Columbia Heavenly Long Hooded Jacket Reviewed in 2025

This Columbia Jacket is A Welcome Addition to Our Coat Closet

You can easily say the Columbia Heavenly jacket is the best of both worlds – it’ll keep you warm enough for a hike in the woods but still looks attractive enough for a dinner in town afterward. Combining style, functionality, and comfort, this was the jacket our closet was missing.

The athletic cut, drop-tail hem, and diamond stitching make this jacket look flattering and subtly feminine. The thin layer of synthetic insulation combined with the thermal reflective lining adds just the right amount of warmth whether you’re running errands on a chilly morning or taking a hike in the mountains.

When it comes to features, it really is the little things that count. Super soft fleece-lined pockets are a haven for cold fingers, while a plush-lined hood keeps your head and ears protected from biting winds. We also loved the added comfort of the wrist cuffs with thumb holes.

Coziness Factor

When it comes to keeping you warm, this jacket (literally) has a few tricks up its sleeve. For starters, it has an incredibly soft inner sleeve lining that makes it easy to slide over sweaters and keeps the cold from traveling up the arms. The cuffs also have thumb holes to keep your hands warm. These serve as a good middle-ground option for those shoulder months when you don’t really need gloves yet but still want to keep your hands toasty.

A few other features that kept us warm were the plush-lined hood and the length of the jacket. The hood is super soft and comfortable, but most importantly, it did a great job keeping the reviewer’s head protected and warm. Having the jacket hug around the hips and thighs gave the sensation of being wrapped up so that’s a big thumbs up from us.

A Jacket For Milder Winters or Shoulder Seasons

Unique to the Columbia brand is the patented omni-heat reflective lining, which consists of a metallic dot pattern designed to retain heat. The promise is a technology that can hold in your body heat without all the extra bulk. It sounds and looks good, but does it work? The answer is both yes and no.

Our reviewer took this jacket out in freezing temperatures (as low as 28 degrees Fahrenheit), wearing just a light sweater underneath. While we did feel the cold settle in when standing around, it didn’t take much activity to quickly get warm and comfortable. Even a gentle walk was enough to keep the chill from creeping in.

What we’ve found is you need to create heat in order to retain it, so the thermal lining works best when you’re staying active. It isn’t as effective if you’re not doing something to generate that body heat. This was only an issue when the reviewer stood around in temperatures that were slightly below freezing.

That being said, this jacket is not the best choice for harsh winters or severe weather. It doesn’t provide the same level of insulation as other options like the Arc’teryx Nita or the Fjallreven Expedition. But those jackets are almost 10 times the price. Our closest comparison would be to The North Face Women’s Arctic Down Parka. But again it is more than twice the price of the Columbia Heavenly jacket.

We’d rather grab a versatile mid-layer with the Columbia Heavenly for warmth and versatility. And, if you live somewhere that has milder winters or plan to wear it during transitional seasons, it will absolutely serve its purpose well.

Comfort

With a much thinner layer of insulation than other options, this jacket felt extremely lightweight and comfortable. From exploring a trail to loading kids in and out of the car, the reviewer’s range of motion never felt restricted or limited.

The jacket can feel a little too snug around the thighs when seated, but the two way center zipper makes it easy to fix that and adjust to your comfort level. Even with pockets loaded with a phone, wallet, and keys, the jacket never felt too bulky or heavy.

Durability

The jacket that we tested has seen multiple outings already and continues to be a part of our daily wardrobe this winter. So far, all signs point to it being a durable jacket and of long-lasting quality.

The stitching is well done, the fabric is snag-resistant, and it seems to be simple to maintain. When soiled with some dirt and sand, the jacket was easy to clean with just a wet wipe.

Style

A fitted cut and diamond cross-stitching make the Heavenly an overall attractive and subtly feminine jacket. It provides just the right amount of body hugging while still offering plenty of stretch. The color options are some of the best we’ve seen, ranging from pale pastels to deep saturated shades. We can personally attest the Safari color is a lovely light green shade that quickly racked up a lot of compliments.

For reference, our reviewer was a 5’6 woman weighing 140 pounds and wearing a size small. This jacket runs true to size and is indeed a slimming, athletic cut, so if you plan on layering more than a light sweater or would prefer a more relaxed fit, we’d recommend sizing up. With a wide size selection ranging from extra small to 3XL, you’re sure to find the perfect fit for yourself.

Price/Quality Ratio

In comparison to similar options, the Columbia Heavenly jacket’s price falls well below the competition and still provides fantastic quality. Based on our experience, it’s well worth the purchase if you’re looking for a lightweight jacket with some insulation to wear with layers through the winter or on its own through a mild winter or during those transitional seasons of fall and spring.

It’s stylish and comfortable enough to wear as an everyday jacket but still functional and warm enough to take on outdoor activities in temperatures as low as 30 degrees. The versatility and durability of this jacket mean you’ll get plenty of wear out of it season after season.

Do We Recommend It?

If it wasn’t clear already, the answer is yes! We do recommend the Columbia Heavenly jacket – as long as you live somewhere with milder winters or intend to use it with layers or during transition seasons. Skip this jacket if you live or plan to go somewhere with severe weather.

If you’re out in lots of rain or snow, consider a more heavy duty jacket. The Helly Hansen Alpha 4.0 and the Untracked Patagonia Jacket are good all weather winter jackets that provide more protection against harsh elements, though without the great shape and colors Columbia provides with the Heavenly.