Last October I ran a 10K steeplechase obstacle course. As well as hopping horse jumps we also had to leap over/fall in ditches and run though plenty of streams - as if this didn’t leave us wet and cold enough, it rained the entire time apart from when it was hailing instead. It was easily the coldest and wettest I have ever been and that includes the time I ran into the Firth of Forth in Scotland on New Year’s Day. The worst moment of that day was trying to get changed afterwards, with freezing cold winds trying to snatch the towel off me as I was trying to peel off my sodden running tights and let’s not even talk about the contortionist skills needed to remove a wet sports bra. When the dryrobe landed on my desk it was like I could see into the future of all upcoming outdoor events and it was looking warm and snuggly.
The Advance Long Sleeve comes in eleven colour combinations; we received the black green version, the extra-long sleeves and large hood ensuring you get entire coverage up top. The great thing about the dryrobe is that it’s super versatile, the wide sleeves and loose fit mean you can draw your arms into the main body and get discretely changed whilst keeping warm, and you can also wear it for protection against the elements whilst waiting to participate in an event or simply spectating. The waterproof outer layer means you can leave your wet stuff on underneath and the lining draws the water away from the skin into the pile of the fabric, so you can sit in the car without getting the seat wet. It can be reused multiple times without ever feeling wet or cold, the insulating fabrics make you feel super warm very quickly, helping you to preserve your energy and regulate core body temperature.
The inner lining helps you dry off fast, the lined zip-up exterior pockets are great for storage but also double up as hand warmers, and there are interior pockets, one of which can be accessed from both inside and outside the robe that is also waterproof making it great for car keys or a mobile phone. The two-way zip can be operated from either inside or outside, and Velcro fasteners feature on the wrists to help keep out the wind and rain. Although it only weighs 1.3kg it is somewhat bulky, but dryrobe have thought about that by producing a waterproof travel compression sack available at a further £30. It would be nice if this was included as standard, but nevertheless it certainly gets around any problems there! The dryrobe is a brilliant bit of kit, a must have for a huge range of events from family camping trips to top-level sports events, allowing you to get warm and dry quickly, leaving you more time to brag about your exploits to your mates.
Short sleeve and long sleeve styles available from £70;
5 out of 5
Pros
Completely waterproof and windproof outer shell fabric
Highly versatile
Super warm synthetic lambswool lining
Dries and warms you up very fast
Full-length 2-way reversible YKK zip
Minimal sealed seam construction
Deep external fleece warm lined pockets double as hand warmers
Internal zip-entry pocket, 2-way access waterproof pocket and 'A4' internal soft lined poacher pocket
Lightweight (1.3kg)
Durable
Cons
Bulky (compression sack not included)
Not recommended for use on the water due to the absorbing properties causing a risk of drowning
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