Review on Columbia Watertight: The Ultimate Waterproof Breathable Mountain Boys' Clothing and Jackets & Coats by Tony Suggs

On a recent trip I discovered my raincoat had burst and was no longer waterproof so I ended up in the market looking for a new raincoat. I was looking for a lightweight waterproof jacket under $50 that fits a petite figure. Using the Columbia sizing charts, I have found that both the oversized children's jackets and the women's XS jackets are close to my sizes. Given Amazon's free return policy, I ordered several to compare and try on. Here are my favorites from biggest to smallest. Columbia Big Girls Large Arcadia Jacket ($39.19 - Black). jacket sticking to my skin. There was a button at the top to secure the jacket. Columbia Boys Large Waterproof Jacket, Large ($38.43 - blue). This jacket was also lined with mesh and had a button at the top, but being a boy's jacket the cut was more boxy. I found the girls jacket was better for my body type. The sleeves of this jacket are longer than the women's XS jacket. The $54 Columbia Women's Arcadia II Jacket ($54 - Black) was a little over my $50 threshold. In the end I decided against it because children's jackets fit better and are cheaper. It had the same lining as the girls' Arcadia jacket, but the bodice of the jacket did not have a button near the collar like children's jackets. Columbia Big Girls Switchback Raincoat ($30 Purple). It was the cheapest jacket and construction. the quality reflected exactly that. It didn't have a mesh lining like other jackets, so it stuck to me more. While it's probably a good choice if you want a jacket that folds compactly, it was awkward to put on and had a sticky plastic feel. Please note that this rating will be published as a comment on all rated jackets.