The pack material is made from thick rubberised material and is very strong and durable. The seams are welded and completely watertight and the impression the bag still gives after a few months of hard use is that it is bomb proof.

Shoulder straps are nice and wide, helping to spread the load. They and very strong with robust attachments points and come with a chest strap as well as D-rings for clipping extra stuff to, such as sunglasses or other gear.

I like the strong handle the pack comes with, which is again very strong and well attached to the pack. It also has a rubberised handle to make it more comfortable when using.

There is an outside pocket on the pack, which is perfect for keys, wallet etc. It's got a flap to keep off the bulk of any rain as well as a waterproof zipper.

Inside the pack there are a couple of pockets available: a mesh style pocket and D-ring, as well as another waterproof pocket. There's absolutely no way your valuables will get wet in here!

The pack is fastened and made watertight by rolling the top and clipping it shut on two strong buckles. Tension straps mean you can shorten or lengthen the buckles depending on how much gear you pack.

• Strong
• Excellent workmanship
• Robust buckles and pockets

None!

This is a great pack and thoroughly recommended. I hope to see more colours in the future and would love one of these in olive green or cammo!

The outer shell of the jacket is definitely more sturdy and appears to be thicker material. Also, it is clear it has been treated better than the DryRobe shell and we can already confirm it sheds water perfectly.

And, let's face it, has a fantastic and eye-catching design which we love!

So far, in light showers and recently in heavy rain in North Wales it's performed perfectly, absolutely no water absorption even after prolonged rain, unlike the DryRobe.

It is extremely windproof too and keeps you really warm. You can really feel the waterproof treatment the lining has had and the whole jacket oozes quality.

As with the DryRobe, the lining is an artificial pile type and is more than adequate for its warmth factor and no doubt when it gets wet it will retain some of its ability to insulate, unlike (for example) down.

I must admit I'm a fan of natural fibres such as wool, but the lining does feel very soft and nice to put on in the cold evenings of autumn. My kids have even started using it as a blanket when we chill out in the garden on the cold winter evenings and they love it.

We also used the coat as a pillow on a recent camping trip - simply roll it up with the lining on the outside and it's really nice to lean on/ rest your head on as a pillow.

So far, having used the coat on many occasions in the Welsh autumn weather, from swimming trips to events, to taking the the dog for a walk or hanging out in the garden at night, I can state this lining is really, REALLY warm! 

After testing the coat at a swimming event in North Wales, unfortunately I noticed the pile lining of the sleeve tended to ride out of the sleeve end a little, when you put your arm in, when the hand was cold and wet, just like the DryRobe did. 

It's worse when your hands are wet or damp and cold and I think it is because the artificial pile fibres do not move across wet and clammy skin as well as cotton or wool fibres do. The result is they tend to stick to wet hands, impede quick dressing and ride out of the end of the sleeves. Rainwater can then dribble down the sleeve and soak into the pile lining by your wrist.

Unfortunately, I did encounter this issue at a recent swimming event where, after 2 hours of swimming in 14 degree water, I needed to get dressed quickly.

This was a major gripe of mine about the DryRobe as it quickly became apparent in extreme conditions that you end up with a soaking wet cuff inside the coat. This is important because your blood runs close to the surface of the wrists and forearms and is thus more susceptible to temperature loss.

I wish manufacturers of these coats would allocate more funding to make the wrists bigger by default and simply have a draw chord or velcro wristband to tighten them up. There is a velcro strap on the wrist, but the default wrist size itself seems a little too small to allow speedy dressing when wet/cold.

However, that said, if it is any consolation I can confirm it did it less than the Dryrobe and I am considering using a sock over the hand to put on the jacket, then put the socks on my feet... That would fix the issue for sure.

The main zipper is sturdy and has a two-way zipping function although I do have concerns that it will be quite fiddly in the howling wind and rain when your hands are really cold after coming out of the water.

I've already had a couple of fiddly zip moments when trying to do it up in regular weather and feel it's a shame they didn't really try something "new' to improve on a feature of the DryRobe that many users have complained about.

