13 best changing robes for throwing on after swimming and surfing

We cannot rate this changing robe highly enough. Everything about it is *chef’s kiss*. The outer shell is soft and not at all shiny (we like this; you may like a sheen – no judgement here). It’s also fully waterproof and breathable, meaning we’re not a hot, sweaty mess in it if the weather does ever warm up.

The inner fleece in a complementary colour is incredibly soft and fluffy – we were kept warm and dry in all weathers. The long sleeves can be tapered, thanks to Velcro cuffs, and the hood is nice and large, yet adjustable using a drawstring.

As far as keeping the weather out, there’s a full-length storm flap on the two-way zip on the outside. There’s also magnet-closing on the outer pockets to keep them dry. These pockets, by the way, are as deep as you like and incredibly soft. There’s also a small zip-up waterproof pocket on the outside, and another zip pocket on the inside with mesh so you can see what’s in there. And there’s a further open fleece pocket on the inside.

The branding on this robe is subtle too, so we didn’t feel like a walking advert. It’s just all-round brilliantly made and designed, so it had to be our IndyBest.

Wherever we wore this coat – cabin getaways, the beach, the school run – we had people coming up to us and asking where it was from. We went for it in pink, which is a beautiful dusty shade. But there are also other, more colourful options.

The outside is soft and easy to wipe clean, while the inside is Borg material. Perhaps it’s not the softest inner material we tested, but it kept us so snug – even on windswept beaches in winter. The snug has double pockets on the outside – two are open for shoving your hands into, and two zip and button up. This is handy if you’ve got items you don’t want to lose on the beach. There’s also an inner zip pocket with a cute heart design and a hole for holding sunglass arms. Sadly we tested in winter, so had no need for sunnies.

We appreciated the adjustable hood, meaning it didn’t fall in our eyes constantly. You can adjust both the depth and opening of the hood, which we found very useful. This coat comes up very large indeed, but you’re able to cinch it in the waist using a pull cord, so it doesn’t feel as huge. We recommend sizing down unless you need a lot of room to change under it.

From the best-known changing robe brand – and for good reason – the dryrobe comes in so a plethora of different colourways, including camo with pink fleece interior, plain block colour outers with flashes of bright fleece inside, or something more sedate. All you need to do is find one to match your vibe. And this is the label you want if you’re following the fashion pack.

Dryrobes are properly designed to be changed under, so they do come up large. If you’re planning to wear it purely as a warm coat, it fares very well indeed, but you’ll probably need to size down. This robe kept us absolutely toasty after dips in the iciest of December seas, and was great for getting changed under too. Large, deep pockets also meant our hands thawed out quickly too.

As an all-purpose coat, it is heavy, but will keep all the grim British weather off you and leave you snug and dry whatever you’re up to.

An eco-friendly option, Change Robe has used recycled fabrics for the outer shell and inner fleece lining. The outer layer is a slightly slippery (but not shiny) nylon with PU coating. This makes it feel like quite an outdoorsy number – great for dog walks, but perhaps not the Kings Road. We liked the durable zip, which has a fleece backing and chin guard for comfort.

The poppered storm flap feels slightly plasticky, but these chunky poppers came into their own when we were trying to do them up with numb fingers (we’re really selling open-water swimming to the uninitiated here, aren’t we?).

The inside has a large, open fleece pocket – ideal for stowing away undies and socks, and keeping them dry while you swim. There’s also a smaller waterproof “media” pocket – there’s a hole for headphones, if you’re still not convinced by wireless. The drawstring hood kept howling gales out of our faces and we liked the outer pockets, which are zipped and have storm flaps.

Not for shrinking violets, this bright-red leopard print is the perfect antidote to grey days. The outer is made from 100 per cent polyester, but feels nice and matt – there’s no slip or sheen here. The inner is also polyester, as most of these coats are, and fully lined with fleece.

We found it did the job well of getting us dry and keeping us warm, but have marked it down ever so slightly, as there’s no storm flap on the outer zip and no zip up pockets inside or out.

That aside, we really liked the two-way chunky zip and the adjustable sleeves, the latter of which stopped wind whistling up our arms. The deep, fleece-lined pockets were also a lovely treat.

The brand has taken all its expertise from the adult dryrobe and simply sized it down. Our tester plumped for a camo print dryrobe, but there are so many colourways, you’re sure to find one that even the fussiest tween will love.

The jacket came up large on our tester, who wore the five to nine years size (he’s a tall six-year-old), but he absolutely loved it. Normally fussy about clothes and prone to feeling the cold, he slipped this on after an outdoor swim in October and said it was really soft and cosy. The waterproof and windproof shell worked perfectly in windswept conditions, and it was lightweight enough for him to wear without feeling bogged down.

This coat was a game changer for us – we loved that he could wear it dripping wet from the pool. There was no longer a need to say, “You’ll warm up if you just dry yourself off!” We didn’t even need to help him get sorted. Plus, our kid was as happy to wear this to the playground, on walks in the woods and wherever else too, so it’s cost effective.

