Dry Robes – Do I want one?

Watching the swimmers coming ashore and getting into a dry tube has me wondering if they’re of any use after a wet/cold ride? I’ve had my fair share of getting out of wet clothes in a car park and wondering if these are the solution?

also, there are a million or so on sale on Amazon, any recommendations?

They’re great when used for their intended purpose.
Not so great when used filthy as a bit of a pain to clean.
Not at all great when worn by people standing around nowhere near water being a DryRobe ******. A £150 coat is better in every single way for that.lighter, less sweaty, much more compact to pack, easier to clean, more pockets, doesn’t have big gaps for draughts etc.

Brother in law has a Passeger one, I’ve got an Alpkit one, both are great, loads cheaper than DryRobes, and lack the pose value. So a win all round.

I find a changing towel useful so I can change in a car park without flashing anyone. Although something thick and with a hood looks nicer and more cosy, I find having something that packs down smaller and drys more quickly is better. The best way to get warm is to get into your proper clothes as quickly as possible.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/307115587503633/?ref=share&mibextid=K35XfP

They are useful if you need to get fully changed as they have the space inside. Good if the weather is crap and you need to stand around outside too.
I wouldn’t get a dryrobe though, way overpriced. As above the passenger ones are great

I was given a real Dryrobe and even though I go windsurfing all year round and get changed either in the open air or in a damp cold shipping container I don’t use it. Stand on a rubber mat and use a towel.

Are they still a fashion accessory? A couple of years ago we were in Port Isaac (Portwen) on a very hot day – all day-trippers need to park up the top of a long steep hill – and the place was full of families all in their Dryrobes.

The concept yes… The brand **** no.

We have a Passenger one and a Nyord here.

Great if wetsuits are involved and even round a campfire.

https://www.balenciaga.com/en-gb/balenciaga-towel-skirt-beige-768726TPP919501.html

😂

https://www.balenciaga.com/en-gb/balenciaga-towel-skirt-beige-768726TPP919501.html

What the actual f###?
If anyone wants a cheaper version I can do one for £100 posted

I’ve got a Gorilla Robe one. It’s ideal for its intended role as a changing robe, not sure I’d be mooching around in one.

Picking up our grandson from school it seems a favourite item with mummy’s waiting to pick up their little darlings 🙄🙄🙄

Wind cuts right through a wetsuit so if you are standing around eating a sandwich or drinking a coffee inbetween sessions in the winter on a cold beach etc then its a good thing to have. I just have a really cheap towling poncho thingy I bought from Decathlon about 20 years ago which does the job but i must admit to looking for an upgrade that is waterproof

I did chuckle when in Abersoch over the summer – literally EVERYONE seemed to be in them, whole families walking down the high street in matching branded robes, or climbing out of new Defenders/T6s with inflatable SUPs on the roof – live the dream guys!

I have a Dryrobe as it’s great for warming up after a cold swim. However, for getting changed/dried I use a Decathlon towelling robe. It’s better as an actual towel and can be chucked in a washing machine and dries easily. 

I also have a cheap microfibre changing robe which is great for walk/swims as it’s lighter and does a good enough job in the warmer months. 

Mrs bought me one after I’d see a couple of lads wearing them in the car park at Woburn over winter.

irs a great big bulk thing but works great for getting changed under after a cold and wet ride. I get changed, head into the pub for a pint and then drive home – toasty warm the whole time. I get double **** points as I also wear crocs too.

works better for me than trying to get a wet body into dry clothes, invariably getting another set of clothes dirty as you get changed in the dark, wet and cold.

They are useful if you need to get fully changed as they have the space inside

It really isn’t. Like Scotroutes I use a microfibre jobbie which as a bloke with actual shoulders I can get changed in. The dryrobe – not so much. And dries me better too.

I got one for xmas 2012 as I’d see the Brownlee brothers in them (with the logo blacked out) and thought they’d be useful.
Now I only ever really bother with it in the van. Otherwise for me there are better options.

If you want one – I don’t know the alternatives above very well but the Red one in much better than the Dryrobe one if you were wanting to pay premium brand money.

My sister got me a towel changing robe* when she came to visit us in NZ and was horrified to see us changing by the car for the beach. Its main use has been for getting in and out of bike stuff though.

Not really sure why there’s such a backlash against the big coat type ones but for my use they’d be a bit bulky and hard to wash.

*it’s a dryrobe branded one although I gather they weren’t such a *thing* back then.

We’ve all got off brand ones. They’re great for after muddy races, sorting kit out, cleaning bikes etc.

I’m sure it would be hard to clean, but since I only use it when covered in mud, I’m not too bothered if it’s a bit grubby.

Useful thread as I’m thinking of getting something for post ride changing, rather than posing in. They seem popular in the CX world.

Will check out the alternatives suggested

towel changing robe

There was a chap with a luxuriant beard (?Ed something) who used to feature in the mag and I’m sure had something to do with Booicore?

I got an Osprey one (not the bags people). Seems almost identical to the onbrand version on every way apart from being half the price.

Super warm, almost too much so for the 20 minute drive home from the soggy woods.

Great if wetsuits are involved and even round a campfire.

God help you!!!

Great if wetsuits are involved and even round a campfire.

