Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Financial Instruments and Risk Management (Balance Sheet Classification and Fair Value of Derivative Instruments) (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Financial Instruments and Risk Management (Balance Sheet Classification and Fair Value of Derivative Instruments) (Details) (Forward Contracts [Member], USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Prepaid Expenses And Other Current Assets [Member]
    
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]    
Fair value of derivative assets $ 2,754us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsInHedgesAssetsAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_PrepaidExpensesAndOtherCurrentAssetsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember 		$ 2,956us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsInHedgesAssetsAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_PrepaidExpensesAndOtherCurrentAssetsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Accrued Liabilities [Member]
    
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]    
Fair value of derivative liabilities 924us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsInHedgesLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember 		280us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsInHedgesLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Prepaid Expenses And Other Current Assets [Member]
    
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]    
Fair value of derivative assets 9,993us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsInHedgesAssetsAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_PrepaidExpensesAndOtherCurrentAssetsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember 		1,936us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsInHedgesAssetsAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_PrepaidExpensesAndOtherCurrentAssetsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Other Noncurrent Assets [Member]
    
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]    
Fair value of derivative assets 0us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsInHedgesAssetsAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentAssetsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember 		24us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsInHedgesAssetsAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentAssetsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Accrued Liabilities [Member]
    
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]    
Fair value of derivative liabilities 0us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsInHedgesLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember 		872us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsInHedgesLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Other Long Term Liabilities [Member]
    
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]    
Fair value of derivative liabilities $ 0us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsInHedgesLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= colm_OtherLongTermLiabilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember 		$ 95us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsInHedgesLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= colm_OtherLongTermLiabilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember