Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Business Acquisition Business Acquisition (Schedule of Recognized Identified Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed) (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Business Acquisition Business Acquisition (Schedule of Recognized Identified Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed) (Details) (USD $)
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
May 30, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill $ 68,594,000us-gaap_Goodwill $ 68,594,000us-gaap_Goodwill $ 14,438,000us-gaap_Goodwill  
prAna Living LLC [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Cash and Equivalents       4,946,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCashAndEquivalents
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Accounts receivable       10,021,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationAcquiredReceivablesFairValue
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Inventories       9,641,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedInventory
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Other current assets       2,531,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentAssetsPrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssets
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Property, plant and equipment       5,192,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Acquired intangible assets       114,500,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibleAssetsOtherThanGoodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Other non-current assets       258,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedOtherNoncurrentAssets
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Total assets acquired       147,089,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedAssets
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Accounts payable       2,803,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentLiabilitiesAccountsPayable
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Other current liabilities       5,029,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentLiabilitiesOther
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Total liabilities assumed       7,832,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedLiabilities
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Net identifiable assets acquired       139,257,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Goodwill       54,156,000us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember
Net assets acquired       $ 193,413,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredGoodwillAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= colm_PrAnaLivingLLCMember