I was given one as a present. it’s warm and you can get changed under it….but it’s very bulky and heavy. This makes it a bit impractical if all you are going to do is gt changed under it.

For MTB, a changing towel (i.e. a towel you put over your head, with a hood, and that goes low enough to cover your rude bits) is more practical if all you want to do is get dry and get changed.

Large bath towel, fold I half, cut a head size hole and if you can be bothered some up the ends of the cut to stop it ripping more / hem.

I counted 3 people wearing dry robe type garments at a Manchester Giants basketball game last night.

Just for clarification – that’s indoors.

We have a Moonwrap, it sees most use by Mrs DB for fetching the eggs, cleaning out the 🐓 🐓 🐓  and taking the dogs into the garden first thing in the morning or last thing at night. I occasionally use if for kayaking.

Dryrobe seems to be the official garment of mountain bike marshalling these days, about 80% of all the pressganged mums were wearing them last time.

I’ve got a cheapo decathlon one and I’ve used it about three times, just because it’s a pain in the arse to deal with once it’s wet and muddy. But I did really appreciate it those 3 times, so it lives in the car and occsaionally makes a horrible ride-end a bit nicer. Not sure I’d buy it again, but, I don’t regret buying it. I can definitely see it being better for watersports and the like.

I’ve had one for a decade. Loooooong before they were fashionable.
Great for getting changed in a car park after kayaking (there’s more than enough anti-kayaker stuff out there without giving the whinging barstewards a bare arse to add to their whinging bastarrrd moans.  (Though plenty could kiss my arse actually).
Great for changing after open water swims too (again long before it was fashionable).
For after-swims after actually getting changed, the Swimzi versions are better as the cut doesn’t billow as much and can be cinched down better to keep the warmth in.

I’d not get worried about those pushing image (or anti-image) over function- plenty of people display that they are much bigger whaankers by the act of driving an Audi or BMW than using a dryrobe.

I have a Charle McLeod one that I love. And when I say I love it I mean I love it to the point where my “I don’t know what I enjoy more, the actual swimming or putting on my robe afterwards” joke now has a fair element of truth to it! I’ll be wearing it on the beach at Porty in a couple of hours; say Hi if you’re around.

Other friends have Red ones which they love too. As for actual Dryrobes the brand, personally I don’t like the crinkly material, but each to their own etc.

I’ve only used it for post-watersports, not sure I’d want to get it covered in manky oil etc post-mountain biking. I’d maybe get a much cheaper one for that.

Only slight caveat is that they are very warm, so mine only really gets used November to March. I have a very cheap Decathlon towel robe that works perfectly well in summer.

Biking I just use a changing towel.
My boys have them for sailing events.  They’re mostly used for winter training weekends where they come ashore at lunchtime for a briefing and need to keep warm or when we need to stay warm while rigging/ de rigging.
Wouldn’t bother for biking if I’m getting into a warm, shower, pub or car quickly after.
If you want something to keep the seat clean to go home in riding kit get a seat cover for a fraction of the price.

Great for after cold wet muddy winter rides. I tend to just put it over my kit and drive home, but have used it for changing under in the past. Also useful staying warm when cleaning the bike off when I get back. Not bothered about it getting muddy, as only use it when I’m muddy. I posted up a psa last week for a nukeproof one from crc at £50

I’ve got one of these – https://rapanuiclothing.com/product/men-s-organic-cotton-surf-towel/

Got it for free years ago and use it on almost every ride. If it gets dirty it just get washed with the rest of my kit

For post ride changing, you don’t need a dryrobe. What you need is a van!

Agreed, great for intended use. Don’t wear it to tesco please. 

The guy that owns dryrobe worked hard for a long time to get the company and product where it is. Usual story that others try to copy and beat the price. If you are getting one support the original

As above for getting changed a changing towel with hood from decathlon or similar is better as you can wash it easier. My son wears one inbetween kayak races at regattas, or pre race to keep warm once in race kit for which they are great.

Have one of the towel versions, (don’t know what brand to be honest) stashed in the back of the motor. Only used it a couple of times to get changed out of mtb stuff (high streets, car parks etc) so it has came in handy when needed. Like others have said I wouldn’t like to spend too much on one considering it’s occasional use

What i have discovered is that if you check out some of the alternatives mentioned on this thread, your FB feed will swamp you with ads for hundreds more!

What i have discovered is that if you check out some of the alternatives mentioned on this thread, your FB feed will swamp you with ads for hundreds more!

You should use Firefox, it runs FB in a container so it can’t snoop on any activity on other pages….

Not at all great when worn by people standing around nowhere near water being a DryRobe ******. A £150 coat is better in every single way for that.

Nope. I love my big passenger dryrobe thing. I wore it loads of times last winter, sometimes if I just want instant warmth around the house. I’ve never experienced the same sort of warm snuggle feeling from a coat.

Ah man, I love that there’s a “DryRobe ****” group on Facebook! I often see them at the rugby on a Sunday – one guy, wearing a camo Dryrobe was the biggest dickhead I’ve ever come across at an U15s game. I wish I’d taken his picture to post on there.

I’ve actually seen a few people walking in them in the Lakes (well Grizedale Forest), and locally at Rivi.

I asked if they’d been for a dip and they seemed a bit sheepish and said no.

Its always those camo ones, so obviously I did the “nearly didn’t see you there” gag with them.