The outside hip pockets have very strong zips and zip pulls and I'm confident these will perform well over time.

Unfortunately the the inside chest pocket has a similar design to that of the DryRobe, which as you will read in my original DryRobe review was a major fault in my opinion: The inside pocket zip on the DryRobe is very flimsy and the pocket it is designed so the zipper is vertical, which means if the zip breaks (which it did quickly), then the pocket is rendered useless because everything will fall out. If such a flimsy zip has to be used for production costing reasons then it would be better to design a pocket where the zip was horizontal and then if it did break at least you could still use the pocket.

For now, this coat has the vertical pocket design and we will have to see how it goes, but I think this design should be changed to a horizontal sipper so the pocket can be used even if the zipper breaks.

However, that said I have to say it did perform pretty well on a weekend swim event where I was using it a lot, stuffing my phone in with cold hands (ie. very roughly!) and the zip was OK.

The outer pockets are excellent and are lined with a very nice feeling fleece material which I am positive will keep your hands very warm and they're also very large to cater for gloves and hats.

I really appreciated the big pocket capacity on this jacket at a recent swim event in North Wales - no plastic disposable cups were allowed and swimmers had to take their own to the end point, so I was easily able to get a collapsible mug into the pocket with no trouble, as well as chocolates and flapjacks!

The inside chest pocket is rubberised inside, however there is no phone jack like there is on the DryRobe. I am not sure if it was intended for listening to music but you can easily thread the earphone jack through the zipper if you need to. 

To be honest I'm not really one for taking loads of electronic gadgets when I'm swimming, but the rubberised design does seem to be to keep devices dry, which is a nice idea.

I must say here the inside pocket performed very well over the weekend at a swimming event as I needed to put my phone inside the coat as well as a few other items and it seemed to handle it very well, despite tugging quite hard on the zip at times with clumsy, cold hands. I also liked the rubberised material on the inside pocket as it was raining on and off all day yet I knew my phone would be dry.

The hood is superb with a very soft pile lining and unlike its competition seems to fit a little tighter around your face, so I am confident when it's extra windy it will not blow back like the DryRobe one did, keeping your face warm all the time.

I used it in North Wales in typical Welsh weather last weekend and it performed perfectly, shielding my face and keeping the rain out.

The main zip does all the way up, coming right up under your chin, pretty much sealing you off from the elements and I'm really looking forward to giving this jacket a thorough beasting in some more disgusting winter weather!

I have added this section to the review for this swim coat because I'm so impressed with the other things they are doing as part of their marketing.

1) The fantastic pattern design

The arctic cammo design is really eye-catching! If you are an urbanite hoping to turn heads when you go to open water settings, then this is for you. Alternatively, if, like me, you're more of an outdoors guy who just likes camouflage (!) then this will certainly hit the mark. 

It's a kind of arctic camouflage design and I think can even blend in and help you to go 'stealthy' if stealth swimming during the winter is your thing, easily blending into the rocks and surroundings in a winter scenario.

And (for example) it could even be used to lay over your clothes while you go swimming, and appear like a rock to camouflage your stuff from would-be dishonest opportunists on the beach!

3) Freebies

Another nice touch with the SeaShell changing robe is the company send a QR code on a nice business card that will allow you to download a free e-guide to cold water swimming.

4) Sustainability

The product itself is made with 100% recycled materials, which is really great because coats like this, although they might look amazing, are actually very difficult to dispose of when they do live out their life cycle. They are made entirely from man-made materials. It's good to know this jacket is made from recycled plastic. in addition all of the packaging that you receive with the product is also made from 100% recycled plastic. 

This was my main grape with the DryRobe... frankly I found it way overpriced for what it is. 

However, this jacket/changing robe from SeaShell is more in line with the quality I would expect for the price tag and the manufacturers donate a certain amount (£) to charity for every item sold, which I think can only be considered as a bonus as it helps a worthy cause.

Overall, I consider the SeaShell jacket to be far superior to the DryRobe and definitely worth the price tag if you are going to splash on a fancy changing robe.

