Do Columbia Jackets Run Small? (Which One Runs Small?)

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Yes, there are complaints about Columbia jackets fitting and running small, this is especially the case with many women’s jackets.

We all know Columbia is one of those brands that are the go-to shop for the budget people and thus the first-time buyer of Columbia jackets usually feels worried about their fitting because they come at very affordable prices.

If you are one of those kinds then keep reading the article because I am going in-depth about what you’ve just read in the first paragraph.

Read Also: Do Patagonia Jackets Run Small?

How well Columbia Jackets Fit?

Honestly, no one can say whether a brand-made jacket fits well with everyone.

So here I will discuss this topic in explicit terms by summarizing what other people experienced.

Columbia jackets are true to size meaning the jackets are exactly the size you opt for during purchase but I’ve seen people discussing in forums and Amazon reviews that Columbia Jackets can run small or big.

Read Also: Do Patagonia Jackets Run Small?

Although the issues are not that big like for someone the shoulders are shaped round and large, for another the fit goes tight when adding a shirt, for some, it’s too big, for some it’s too small.

And on the flip side, the other person is truly delighted with the size he got.

Rain Jacket Fitting

When scrolling through Amazon and Columbia reviews I found that many old Columbia rain jackets have this issue of running small and on the other hand everyone is satisfied by the fit of new rain jackets like Watertight II and Omni Tech Ampli Dry Shell Jacket.

This clearly tells us that Columbia is continuously improving their rain jacket fits.

The only reason for this is they started to make separate rain jackets models for different sizing. For example, nowadays you can easily find jackets that are labeled as small, big, and tall which minimizes the complaints of rain jackets running small or big.

Read Also: Are Columbia Jackets Good?

Here’s the table for some popular rain jackets and their fitting:

Columbia Rain Jackets Name	Runs Big or Small
M’s Watertight™ II Rain Jacket	Fits Perfectly
M’s EvaPOURation™ Rain Jacket	Runs a Bit Big
M’s Glennaker Lake™ Rain Jacket	Runs Big
M’s OutDry™ Ex Reign Jacket	Fit’s Perfectly
W’s Arcadia™ II Rain Jacket	Runs Small
W’s Switchback™ III Jacket	Run’s Small
W’s Pardon My Trench™ Rain Jacket	Fits Perfectly
Women’s EvaPOURation™ Jacket	Run’s Small

Insulated Jacket Fitting:

But what about Insulated jackets, do they run small? With insulated jackets, the people mostly complain about Columbia running big.

Here’s the table for some famous Columbia Insulated Jackets and what people think about their Sizing.

Columbia Insulated Jacket Name	Runs Small or Big
M’s Barrett Spur Black Dot Parka	Runs Big
M’s Powder Lite Jacket	True to Size
M’s Three Forks Jacket	Fit’s Perfectly
M’s Whirlibird IV Insulated Interchange Jacket	Runs Big
W’s Carson Pass Interchange Jacket	Fit’s Perfectly
W’s Heavenly™ Long Hooded Jacket	Run’s Little Small
W’s Suttle Mountain™ Long Insulated Jacket	Runs’s Small & Run’s Big For Some
W’s Mt.Defiance Hybrid Jacket	Fit’s Perfectly

Read Also: Are Arc’teryx Jackets Worth It?

How To Find Which Columbia Jackets Will Run Smaller?

There are two options to check whether your desire Columbia jacket will most likely run smaller or not.

Online Method:

You’ll be surprised by knowing that Columbia’s official website has an in-built feature that gives you an idea about the jacket fit.

Which most of the time neglected by us.

Columbia offers a feature called Fit Predictor which advises you whether to consider sizing up or down your selected jacket.

You can find this underneath the size section of any Columbia jacket.

Here’s the screenshot.

But, don’t merely rely on this feature because when I looked at reviews still many people complain that the Acardia II rain jacket runs small.

Thus read some reviews of your selected jacket on the Columbia website itself about size and fitting.

Also do not blindly trust the third-party reviews because there is a chance that they are fake.

Offline Method:

It is very simple because for this you need to remove your laziness and go to an offline store to try the jackets first hand and if it fits you well, you can either purchase it directly from the store or on the Columbia website, whatever you feel is right.

Can I Return The Unfit Jacket Back To Columbia?

Yes, you can check out the Columbia return policy which stated that you can return any item that doesn’t serve you well back within 60 days from the date of shipment.

Read Also: Do North Face Jackets Run Small?

If the jacket is bought from an offline store then you need to send it back to the offline store and if it is from Columbia.com then you need to send it back to columbia.com instead of the offline store.

To get as much clarity as I can, I contacted Columbia Customer Care for replacing or returning a jacket that runs small.

Here’s the transcript of my Chat with Columbia:

PaigeM: hello
Visitor: Hello PaigeM, It’s Michael
Visitor: 🙂
Visitor: I have a question related to W’s Arcadia™ II Rain Jacket
Visitor: I am planning to purchase Arcadia II for my sister but some reviews say that I can run smaller
Visitor: So if it runs smaller, Can I return or replace it for a bigger size and in how many days will I need to return it to get a refund or replace it to get a larger size.
PaigeM: I would say the jacket runs more true to size. It will be a classic/ modern fit. so, it is not a skinny or active fit style. That being said, if the jacket ends up being the wrong size. We have a 60 days return and exchange time frame on orders. We have a $6 return label fee for returns and exchanges online. We process exchanges as a two step process. So, it would be a return and then a new order placed for the correct size.
Visitor: Ok means first the jacket will return back to you and then with refund, I can order a larger size if needed
Visitor: In which form I’ll get my refund – Merchandise credit or to the method of purchase?
PaigeM: yes. you can reorder the new order whenever you would like. You don’t have to wait for the refund. But, there would be a charge associated with the new order. So, it may be a double charge for a bit until the return refund is processed. It just depends when you place the new order
PaigeM: We issue a refund to the original method of payment used on the order.
Visitor: Ok, but I somewhere read that you only do merchandise credit
PaigeM: No on regular returns and exchanges. We issue a refund to the original method of payment used. If you use a gift card, then we will issue a new gift card. We only issue merchandise credits on warranty returns or items sent in for warranty
Visitor: Ok
Visitor: Thanks for your help
Visitor: It really solve my doubt
Visitor: 🙂
PaigeM: My pleasure. Have a good day

Columbia Jackets Sizing Chart (Men’s)

Here’s the standard size chart for men’s tops.

All measurements are in inches.

SIze	Neck	Chest	Sleeve
XS	14-14.5	32-35	32
S	15-15.5	35-38	33
M	16-16.5	38-41	34
L	17-17.5	42-45	35
XL	18-18.5	46-49	36
XXL	19-19.5	50-53	37

Columbia Jackets Sizing Chart (Women’s)

Here’s the standard size chart for women’s tops.

All measurements are in inches.

Size	Top Size	Bust	Waist	Hips
XS	2	32.5-33.5	25-26.5	34-35.5
S	4/6	34.5-35.5	28-29	37-38
M	8/10	36.5-37.5	30-31	39-40
L	12/14	39-40.5	32.5-34	41.5-43
XL	16/18	42-43.5	35.5-37.5	44.5-46.5
XXL	20	44-46.5	38-41	47-50

Conclusion

I hope now you’re clear about the fitting issue of Columbia jackets. Let’s Conclude it in few lines.

Do Columbia Jackets Run Small? Yes, Columbia jackets run small but not all their jackets, the complaints about running small is mostly seen in the Columbia’s women’s jacket then that of Mens’.

Please share your opinions if you have worn Columbia jackets anytime in your life.

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