This is an inexpensive, 3-in-1 style jacket that is an excellent deal for someone on a budget and in need of a ski layer, but it is not the top performing jacket we reviewed.
The Columbia Bugaboo kept us warm on the slopes. The previous version used Omni-Heat technology, which is a series of tiny reflective aluminum dots that are supposed to reflect radiated body heat back towards the body, keeping the heat inside your jacket. The current version has a combination of micro fleece and synthetic insulation as an inner liner jacket.
The Bugaboo uses the same waterproof technology as in the Columbia Whirlibird. During our tests, we found this material to initially bead moisture but then eventually the water soaked into the fabric. This material is not as water resistant as the Arc'teryx Meta.
We sometimes found this jacket too warm and were disappointed because the pit-zips only open up the outer layer, and do not vent all the way through the jacket. We did notice that on a hot day when we were sweating, the inner layer was dry and the inside of the shell was damp. This means that inner jacket was allowing moisture to pass through, wicking sweat away from the body, but then the moisture was not escaping through the outer shell.
We found that the Bugaboo has the same issues with its ski features as the Whirlibird. We think the two separate layers work really well individually, but when put together they make the jacket less functional. The powder skirt suffers functionally and in ease of use when the interior layer is attached. Furthermore, the inner pockets of the outer shell are not accessible.
This jacket tends to blend in with the pack, so if hate sticking out, this is the jacket for you. We are disappointed with the current color choices in this jacket, being only available in black or white.
This jacket is quite comfortable, although its fabric is slightly stiffer than the Whirlibird.
