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Building The Perfect Dopp Kit

March 18, 2008

travel-man.jpg

Unlike many women who require a small suitcase for their toiletries, a traveling man needs only a few essentials to be happy. Nevertheless, a man needs a place to stow these items. Enter the Dopp kit.

The History of the Dopp Kit

Charles Doppelt, a German leather-goods maker from Chicago, invented the Dopp kit during the early 1900’s. The small pouches became known as Dopps, in recognition of its creator. Doppelt scored a contract with the US Army during WWII to provide the toiletry pouches to millions of American GIs. The bags became a hit, and demand for Dopp kits soared when American men returned home from war.

My memories of Dopp kits include looking over my dad’s black leather one. It was worn from years of use. As a child, I was always amazed at all the stuff he could put in there. It was almost like a doctor’s old medical bag.

Building your Dopp Kit

The Bag
dopp2.jpg
The first thing you’ll need is the bag. These aren’t difficult to find. You can get a nylon travel bag for under $5 at any big box store like Target or Wal-Mart. They’ll get the job done.

But if you want a Dopp kit with class, leather is the only way to go. Sure, it will cost you more, but it will last forever, age nicely, and become something you enjoy owning and toting around. It’s something you’ll be able to pass down to your sons and grandsons, along with the stories of the places you took it. You can find a nice leather Dopp kit at most department stores. You can also buy nice affordable leather Dopp kit for $35 online. If you’re lucky, you can also score a vintage leather Dopp bag on eBay.

The Supplies

After you have your bag, it’s time to fill it up with the stuff you need to keep you well groomed while traveling. Most of things we suggest are common sense, others you might not have thought of, but will be happy to have on hand during your adventures.

  • Travel bottle of shampoo
  • Bar of your favorite soap
  • Deodorant
  • Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Floss
  • Shaving supplies: razor, brush, and cream
  • Nail clippers
  • Lip Balm
  • Band Aids
  • Safety Pins
  • Aspirin or Tylenol
  • Lint Roller
  • $20 bill
  • Extra pair of contact lenses

Organizing the kit

One of the things I remember about my dad filling up his Dopp kit is the care he took when packing his supplies. Everything had its place. The way you place supplies in the pouch will ensure safe arrival to your destination.

If you will be flying with your Dopp kit, keep in mind that pressure changes on the airplane can cause your shampoo and cream bottles to explode. This will create a big mess and a lot of disappointment, especially if you went ahead a bought a nice leather kit. To avoid a mess, try this hint: Before placing a bottle that holds liquidy materials in your bag, squeeze the air out of the bottle right up until the cream reaches the tip of the hole. Without this excess air, your bottles will be much more likely to hold unto their contents during flight.

What do you carry in your Dopp kit? Did we miss anything that you think is essential to have? Drop a line in the comment box and let us know.

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Comments

47 Responses to “Building The Perfect Dopp Kit”

  1. Kevan on March 18th, 2008 10:54 pm

    Good post! Here are a few things that I keep in my kit that weren’t on your list:

    -A little black film container of quarters. (For parking meters or emergency pay phone calls)

    -Some sort of styptic. (Stop those pesky razor nicks from bleeding in a jiffy)

    -Nail or cuticle scissors (to trim up stray nose or eyebrow hairs)

    -Gold Bond powder (no need to explain, we are all men here) :)

  2. Bob on March 18th, 2008 10:56 pm

    I also ALWAYS include some Alka-Seltzer or ENO Antacid caplets. They work for all sorts of upset stomachs (heartburn, indigestion, etc.), plus they last for a long time, take up very little space, and all you need is water.

  3. bob on March 18th, 2008 11:07 pm

    I’d recommend a comb in there as well. Dopp kits are great for me at college. For the shampoo bottle, I use an old L’Oreal Kids bottle (http://tinyurl.com/2pn3qw) with a much more manly shampoo of course. The it’s thin enough to fit well into the kit and not take up as much room, plus I can go about a month without refilling.

  4. velda on March 18th, 2008 11:47 pm

    a few items i always keep in my Dopp and find indispensable:

    -Purell hand sanitizer. (its a dirty world out there)

    -Quality face wash. (you guys are not using regular ‘ole soap on your faces are you?)

