The Comfort of Next-Gen Rainwear from "Columbia" that Boasts Lightweight & High-Level Waterproof Breathability

Long rains during the rainy season, unpredictable drizzles, sudden downpours... In the city, the influence of building winds often results in getting drenched even with an umbrella. While convenience store raincoats can offer some protection, they lack breathability, often leading to sweaty discomfort. On the other hand, outdoor rainwear, which boasts excellent waterproof and breathable features, ensures comfort even while walking. It's reliable even during heavy downpours on your commute.
 
Rainwear has undergone various evolutions, and there are now products so comfortable that they overturn the conventional image of "rain gear." Among them, Columbia’s Outdry Extreme Wyldwood Shell stands out with unique characteristics. To get more insights, we visited Yuki Tachibana from the Product Department of Columbia Sportswear Japan Corporation.

No Water Infiltration on the Outer Fabric, Ensuring a Constantly Dry Wear

Prevents water from entering from the outside (waterproof) while allowing sweat vapor to escape from the inside to the outside (breathable). Outdoor rainwear typically consists of a three-layer structure: a waterproof and breathable membrane sandwiched between a comfortable inner lining and a water-repellent outer fabric. However, the "Outdry Extreme Wyldwood Shell" is entirely different.
 
"Usually, three-layer rainwear undergoes water-repellent treatment on the outer fabric, but with wear, pressure, and dirt, the water repellency can degrade, causing the outer fabric to fail at repelling rain and become waterlogged. While the membrane prevents water from seeping inward (towards the skin), the outer fabric becomes waterlogged. The coldness or heaviness felt when wearing rainwear is due to the waterlogged outer fabric reducing breathability and cooling the interior.
 
"Columbia's unique technology, 'Outdry,' employs a membrane that excels in abrasion resistance and durability, eliminating the need for protection by the outer fabric. Thus, the membrane can be exposed on the surface. Constructed with a two-layer structure of the membrane and inner lining, this allows for a lightweight design and prevents function degradation due to waterlogged water-repellent layers."
 
It makes sense that it's named 'Outdry' because it prevents outer wetness. Unlike conventional rainwear, the "Outdry Extreme Wyldwood Shell" doesn't get heavy with soaked outer fabric, ensuring no loss of comfort.

Packable, Sturdy Even in Severe Rain & Wind When Carried in Your Bag

 "I wore this during the Hasegawa Tsuneo CUP (Japan Mountain Endurance Race, also known as "HASETSUNE") last year and the year before. Unfortunately, it rained both years, but it was a great opportunity to experience the product's capabilities. The 71.5km mountain race in Okutama, starting in the afternoon and, in my case, running through the night into the following day, has to be completed within 24 hours.
 
The nights in Okutama are extremely cold, and as I later found out on the internet, the minimum temperature was around 6℃. Coupled with the rain, running for many hours while wet posed a significant risk of hypothermia. I finished the race wearing a T-shirt, arm covers, and the "Outdry Extreme Wyldwood Shell."
 
Thanks to its excellent breathability, sweat vapor escapes to the outside, maintaining the comfortable inner lining's feel. It remained dry and lightweight, preventing hypothermia, allowing me to finish the race safely. I was genuinely appreciative of its performance.
 
With such capabilities, it's reassuring to wear even in urban torrential rains or high-humidity long rainy days. It is packable, compactly fitting into its pocket, making it suitable for carrying in your bag.