While I am still more of a traditionalist, who prefers natural fibres, I do find myself reaching for this jacket more and more and at a recent swimming event in North Wales, when the weather was really disgusting, and in Pembrokeshire where we will often experience 3 days of solid rain, it has not disappointed.

Plus
Very warm
Outer pockets
Very waterproof - the outer lining treatment is superb
Hood

Looks amazing

Minus
Main zip can sometimes get stuck when you need it most
Cuffs tend to stick to wet/cold hands and can ride out when you put your arms in

Please feel free to visit the guys at Seashell and take a look at their collection of products and also how they are using recycled materials and donating portion of the income to charity. You can visit them on their website, https://seashell-clothing.com/

Firstly, there are several things you need to consider when thinking about kit that is specifically designed to keep you warm after being in open water.

> Can I get it on quickly when cold and wet?
> Does the lining stick to cold and clammy hands?
> Is the exterior windproof/waterproof?
> Are there pockets and are they easy to get into with cold and clammy hands?
> Are the pockets big enough to hold thick woolly hats and gloves?
> Does it have zips that require dexterity in the fingers?
> Does it pack down small, is it easily transportable in a backpack, on a bike, or in a RuckRaft for cross country swimming?
> Can I use it for anything else to maximise value?

If you are serious about open water swimming you are going to be exposed to disgusting weather conditions and you are going to get cold. It helps to have a piece of kit that not only warms you up quickly but also can be used in a variety of ways.

Click here to read a DryRobe review which contains many of the features you need to consider. If you are a DryRobe fan, sorry, I have been brutally honest!

I have used everything for my main open water swimming 'jacket', from a DryRobe to down filled hiking coats to army surplus jackets. Most do the job just fine, although many lacked the versatility I needed.

I was looking for something I could also use for camping and hiking and on swim hikes, single or multi day, and recently discovered the Helikon Tex Swagman Poncho.

Made in Poland this high quality, multi-purpose poncho comes in two colours (green or black) and is quilted with water resistant pertex outer.

Being a poncho you can literally throw it over your head and it instantly covers you, keeping in the warmth and the wind out.

The first and most obvious difference between a poncho and a jacket of course is there are no zips. From an open water swimming perspective this is interesting because zips can be difficult to use when you are cold and wet, or when your hands are numb.

This poncho comes with two wraparound elasticated straps with clip locks that go behind and in front of you to wrap the poncho around your body and keep it in position. the design is such that once you are clipped in it's completely wrapped around your whole body with the sides acting as sleeves.

The poncho has a snug fitting hood with a draw chord that completely covers the head, much better than the DryRobe hood. It has a large chest pocket big enough to keep a variety of stuff like hat gloves socks etc.

One of my biggest complaints about the DryRobe is that zip often jammed at the worst possible time and the sleeves were too narrow at the cuffs and stick to cold, clammy hands after a swim, causing frustration getting arms through sleeves as the pile lining rides out and gets wet.

The poncho of course does not have zips or sleeves but is literally thrown over the head and wrapped around your body and is on in 2 seconds.  Due to its design it does cover the arms to the elbow, looking rather like wizards sleeves, and instantly traps a layer of air next to the body, warming you up in seconds.

The wrap-around straps can be loosened easily when sitting or  pulled tight when walking around to keep the poncho close to the body.

I also found my DryRobe, whilst it was windproof, was definitely not truly waterproof. Sure it kept out a little shower but anything more than 5 minutes of rain soon seeped through and drenched the cuffs and hem.

The Helikon Tex Swagman Poncho is coated in a water repellent material and as soon as it rains you can see the water beading off. I would not like to use it specifically as a rain coat in a heavy prolonged to rain storm, it's not designed for that, but it does come with attachments points for standard, military style, nylon ponchos, if you think you need it. If you are caught in torrential rain the quilted filling does retain its warmth when wet, unlike say down.

One of the main concepts of the DryRobe was that it could be used as a changing robe, allowing you to get changed on the beach. You can do the same under this poncho - the wrap-around straps keep it closed around your body.

