Big wave surfer Andrew “Cotty” Cotton stays warm and dry in his Advance bathrobe. Photo: dry dress.

winter surfing means offshore winds, fewer people and more swell in the water. However, these treats come at the cost of cold water, extra rubber, and fewer hours of sunlight per day. So, as someone who catches cold easily, winter surfing also means preparing with whatever I can think of to escape the winter bite. That means slippers, a jug of hot water, everything but the kitchen sink, really. Recently, a new weapon in my arsenal against Old Man Winter has been a Dryrobe Advance.

dryrobe is a UK based company with a decade of dedication to making the warmest and most advanced bathrobes in the world. Founded by British surfer Gideon Bright in 2010, the idea of ​​the dry dress actually originated in the 1980s when Gideon was just a kid. Winter surf in England can get brutally cold, so Gideon’s mum made him a waterproof changing robe to keep warm while taking off his wetsuit. Since then, the concept of the dryrobe has gone through many iterations of product design and testing to achieve the luxurious warmth of today’s dryrobe Advance.

I took the dryrobe Advance for a spin and was delighted with the warmth and comfort of this super cozy item. Photo: WS

This changing robe is available in a short-sleeved and long-sleeved version, as well as a size specially designed for children. After consulting their helpful size guide, I tried the long-sleeved version in a size large for extra warmth and a bit of extra room underneath to change into.

All three versions of the Advance have a super soft synthetic lambswool lining that wicks away moisture without feeling wet. In testing I was very impressed with how it held up to a day of multi-surfing, providing instant post-surf warmth without needing to be dried between uses, unique among all other surf ponchos that I tried. Outside, a waterproof and windproof outer shell does a terrific job of eliminating wind chill on even the windiest dawn patrols, and with head-to-knee coverage, I struggle to imagine that even the most horizontal rain could present a problem while I’ve got my dress dry.

The dryrobe Advance is a surf poncho on steroids, with a waterproof exterior and a cozy fleece lining. Photo: dry coat.

Another big plus are the pockets. With two fleece-lined pockets on the outside and two inside pockets, there’s plenty of room to keep essentials like a phone or wallet dry and your hands warm at the same time. While my dry robe is certainly very useful as a spare for surfing, I like to keep it in the back of my car for a little extra warmth when camping or hanging out on cold days. The variety of possible uses for such a warm and comfortable garment is endless, and my dryrobe compression bag guarantees that it won’t take up too much space until needed.

Ian Crane is one of the newest members of the dryrobe family. Photo: dry coat.

I’m not the only one thrilled with Dryrobe’s solution to cold weather surfing. The dryrobe team is made up of professional surfers who know what it takes to perform in cold water environments like Andrew Cotton, Izzi Gomez, Ian Crane and Ben Gravy. Durability is also a big part of what makes Dryrobe so great. The inner liner and outer shell are made with 100% recycled materials, and Dryrobe itself is carbon neutral, supporting reforestation projects in South America to offset their unavoidable emissions.

There will always be days when it will be so cold that it will be almost impossible to get motivated to surf. The dryrobe Advance is designed to help you get out there and have something warm and comfortable to flip into when you get out of the water. To learn more or get yours, visit dryrobe.com.