dryrobe – Super Comfortable and Easy to Use

Andrew Piotrowski

Every hour starts the same way. The DJ says, “ok, plungers, five minutes until plunge time,” you think to yourself, “here we go again.” We take the short ramp from our changing tent to the staging area ramp that ultimately leads to the Icy Waters of the Chesapeake Bay. This January, I had the pleasure of participating in my 3^rd 24-hour Super Plunge.

This plunge benefited the athletes of Special Olympics Maryland and raised over $600k this year. It’s an amazing cause, but it’s also one heck of sufferfest! Every hour on the hour, all participants jump into the Chesapeake Bay for 24 straight hours. It’s cold and exhausting but so rewarding to support the athletes of the Special Olympics.

This year we had temps in the low thirties and lots of wind. However, dealing with these conditions was made a bit easier by the Dryrobe that I was testing.  The Dryrobe is a super comfy robe designed to be used to keep you warm and dry and make changing easy.

I have used it a ton for my cold plunges and to get changed from my work clothes to running clothes at the local trails. All you have to do is pull your arms in, and you can easily change without exposing yourself to the world. It sure beats changing in the front seat of a pickup. Below are some key features that make the Dryrobe an essential piece of gear: 

Sustainability: The Dryrobe is made from 100% recycled fabrics and features a PFC-free waterproof treatment. Put simply– this is awesome! 

Waterproof and Windproof: The combination of these two features is huge! It keeps you warm and dry until you are ready to brave the elements. During the overnight hours of the Super Plunge, the winds kicked up, and light rain started. However, this was made a non-factor by wearing the Dryrobe basically to the water on each plunge. I took it off, ran into the bay, and then retreated back to the robe. 

Extremely Warm: The synthetic lambswool fabric that lines the inside is very warm, dries quickly, and is very soft on the skin. 

Pockets: four separate pockets make storing things like phones, keys, wallets, and other essentials super easy. On the outside, two large fleece-lined pockets are great for keeping your hands warm.

Inside there is a large soft-lined pocket that is perfect for storing gloves. This pocket is very similar to the ones found in ski or climbing jackets and is perfect for drying wet gloves or hats with body heat. Finally, there is an internal pocket that has a small opening for headphones or a charging wire. I kept my portable charger in there and used the pocket to charge my phone between plunges. 

Zippers that work: The robe has a full-length YKK zipper that is easy to pull and works in both directions. I never had it jam or get stuck, and it is easy to use with gloves on.

MSRP: $195

Check it out: Adults Change Poncho & Hooded Towels – dryrobe® – dryrobe USA

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Andrew Piotrowski

Andrew is a trail runner, climber, paddler, snowboarder, marketer, and most importantly a dog dad. Andrew grew up in suburban Philadelphia and now lives on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

While he lives pretty far from the mountains, he puts a heavy focus on preparing for them and inspiring others to do the same. He first fell in love with the mountains on family trips to the White Mountains and the Adirondacks. He spent the majority of his early life competitively running and leisurely paddling, however after college he began focusing on learning to climb, snowboard, and backpack.

Over the past ten years since then, he has been fortunate enough to gain some amazing experiences exploring North America. Some of the most memorable thus far are alpine climbing in the Sierra, trail running in Alberta, learning to splitboard in NH, countless days hiking in the Catskills, or a plethora of mellow days paddling the Chesapeake Bay with friends.

When he can’t be in the mountains Andrew is often running or hiking with his favorite training partners, his two rescue dogs Calvin and Enzo. Andrew is also a self-proclaimed gear junkie and confessed that his gear loft is the most organized place in his home.

Blog: Flatcityclimbing.com

Instagram: pack_mule_piotrowski