The best changing robes 2025: cocoon yourself post-swim in a protective layer

With the best changing robes you can jettison your wet stuff in privacy and get dry and warm at the same time. Along with the best dry bags and the best water shoes, they will elevate your amphibious adventures, helping keep you and your stuff safe and warm.

The brands making these technical garments are moving them on from their first iterations and we're seeing better fits, warmer fabrics, handier features and improved eco credentials.

With the physical and mental benefits of cold water swimming well-documented, more of us are picking up the pastime, or opting to include an icy plunge as part of a hike or bike. A changing robe is a reasonable investment, but it's likely to become a trusted staple in your day kit. And, as most are hugely durable, you'll get great return on your initial outlay.

At the top end of the price scale, changing robes have a waterproof outer layer, deep-pile fleece lining and a host of pockets to keep kit organised. They dry quickly and repel dirt.

For dippers who want a more minimalist approach, there are lightweight, packable robes that act like wearable towels and are plenty absorbent enough for one or two people.

To create this guide, our experts took the best changing robes into the chilly wilds of the United Kingdom. They plunged into icy lochs, frigid rivers and blustery seas, evaluating the robes' insulating and drying capabilities. They assessed weight, packability and features, and compared it all to the price tag. Read to on discover which fared best.

The quick list

Here's our quick list, an at-a-glance guide to the best changing robes available to buy. For a more detailed look at these top performers, navigate further down the guide.

The best changing robes for 2025

The best 4 season changing robe

If you're after an extra-snuggly robe with a host of great features, there is no beating the Red Equipment EVO Pro.

It's a technical bit of kit that's built to keep you toasty on cold days. The two-layer outer shell that's been treated with a PFC-free DWR (durable water repellent) coating makes a great barrier against driving rain while still offering breathability.

The brushed fleece lining is made from 100% polyester. The deep pile gives extra warmth, and it's able to wick away moisture and and dry fast from your own body heat.

To keep things extra toasty, the fleecy lining extends up into the hood, which gives good protection from the elements thanks to the toggle draw cord. The robe has a high zipped collar with poppered wind baffle, too.

The bulk and weight that the technical features create mean this robe is not the one to pick if you need to walk far to your swim spot. However, a compression sack, which can be bought separately, makes it packable.

There are plenty of pockets, all well thought out. Fleecy side pockets warm your hands, a zipped mesh pocket is handy for valuables, and a patch pocket is designed to tuck your underwear into when you swim. It's also ideal storage for a flask or hot water bottle.

There's a great selection of colors to choose from, including bright and muted shades. The only minor grumble our expert tester Rosee Woodland had was that, with long limbs and wide shoulders, she found the sleeves only just came to her wrists.

Read our full Red Equipment EVO Pro changing robe review

The best budget changing robe

If wild water dips make up just small segments of longer outdoor adventures for you, the Lifeventure lightweight changing robe is the ideal thing to squeeze into your day sack.

It weighs just 1.2lb, and comes with a compression mesh bag to make it extra packable. Like many of the best camping towels, it's made of lightweight, highly absorbent material, meaning you can use it to dry off too. It will dry quickly back at base camp at the end of the day, as long as you remember to hang it out.

It comes in just one size, but will happily cover 6ft tall people. It's a minimalist garment, but still features a hood and large hand pocket for extra weather protection.

The SoftFibre material is, as the name suggests, comfy against your skin, and our tester Julia Clarke reckoned it offered more absorbency than a microfiber towel. All in all, a very worthwhile buy.

Read our full Lifeventure lightweight changing robe review

The best lightweight changing robe

The Finisterre Tego weighs in at under 2lb - lighter than traditional waterproof changing robes. This makes it a viable choice for swim hikes – it packs down reasonably well and is also breathable, meaning you can walk in it if you need to keep it on for a while following a dip.

It's made up of a recycled nylon softshell treated with a fluro carbon-free DWR (durable water repellent) coating. The fleece inner is designed to wick water away from your damp body. However, its fine surface isn't able to do this as thoroughly as others on test here - the trade off is it does dry out quickly.

