Review: Columbia Compactor

Columbia Sportswear is an outdoor industry veteran with decades of experience and a high level of brand trust. Their products typically aren’t high-end or dedicated performance pieces; instead, they’re the kind of clothing you find yourself wearing for casual outdoor use and slipping on everyday. The Compactor is their leading entry into the down sweater world, differentiated by its lower profile styling and Omni-Heat reflective lining. To see how the Compactor stacks up against the competition, see our article on the best down jackets. For improved wet-weather performance, we’ve also tested and written about the leading synthetic jackets. 

Performance

Warmth

The sleek Columbia Compactor is not the warmest down sweater we tested. And, to be fair, achieving the greatest warmth wasn’t Columbia’s goal. Making a lower profile down jacket won’t equate with being major insulator, when greater down loft means greater warmth. Despite having premium down insulation and getting a boost from the reflective Omni-Heat, the Compactor wasn’t as warm as the class leading Patagonia Down Sweater.

Sitting around at camp with just a light base layer underneath kept us warm until the temperatures dipped below the 40s. In our cold weather testing, it was very comparable to the OR Transcendent, a jacket that felt much bulkier and appeared to have more insulation. The level of warmth the Compactor provides still makes it a solid midlayer for skiing on all but the coldest of days.
 

Weight

The Compactor weighs in at 12.06 oz. for a small on our scale, which is reasonably light for a down sweater. Stacked up next to its direct competitors, it fairs well. We tested mediums for the others, as the fit is a bit different for the Compactor (more on that below). The über popular Patagonia Down Sweater weighs 12.80 ounces on our scale and the Outdoor Research Transcendent comes in at 12.87 ounces. All are impressively lightweight for the amount of warmth they provide.
 

Omni-Heat Reflective Lining

One of the features we were particularly interested in getting hands-on experience with was the Omni-Heat reflective lining of the Columbia Compactor. Using silver dots on the interior of the jacket, the Compactor is designed to reflect body heat, making for a warmer interior. It’s a proven concept, with emergency blankets and various other items using this technique, but it hadn’t been so comprehensively adopted into a clothing line. Columbia has invested quite a bit into Omni-Heat, with jackets ranging from this Compactor and their TurboDown collection all the way to ski shells and base layers.

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how much extra warmth is created by the Omni-Heat lining, but our testers definitely noticed the difference when used back-to-back with a jacket that does not have the lining. The jacket is impressively warm for its weight and does have a radiating effect on the inside. However, you do make some sacrifices in terms of breathability. When wearing the Compactor during strenuous activities like hiking or snowshoeing, it was easier to overheat than when wearing a non-lined down jacket. This means the Omni-Heat is great for casual wear and activities with low aerobic exertion or to stay warm on a chairlift, but less so for high-output activities if conditions are mild.

Down Fill Power and Weight

Columbia uses high quality 800-fill-power down for the Compactor, which contributes to good warmth and compressibility. Across the industry and relative to its price, the 800-fill stacks up very well. The Patagonia Down Sweater (800-fill), Montbell Frost Smoke (800-fill) and Rab Microlight (750-fill) all invested in high quality stuff, while the Outdoor Research Transcendent has a more budget friendly 650-fill down.

Fill weight is the actual amount of down used inside the jacket. Unfortunately, Columbia does not record this spec, but based on the high level of quality down and relatively low loft, we assume that there is less fill than the Down Sweater from Patagonia (that has 2.99 ounces of fill). In the case of the Compactor, fill power and fill weight aren’t the only factors creating warmth, as the Omni-Heat technology offers an assist. In the end, however, it still isn't as warm as some of the leading down sweaters.

Materials and Construction

The premium feel of the exterior fabrics on the Compactor is impressive, prompting comparisons to much more expensive jackets from Patagonia and Arc’teryx. The great hand feel was especially appreciated when contrasted with the cheaper and more dated fabrics used on its price competitor, the OR Transcendent. The interior fabric, which has the Omni-Heat lining, isn’t as soft to the touch. In contrast to the plush exterior, the interior struck as a bit more slippery and plasticky—a sacrifice of the reflective material. 

Construction is nicely done with good stitching quality and no loose threads. We did notice a few more feathers escaping out of the shell than some of the other down sweaters in our grouping. Not a major issue, though, as the shedding dissipated after continued use. The main zipper does not have the big teeth like the super burly Patagonia Down Sweater, but still gets the job done just fine. We experienced no issues with the zipper quality throughout the entire test. Overall, the combination of materials and quality of construction struck as exactly what should be expected from a jacket at the $200 price. Find it on sale, and then it’s a real bargain.
 

Durability: Denier Rating

The outer shell of the Compactor is 20D nylon, landing on the lighter end of our down sweater grouping. However, compared to the ultralight 7D and 10D fabrics, the Compactor is much better suited to resist ripping. For everyday use, light backpacking and skiing, 20D should be durable enough to sustain normal wear and tear (and hopefully not a tear). Our varied outdoor experiences with the jacket back up that assumption. 
 

Stuffing it Down

The lighter insulation, combined with reasonably thin materials, makes the Compactor suitably compactable. Stuffing it into the left hand pocket, the jacket measures approximately 8.75 x 6.75 x 4.5 inches, respectable numbers. The packing process is standard fare; the jacket easily fits into the turned out pocket and the two-sided zipper is plenty sturdy. Its reasonable packed size should travel well when space is at a premium.

Sizing and Fit

Sizing and fit was a bit of a challenge for our lanky gear testers. Based on research and communications with Columbia that the jacket runs big, we ordered a small instead of the usual medium. Unfortunately the small was as long as a typical medium (26.75-inch back length), except in the arms, which fit true to size. A medium would fit well in terms of arm length but would be long and baggy in the torso. This kind of cut does mean that if the jacket will primarily be worn over a thicker layer, you could probably still order your normal size and make use of the additional space. Side hem adjustments do allow the jacket to be easily adjusted to either accommodate some extra layers underneath or cinch down if you’re not.

For us, it just falls in an awkward in-between spot for sizing. Accordingly, we concluded that wearing the Compactor as a standard midlayer is more suitable for larger frames than taller and skinnier frames (this is the opposite of an athletic cut jacket like those from Arc’teryx).
 

Looks

The Compactor looks very much like a typical Columbia jacket: classic and subtle lines with the standard Columbia logo on the chest. A number of colors are available, and should make shoppers happy. The only radical part of the jacket is kept mostly hidden on the inside. It’s always a bit of a surprise to see that disco ball Omni-Heat interior when you hang the Compactor over a chair.

The Competition

The Columbia Compactor struck us as a solid option from a trusted brand. For some, the reflective lining of the interior might be a turn off, and it did require an adjustment process for us. But we grew to appreciate the benefits that came along with it. If you love Columbia, and their jackets fit you well, it’s a no-brainer. For the same price (retail) as the OR Transcendent, you get greater warmth and a nicer feeling down jacket. The Patagonia Down Sweater remains the more premium and warmer option, but expect to fork over some extra cash. And that jacket is just about everywhere—if those things matter to you. To sum up (literally) our feelings on the Compactor: good price + good quality = good buy!