Personally though I never really saw the point of doing this, you just wet the inner lining doing this and that reduces the ability of the garment to keep you warm. Better to brave the elements for 5 seconds while you quickly towel off and absorb water on your body then get dry layers on as quickly as possible.

As far as size and weight goes, the poncho weighs in at just 750 grams and packs down to this size of a couple of bags of sugar!

It fits easily into a backpack and also into bike bags that strap onto bicycle handlebars/paniers etc.

When it's opened out it's about the same size as a single blanket.

I mention above about kit versatility and the ability to use items of kit for different things... The reasoning for this is so you don't have to carry so many items.

A DryRobe style coat is just a (very) big coat and can't be used for much else. I have tried - it's too small to be used as a blanket. It's too big and heavy to be packed down small and carried around in a backpack on long hikes or in a bike bag strapped to your bicycle. There is really only one thing you can use it for.

The best part about this poncho is it quadruples up as:

> A ground  blanket

There are loops on the corners that you can peg to the ground, and the hood can be tucked away in its own stow pocket.

> A lightweight sleeping bag

There is a zip all the way around the edge of the poncho, just zip it up, get in and sleep!  This makes it a great piece of kit for cross-country your multi day swim hikes or for athletes attending multi-day events who need to camp or sleep in their van.

> An under quilt for a hammock

If that's your thing!

In my opinion this is a good piece of kit for any serious outdoor swimmer, especially those who are looking to dabble in swim hiking / trekking also known as cross-country swimming.

Plus side:

> Easier/faster to get on and off than a jacket
> Just as warm as a DryRobe
> No zips means no jams, no breakages
> One massive pocket, no gimmicks
> Nice fitting hood with elasticated draw chord
> Packs down very small
> Very lightweight
> Can be used as many different pieces of kit

Down side:

> It doesn't come down much past your knees as a DryRobe does, some may see this as a disadvantage.
> A poncho is not a coat, some people may just prefer a coat.
> Maybe it doesn't look as cool as a DryRobe!

In the end it's about selecting the best features in a piece of kit in order to do what's required.

If, for you, 'looking like one of the crowd' is important, or if having a nice logo or bright colours is your thing, then this kit isn't for you - Helikon Tex are not as well known (in the UK anyway) and focus on military style equipment, so this may not look 'cool' enough!

But if you are looking for something that can be used in a variety of situations and that is highly versatile in terms of performance to cost ratio, I would recommend it, or something similar such as the Honcho Poncho Thermarest, which looks a bit 'cooler', but lacks some of the more versatile features such as wrap around straps and and sleeping bag zip. Even a wool blanket with a couple of holes cut in would suffice!

There are several features listed above however that I have considered carefully that are a good match for the needs of more 'hard core' open water swimmers and those who want to combine swimming with hiking and camping.

The outer shell of the DryRobe appears to be waterproof and windproof. The seams are taped and at first appearance it does look like it will perform accordingly.

It is certainly windproof, without a doubt, and keeps you really warm in high wind or when the conditions are cold and dry.

However, I have found it is certainly not waterproof when exposed to prolonged rain and mist, ie. the type of weather you get in Wales! In fact it starts to let water permeate through the nylon shell fairly quickly, causing dampness on the inner lining and especially at certain points like the cuffs and bottom hem.

The lining is an artificial pile type and is very, very warm. It also can absorb a certain amount of water when it gets wet and retains its warmth qualities. The original concept of course was that you get changed under the DryRobe, the lining material is nice on the skin although I wouldn't advise using it as a towel because it will retain the damp for some time.

The RuckRaft also comes with a very well made dry bag. The dry bag is designed to store all your hiking gear and keep it dry when you tow the RuckRaft behind you in the open water. It is very well made, highly robust and will withstand a lot of abuse on the trails and in the water. And, of course, it is 100% waterproof!

We tested the RuckRaft in open sea, in the Autumn, in Wales.

If you know Wales at all you will know this can mean some rather unpredictable conditions!

