Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Earnings per Share (Narrative) (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Earnings per Share (Narrative) (Details)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Stock Options And Service Based Restricted Stock Units [Member]      
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]      
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, number of shares 409,250us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
/ us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis
= colm_StockOptionsAndServiceBasedRestrictedStockUnitsMember
721,590us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
/ us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis
= colm_StockOptionsAndServiceBasedRestrictedStockUnitsMember
1,774,372us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
/ us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis
= colm_StockOptionsAndServiceBasedRestrictedStockUnitsMember
Performance Based Restricted Stock Units [Member]      
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]      
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, number of shares 120,363us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
/ us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis
= colm_PerformanceBasedRestrictedStockUnitsMember
21,858us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
/ us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis
= colm_PerformanceBasedRestrictedStockUnitsMember
73,012us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
/ us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis
= colm_PerformanceBasedRestrictedStockUnitsMember