COLUMBIA

Get a rundown on the most popular Columbia technologies to help you find the right shoes and clothing for your active lifestyle.

Finding the right shoes and clothing for an active lifestyle can be the most important factor in ensuring a positive experience. However, understanding the technology behind the product can be a bit overwhelming. Here's an easy-to-read guide of the most popular Columbia technologies.

Omni-Heat® helps maintain warmth and prevent heat loss through reflective, electric and insulated technologies, keeping you comfortable in cold weather. It can be found in both shoes and clothing.

Thermal Insulated Omni-Heat® is thermal insulation technology that contains the highest heat retention per gram of synthetic insulation in the industry. It includes an ultra-soft, down-like feel and is made from 50% recycled content.

Thermal Reflective Omni-Heat® is thermal reflective technology that helps regulate your temperature by reflecting and retaining the warmth your body generates, while dissipating moisture and excess heat to keep you comfortable. It boosts heat retention by 20% on average while maintaining a high level of breathability to reduce excess heat and moisture.

Omni-Grip® is used in Columbia shoes. It provides the right grip for every environment. This advanced traction holds tight on any terrain, including the trail, hiking, winter and water in order to ensure outdoor stability, no matter where your adventures take you. Multidirectional digging zones promote scrambling and acceleration. A dual-zone winter tread pattern ensures solid footing on packed snow or ice and soft, slushy snow or powder. Hiking traction, combined with a durable and rugged perimeter for weighted packing, is designed to grip loose dirt and gravel. The water traction treatment features two zones with siping (small cuts that help move water out from under the shoe) for traction on wet surfaces and a perimeter design for a stable stride on solid ground.

Techlite® is lightweight technology is engineered specifically to provide superior comfort and cushioning in Columbia footwear. Techlite® is durable, impact absorbing and offers consistent support and protection throughout a range of footwear uses. Created with a closed-cell compound, it is naturally antimicrobial, easy to care for and odor-resistant. The Techlite® molding process also reduces waste by 25-30%, keeping material out of landfills.

Omni-Tech® is a technology used in Columbia clothing. It provides breathable waterproof protection by keeping outside elements from getting in while still allowing moisture vapors to move away from the skin. Microporous membranes keep water from penetrating the fabric yet allow perspiration to escape, so you stay dry.

Omni-Shield® delivers protection from the outdoors where you least expect it but need it most. This coated fabric is used in Columbia clothing and resists all liquids below 170° F from absorbing into the yarns and staining the garment (without any effect on the feel of the material). Because it doesn't hold moisture, the fabric itself will also dry 3-5 times faster than untreated clothing. This means that, unlike a conventional fabric, it stays lighter even when wet.

OutDry® gear features a patented lamination process that bonds an absolutely waterproof membrane directly to the item's highly breathable outermost layer. Water is sealed out at every possible entry point, giving OutDry® gear a superior fit that stays dry, warm and comfortable.

Omni-Wick® - During physical activity, increased body temperature causes perspiration. Normally, this results in damp, clammy and uncomfortable clothing. Omni-Wick®'s superior wicking properties move moisture away from the body and enable perspiration to evaporate quickly. Moisture is quickly wicked up into the fabric and away from the wearer's skin. The moisture spreads out across the surface of the fabric, where it quickly evaporates. This wicking/evaporation process keeps the wearer cool and the clothing dry.

Omni-Shade® clothing protects you from damaging UV radiation by blocking the majority of the sun's harmful rays, so you can stay out longer. Omni-Shade uses tight-weave construction, UV reflectors and UV-absorbing technology to block Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet B rays (UVA and UVB) and prevent sunburn and long-term skin damage. All Omni-Shade® fabric carries The Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation, given to sun-protective fabrics that have a minimum UPF of 30.

Omni-Freeze® is found in Columbia clothing and consists of specially shaped flat yarns that facilitate the release of heat and feel cool to the touch during warm weather and active outdoor adventures. The specifically shaped yarns, when woven or knit together, transfer heat at a faster rate than traditional fabric.

No matter what elements you're up against, Columbia's technology has you covered! Feel confident, stay comfortable and have more fun on every adventure with the right shoes and clothing for your activities.