keep an eye out for follow up review after the rains come...
