Innovation is rarely a bad thing, and Columbia is always out there innovating. The OutDry Ex Reign Jacket takes the waterproof membrane and uses it on the face of the jacket, leaving you with a waterproof yet highly glossy jacket. The seam taping is on the exterior of the jacket and can give the jacket a “safety vest” look. What this allows for is a softer interior fabric that is used to wick sweat away. It’s a very interesting design that is in some ways futuristic in both design and looks. There are still pit zips and a massive hood, so all in all, if you like the look, you’ll like this jacket.

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Columbia has used some innovative techniques to create a unique performing jacket that looks like it stepped out of the SpaceX production facility. While it’s great to have a jacket that’s futuristic and flashy, at the end of the day, it’s more important that it’s functional and keeps you dry. The Columbia OutDry Ex Reign accomplishes this goal, but there are a few shortfalls in the design.

Weather-Proofing

Columbia has turned the standard rain jacket design inside out; they’ve put the waterproof and breathable membrane directly on the exterior of the jacket, giving it a plastic, shiny look. On the inside of the jacket, there is a softer fabric-like layer that is comfortable against the skin and helps to wick sweat away from the body. There are some problems with breathability too. It is a thicker jacket and air does not seem to circulate too well when you are sweating. There are large pit zips to help dump heat, but on its own, the breathability is lacking.

An exterior waterproof membrane eliminates the need for any DWR (durable water repellent) coating, and DWR coatings are usually the first thing to fade on a rain jacket. This does speak well of the potential durability of the jacket, as you won’t have to treat it to keep the waterproofing functional. The seam taping is also on the outside of the jacket, which gives the jacket a bit of a “safety vest” look. The taping is grey, and on every jacket color with the exception of the grey jacket, the seam taping really stands out. For most jackets, the taping is on the interior.

Weight and Durability

At 14oz (398g), the OutDry Ex Reign is around the middle of the pack in terms of weight. Some testers say that it feels a bit thick, which may be a cause for the breathability issues. However, a thicker material often lends itself to being a more durable material that can withstand the bumps and grinds of a day in the forest.

As mentioned earlier, with no DWR coating, you won’t have to worry about the jacket “wetting out.” It is unknown how well the outer membrane will last while wearing a backpack for a long period of time, but in the short term, everything seems to be holding up very well and the zippers are solid, with zipper garages on the pockets as well.

Features

The star feature of the jacket is the hood—this thing is massive. There’s plenty of room to wear a helmet underneath, as well as the ability to dial in the fit using velcro and a couple of cinches if you are not wearing a helmet. The two handwarmer pockets are in a low position, so they’ll be inaccessible if you’re utilizing the hip belts on a backpack. The pockets have seam taping and zipper garages to really make the jacket feel like an impenetrable fortress.

There are two pit zips to help dump heat, and the mesh-lined pockets can also be opened to help let heat escape if you are getting especially hot. The jacket does not pack down into any of its pockets, so packability is not really a thing, but it can roll down quite small into its hood and be stored that way.

The Bottom Line

The Columbia OutDry Ex Reign is a cool, innovative jacket that is trying something new in a fairly set-in-its-ways rain jacket industry. Is the design perfect? No, but there are some great things about it. The fact you don’t need to worry about the DWR coating of the jacket is a huge plus, and we can’t get over how good the hood is. The fit of the jacket is quite boxy and non-athletic, so be warned that it may fit quite large. The lack of a chest pocket and the lower position of the hand pockets are drawbacks when wearing a backpack.

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