    -NyQuil and DayQuil. (you can function surprisingly well when sick on a steady balance of these two medications. )

    -Condoms and a small tube of lube. (for the bachelor life)

  5. pete on March 19th, 2008 12:31 am

    - a comb (or hairbrush, if you can accept the bulk)
    - earplugs
    - sewing kit (nothing fancy, just to reaffix that button)

  6. Billy on March 19th, 2008 6:17 am

    good article, however good luck trying to get the aerosols, razor blades, trimmers, and liquids onto the plane nowadays!

  7. Matt B. on March 19th, 2008 7:35 am

    Great post. The only thing I would add is diarrhea medicine, especially if you are traveling to somewhat exotic locales.

  8. Brad on March 19th, 2008 7:39 am

    I second the small sewing kit and would add some sort of anti-diarrheal medication, especially if you’re traveling overseas.

  9. Brad on March 19th, 2008 7:41 am

    Curse you Matt B! (I bow to your superior posting speed.)

  10. Justin on March 19th, 2008 9:27 am

    Another quick tip: Any bottles of liquid that might explode I pack in a zip lock bag…That way if they do explode, leak, or just come open it doesn’t make a mess of your case or other supplies.

  11. David Bryson on March 19th, 2008 9:54 am

    Another essential: a few q-tips! Coming back from a trip with no q-tips to find an ear full of golden treasure can be quite shocking.

  12. G on March 19th, 2008 10:39 am

    A few additional essentials that come in handy:

    1) Condoms
    2) Floss (can be used for sewing in a pinch)
    3) Teeth Whitening Strips
    4) Comb

  13. Tim on March 19th, 2008 10:45 am

    When flying, I always put my liquids in a little zip-lock bag. Due to the 3-1-1 FAA regulation I have all my things in small bottles in the bag so I can quickly pull it out for security screening.

  14. Beth on March 19th, 2008 11:48 am

    Don’t forget condoms! Another helpful item is a tin of solid-state hand salve, in case your destination is cold and dry and your hands get chapped.

    Always go for a solid rather than a liquid, if the products are otherwise comparable, because solids are so much easier to travel with.

    [Women need a suitcase, huh? My dopp kit (always packed and at-the-ready for a last minute trip) is 5" on its longest dimension. http://flickr.com/photos/loxosceles/2155179111/ ]

  15. Brett McKay on March 19th, 2008 12:22 pm

    Great tips everyone!

    @Kevan-Ahhh yes, Gold Bond powder. I just rediscovered it a few weeks ago, and now I’m not sure how I went without.

    @David-Q-tips! Another good tip! Q-tips are always the thing I forget and then regret forgetting. On a related note, why do Q-tips feel so darn good in your ear?

    @Beth-Notice that I said “many women.” Some women can travel light too. They are known as a “keeper.”

  16. Ian Millard on March 19th, 2008 5:32 pm

    A good article, and a complete kit after adding the additional suggested items.
    You can get liquids on board planes - in small but sufficient quantities.

  17. Geoff R. Casavant on March 19th, 2008 5:48 pm

    A small bottle of mouthwash, and a bottle of multivitamins.

    I have the same Dopp bag (not an official Dopp, but good enough) I’ve been using for 20 years, and it still holds up well.

  18. Keith on March 19th, 2008 5:54 pm

    I inherited mine from my grandfather. It’s durable nylon that looks like a folded dress shirt when zipped up. I always pack a tide pen (for those tedious little stains). I also pack a travel version of cologne and gold bond. Rolaids are always handy too. Good post.

  19. steve on March 19th, 2008 6:58 pm

    I have added 1 K-BAR meal set (folding knive/fork/spoon) and 1 multi-purpose tool (Victorinox) to my kit.

  20. Carol on March 19th, 2008 7:56 pm

    My Dad’s kit (which he called a ditty bag), always had a travel cup that some how sunk into it’s self in ring fashion and two clean and pressed handkerchiefs.

  21. Brett McKay on March 19th, 2008 9:20 pm

    @Carol-

    Did your dad have opportunities to use his cup? For reasons I can’t quite explain, I’ve always been drawn to packing a collapsible cup. But I’m not sure I would ever need to use it.

  22. Jonathan H. on March 19th, 2008 9:36 pm

    Awesome article, I forward these emails to my friends quite often.
    Also, I must inform you of a formatting error in your emails. The full
    horizontal length of your articles are cut off almost every time - there’s
    no way for me to scrolI to the right to read the remainder of your
    sentences.