On our initial swim / trek trip the RuckRaft performed extremely well, beyond expectations given the combined weight of the backpack, gear and the sea conditions at the time, which had taken a turn for the worse and had become quite choppy.

Here's a summary to give you an idea of what we were dealing with on the swim trek.

Pack: Osprey 65L rucksack

Kit: Hiking clothes, jetboil stove, brew kit, dried food, fruit, snacks, jacket, walking boots, kids gear

Kit weight: 23-25kg

Sea Conditions: choppy, open water sea, exposed to the elements

Average Swim Distance: 0.8 - 1.5 km

Total Swim Distance: 3 - 3.5km

Total Swim / Trek Distance: 12km

Despite the conditions the RuckRaft bobbed along nicely, floating over the waves and was extremely stable. At no point did it look like the raft would tip over and we did not feel as if we were towing 25kg at all, in fact we barely noticed the weight any more than a normal swim tow.

It's even stable enough to hold onto if you need to for a breather - we found it useful to face the point of the bow and use the two overhead straps on each side as hand grabs.

We were immediately struck by how well this kit is made. It's designed for hard core use and will take a major beating. The webbing is tough, well stitched and of ample length (there is nothing worse that cost cutting measures such as shortening webbing to save production costs!)  The buckles are military grade and very sturdy. Everything about the product oozes quality.

The RuckRaft is a great idea and is well-made with no scrimps on quality.

Yes, it is a specialised piece of kit and will not likely be in the average open water swimmers kit list or Christmas stocking, but it does open up a whole new world of wonderful adventures!

If you like being outdoors, enjoy wild swimming and want to try something different, we would thoroughly recommend investing in one.

• We run swim trekking activities year round, around the beautiful and rugged coast of Pembrokeshire.
• Route difficulty, length and level of 'extreme factor' can be tailored to your needs!
• Overnight swim trekking options are available upon request.

Tongue
The shoe has a tongue, strong with a leather top for anti slip. It seems to shape to your foot and does not poke out of the top, it's great, really comfy. Five toe fingers, like a Ninja boot. Extremely comfy sock-like feel.

Drainage
The upper shoe is nylon mesh and drains quickly. There is another model 'Aqua' that has drain holes but it uses velcro fastening straps that in our opinion will loosen and/or degrade over time and lose their fastening power. The Alpha model drain fine.

Shoe Body
Sock variety. Very comfy fit. Pull on loop at heel. Nylon lace and quick tighten/release 'widget' help you to get the shoe on and off. There is a velcro fastener to stop the excess lace flapping when tightened.

These shoes seem not to let in any sand, which reduces the chance of blisters due to grit/sand on the foot. We did chat a lot with the Vibram sales person online beforehand though to ensure we got the best fit. The shoe seems very high quality and should last a long time. These are probably the hardest core 'barefoot' shoes on the market, so take some getting used to but the feel they offer is amazing and they are even better than the Vivobarefoot swimrun shoes for swimming in.

Weight
Very very light. The lightest shoes we have come across. Absolutely minimalist. Weight is not affected when wet.

Drop
No drop whatsoever. These are true 'barefoot' shoes, in fact they are more like a sock with a sole. The feel is the same as running barefoot, which goes so well with swimrunning. Take time to get used to the shoe. Build distance up slowly. Swim propulsion is the best we have seen due to the 5 toe design.

Sole and Tread
The grip offered on this model is surprisingly excellent as the grip looks quite minimal. The sole material is almost 'sticky', the only material it is not great in is wet river mud, but we're yet to see a shoe that is!  There is an excellent 'feel' of the ground under your feet and the 5 toe design means your toes can splay around rocks and tree roots etc for extra grip.

Conclusion

Great shoe. Great 'feel' of barefoot running. Superb to swim in.

These are superb shoes and are the ultimate minimalist barefoot running shoe and, in my experience, are superb for swimrunning. Don't just don a pair of VFFs if you're just starting out though! Your feet will need time to strengthen and become accustomed to barefoot running. They range in price from £80-£120 but once you're feet become adapted to barefoot running you'll love them!