dryrobe Advance Black Grey: the changing robe you pull on over your wetsuit

What it is

The long-sleeve Advance is dryrobe’s changing robe, here in its Black Grey colourway: a black outer with a grey fleece lining. It is a long, roomy coat that you pull on over swimwear or a wetsuit to change in the open air, at the water’s edge or in a car park. The brand, based in North Devon in the United Kingdom, presents it as the original waterproof changing robe, designed for performance and durability.

The Black Grey colourway is part of a wide palette: the brand’s shop lists more than forty colourways for the Advance. This version comes in six sizes, from XS to XXL, all unisex. According to the brand, height is the guide to choosing: if you are between two sizes, it advises the smaller one.

Why it exists

The story begins on the north coast of Cornwall. Gideon Bright, who surfed all year round around St Ives, found it miserable to climb out of a wet wetsuit in the wind. As a teenager, his mother, Anne, had sewn him a big cape: a waterproof outer, a towelling lining, a hood with press studs. About twenty-five years later, standing in a car park in the rain in a sodden towelling robe, he decided to make a more finished version of it.

According to the brand, the first waterproof, windproof changing robe went on sale online in December 2010. A former graphic designer, Gideon Bright tells Yahoo Finance UK that he found today’s fabrics on a trip to Australia, while watching swimmers in narrow coats that were easy to pull on and take off. He adds that the shape had to work first: the robe was big, and very different from anything that existed at the time. dryrobe’s timeline places the Advance robe, enriched with pockets and new details, in 2012, and the arrival of the long-sleeve version in 2014.

What matters

The materials. The outer is 100% recycled nylon, called ExoV-Shell, with a PFC-free water-repellent finish. The lining is 100% recycled polyester, called HL-Aero. According to the brand, the fabrics are approved to the Global Recycle Standard and certified OEKO-TEX Standard 100.

The protection. The brand states a waterproof rating of 25,000 mm, a complete barrier against the wind and 8K breathability. These figures are its own. They place the robe in its intended category: a seaside garment meant to stay in place in the rain as in the wind.

The cut. The fit is deliberately large, so you can change underneath. The sleeves are long, with fastenings at the cuffs, and the two-way YKK zip runs the full length: it opens from the top as well as from the bottom.

The pockets and the hood. Two zipped outer pockets lined with fleece, a large lined inner pocket known as the “poacher”, and a zipped inner pocket for a phone or wallet. The hood is also fleece-lined.

Day to day

A black compression bag comes with the robe, according to the brand: the robe packs into it for travel. Care is simple: machine wash following the label, no fabric softener, air dry, and no high heat, which would impair the fabric’s performance.

The brand covers the robe with a three-year performance guarantee from the date of purchase. It also offers a trade-in scheme for old Advance robes, which it resells second-hand, as well as care kits to extend the robe’s life.

Technical specifications

Feature	Value
Model	Long-sleeve Advance, Black Grey colourway
Sizes	XS to XXL, unisex
Outer	ExoV-Shell, 100% recycled nylon
Lining	HL-Aero, 100% recycled polyester
Stated waterproofing	25,000 mm
Stated breathability	8K
Fastening	Two-way YKK zip, full length
Pockets	2 outer zipped, fleece-lined; 1 inner “poacher”; 1 inner zipped
Hood	Fleece-lined
Stated certifications	Global Recycle Standard, OEKO-TEX Standard 100
Guarantee	Three-year performance guarantee

What the brand says

dryrobe states that its fleece lining dries quickly and gives lasting warmth, and that its outer shell protects against the weather. It describes itself as a certified B Corp, and gives at least 1% of its profits to organisations that make the outdoors accessible or protect the planet, as part of its Warmth Project. The Advance robe has been worn by the British team at the Rio, Tokyo and Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, it says.

It also goes beyond the water’s edge: according to Yahoo Finance UK (August 2025), it is used by dog walkers, parents at the side of pitches and festival-goers.

For readers in Switzerland

dryrobe’s international shop lists Switzerland among its delivery countries and displays its amounts there in Swiss francs. On the distribution side, FashionNetwork reports that the Hamburg wholesaler TTP has handled the brand’s trade distribution in Germany, Austria and Switzerland since March 2026.