    I use Yahoo! mail, but only Microsoft Outlook and a few other mail
    services allow the user to scroll horizontally to read outside of the
    margins. I suggest keeping your articles within a normal margin so that
    the sentences aren’t cutoff.
    Thanks!!

    God Bless,

    - Jonathan H

  23. Sgt Rock on March 20th, 2008 3:17 am

    Well, I added all the stuff that everyone has suggested putting in the dopp kit and now I have a suitcase size kit. This is a little like building a weapon for the military. The original intent was to build a slingshot, by the time a committee got done with it, it looked like the DeathStar from Star Wars.

  24. Tim on March 20th, 2008 6:18 am

    Good post. For years I strived for the perfect Dopp kit - spare glasses, bandaids, extra cuff links and collar stays, swiss army knife, etc. But since the airlines have instituted the ridiculous liquids in a plastic bag policy, it means that part of the Dopp kit contents are in the kit and the rest are in a ziploc. It makes the whole concept of having everything in one place impossible. But at least having liquids in a plastic bag is better than taking one’s shoes off!

  25. Tony on March 20th, 2008 9:33 am

    Thanks for the history behind the name of the Dopp kit.

    I always pick up travel size or sample size products and keep the packs to re-use.

    I also carry this little lot (deep breath!)

    Fuzzy Brushes
    Avid Razor
    Ultra Shave Cream 50ml (also perfect to use on board in-flight)
    Roll-on Deodorant
    Shampoo/Shower Gel
    Q-Tips
    Sewing Kit (most hotels have these complimentary in the room)
    Nail Brush and Clippers
    Floss + Toothpicks
    Tube of antiseptic hand cleaner
    Diamond Nail File
    Swipes spectacle cleaners (by Scunci.com but not easy to find, I believe Denman Brushes distribute them though)
    Shoe Care Kit (again, a lot of hotels supply these)
    Cufflinks & Collar Stays
    Mini Mag-Lite
    Silk socks
    Nylon net bags
    Copies of any important documents (on a USB flash key)

    Fuzzy Brushes are handy to use anywhere and you don’t need to rely on water.
    Avid razor blade cartridges are stored in the handle to protect you and the edges.
    Ultra Shave is also great for using in-flight to combat the drying effect of cabin pressure.

    Silk socks (apart from feeling good) stay looking respectable even if you have to wear them for more than one day. Silk also self-cleans, is cool when it’s warm and warm when it’s cool.

  26. Ken Jones on March 20th, 2008 4:49 pm

    Of all the responses, I cannot find any instance of including TWEEZERS in the Dopp kit. I find them absolutely essential. Having logged over 1,000,000 miles in 40 years of travelling, my kit always includes

    Moustache repair kit (scissors, small comb, small brush)
    Disposable razors (3 - 4)
    Small shave cream - available at Wal-Mart (put in ziplock bag)
    Tweezers
    Nail Clippers
    Hair Brush (not very usefull anymore without hair)
    Hair comb
    Hand cleaners (handi wipes)
    Soap
    Deodorant
    Q tips
    Floss, toothbrush, paste
    Glycerin glasses cleaning spray and towelette
    (contact supplies if used)
    Small Change - although US change isn’t much use overseas
    Band-aids
    Antiseptic cream

    Great web site…. should be essential reading for all young men

    Ken

  27. Matt on March 20th, 2008 5:49 pm

    In a few months I am getting married and have been in a quandary as to what to get my groomsman/best-man as gifts. True I could buy the typical monogrammed flask, but I wanted something that they could use for a long time. I finally settled on creating dopp kits for them as they both tend to travel, and too few men these days seem to grasp the value of a good travel kit.

  28. A-F-R-I-C-A-N on March 20th, 2008 6:49 pm

    My father bought one of these when he travelled to Brazil in 1990 and eventually passed it down to me when I went away to school in 1997(That’s SEVEN years!). I used it until about 2000 but had to let it go when the leather started cracking.

    This brings back a lot of memories and the dopp kit is definitely a man item. I’d only buy a leather one though.

  29. Brett McKay on March 20th, 2008 7:22 pm

    @Tony-Thanks for sharing your list. Are Fuzzy Brushes the brushes you use to get the fuzz off your suits?

    @Ken-Thank you for your list as well. What kinds of things do you use your tweezers for? I don’t seem to use them very much,

    @Matt-Congrats on your upcoming nuptials. I love your idea of giving dopp kits for a groomsmen gift. We have actually been brainstorming for a post on groomsmen gift ideas, and we’ll certainly add that to the list. Flasks are a common choice, but kind of a strange one. There are not many occasions when a man needs to carry his liquor on his person.

