Ortovox Ortler 3L - Women's Review

The Ortovox Ortler became a fast favorite of our testing team for its supple fabric, flattering fit, breathability, and packability. The Ortler has many positives, and while it's great for going fast uphill without overheating, it wouldn't necessarily be our top pick in exceedingly wet conditions. Ortovox products are made in Germany and feature sustainably raised Merino wool. The jacket is constructed from a proprietary Dermizax MX membrane, which is sandwiched within a layer of polyester and merino wool and coated with a durable water-repellent treatment (DWR), which enables the jacket to have four-way stretch and higher breathability.

Performance Comparison

Weather Protection

One of the few jackets in the review that isn't constructed from Gore-Tex, the Ortler still holds its own when sealing out storms. While the Ortler successfully stopped cold snow and high winds, downpours and heavy sleet occasionally found their way through the exterior fabric in certain areas. While exceptional for its stretch and breathability, Ortovox's proprietary Dermizax fabric just doesn't quite offer the level of bombproof waterproofing that Gore-Tex can. For most storms, we found the Ortler more than sufficient to keep us dry. However, at a particularly soaking belay station, a true downpour, freezing rain, or riding chairlifts during a two-inch-per-hour, high-water content storm, the Ortler probably wouldn't be our first choice.

However, we felt that the Ortler did quite well when it came to sealing out wind and cold snow. For now, the waterproof coating beads up well, and precipitation, for the most part, doesn't make it through. During the shower test in the lab, the exterior fabric did wet through slightly, but didn't let water all the way through to the interior of the jacket. That being said, since the jacket is stretchy and soft, it's likely that the waterproof coating may wear off more quickly than a stiffer jacket.

Mobility and Fit

With a streamlined fit without much extra material, the Ortler has an athletic cut without feeling too tight. We preferred the fit of this jacket to many other options tested, and enjoyed the lack of any excess material bunching up around our pack or harness. While the hem falls at the waist with a slight drop seat, the bottom mostly stays in place when raising your hands overhead to climb. The dual hem bungees also allow you to cinch the jacket in place. While we found the coverage to be mostly sufficient, for certain days and activities, a bit longer bottom hem would be a nice touch.

The downside to the slim, hourglass shape is that you in general can't layer many bulky layers beneath on super cold days – especially not without feeling overstuffed and constricted. However, we found that layering a standard midweight down jacket underneath worked perfectly well and didn't inhibit movement. Bustier ladies may also find the fit a bit restrictive. If you like a more relaxed fit jacket, we'd recommend considering sizing up.

Venting and Breathability

The Ortler scored high marks in both venting and breathability, and it's clear that these attributes were front-of-mind in the design of this jacket. The Dermizax fabric performs as it claims, allowing heat to passively escape so that you're not building up perspiration inside the jacket, even when you're working hard.

Not only does the fabric itself provide an effective breathable membrane, the Ortler has other features to enhance its temperature regulation capabilities. Its long, easily accessible underarm vents allow you to quickly drop heat when the breathability of the material falls short. Like most underarm vents, they can be challenging to unzip with gloves on, but with the dual-zippers, they do the trick when open and allow you to control the airflow.

Weight

Partially due to the supple nature of the fabric, the Ortler feels lightweight to wear. The number on the scale corroborates this as well. It comes in at 12.8 ounces for a size small, near the lower end of all jackets in this test. It packs down well due to its flexible and supple nature, and is easy to toss in your pack for the day without a second thought.

While the Ortler weighs in relatively low, and we found it very packable, there are certainly much lighter options if you're after featherweight protection if you're willing to forgo some features. However, the added stretch and comfort, and thoughtful extras of the Ortler make the extra ounces worth it for many activities, especially backcountry skiing.

Features and Design

Though not the most heavily-featured jacket, we think the Ortler hits the mark with the perfect balance of thoughtful extras, and didn't leave us wanting in most environments. The adjustability points (one on the back of the hood, two at the waist) are easy to grab and effective. A design addition we especially appreciated was the Merino wool backer on the chin guard: Though it's a small touch, it really adds a boost of coziness to the jacket when you're fully zipped up and getting hammered by strong winds.

Perhaps the only feature that the jacket is notably lacking is hand pockets. While the upper arm pocket is handy for a ski pass or credit card, it can't hold much else. Though we don't often use our hardshell hand pockets, they can be nice for stashing extra gear (and of course snacks) on the mountain.

Should You Buy the Ortovox Ortler?

If you live in a drier area of the Rockies, like Utah, New Mexico or Colorado, or frequently ski in sunny, cold winter climates like those found in the European Alps, the Ortler would be a great choice. We found that this jacket was best suited for backcountry skiing in continental snow climates, so those looking for serious wet weather performance, a baggier fit, or maximum durability should look elsewhere.

What Other Hardshell Jackets Should You Consider?

While the Ortler is a solid choice for those looking to use their hardshell primarily for backcountry skiing, there are other options that provide more versatility or better specialization for other adventures. For stretch and breathability, we found ourselves often reaching for the . For ultimate weather protection and overall performance, we recommend the Arc'teryx Beta AR.