Insulation is a little lacking too – our tester would have liked to see windproofing improved with a baffle over the front zip. However, the cuffs and hood are adjustable, which will keep some heat in, especially useful around your head and face. The sleeves are also nice and long to keep hands protected.

It's nice and wide to change in, and the light weight of the material gives you extra freedom.

When it comes to features, the original Tego only had two hand pockets on the front, with no storage at all for keys, valuables or a phone. However, a new version recently released, now has a zipped internal pocket, which is great news.

For spring, summer and fall adventures, especially if you will be walking with your kit, the Finisterre Tego is a smart choice. Opt for something more weighty and warm on cold days, or if you're socialising for a long period post-swim.

Read our full Finisterre Tego changing robe review

The best shorter changing robe

With a durable hardshell outer, fleecy lining and well-respected brand label, this short-cut changing robe gives a great first impression. Especially as the price point is lower than competitors.

The more modest price is probably due to the short length of the robe, which makes it less clumsy to walk in while still offering plenty of material to change under. Our tester Rosee Woodland is 5ft 10in tall and the Large size came down to her knee.

She loved that you can order by chest and hip size, rather than by height, which means you can choose whether you want a slightly narrower fit than with other robes.

The fleece lining is chunky, making it exceptionally warm.

The hydrostatic head rating of the hardshell outer is 5,000mm, which isn't the highest, although, in the field it performed well and the thick lining added another layer of water protection.

The weight isn't extremely heavy – it sits in the mid-range of others on test – just don't expect to be able to pack it away easily in your dry bag.

The wide sleeves and double-ended zip made it easy to use. Draw cords or Velcro tabs on the hood and cuffs would have been helpful to keep out the weather better. As would a zip baffle and more space in the zipped chest pocket to comfortably house larger smartphones.

Read our full Alpkit Haven changing robe review

The best custom changing robe

You can spot a Flanci garment a mile off! This brand of activewear is well-loved for its brightly coloured and patterned shorts, leggings and skorts.

The Huggle changing robe has been given the same treatment in the design studio – it's available in more than 50 different patterns and colours. It also comes in six sizes, which you can order in 10cm, 15cm or even 20cm longer lengths. You don't get more customizable in changing robes than that.

The overall shape is standard for a warm changing robe – it is reasonably big and bulky, but the fabrics are slightly stiffer than others on test.

The outer is showerproof, and our tester Fiona Russell, who lives in rainy Scotland, would have liked to see greater waterproofing.

The Huggle does boast some nice features though – the main zip is two-way and smooth running with a storm flap to cover it. The hood is large and fitted.

The pockets are good – one internal waterproof zipped for valuables and an open-top fleece pocket for other items. Our tester would have preferred the outer hand pockets not to have been zipped – the plastic rubbed on her skin causing friction and soreness.

When it comes to care, you can put this robe in the washing machine on a cool setting, perfect for after a muddy camping trip away.

Read our full Flanci Huggle swim robe review

The best changing robe for summer

Wearable towels are brilliant for car camping trips, days at the beach and post watersports chillouts. And they don't come better than this Dryrobe version, our tester and veteran paddleboarder Pat Kinsella reckons.

The brand is based in North Devon on the coast of South West England. The garments are designed by surfers for everyone who enjoys getting wet in the outdoors, whether that's wild swimmers, kayakers or board riders.

This changing robe is made from soft-feel organic cotton and comes in a simple range of block colors. It's wide enough to offer plenty of room to slip off swimsuits and wetsuits while the hood keeps your head warm.

Our reviewer found it was also a great robe for wearing around the campsite – especially back and forth to the showers. Or for changing in when you don't have enough room to do so easily in your tent.

It's comfy enough to hang out in for extended periods with a post-dip coffee or beer. The sleeves are short, giving you plenty of freedom. The only thing our tester yearned for, considering that many people wear these robes for long periods of time, was a pocket or two.

