Brass Monkey Men’s Cold Dipper Navy Hoodie Review

DISCLOSURE – THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER’S OWN.

Reviewed by Jenny Bray

Before I received this item I checked the website out; www.brassmonkey.co The company offer ice baths, and barrels for personal use and commercial spa items that offer cold water immersion. They have recently expanded into clothing items for their cold dipping community and these include men’s, women’s and unisex items including hoodies, sweatshirts, t-shirts, shorts, leggings and joggers. The website is really easy to navigate and each section is clearly laid out. There are currently 5 different hoodie designs for men and 6 for women. These include ‘Built Different’ and ‘Have an Ice Day’ as well as the ‘Cold Dipper’ one that I received.

My hoodie arrived via Royal Mail in paper packaging, inside which was the hoodie sealed in a plastic bag, both of which had the Brass Monkey logo on, which was a nice touch.

Upon getting the actual hoodie out, it looked and felt well made and of good quality. There is an embellished Brass Monkey symbol under the hood, which would be practically unnoticeable to others, but adds to the quality feel of the item. I love the print, which is on both the front and back of the hoodie, in raised print. It reminds me of surf brands due to the waves. The cream print goes really well with the navy hoodie and it’s great that the pull string of the hood is in matching navy rather than a contrasting or non-matching colour. The length of the hoodie is good as are the sleeve lengths. It is a little longer in the body than some hoodies, helping keep your back warm when bending over rather than exposing the base of your back, which some styles do.

I thought the hoodie may have been a slightly heavier cotton than it is. I’d say this is more of a slightly more lightweight Spring and Autumn season hoodie rather than a thick and fluffy winter one. On the plus side, if putting this on when still slightly damp, after dipping in cold water obviously, it would be easier to dry than a thicker one and even says it’s been designed to slip on and off with ease.

For reference the person modelling this hoodie is 5’9 and slim and wearing a size small.

I always like to check out a company’s background and environmental impact and I am pleased to be able to report that this company are aligned with my preferences for an organisation in terms of trying to minimise their impact on the environment. They are honest in saying that they are ‘working towards green credentials’ and are committed to ‘exploring better ways to reduce our environmental impact while keeping our clothing accessible’. They state that they select supply partners aligned with their mission and make annual visits to check their ethical and environmental standards. However, I was then slightly disappointed to see on the wash label of the item that the item was made in Turkey and not in the UK. Their clothing is made with certified sustainable materials, either 100% organic cotton (hoodies, shorts, sweatshirts, joggers and t-shirts) or recycled polyester (leggings and swim shorts). All packaging is recycled cardboard or recycled plastic and is all able to be recycled again.

Brass Monkey is a fairly new company, having only been set up in 2020 by founder Dan during lockdown, when he realised that immersing himself in cold water was helping his mental health. I love his quote where he says, ‘When you nail your body’s response to the cold, you’ll find that stress doesn’t affect you in the same way that it once did’. I’ve shocked myself with cold water at the end of a shower before but never tried full cold water immersion, other than in a Spa. I’m not convinced it will become a daily ritual but I’m certainly inspired to try it.

If you sign up to their newsletter then you will receive 10% off your first order.

I love the ethos and feel of the company and their clothing designs and styles and prefer to support local businesses where possible. Their clothing can be found here; www.brassmonkey.co/pages/apparel. The prices seem a little steep, although only similar to well known surf brands, and the hoodie does feel of good quality. They are aiming at a specific market of people who cold dip and I wouldn’t have thought there are many, if any, other options for clothing that show your love of cold water dipping.

Dare I mention the C word at this time of year? This item would make a great present for anyone who likes to cold dip and would like to let others know through their clothing choices (or like me, just like the look of the prints!).

Rating: 4/5

The RRP for this item is £85
It can be purchased from Brass Monkey on their website here.
If you’re new to the site and use the 10% discount, this reduces it to £76.50.