After a long, exciting day out on the water, it’s time to head back onto dry land, crack open a beer (or pour yourself a hot coffee) and relax for the evening. But, first things first. How do you get yourself out of these soaking wet clothes, whilst trying to conceal your modestly without any changing rooms insight?
If you ever find yourself without the luxury of a public shower or changing room or even public toilets, there are quite a few clever ways that can help to make the process of changing back into your dry clothes just that bit easier. These can include a surf poncho, a change robe, a microfibre quick dry change robe or a surf changing towel.
But, what are these mystical and magical pieces that can so cleverly help you to get changed without any risk of embarrassment?
Generally, there are two main types of change robes. The thicker, more expensive, waterproof kind or the thinner, lightweight quick-drying kind. Both have pros and cons and both can be great for different circumstances. In this article, we are going to look into what a change robe is and which change robe is right for you, plus, what to pay attention to when choosing your changing towel.
What is a change robe?
A change robe is unlike any regular outdoor jacket. Unlike most coats, a change robe is designed to be thrown on whilst you are wet and avoid that post-sea chill setting in. They are generally oversized so that you have enough room to get changed under, and they usually come in either a poncho-style or an oversized coat style.
A coat style change robe is usually windproof, waterproof, and comes with a fleece lining, to keep you warm and dry after you get out of the water. When you take your wetsuit off inside your change robe (or as soon as it touches wet skin) it will warm you by drawing any moisture away from the skin and into the lining, removing the moisture through the robes outer shell. Clever, right?
A quick-dry, poncho style change robe is slightly different. The lighter weight towel ponchos are perfect for getting dry and changed under after any watersport. They are usually one size fits all and are, therefore, large enough for most people to get comfortably changed under. Made of microfiber these robes are absorbent, quick-drying and compact. The perfect alternative to a bulkier change robe on a warmer day. This style of robe also includes surf ponchos and surf changing robes.
What change robe is right for you?
Which robe is right for you depends on what watersport activities you do and what time of the year you are going to be using it. Are you an early morning cold water sea swimmer or an evening paddleboarder. Or, perhaps you are a surfer looking for a specific surf changing robe.
If you are looking for a robe to keep you warm, perhaps you love a cold dip in the sea during the midst of winter or you even just really feel the cold then we would suggest a waterproof change robe. Their microfibre inner lining will keep you warm and cosy whilst quickly drying you to get your body temperature back up to normal as quickly as possible.
However, if you are looking to purchase a change robe with the main aim of being able to get changed under it then we would suggest a quick-dry change robe otherwise known as a surf poncho or surfers changing towel. These robes are super lightweight and compact meaning they won’t provide a great deal of extra heat but they are perfect for adding a bit of extra warmth and the poncho shape combined with how large and spacious they are, meaning you can comfortably change underneath yours.
Things to check when shopping for a change robe
When it comes to changing, a change robe is your all-in-one portable changing room. But, the difference between a well-made robe and a cheap alternative can be vast. The stitching, softness of the material, and how these are constructed can all play a huge difference in how long your robe will last and how it feels against your skin. Below are some things to take into consideration when purchasing a new change robe.
Materials
When it comes to a change robe the materials used to create it can be the difference between yin and yang. If you are opting for a surf poncho or quick-drying robe then we recommend a microfibre robe made from a polyester or cotton blend for quick drying. If you are opting for a change robe then a microfibre lining is a must with a waterproof outer layer.
Construction
A well-crafted change robe will be securely made to prevent unravelling or letting any water in. If you’re going for a colourful poncho, ensure it is properly dyed so that the dye doesn’t run when it gets wet. Also, be cautious of the colours fading due to prolonged sun exposure.
The Fit
The beauty of a change robe is that they are oversized and can even be one size fits all. When choosing a change robe, opt for one that makes it easy for you to wiggle around in and out of your clothes without it being too oversized or making you look like a sack of potatoes (unless that’s the look you were going for, of course).
How to use a change robe
A change robe is pretty straightforward once you know how to go about using one. But, for all, you newbies out there read on to discover how to take full advantage of using your change robe. Simply pop your robe over your head, if using a poncho change robe, or put it on like a coat if using a pro-change robe and fasten the zip up. Then simply take your wet clothes off underneath your robe and put your dry ones on. The microfibre lining will dry you as you go leaving you to change without any soggy issues. Or if you would prefer, simply pop your change robe over your swim gear/ wetsuit and relax with it on for an extra layer of warmth.
In our eyes, the best locations to surf or paddleboard are found in the more remote parts of the world. Therefore, making it hard to always find somewhere to change. We hope that a change robe will be the answer to your changing question that you didn’t even know you were looking for.
Shop our range of change robes ,here.
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