For over seven decades Columbia Sportswear has been designing apparel and footwear so that travellers and explorers across the globe can stay in the outdoors long after featherweight clothing has seen other adventurers head back indoors.
Named after the river in Portland, Oregon that inspired the Boyle family’s new home, originally called; Columbia Hat Company is still based there today, although now making far more than headwear and with a slight name change; as the weather conditions vary between the extremes so it makes it the perfect location to rigorously test every product to meet the high standards required of the Tested Tough stamp of approval.
In order to reach the Columbia Tested Tough requirements and the; “It’s perfect, now make it better.” directive set by company Chairman, Gert Boyle; each item of Columbia Clothing and footwear is worn and used in the worst conditions the Pacific Northwest has to offer, from wet and windy storms and sub-zero blizzards, to blistering heat. This results in Columbia Sportswear achieving no-nonsense clothing, accessories and footwear that will keep the wearer warm, dry, cool and protected regardless of the elements and terrain conditions.
Along the way, to achieve the Tested Tough status, Columbia has developed a number of fabric technology innovations which includes the Omni-Freeze ZERO, Omni-Heat and TurboDown insulation, plus the more recent OutDry Extreme used in rainwear for waterproofing without compromise on breathability or moisture wicking.
If you’re like us here at Gear Guru and love every aspect of an outdoors adventure then Columbia outdoor gear is worth testing for yourself on the next adventure.