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In late September, I spent a week in Iceland (the land and person shown above), where shoulder season means the only constant is inconsistency. Some days it rained, shined, poured, then clouds parted—and that was just before noon. This meant that my daypack had all manner of apparel in it. And with average daily temperatures around 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit, the piece I wore the most—from glaciers to black sand beaches—was the soft but durable Columbia Titanium jacket, a fleece featuring Omni-Heat Arctic solar-capture insulation (the top image below).
Inspired by polar bears, the layer closest to the body collects and retains energy from the sun. This sealed-in heat, combined with DWR-treated panels on the shoulders/hood, meant I had no issue through fog, drizzle, sea spray, etc. And if I was standing for particularly blustery periods, I could reach for the Arctic Crest Down Jacket (the middle image), a packable 700-fill down puffer with a custom lining for maximum warmth retention balanced with breathability. One thing I never swapped out, however, was the supportive, waterproof Konos TRS Outdry Mid Hiking Shoe (the bottom image), which helped me wade behind raging waterfalls and trudge many miles to thermal springs without getting my feet wet or leaving my arches aching.
If you’ve got an adventurous soul in the family who could use some accessorizing, these are the perfect pieces for the outdoorsy, and they’re 25% off for Black Friday if you act fast. (And if you want to know more about the development of the Omni-Heat Arctic clothing designs, I’ll be publishing a piece after Cyber Monday.)
Columbia Sportswear Arctic Crest Sherpa Full Zip Fleece Jacket $90 (Was $120)
Mark Going/Columbia
Columbia Sportswear Arctic Crest Down Jacket $195 (Was $260)
Mark Going/Columbia
Konos TRS Outdry Mid Hiking Shoe $97 (Was $130)
Mark Going/Columbia
