Columbia Arcadia II Rain Jacket — Girls’ Review

The Columbia Arcadia II is a no-frills girls’ waterproof jacket that does exactly what it says. We tested it at Great Sand Dunes National Park in a cold spring rainstorm and at Winterwondergrass in Steamboat Springs, and Rowyn, 5, stayed dry at both. It’s lightweight, packable, and comes in colors kids actually want to wear — Rowyn’s bright light blue matched her helmet perfectly and she put it on without a fight, which is its own kind of win. Where it falls short is adjustability: get the size right at purchase, because there’s not much room to tune fit after the fact.

3.8/5.0

Best grab-and-go kids' rain jacket

Columbia Arcadia II Jacket — Girls’

Lightweight, bright colors, and the hood fits over a bike helmet. The jacket she'll actually want to wear.

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Sizes: XXS–XL (fits approx. ages 4–14) | Waterproof: Yes — Omni-Tech, seam sealed | Windproof: Not confirmed on kids’ product page | Weight: Not listed | Fabric: Omni-Tech waterproof-breathable nylon

Is the Columbia Arcadia II waterproof?

Yes. Columbia’s Omni-Tech waterproofing with sealed seams keeps the rain out. We tested it at Great Sand Dunes National Park and at Winterwondergrass in Steamboat Springs, and Rowyn stayed dry at both.

Where we tested the Columbia Arcadia II

Great Sand Dunes National Park does whatever it wants with the weather. We were there for a weekend at the end of April — one beautiful sunny day, then clouds rolled in while we were packing up and it turned cold and genuinely miserable. The kids still wanted to be outside. Rowyn pulled on the Arcadia II and kept riding her bike around the campground for a few hours while we packed up around her.

The jacket was a hit on the basis of color alone — bright light blue that matched her helmet exactly. Excited to put it on. That is five-year-old logic and it is completely valid.

Columbia Arcadia II features — what actually stood out

The Omni-Tech waterproofing kept Rowyn dry through a cold rainy pack-up morning at Sand Dunes. The zipper uses an interior back panel instead of an exterior storm flap to block water — works fine, you just notice it feels different when putting it on.

The hood adjusts wide enough at the back to fit over a bike helmet. That’s a genuinely useful feature. Small visor at the front keeps drips off the face. Two zippered pockets, normal-facing, mesh interior — items stay in, gooey things might sift through to the inside. Velcro cuffs at the wrists. One reflector line along the front zipper.

What doesn’t work on the Columbia Arcadia II

Very few adjustments beyond hood and cuffs. No body cinch, no hem elastic, minimal fit tuning. Get the size right at purchase — there’s not much you can do afterward. Also a single layer with mesh interior — not warm on its own in cold rain.

How to care for the Columbia Arcadia II

Machine wash cold on gentle cycle. Tumble dry low to reactivate the DWR. No bleach, no fabric softeners. The Omni-Tech membrane benefits from low heat to restore water beading.

Does the Columbia Arcadia II pack down?

Lightweight and packs flat easily. Not stuffable into its own pocket, but compact enough for a bag or car stash — which is exactly where it earns its keep.

Columbia Arcadia II sizing guide

We ordered XXS for Rowyn at age 5 — fit correctly, not huge, not much room to grow. Size up if you’re buying to last more than one season. The limited adjustability means precision sizing matters more here than on other jackets.

Who is the Columbia Arcadia II best for?

The grab-and-go jacket. Car stash, bike rides in the rain, short outings where you want real waterproofing without a lot of weight. The hood fitting over a bike helmet is a real differentiator.

Pro tip: The hood fits over a bike helmet when fully adjusted out. If your kid bikes in rain, this detail matters.

How the Columbia Arcadia II compares to other kids’ rain jackets