Wild Moose Dry Robe Review: Our Real-World Test

These days, there are hundreds of changing robes available on the market. Most of them do a pretty good job of keeping you warm and dry while you change out of wet clothes. Choosing which changing robe to buy often comes down to personal taste; even a fashion choice. That is until you find those few brands who take the time to make a quality product with quality materials and those extra little touches.

Enter The Wild Moose Dry Robe

The Wild Moose dry robe is one of those products from the elite few that offer something better. Whilst the branding looks cute and quirky, don’t be fooled. This changing robe is about as robust as they get. And I would expect nothing less from Wild Moose. Rachel Heley, the company’s founder, is a northern lass who truly lives and breathes the brand’s ethos. The Wild Moose Instagram is full of Rachel’s adventures in icy water, whether that’s wild swimming in lakes and rivers or plunging in an ice bath, and she’s certainly dedicated.

But Rachel admits, “Despite being a northern lass who voluntarily jumps into freezing water, I hate the cold! I am, as they say in Yorkshire, proper nesh.” So she set about creating a changing robe that would really keep the cold out. Over time, it has evolved into a whole range of wild swimming products from Wild Moose.

Our Real World Test of the Wild Moose Dry Robe

I decided to take the Wild Moose dry robe down to the beach for a test run on a cold October morning. The sea was pounding against the rocks and spraying across the beach, so it was the perfect day to see what this robe was made of.

Like a warm hug

I went for my swim in the biting cold English Channel until I was suitably chilled and ready to warm up again. The Wild Moose dry robe was like a warm hug, and it felt as though I was wrapped in a duvet. The super-thick sherpa fleece is wonderfully soft against the skin and superb at absorbing moisture, wicking it away from your skin. In fact, it was so good I could continue wearing it over my dry clothes without them getting damp, because any moisture is absorbed deep into the lining.

It dries super-fast too, within a few hours, so you are able to use it multiple times in a day if you need to.

Out of the dozens of changing robes we have tested, this robe really stood out as particularly impressive. Perhaps it’s the northern touch, who knows? But it’s just that bit better than most at keeping you warm and dry.

The arm holes are large enough to easily slip your arms inside to change without any difficulty. Whilst this is one of the roomiest changing robes we’ve tested it’s also a great fit and doesn’t feel huge when you’re wearing it.

The waterproof test

The sea spray was the perfect opportunity to test how the Wild Moose dry robe protected me from the elements. It did not disappoint. In fact, it performed brilliantly, and even though I had been cold and wet from the swim, I stayed dry, warm, cosy and protected.

The waterproof outer material and taped seams did the trick, keeping the water from entering the robe and running off very quickly. Compared to other robes, the outer shell is thicker and heavier, giving the robe a premium, high-quality feel. The velcro cuffs also help to keep the elements out.

As an added bonus for eco shoppers, the robe is made from recycled materials, so you’ll be making an environmentally friendly purchase when you buy.

Pockets

The robe has 2 fleece-lined, zip-up outer pockets that act as superb hand-warmers post-swim. The chest-height phone pocket was great for keeping my phone safe. One thing that bugs me about other robes is the positioning of the zip on these internal phone pockets – I always seem to catch my nipple on the zip pull! Thankfully, it is positioned well on this robe, so no painful nipple scratches after my swim!

There’s a second internal pocket for storing underwear, socks or gloves ready to change into, meaning you can keep warm inside the robe instead of rummaging in your bag for your stuff. Wild Moose have opted for a fleece pocket here. I prefer this to a nylon pocket that’s used for storing wet stuff.

For one, I don’t usually want to keep my wet swim shorts in my robe when I’m trying to dry off. That’s what dry bags are for. Secondly, I prefer the soft material against my skin – it’s a large pocket, so when robes use waterproof material for this pocket it means a large patch that isn’t drying you and keeping you warm. So I’m glad Wild Moose have gone for a fleece pocket. It’s these thoughtful details that matter.

Zips

The zips are large, high-quality YKK zips with vulcanised rubber pulls that are easy to grip with cold fingers. The main zip is 2-way, meaning you can unzip from the bottom as well as the top, giving you more room in an already spacious robe. You can also operate the top zip from the inside, which is highly useful on those colder days.

Hood

Another thoughtful addition is the drawstring hood. Not every robe has drawstrings, and they are particularly useful when the wind picks up. The hood is also nicely sized with plenty of peak at the front to keep the rain off your face. Even without the hood on you are well shielded by the nice tall collar.

Wild Moose Dry Robe: One of the best changing robes we’ve tested

In the world of changing robes, the little things make a big difference. It’s not just the quality of the materials that make a changing robe stand out from the crowd, it’s the thoughtful extra touches too. The Wild Moose dry robe has been designed by a keen and experienced wild swimmer, and it’s obvious when you use it just how much these details have been considered. The materials are tough and hard-wearing and the design is practical.

The robe pictured is the “Mango Moose”, but it’s also available in vivid pink, teal and electric blue. They all look great, and you can even style your look with a matching dry bag or rucksack too.

We were gifted this item for review purposes. Any purchase made via links on this article may earn us a commission. This does not affect our review or your purchase price.