Columbia Sportswear

I had never been to Columbia Sportswear before. But we recently had an outlet store open in our area. While they have been "trying stuff since 1938" I have only recently become more familiar with them. Yes, I've seen their stuff around, even had some of their apparel. But I always just thought it was high end sports gear. And while that is fairly true, there is a reason for it. I have been learning about the science and technology that Columbia puts into their products. It's not just cool looking sports wear; it's designed with a purpose in mind-whether to keep you cool, warm or dry. Or all of them. I've learned about the cooling and wicking effects of the clothes, the way they are designed to keep you warm. And they even have some gear with insect repellent, sunscreen and "blood and guts stain resistor" built in. I am especially waiting to try the wind blocking effects of a jacket. And their rewards program looks good too. You can join, save on your first purchase and get free shipping online. And since ordering online never guarantees a perfect fit, they have an easy return policy. You can even return your online order to a local store. That I'd like to see.