Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Intangible Assets, Net and Goodwill (Summary Of Identifiable Intangible Assets) (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Intangible Assets, Net and Goodwill (Summary Of Identifiable Intangible Assets) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Summary of Identifiable Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets subject to amortization, Gross carrying amount $ 37,198us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross $ 37,198us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross $ 14,198us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
Intangible assets subject to amortization, Accumulated amortization (10,175)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization (8,888)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization (5,664)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
Intangible assets subject to amortization, Net carrying amount 27,023us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet 28,310us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet 8,534us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
Intangible assets not subject to amortization 115,421us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill 115,421us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill 27,421us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
Intangible assets, net 142,444us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill 143,731us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill 35,955us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
Patents And Purchased Technology [Member]      
Summary of Identifiable Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets subject to amortization, Gross carrying amount 14,198us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= colm_PatentsAndPurchasedTechnologyMember 		14,198us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= colm_PatentsAndPurchasedTechnologyMember 		14,198us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= colm_PatentsAndPurchasedTechnologyMember
Intangible assets subject to amortization, Accumulated amortization (6,994)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= colm_PatentsAndPurchasedTechnologyMember 		(6,661)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= colm_PatentsAndPurchasedTechnologyMember 		(5,664)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= colm_PatentsAndPurchasedTechnologyMember
Customer Relationships [Member]      
Summary of Identifiable Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets subject to amortization, Gross carrying amount 23,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember 		23,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember 		0us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
Intangible assets subject to amortization, Accumulated amortization $ (3,181)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember 		$ (2,227)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember 		$ 0us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember