Alexandra Ramirez
1. Fishers Finery
Best Overall Bathrobe
5/5 Product Rating
Despite the high level of practicality inherent in this robe, you’ll also find it to be quite comfortable as well. While the bamboo fabric in the robe’s make dries you off, the cotton used within will keep you warm and comfortable. The ratio of the two materials found in this robe is just perfect, giving you a large degree of comfort at all times, whether or not you need drying off in the first place.
– Sarah Lytle
2. Clara Clark
Best Overall Bathrobe – Runner Up
4.7/5 Product Rating
While it does a good job of drying and excels in the realm of comfort, perhaps the robe’s best characteristic revolves around the sleek look it offers. Especially in some of its darker shades, you’ll notice an almost shiny look of sorts when under certain lightings. This is nice to see, being that most bathrobes up until this point have all taken on the exact same look about them. It also comes with a lifetime guarantee of satisfaction. Dissimilar to a warranty, a guarantee of satisfaction ensures that, as long as you haven’t misused to robe, you can return it for any reason at all. Whether you don’t like the look (unlikely) or you feel the sleeves are an inch too long, any reason is good enough for the Clara Clark brand to either give you a full refund or a replacement, depending on what the situation warrants.
– Sarah Lytle
3. Simplicity
Best Budget Bathrobe
4.5/5 Product Rating
Outside of the many advantages polyester brings to the table, you’ll find this product to be a great standalone robe as well. In terms of the softness it brings to the table, it deserves an easy five out of five – in fact, you may have a hard time believing it’s polyester at all. It also comes with a sleek-yet-inviting look, especially when purchased in one of its lighter shades. However, despite its great look and its ability to ward off moisture, you might not find it very able to actually absorb moisture, which is partly why it dries so quickly in the first place. As such, while you may find the robe rather comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, it may not be your best choice if you’re looking for something that does an excellent job of drying you off after a bath. That’s where the Fishers Finery Terry Robe comes in.
– Sarah Lytle
Bathrobe Buying Guide
The three above bathrobes all stack up extremely well outside of the realm of subjectivity. Within the realm of subjectivity; however, you’ll have to decide on what’s best. If none of the products listed seem to offer just what it is you’re after in your next bathrobe, you can always do some shopping on your own. While I can’t come to the clothing store with you, I can certainly still help along the way. Try answering some of the below questions as you pick out your next robe, as this will ensure you get the best possible product for your needs.
Do you want your bathrobe to dry you off?
It can be easy to assume that excellent drying capabilities in a bathrobe can only be a good thing. However, while such a characteristic is easy to appreciate while you’re actively wearing your robe, this isn’t so much the case when looking at its price tag. You can expect a price markup on bathrobes which are great at drying, as they often used exotic fabrics to do so. However, if you feel you could truly use such a feature, it may very well be something worth spending money on. It’s important to consider what features are important to you before making your final decision.
How many wears would you like to get out of your robe before washing it?
Considering that bathrobes are worn while you’re at your cleanest, most of us likely won’t wash them after on single use. That being that case, you may want to get a robe known for being rather resistant to the elements, lowering the rate at which is absorbs moisture and, thus, the microorganisms living within said moisture. On the other hand, you’ll find such robes offer little in the way of additional drying.
Types of Bathrobe Materials
No matter how long you search, you’ll always find some new, exotic bathrobe made with a material you’ve never seen used before. This is true of the clothing industry as a whole. However, there are three main types of materials often used in robes today, do you know which specific material is more likely to give your robe the characteristics you prefer?
- Bamboo – That’s right; I said bamboo. What started off as a neat little way to may reusable paper towels has begun to seep its way into the manufacture of bathrobes. Nothing beats bamboo cloth when it comes to a bathrobe’s ability to dry its wearer. If you often find you’re left uncomfortably damp even after drying yourself off with a towel, a robe made from bamboo cloth is likely just what you need. Generally speaking, bamboo-derived fabric will be mixed with other fabrics to make a robe and is rarely used alone.
- Polyester – There’s a reason polyester is the traditional material used to make sports uniforms. No matter what you throw at it, it just always seems to stay intact. It is extremely resistant to liquids as well as the standard wear and tear clothing often undergoes. However, it does a poor job of drying off its wearer and also lacks any significant ability to “breath.”
- Cotton – Cotton is the preferred material of nearly all of today’s leisurely clothing for one main reason – its high level of comfort. It does an excellent job of regulating its wearer’s temperature and tends to be very soft. In terms of its ability to dry you off, you’ll find it to sit somewhere in between cotton and bamboo cloth.
Common Bathrobe Features
In terms of the materials used in a bathrobe’s construction, there isn’t exactly a best or worst choice. Because each material has its own list of pros and cons, it’s up to you to decide which material’s pros outweigh its cons. There are; however, a few characteristics which are always great to see in robes of any type. By keeping the below features in mind and shopping accordingly, you can be sure you’ll come out with a robe which carries with it a high degree of quality.
- Pockets – While perhaps not an overly important feature, pockets can be handy, come with no functional downsides and cost next to nothing to incorporate into a bathrobe. As such, pockets will offer a few pros and no cons, making them great to see in any robe.
- A Thick Build – Now, a bathrobe doesn’t need to be inches thick, though it shouldn’t be too thin either. While you can find some very thin robes with Japanese-style prints, these are not great bathrobes. While such robes have their place, that place is not in the realm of bathing.
- A Pronounced Collar – Because the collar of a bathrobe is the most likely to come in contact with your hair, and because your hair is the most likely to be wet even after drying yourself off with a towel, a pronounced collar is always a great feature to see in a bathrobe. Such collars appear to have had an extra layer of fabric built into them. While most robes exhibit this quality, there are a few low-end robes which do not.
Conclusion
Aside from trying your best to find a robe with some of the above characteristics, the possibilities are truly limitless. No matter what you’re looking for in a robe, you’re sure to find it with relative ease by keeping all of the above factors in mind. Remember, just because many robes look the same, does not mean they feel the same.
Resources
- http://www.accessorieshap.com/product/simplicity-men-women-luxurious-plush-kimono-bathrobe-with-side-pockets/
- http://www.fishersfinery.com/products/womens-kimono
- https://poshmark.com/listing/Soft-Plush-Microfiber-Fleece-BathrobeNavy-56c6620a6a583002520029d4
