Aesthetics and hype aside, how can you tell if a particular outdoor or ski jacket suits your individual needs? Are you seeing all kinds of claims and technical lingo and wondering what the heck it all means to you? Having a high quality outdoor jacket really improves your outdoor experience so it’s important to understand what to look for in a jacket. For the purpose of this article we’re reviewing Cortazu, which was awarded the best jacket in its class during the ISPO Awards. They just released a new jacket so we’re excited to share the news.
We tested the Mountain Hard Shell from Cortazu. The mountain hard shell is priced at the mid-range in the world of premium Hard Shell jackets, it has over 20 features comprising an impressive 54 individual components. As well as for skiing and hiking, the jacket is also designed for daily use.
Our test
We got our hands on a mens Medium from Cortazu, and were lucky enough to be able to take it to the Swiss Alps for testing. The conditions could not have been better for a thorough test, as we had a mixture of weather ranging from warm sun, to heavy rain. So, what did we find testing the Mountain Hard Shell from Cortazu?
Features
The jacket boasts an impressive 20+ features, some of which you would expect from a premium hard shell jacket, such as the pit-zips, adjustable cuffs, and extra pockets (a whopping nine total pockets). The extra features that particularly caught our eye were; the fully taped seams, helmet compatible hood with Cohaesive™ adjustable cords.
Waterproofness
Assessing how the Mountain Hard Shell holds up to the conditions is really where it starts to shine. Overall the jacket withstood everything the weather threw at us during our trip. The first week we had torrential rain at elevated altitudes, as well as snow and hail. At no point was the jacket compromised, and the taped seems really gave you a security that none of your gear or items in your pockets would get wet. Some days there was over 6 hours of constant rain, but the jacket withstood.
Breathability
The breathability was what stood out, whilst hiking and even scrambling it can often get very hot in 3-layer hard shells despite the weather, but this jacket has all the features and technical attributes to keep you at a comfortable temperature.
Final verdict
We’re big fans of the new Mountain Hard Shell from Cortazu, and you’ll be amazed at just how many features have been crammed into these superb jackets. We have tested a lot of outerwear, and this hard shell is among the best price / quality ratios we have ever seen. Whether it is for climbing the highest peaks, or shredding down them, or even just for daily use, this jacket is an excellent choice. Are you interested?
They are now available for purchase by clicking here (limited availability).
