Anyone who has spent a November Saturday on a grassroots touchline knows the feeling: sideways rain, a wind that finds every gap in your coat, and a squad of players shivering between games. That's exactly why the Optimum Drywrap Changing Robe has become one of our most popular items this autumn, sitting among our best sellers over the last three months.
Who the Drywrap is for
The Drywrap is built for anyone who has to get changed, wait around or watch outdoors when the weather turns. In our world that means rugby and football players changing out of wet kit after a muddy match, substitutes waiting to come on, coaches running sessions from the side, and parents standing on the touchline for an hour every weekend. It's equally at home with outdoor swimmers and surfers peeling off a wetsuit on a chilly beach.
With sizes running from Kids through to adult Large, one robe design can cover the whole family – from the mini rugby player to the parent holding the flask.
Key features
Here's what you get, straight from the listing:
- Water-resistant, windproof outer shell with fully taped seams, built to shrug off rain and biting wind.
- Plush fleece-lined interior that wicks moisture from the skin and holds in body heat after a cold swim or a muddy match. It's machine washable between outings.
- Adjustable windproof hood to shield your head and neck from driving rain and cold gusts.
- Long sleeves with hook-and-loop cuff adjusters so you can seal out draughts.
- Oversized fit – roomy enough to pull your arms inside and change underneath, or to wear over bulky winter layers, team kit or a wetsuit.
- Internal zip pocket to keep your phone, keys and wallet safe and dry.
- A matching Optimum bucket hat comes with every Drywrap.
Where it earns its keep
1. Matchday on the touchline
For parents and spectators, the Drywrap turns a miserable 90 minutes into a comfortable one. Throw it on over your normal clothes, pull the hood up and keep your phone dry in the inside pocket.
2. The substitutes' bench
Players waiting to come on can stay covered over their kit, so they're not standing in the wind in a damp shirt for half a match.
3. Post-match changing
Not every pitch has a warm changing room. The oversized cut means players can get out of wet, muddy kit and into something dry right there in the car park, staying covered while they do it.
4. Coaching winter sessions
Coaches on their feet for an evening session under the floodlights get a long, hooded layer that blocks the wind, with cuffs that keep cold air out while you're setting out cones or holding a clipboard.
5. Outdoor swimming and beach days
Out of season, the same robe goes to the lake or the beach – it's designed to pull on over a wetsuit so you can peel the suit down inside it.
The habits it helps you build
A changing robe won't teach anyone to pass or tackle. What it does is make the habits around training and matches easier to stick to when the weather is grim. Here are four we see coaches use it for, each with a simple routine to try.
Staying game-ready as a substitute
Coming on cold is a common problem in grassroots sport. Keeping covered on the bench is only half the job – you still need to move.
Try this: the "sub-ready" routine. Stay in the robe while you wait, then about five minutes before you're due on, take it off and do a short, active re-warm-up: light jogging along the touchline, a few side-steps each way, high knees and some quick-feet work. When the coach calls you, you're warm, loose and ready.
Kit independence for juniors
Learning to look after your own kit is a real skill for young players, and a robe they can change under on their own gives them a bit of privacy and confidence to do it.
Try this: the "two-bag" change. Give each junior a carrier bag for wet, muddy kit and keep dry clothes in their kit bag. After the final whistle, they pop the Drywrap on, change underneath, bag up the wet kit and zip their dry bag shut – aiming to be done before the coach finishes the debrief. Make it a team challenge and it soon becomes routine.
Reading the game from the sideline
Injured players, subs and young players who are new to the sport can learn a lot by watching – but only if they're comfortable enough to concentrate rather than counting down the minutes until they can go home.
Try this: the "one thing" watch. Give each player on the sideline one thing to look for – where the support runners go, how the defence lines up, or who talks the most. At half-time they report back to the group in a sentence or two. It builds understanding of the game and keeps everyone involved.
Consistency through the winter
The players who improve most over a season are usually the ones who keep turning up when it's cold and wet. Making those sessions more bearable helps keep attendance up.
Try this: a squad attendance target for the darkest weeks of the season – for example, everyone at every session through to the Christmas break. Keep a simple tally on the team chat and celebrate when you hit it.
Choosing the right option
The Drywrap comes in four sizes:
- XX-Small – Kids
- X-Small – Youth
- Small – adult
- Large – adult
Remember the fit is deliberately oversized, so there's room to change underneath and to layer over winter clothes or kit. If you're buying for a growing junior who sits between sizes, think about how much they'll want to wear underneath it.
There are four colours: Black, Khaki, Grey Camo and Sand Camo. Black is a classic choice for clubs who want a uniform look across the squad, while the camo and khaki options suit swimmers and families who want something a bit different. Not every colour is available in every size at all times, so check the product page for current availability.
Get your squad sorted for winter
Whether it's for your own touchline duties, your child's Sunday morning matches or kitting out a whole squad, the Drywrap is a practical way to make the coldest part of the season a lot more comfortable.
Shop the Optimum Drywrap Changing Robe, or browse the full Drywrap & Accessories collection for more changing kit.
