Columbia Women's Benton Springs Full Zip

I was looking for a lightweight jacket that would work for the cool weather of Spring and Fall. I am 5'2" and usually wear an X-Small or Small in a t-shirt depending on the brand. In most jeans, I wear a size 1. So, I ordered a size small. Although the small fit, I didn't think it would work as a jacket - wanted something a bit looser. So, I decided to order this jacket in a medium. The replacement fit more like a jacket, which is what I wanted. I returned the size small and kept the medium. When choosing size to buy, there are a couple of things to consider. If you plan to wear it as a light jacket over a t-shirt, your normal size will work fine - especially if you plan to leave it unzipped. The sleeves are not snug at all and a little long for me, but fit comfortably with elastic at the wrist. The inside pockets are large enough to carry a cell phone, a checkbook, or a wallet. If you plant to wear this as a jacket and especially if you plan to keep anything in the inside pockets while zipped, it would be a good idea to order one size up. Anything in the pockets will show bulges on the outside if you order your normal size and zip the jacket. It isn't fitted at the waist, but that's one of the things I like about it. When it isn't zipped, it doesn't flare out around the hips. The jacket also has a drawstring at the bottom if you want to pull it in at the hips. So, what do I love about this jacket? 1) Very soft and lightweight, yet warm. 2) Can be worn as a jacket for chilly weather outdoors or inside in the winter when the house is cool. 3) Has 2 zippered pockets on the outside large enough to keep a wallet or small essentials. 4) Has 2 deep pocket on the inside to carry a cell phone checkbook, wallet, or other items of similar size. 5) It doesn't have a hood which can get in the way if you have long hair, and really isn't necessary indoors or in mild weather. 6) The collar stays down and does not have to be up around the neck. 7) The zipper works great and is not at all stiff or hard to zipper. Since I like this jacket so much, I put 4 more colors in size medium on my wish list for Christmas - rich wine (burgundy), charcoal heather (dark grey), burnt orange (can't find color name), and a medium grey (can't find color name). My husband bought all of them probably thinking I would return a couple of them. I love them all and they go with different outfit colors. So I kept them all. In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this jacket. I hope this review was helpful for you. I will update it if my opinion changes.

I’ve had this Columbia fleece for a while now, and it’s one of those jackets I reach for constantly. It’s lightweight but surprisingly warm, making it perfect for cool mornings, errands, walks, or layering in colder weather. The fleece is soft and comfortable without feeling bulky, and the quality has held up well after multiple washes. The fit is true to size with enough room for a sweatshirt underneath. A classic jacket that’s worth having in your closet.

I bought this to wear on the airplane for a trip to Central America. Since we were doing a lot of adventures (caving, hiking, boating) I ended up using it way more than I thought I would. It always kept me warm and dry. The zipper is high quality.

I am very impressed with this fleece jacket. It's very soft, and is perfect for the weather we've been having. It's pretty much been spring all winter and since we are heading into real spring, I know this jacket will be my go to even on cool summer nights so this jacket can be worn year around if you're usually always cold like me. The color is great - I ordered the Charcoal Heather. It's a little lighter grey than the photo, but is still rich and warm. The pockets are also worth mentioning. Not only are there the normal pockets on the oustide that are fashioned with zippers, but on the inside are two very deep pockets that can hold more items than you can imagine. Think of a Mary Poppin's carpet bag on the inside of a jacket... I'm 5'4" 120lb and the small fits loosely, but comfortably. I am ordering another Columbia fleece - the Fast Trek II style - in x-small because I would like it to be more fitted. I'm hoping with two fleeces, I won't wear them out as quickly because I have not taken off this Benton Springs fleece since it came in the mail. I'm all about comfort and this jacket definitely meets those expectations. Worth every penny, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I will be purchasing a few more in different colors. Oh and the tag that comes on the jacket does say $50 so that's another added perk to this already perfect product.

Extremely warm. I really loved this. I bought it as a layer, but more often than not, I did not need my jacket with this on. (Alaska cruise in the summer, so not talking freezing temps). My only complaint is that it is not the most figure flattering. I would prefer a little nip in the waist to feel like it would flatter my shape more.

Excellent quality

I ordered the size I thought would fit for Columbia products. This is my second item from Columbia and each time I'm getting a size smaller than usual. Based on the size chart it's accurate. Meaning I fit within the SMALL measurements and the jacket isn't tight on me. Most other brands I would have ordered a Medium. I ordered a small so that I could wear with with a long sleeve shirt under it but not planning on wearing a sweatshirt / sweater under it. I'm 5'8" 120# 34A chest. I like this jacket and plan to use it during outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and canoeing in the Fall. The material is very comfortable and I love that the pockets zip up. They also have what could be considered two pockets on the inside of the jacket. My husband really liked this jacket too, so I ordered him the male version. It's a great find for around $20 on sale. Update / Re-Order: I decided to order another size and color. My previous order was brown / small. For a more relaxed look I decided to get the "sunnyside" yellow in medium. The medium fits me as well as the small, but it depends on what I'm planning on using the jacket for. I chose the medium because I'll be using it as a relaxed, layering piece. Technically I could wear this as my size, but it's not as fitted as I would like it to be. The color "sunnyside" is more of a true sun, baby yellow. Not necessarily pastel baby yellow either, but compared to my lemon juice bottle, yellow crayon, and Penn tennis ball, it is more pastel in color. When I first saw it I thought "Care Bear" stuffed animal colored. The picture from Amazon seems to show a hue of green in the garment that I don't see in person. It's not a shocking neon yellow either. To me it's a true "yellow" even though my "yellow" crayon shows a hue of green to it next to the jacket. I have photos attached that will show the jacket in true sun and two with all three items laying on the jacket. The ones with the items laying on the jacket are in a pitch dark room with only the Samsung S5 camera flash for light. The true sun photos seem to lighten the color of the jacket. Hope this helps.

This is one of my favorite jackets that I was purchasing in a different color. Very warm for the lightweight feel, comfortable, high quality & pretty inexpensive. The fact that it cinches at the bottom of the waist portion is nice as well for a more customized fit. I’ve had my original jacket for several years & it’s still in good shape

Cómoda y térmica para uso hike o día comun

Soft and warm. I use it for lounging around the house, will buy a smaller size for layering on my next trip abroad.

Excelente

Bella giacca, calda, il colore forse un po' troppo delicato.

schöne jacke,fällt etwas grösser aus als meine graue columbia jacke,aber sehr bequem und warm.