You can read the full study here.
Tell us more about yourself and the author team.
I am a senior lecturer in sports performance at Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, and I led an excellent collaborative team of researchers who conducted this study.
What is the story behind your study?
A dryrobe® is a commercially available garment often worn by individuals after undertaking sports outdoors in cold temperatures, such as open water swimming, surfing, triathlon, etc. A dryrobe® is a large garment that allows you to change clothes while wearing it. It consists of an insulative layer (e.g., a towel on the inside) and a vapour barrier layer (e.g., a waterproof layer outside). The idea is to remove wet clothing, dry yourself, stay dry, and get warm while wearing the dryrobe®. We want to know if wearing the dryrobe® after cold water immersion was any better than the traditional options of a towel or a foil blanket. Participants entered cold water for 30 minutes and then wore either the dryrobe®, towel or blanket. Each participant came to the laboratory on three occasions, so everyone completed all three options.
In your own words, what did you find?
Perceptually, the participants felt warmer and more comfortable when wearing the dryrobe® compared to the towel or foil blanket. In addition, the skin temperature was higher, and the heart rate was lower when wearing the dryrobe®.
What was the main challenge you faced in your study?
Recruiting volunteers to enter 14oC water for 30 minutes!
If there is one take-home message from your study, what would that be?
If you enter cold water as part of your sport or during exercise, wearing a garment such as the dryrobe® after you get out will help you feel and become warmer.