Read our full Dryrobe Organic Cotton Towel Robe review

The best changing robes comparison table

Meet the testers

Rosee Woodland

Rosee Woodland has had a lifelong love of the water, growing up near the Cotswold Water Park in South West England - a sprawling area of 170 lakes, where she swam wild with friends and learned to windsurf and canoe.She's been a journalist for 25 years, working in mountain biking for some of that, and trained to be a swim coach eight years ago after developing a passion for open water distance events. She's swum the Dart 10k three times, along with numerous other 'big swims', and hopes to tackle the Hellespont, and possibly even the Channel one day.

Pat Kinsella

Author of Caving, Canyoning, Coasteering…, a recently released book about all kinds of outdoor adventures around Britain, Pat has spent 20 years pursuing stories involving boots, bikes, boats, beers and bruises. En route he’s canoed Canada’s Yukon River, climbed Mont Blanc and Kilimanjaro, skied and mountain biked through the Norwegian Alps, run an ultra across the roof of Mauritius, and set short-lived records for trail-running Australia’s highest peaks and New Zealand’s Great Walks. He’s authored walking guides to Devon and Dorset, and once wrote a whole book about Toilets for Lonely Planet. Follow Pat’s escapades on Strava here and Instagram here.

Fiona Russell

Fiona Russell is a widely published adventure journalist and blogger, better known as Fiona Outdoors. She is based in Scotland and is an all-round outdoors enthusiast with favorite activities including trail running, mountain walking, mountain biking, road cycling, triathlon and skiing (both downhill and backcountry). Aside from her own adventures, Fiona's biggest aim is to inspire others to enjoy getting outside and exploring, especially through her writing.

How to choose a changing robe

As you can see, changing robes can very a lot in price, materials and weight, so which one is best for you? Take a look below at factors you could consider before investing.

How much weather protection do you need?

Are you a fair-weather swimmer or will you be battling the elements year round? For the best protection and warmth in cold-weather conditions, look for a waterproof outer shell, storm flaps that protect zips and pockets, adjustable cuffs and hood and a deep-pile, moisture-wicking lining.

If you like quick dips in summer and shoulder seasons, or want to keep on trekking post-swim, you'll need a lighter, more packable robe, perhaps one without an outer shell.

Consider sizing too. A full-length changing robe with long sleeves will keep you warmer and protected from rain.

A robe with a shorter cut and shorter sleeves allows you to change easier, which is a boon when trying to remove a wetsuit. It also allows you to walk and go about chores (re-packing the car, campsite duties) more easily.

What shape do you like best?

The newer, lighter weight iterations of the waterproof changing robe are closer resemble jackets. This style of robe can double up as an outer layer for general wear – walking the dog, outdoor film and music events. These robes tend to have multiple pockets for storing valuables and larger items, and a two-way front zip.

For warmer days at the beach, you may prefer the simplicity of a poncho-style changing robe.

What size should you choose?

Changing robes are made oversized, allowing you to discreetly remove and put on clothes underneath them, so there's usually no need to consciously size up when ordering. Follow manufacturers' guidance. In our reviews we've commented on the robe length and cut of the sleeves to help inform your buying decision further.

FAQs

What is a changing robe?

A changing robe is an outer garment designed to help you easily change your clothes underneath it. It's fast becoming an essential piece of kit for anyone who loves water-based sports and adventures.

It typically has a layer of soft, warm, absorbent material, and often an outer layer that provides extra weatherproofing.

Are changing robes eco friendly?

Some changing robes have better eco credentials than others. In our reviews we've highlighted where brands have used recycled and organic materials and whether they've created waterproofing using PFC-free coatings.

Durability and the ability to maintain performance without being washed are factors to consider when buying a more planet-friendly changing robe.

Will I need a towel too?

Some of the changing robes we've included in this guide are designed to replace the need for a towel. These are the lightweight versions that are perfect for spring and summer seasons. Other changing robes provide a certain level of absorbency, but in cold weather you will be more comfortable if you towel off first before putting it on.