The Columbia Trailborne 2.5L is an interesting waterproof jacket because it sits somewhere between an everyday rain jacket and a proper hiking shell. It’s designed to be versatile enough for everyday use, but still offers the waterproofing, ventilation and packability you need for outdoor activities.
At around £101, it’s also considerably cheaper than many of the more technical waterproof jackets on the market.
I’ve been testing the Columbia Trailborne 2.5L on rainy hikes and camping trips in the Black Mountains, as well as dog walks in the Wiltshire Downs and mountain bike rides. Conditions have generally been fairly mild, which has provided a good opportunity to test its ventilation as well as its waterproofing.
Overall, I’ve found it to be a capable and versatile waterproof, with particularly good ventilation for a jacket at this price. Its biggest weakness is the hood, which feels overly basic for a jacket intended to be used in wet and windy conditions.
Key Details
Price: £101
Weight: 345g
Best for: three-season hiking, casual wear
What we liked: lots of ventilation, two-way zip, large hand pockets, good price
What we didn’t like: chest pocket not fully waterproof, hood a little basic.
Waterproof fabric: Omni-Tech
Sizes: S-XXL (men’s), XS-XXL (women’s)
Pit zips: yes
Fit: large
★★★½☆
Top Line
The biggest appeal of the Columbia Trailborne 2.5L is its versatility. It’s protective enough for most UK hiking, but doesn’t look overly technical, so you could just as easily wear it around town, to work or on a bike ride.
It’s also lightweight and packable, making it easy to carry as a spare layer on longer walks. At the same time, the 2.5-layer construction means it isn’t the jacket I’d choose for demanding mountain days where durability is a priority.
Most importantly, at around £101, you get a lot of waterproof protection for your money.
Columbia Trailborne 2.5 Layer
★★★½
Waterproofing
The Trailborne has performed well in the rain during testing, including wind-driven rain and prolonged wet weather. It has provided the sort of protection I’d expect from a lightweight waterproof shell.
The main weakness is the hood. Its peak is relatively short and isn’t stiffened, so it doesn’t provide as much protection from rain as I’d like. There’s three-point adjustment, including a Velcro tab at the back, but I found this fairly basic and not particularly effective.
This is worth considering if you spend a lot of time in exposed mountain environments. A good hood can make a significant difference in really bad weather, and the Trailborne’s is one of the less impressive aspects of the jacket.
With a heavy backpack, I also found that the pressure from the shoulder straps could eventually push some moisture through during prolonged spells of heavy rain. For general hiking with a normal daypack, however, I’ve had no significant issues.
Breathability and Ventilation
Breathability is about what I’d expect from a lightweight 2.5-layer waterproof. Like many jackets using this type of construction, it isn’t going to feel as naturally comfortable as a highly breathable softshell when you’re working hard.
Columbia has, however, done a good job of providing ways to manage heat.
There are pit zips and venting hand pockets, giving you four useful points of ventilation. The two-way main zip provides another option, although there’s no button at the bottom to hold the jacket closed when using it that way.
These vents have proved particularly useful during milder weather and while cycling and even with the vents open, the Trailborne continued to provide good protection from wind and rain.
That makes the ventilation one of the jacket’s strongest features, particularly given its relatively low price.
Fit and Everyday Features
I found the fit slightly tricky. At 5ft 10in, I’m normally a Large these days, but the Large was a little baggy on me. If you’re between sizes, I’d suggest considering sizing down.
Related: Best Gifts for Hikers
The hand pockets are generously sized and can even accommodate an OS map, which is useful for hiking. Unfortunately, they sit behind a backpack hipbelt or climbing harness, limiting their usefulness when carrying a larger pack.
The two-way main zip does at least improve compatibility with a harness and is also useful for cycling.
There’s also a slightly concealed chest pocket, which gives the jacket a cleaner appearance. I would have liked to see a fully waterproof pocket for a phone or other valuables. The main zip has a water-resistant PU coating, but the chest pocket zip doesn’t, so I wouldn’t rely on it to protect anything particularly vulnerable to water.
The adjustable cuffs and hem provide useful opportunities to seal the jacket in bad weather.
Packability
The Trailborne packs down well, which is another reason I think it works particularly well as a general-purpose hiking jacket.
It compresses to roughly the size of a pint glass, and I’ve found it easy to stuff into the side mesh pocket of an Osprey Kestrel. It’s the sort of waterproof you can throw into your pack for a day on Yr Wyddfa without feeling particularly weighed down if the forecast turns out better than expected.
That packability also makes it suitable for multi-day hiking, where keeping weight and bulk down is important.
Durability
The fabric is soft and has a little stretch, while still feeling robust enough for normal everyday use. It doesn’t have the particularly fragile feel that some ultralight waterproofs can have.
However, this is still a 2.5-layer shell and I wouldn’t choose it for demanding scrambles or climbing where a jacket is likely to be regularly scraped against rock. If you’re carrying a heavy backpack day after day, I’d also favour something more robust.
The outside looks and feels good quality, although the mesh inside the pockets could potentially be susceptible to wear over time.
The outer fabric beaded nicely when new, although after a month of regular use I found it needed a DWR top-up with Nikwax. That isn’t particularly unusual for a modern lightweight waterproof, and maintaining the DWR is important if you want the jacket to continue performing well.
Columbia Trailborne 2.5L vs the Competition
The Trailborne is comparable with jackets such as the Salomon Outerpath 2.5 and Rab Downpour in terms of construction, price and overall performance.
The Rab Downpour has a more technical hood, while the Trailborne has the advantage of better ventilation. The Patagonia Torrentshell is another obvious comparison. Its three-layer construction makes it more durable and protective, but it’s also considerably heavier.
Where the Trailborne stands out is its crossover appeal. It looks like an outdoor jacket without being so technical that you wouldn’t want to wear it around town.
It also works well across different activities. I could see this being used for hiking one day, cycling or running the next, and then simply worn as a rain jacket around town.
Verdict
The Columbia Trailborne 2.5L is a good option if you want one waterproof jacket that can cover a lot of bases. It’s lightweight, packable, waterproof and has excellent ventilation, while its relatively understated styling makes it suitable for everyday use.
At around £101, it offers a good level of protection from a reputable outdoor brand without a particularly high price tag. That combination of price, versatility and performance is its strongest selling point.
The main compromise is the hood. If you regularly hike in exposed mountain conditions and want a hood that can be firmly secured and provide maximum protection from driving rain, there are better options.
But if versatility, price and low weight are higher priorities, the Trailborne 2.5L makes a lot of sense. It’s a jacket you can wear during the week, throw in your pack for a weekend hike and pull on for a wet bike ride, and I’d say that versatility is probably its biggest strength.
Thinking of buying? Columbia are offering an extra 10% off when spending £120 or more (UK between Sept 28th and Oct 4th).
Columbia Trailborne 2.5 Layer
★★★½
