The 'dryrobe' was designed by British surfer Gideon Bright. The first prototype was based on a garment his mum made for him when he was a teenager, this change poncho was a huge cape made from waterproof material, a towel lining and a hood. This soon became an essential piece of kit whenever he and his friends went surfing all year round on the cold Atlantic coast.

Standing in a freezing cold parking lot on a rainy day, with a soggy towel robe on, Gideon decided to reinvent his mother's initial design using state-of-the-art garment technology. The first time he wears it to the beach, two people ask him where they can buy one. dryrobe® was born.

The ‘dryrobe® Advance’ change poncho is further developed with improved quality and the introduction of new features including pockets, details and trims. The Towel dryrobe® is introduced to the range.

This year saw the beginning of long-term partnerships with Red Bull, RLSS UK and Nuclear Races, as the dryrobe® Advance began to be adopted by a huge range of sports including open water swimming, triathlon, cliff diving, mountain biking and obstacle course racing. 

The long-sleeved dryrobe® Advanced is launched along with additional sizes and new accessories.

Working alongside Adidas, we produced custom dryrobe® Advance change ponchos for Team GB at The Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio. We’ve worked with Team GB ever since, supplying athlete kit for summer and winter games. 

Ambassadors Ross Edgley and Cal Major both set world records on adventures supported by dryrobe®. Ross becomes the first person to swim around Great Britain and Cal SUPs from Lands End to John O’Groats. 

As part of our commitment to sustainability, all new dryrobe® Advance products are now made using 100% recycled fabrics, and the Towel dryrobe® is produced using 100% organic cotton.

We became a certified B Corp™, taking a huge step in our sustainability journey. This means our business practices are independently recognised for promoting positive environmental and social change.