4 Dopp Kits Every Dude Needs for Summer Travel

Packing is stressful. What happens if you forget something important? Leaving behind an item as inconsequential as a sock can mean spending hours of your trip searching for a replacement. What if your shampoo spills all over your clothes and you have nothing to wear? Will you freeze? Will it be hot? Will you have to dress up?

People who travel a lot know that packing brings out your fears. But there are tricks to calming them. Here’s an easy one: Buy a good Dopp kit. Pack it carefully. Leave it packed. Every time you travel, make a note of what’s missing from it and add that. It’s the personal care version of a Go Bag. And, unless you plan to stay home forever, you need one.

Topo Designs 200D Ripstop Dopp Kit

This is the perfect size to keep packed with essentials. The triangle shape is genius: It stands on it’s own, whether you zip it open for easy access while traveling or keep it closed while stored. And it’s light, light, light. So you aren’t carrying unnecessary weight. It comes in several colors. And that easy grab handle doubles as a hook to hang it in the bathroom.

Red Wing Heritage Traveler’s Dopp Kit

Are you shopping for a Dopp kit again because you destroyed yet another? I think that puts you in the “seasoned traveler” category and it might be time to upgrade your tools. Take a look at this one:

It’s made by Red Wing, known for is indestructible work shoes. This is just as bullet proof. Waxed canvas and leather is the perfect combination for a bag that ages beautifully, stands up to abuse, and is a tactile pleasure to use.

This is sized for a traveler like you, too. And it’s a great shape: Open one zipper, find all your gear.

If your bag is permanently packed, this is the kit you should keep in it.

Standard Issue Leather Dopp Kit

Is your travel of the stay-in-a-hotel, meet-with-a-client variety? Then a classy leather Dopp kit is the go bag you need.

This one: Classy, compact, and has a waterproof lining. It won’t overwhelm your carry on. It will be a pleasure to take out and use when you are far from the comforts of home. It will make you feel like James Bond if anyone visits you in your hotel room. And it won’t break the bank. Buy once, use for a thousand trips.

Matador FLATPAK Travel Toiletry Bottle

Here is a bit of genius to go in your Dopp kit. A flat-packing bottle for your shampoo, body wash, conditioner, or whatever. Fill it from the full-size product you keep in the shower. Bring it with you. No running out at the last minute for travel sized toiletries. You can fit a pile of them in a clear plastic bag for the TSA crowd to ogle.

They lie down to pack. But they stand up in the shower. Perfection. Stock up.