Fully taped seams and a fully waterproof outer meant we didn’t get remotely damp wearing this in the wind and rain. We loved the super-soft, Jersey-fleece, deep pockets on the outside, which are zipped. And there are two inner pockets – a large, open-fleece one, and a zip-up pocket that’s waterproof and has an opening for headphones. A chunky two-way zip is backed up with a waterproofed storm flap, so there’s no way anything is getting in.

The fleece lining in this changing robe is one of the softest linings we tried, and there’s ample space inside for getting changed. There are adjustable sleeves but no hood, which is a shame, as the hood fell in our eyes a little. Two thumbs up for the size range, which includes a Small / Teen size – teens seem to be a widely ignored customer in the changing robe market, but Wild Moose has their backs.

OK, so pushing £100 isn’t everyone’s idea of a budget buy, but this is relative to the market, where a lot of changing robes push into the £200 mark. Plus, it has almost all of the features of the more expensive ones.

The outer shell is 100 per cent waterproof and windproof nylon, which is shinier and slippier than some others in this round-up, but makes easy work of cleaning off mud. The fleece lining is a mix of acrylic and polyester, which felt soft to us and got us dry without any issues.

This coat only has one internal pocket – a large, zip-up one (no headphone slot here, though). Both external pockets zip up and are lined in gorgeously soft Jersey fleece – but these pockets are on the shallow side. A storm-flapped two-way zip kept us nice and cosy, while Velcro adjustable cuffs kept the chill out too.

Swimzi is an outdoor-swimming specialist, and has all the inside track to allow it to make the ultimate changing robe. And, boy, has it gone and done it.

This coat doesn’t come in loads of colourways (though it does run in a lot of sizes), but it isn’t trying to be a high-fashion coat – it’s here to keep you warm and dry. We went for the outdoorsy, Barbour-style green with natural-coloured fleece interior. The outer shell is tough and waterproof, with fully taped seams. The inner is teddy-bear-soft Sherpa fleece, which kept us warm and got us dry after a dip.

The two-way zip has a huge storm flap at the top, which covered the lower parts of our face and kept us safe from chill and wind burn. We liked the Velcro adjustable sleeves for keeping in body heat, and the drawstring waist, which stopped the coat feeling so baggy and overwhelming. Two internal pockets, one of which is waterproof and zip-up, are very handy for all our kit. The outer pockets are open to the elements, but nice and deep.

There’s clearly a lot of thought and care that’s gone into the design and construction of this coat, and for that we’ve it awarded it best for quality.

This one-size-fits-all approach to changing robe gets the job done efficiently. The no-frills coat has two deep, fleece-lined pockets on the outside, and one Velcro waterproof pocket on the inside. The easy-to-use (even with numb hands) chunky zip went right up to under our nose, providing plenty of facial protection. However, it doesn’t have a storm flap inside or outside, which is a shame at this price point.

The sleeves on this coat are short, and don’t have Velcro cuffs. This meant it was certainly chillier over all in the dead of winter, but it is lighter to wear and perhaps more faithful to the original changing robe purpose.

The outer is water repellent, not waterproof, so perhaps better for a fair-weather outdoor swimmer (no judgement here), as it won’t keep you as dry as other changing robes in extended downpours. A nice touch is the recycled fleece lining – in fact, all the materials in this robe are recycled.

This change dress may not keep you warm on winter days, but it’s perfect for summer holidays on the beach. The calf-length dress is made from sweater material, and with a drawstring hood and two deep pockets, brings a surfer-babe vibe to the table.

The drawstring is nice and thick, and comes in a contrasting material, while the dress itself is made from 100 per cent cotton, which is breathable and soft. This dress is also practical, as you can stick it on when you’re soaked, and it will dry you and you can get changed underneath (it comes up nice and roomy).

The fit is boxy, so it’s not going to be for everyone. But we thought it’s a great, warmer alternative to a kaftan, plus it offers the functionality to slip out of wet swimmers underneath. We loved the multi-coloured marble design, but the China blue version is a more pared-back look if you’re not into prints.

Surfer brand Quiksilver has created this solution for those no-nonsense folks who want something easy to get changed under but don’t want a huge coat. This hooded towel is perfect for throwing on while at the beach. OK, so it won’t see you through a dog walk or the school run, but if you’re after something straight up, then this is a great option. Plus, the towel is of a good quality and washes well.

The black design with the Quiksilver logo on it means it’s pretty unisex. The one-size-fits-all approach to sizing means it’s suitable for anyone. We also like that it has a front pocket for stuffing chilly hands into.

When we surveyed fellow open-water swimming enthusiasts during our research, many said they’d plump for this style of changing apparatus over a big coat.

This is the perfect solution for getting kids changed at the beach or after their swimming lesson (most parents’ most stressful 10 minutes of the week – are we right?). The lightweight ponchos slip over their heads and keep them warm, so you can dry them off and get them changed while they just stand there asking where their snack is.

The quick-dry material isn’t towelling but more of a flat-woven, soft fabric designed to absorb water. These ponchos have hoods for drying hair and keeping in heat, and a pocket at the front. Ingeniously the pockets have mesh in the bottom so sand falls through them.

In a decent array of sunny colourways, your little ones will be happy to keep wearing this on the beach even after they’re dry.