The Cortazu Hard Shell All Season Jacket is a rain jacket that uses Dermizax to make it waterproof but breathable. Read the review!
Although the name sounds very South American, the Cortazu Hard Shell All Season Jacket is actually designed in The Netherlands. The brand has a main focus on sustainability and that is why Cortazu uses waterproof but breathable Dermizax in the Hard Shell All Season Jacket. If you want to know more about how a hardshell can be waterproof and breathable at the same time, read the Expert Advice article I wrote about hardshells.
Details
2 waterproof pockets with zipper on the chest / stomach, 1 small waterproof pocket on the left forearm , 3 inner pockets , two with waterproof zipper, cuffs with Velcro closure, hood with flap, one way zipper front closure. I measured the Cortazu Hard Shell All Season Jacket at 428 grams on my scale. Cortazu specified 445 grams for a mens’ size L and 380 grams for a ladies size M.
Fit
The Cortazu Hard Shell All Season Jacket has a slightly tight to regular fit. Because the Dermizax material has quite a bit of stretch, you can still wear an insulating intermediate layer under the jacket. The arm length is good for normal use, but certainly on the short side for climbers. When the arms are extended, the cuffs creep up and the wrists are exposed. The cuffs are closed with Velcro and this works great. The Velcro is of the skin and dust-friendly type. The back is marginally longer than the front. When bending forward quite a lot of folds occur at the front, but the length is long enough to protect the lower back.
Pockets
The two pockets on the chest / belly side are closed with waterproof zippers with protruding pull tabs. This makes them great to use with cold hands or gloves. The pockets are just big enough to carry a folded topographic map. Nice detail in the left pocket is a cloth to wipe glasses with and in the right pocket is a key ring. The pockets are excellent to use with a backpack. The waterproof pocket on the left forearm is fine for your credit card or a skipass.
The inner pocket on the right side has a waterproof zipper and a passage for your ears. A Plus size smartphone fits exactly in the pocket. On the left is a small waterproof bag for some small money. You can also find a large mesh pocket where a pair of thermal gloves fit perfectly
The Cortazu Hard Shell All Season Jacket has two inside pockets on the right… 
…and one – with headphone opening – on the left.
In practice
The Cortazu Hard Shell All Season Jacket is very comfortable to wear. This has everything to do with the smooth Dermizax fabric. The fabric itself has a thickness of 50 Denier and is provided on the inside with a silky soft lining. This makes the jacket perfect for bare skin. It is striking that the jacket is almost whisper-quiet while moving, making it ideal for bird watchers or nature lovers who like to watch wildlife. As already mentioned, the fit is fairly tight and you will notice this especially at the shoulders. When your size is in the middle of two sizes, buy the bigger size. The arm should be longer for better comfort.
The front of the jacket is closed with a regular zipper. Because the front and back are almost the same length, I actually miss a two-way zipper. This is more convenient when going to the toilet and when using a climbing harness. The zipper has a good pull tab. There is a drawstring at the bottom to exclude drafts from below. The cuffs also close well thanks to the Velcro. They are also large enough to wear gloves underneath them.
The collar of the Cortazu jacket is nice and high over the chin. At the chin, the collar has a soft, comfortable material. The front zipper is also stored here in a zipper garage. The collar closes perfectly without the hood. In combination with the hood, the protection of the head is excellent. The hood is well fixed with a drawstring around the head. On both sides of the front zipper there are two drawstrings to pull the hood and collar together, creating a nice small viewing gap. The hood has a reinforced edge and keeps your eyes and glasses reasonably free from rain. Even if it is not a real jacket for climbers, if you want to do a via ferrata, the helmet fits perfectly under the hood. You can also wear it over it.
The hood is well fixed with a drawstring around the head. 
The reinforced edge and keeps your eyes and glasses reasonably free from rain.
Sustainability
Cortazu only sells online. In 2019 they won an ISPO Gold Award with one of their jackets, in which the sustainable approach to production and the ambition to help cooling the earth played a role. Cortazu has a partnership with the sustainability organization Justdiggit.org: for each jacket they sell 50m2 ground at the foot of the Kilimanjaro in Tanzania will be replanted. Nice, but on the website Cortazu doesn’t state how ‘green’ this jacket actually is. And also… is there is no information on the DWR-coating: with or without harmful PFC’s. Inquiry shows that it is not PFC free. The Dermizax EV with PU membrane is recyclable though.
Waterproof, breathable and water-repellent
The Cortazu Hard Shell All Season Jacket is a nice jacket in bad weather. In practice, the jacket and pockets turned out to be 100% waterproof. The hood does all you want it to do and the valve makes sure the glasses remains pretty clean. Otherwise, take the cloth out of the bag. The breathability is good, but the jacket has no pitzips on the sides. Ventilation is therefore only possible through the front zipper. After three washes, there was no wear of the DWR layer.
The DWR-coating when new. 
After three washes the DWR-coating looks fine.
Care instructions
Wash at 30 °C on a normal program with normal detergent. Do not tumble dry. Iron at a low temperature.
Verdict
I am proud that a new Dutch brand with an international name brings a nice hardshell to the online market. The fit of the Cortazu Hard Shell All Season Jacket is a bit tight and you have to take that into account when choosing the size; after all, it is not possible to fit. The sleeves should be longer. It is pleasant that the Dermizax material is stretchable. The jacket is comfortable and has nice details such as the cleaning cloth in the pocket. In wet weather, the hood provides good protection. Cortazu claims that sustainability is very important and the collaboration with Justdigit.org is great, but the jacket’s information shows little of that sustainability. The exclusively online availability leads to a price that is very competitive. The Cortazu Hard Shell All Season Jacket retails for € 350,00 and I rate it at 8.0 out of 10 points total.
Information
- Price: € 350.00
- Weight: Men (S) measured 428 gr (445 gr specified L), ladies specified 380 gr (M)
- Sizes: Men XS-XXL, Ladies XS-X XL.
- Material: Dermizax EV 100% polyamide
- Membrane: Dermizax EV, polyurethane
- Construction: 3-layer laminate.
- Country of origin: Vietnam