  30. Ryan on March 21st, 2008 7:12 pm

    Great article. If you’re looking for more information, I published a similar article back in January on the same topic.

    http://jarjac.com/2008/01/physical-self/essentials-the-dopp-kit/

  31. wozza on March 21st, 2008 10:54 pm

    only a poofter would be interested in something like that

  32. Tony on March 22nd, 2008 4:37 am

    Brett - No these Fuzzy Brushes are little chewable toothbrushes.

    If you mean a clothes brush which I believe K-Tel bought out (remember K-Tel?) sellotape will do that job on the move.

    I have a d.fuzz.it which is a sweater and fabric comb - maybe that’s what you meant?

  33. Brett McKay on March 22nd, 2008 11:55 am

    Tony-

    I have to admit I had never heard of a chewable toothbrush. So I googled it. They look really interesting. We don’t have Fuzzy Brushes in the US, unfortunately. So when I heard fuzzy brush I was thinking of a lint brush.

  34. Mitch Ross on March 22nd, 2008 2:07 pm

    Ditto on the Q-Tips.

    I like to put anything liquid in a zip-lock sandwich bag, and my toothbrush in another. Even on road trips, it’s a cheap insurance against a lid coming lose.

    I got mine from my uncle way back in the 80’s. I think it was new then, and I’ve had to repair the inside linging once. I’ve had it so long, now it’s a friend I can’t part with!

  35. Ian on March 23rd, 2008 5:31 am

    Brett,

    Chewable toothbrushes are horrible and don’t work. They used to sell them in a vending machine at a nightclub I used to frequent. Disgusting!

  36. Tony on March 24th, 2008 3:56 am

    Brett - They are available in the US (I admit not everywhere). I believe the plan is for them to become available at airports. If you forget your toothbrush or need something to freshen breath they are handy. They were invented by a dentist, are handy to have when you go out. As you no doubt know, it’s recommended to brush within 20 minutes of eating and who carries a toothbrush to a restaurant!!

    Ian - If they didn’t work they wouldn’t be so popular ;-) There are new flavours on the way. They’re also handy for those with disabilities. Each to their own.

  37. Rick Tully on March 28th, 2008 5:19 am

    Interesting responses…….Teeth whiting strips? How more metrosexual can you get?

  38. J.K. Marshall on April 6th, 2008 8:16 pm

    This was brilliant — and needed. I must say though, I’ve never know this kit actually had a name. Live and learn, I guess.

  39. Wow! on April 10th, 2008 7:05 pm

    Some of the stuff you included… I mean… do we really need all that stuff?

    What are we? Women?

    A miniature shampoo? You already have soap.

    A shaving brush? Can’t you just use your hands?

    And then some of you added more stuff.

    Won’t they have some of this stuff where you’re going?

  40. Matthew on April 13th, 2008 5:08 pm

    I always pack a couple black tea bags and a couple herbal. They can be very soothing and my wife appreciates them too.

    Emergen-c to keep my immune system up.

    I like to keep two of everything like razors, toothbrushes, etc. One for home and one just for the kit. That way I’m always ready to go and never have to worry about switching or forgetting anything.

  41. Knack on April 23rd, 2008 9:41 pm

    Most of this stuff is completely uneeded.
    All you need:
    - Bar soap (hair, face, body and shaving cream)
    - Comb
    - Razor
    - Toothstuffs
    - Deodorant
    - Meds

    Most everything else can be done with hands.

  42. Arthur Othieno on April 28th, 2008 6:17 pm

    As noted previously, q-tips are quite the necessity. But how do you enjoy that “q-tip feeling” away from home?

    I purchased the travel-size Johnson & Johnson cotton swabs from Wal-Mart (~$1.00). They come in a nice plastic dispenser of sorts, which when empty, I’ll then refill from my family-size pack of Q-tips :-)

  43. Jay on May 5th, 2008 9:30 am

    Re: your dopp kit posting from March (sorry I just discovered your blog)

    1) For contact lens wearers, there is saline solution and maybe a cleaning agent for them;
    2) I would add immodium and some type of antacid. I find stomach trouble far more often in a traveling situation.
    3) Soap and shampoo are hardly necessary these days as almost all hotels provide same.

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