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PORTABLE MEDICINE CABINET: 4 DOPP KITS TO LAST A LIFETIME

It’s not as easy as it used to be. Gone are the times when you would grab a backpack full of M-80s, mom’s Victoria’s Secret catalogs and a sleeping bag before hopping on the bike to pedal over to your buddies place for a sleepover. Now we need a bag for everything, and more importantly, it has to look good and speak to your personal style.

And as you move through the lineup from duffel, to weekender, to backpack, to messenger, the one that is carrying some of most personal possessions, aside from your uncreased Air Jordan lXs or the double bootlegged Silverhawks DVD, is the Dopp kit. Society has taken away the option for the disheveled, please excuse me I’m fresh off a cross country red-eye and stinking to the high heavens from the pits to the mouth. The mind, body, and soul can be saved from the little zippered pouch.

Ultimately, everyone will have a different assortment of remedies that transition from medicine cabinet to kit per each adventure, but on the whole, it’s some combination of…

  • Toothbrush, Paste and Floss
  • Deodorant
  • Razor, Cream and, Aftershave
  • Nail Clippers
  • Bandaids and Basic Medicine – Pepto is always a good one.
  • Comb/Brush
  • Hair Products
  • Beard Oil – is anybody rockin’ the babyface look these days?
  • Protection
  • Chapstick
  • Lint Roller – it’s one you might not think of, but if your lodging is your buddy’s couch, it might save the day.

And once the necessary supplies are all laid out and ready to be packed for your trip, do you have a proper ditty bag? Is it part of a luggage set and lays the perfect accent to your duffel or weekender? Is it big enough for the basics? Would it have everyone questioning what’s behind the zippered gateway based on the awe-inspiring exterior? Truthfully, there are umpty million different kits out there for you to choose from and there really isn’t a wrong answer, unless you’ve got everything stuffed into a Ziplock Freezer Bag.

So, whether you’re needing to adult your travel game, upgrade your current setup or just need a new Dopp kit that says “business” trip instead of Spring Break 2019, take note of the following…

Hook  & Albert – Travel Dopp Kit / $115 

 

The Hook & Albert Travel Dopp Kit is stylish, conventional and has an exterior Twill fabric to handle the elements (of travel and the water closet). The center interior pocket is large enough for just about anything you need to the point even Marry Poppins would be jealous. And with the added waterproof nylon lining, a midair shampoo explosion will be contained. The H&A’s console is framed by opposing flaps for added storage while providing a clean surface for your tools when the foreign countertop is questionable. It’s a Dopp kit built for travel when the hotel room is home for an extended period of time.

BUY NOW / $115

 

NIXON- Limpio Dopp Kit II / $125 

 

Everyone knows or at least you should that NIXON makes quality watches. But their bags and leather goods are no slouch off the ol’ block. The Limpio Dopp Kit ll is built for the long haul and seemingly looks as if the blanket and saddle were taken off the horse’s back and retrofitted to house your perty products. The construction screams sophisticated elegance with an American hide exterior accentuated by leather tassels and custom metal hardware. It’s a no frill, serving the true purpose, statement kit. The presentation is in the name as limpio is loosely translated to “the clean”… which you should be.

BUY NOW / $125

 

Sea Bags -Recycled Toiletry Bag / $45 

 

It’s somewhat disconcerting how difficult it can be to find quality American made goods, but from the swells of North Atlantic Seaboard comes Sea Bags’ Recycled Sail Toiletry Bag. With a single zippered center pocket, this kit proves its durability with a sleek design built from retired race sails. A fabric derived to harness the fiercest winds of the Atlantic is housing your dollar store toothbrush and promoting a unique sense of rugged style. And as you should never be a follower, each bag slightly differs from the next as the sail’s life at sea varies in brutality and longevity. It’s handcrafted in Maine with the purpose of daily exploration, not just the holiday trip home to see mom and dad.

BUY NOW / $45

 

Triumph & Disaster – Field Kit

 

The mothership of all Dopps, the Field Kit is for the journeymen, the desperados, and the rouge travelers who have no set schedule on a return date when hitting the road. Headed to Thailand with no flight home? Who needs a suitcase— just take the outfit on and this, because you know you’re going to find the rest of the wardrobe on the adventure ahead. Maybe you are a touring musician? Or a modern Indiana Jones type in a search for your own definition of a temple of doom. Whatever it is, this kit will handle it—period. Made with a durable leather strap and pouches, brass hook and zippers, and a magnetic closure to seal up the goods. Remember, the road of a traveler can be a twisted tale and the one best prepared is the one least likely to fail, use promo code CYTIES to take 15% of the Field Kit—you’ll thank us later. 

BUY NOW / $150

With any product, the color, construction, size and brand name will spark interest and judgment from onlookers. But the Dopp kit is home to some of your more personal items and many of which have a potentially exasperating temperament. It’s important to pick a bag that will handle the abuse of travel, inevitable moisture of the lavatory and help paint a picture of your character to anyone who might see it sitting next to the sink. The Dopp kit should be a vital piece of your ‘go bag’ and though rarely seen outside the shadows of the loo, should provoke the overlying sense of self-worth. It’s the smallest bag on the pyramid of travel accessories. but its size certainly doesn’t determine its place on the hierarchy. Make sure it’s packed towards the top of your bag with the odor fighters positioned near the zipper because with limited time from jetway to curbside pickup, taking a moment to freshen up may determine the path of the entire trip.

Editors Tips

  • TSA will laugh at you if you show up with a transparent pouch from Claire’s
  • Named after Charles Doppelt, the Dopp kit’s popularity grew with its introduction to WWll troop essentials
  • Keep it tight and concise. Have travel sized products on the flight deck ready for launch
  • Build out a second Dopp kit to keep in your car or part of your EDC. You never know when you might need a quick overhaul