Don’t call it a toiletry bag.
Okay. Fine. You can call it that; but to do so denigrates just how versatile and rugged the new Mountainback Dopp Kit from Saddleback really is.
Part of their Mountainback line, the Dopp Kit is made from marine-grade, waxed canvas, bolted leather straps, durable stainless steel eye closures, copper rivets, and bull leather plates. If all that sounds like overkill – well, it is; but when you have a 100-year warranty, you tend to overengineer things.
The interior of the kit is ridiculously accommodating. I have an old polyester and plastic toiletry kit, one of those three-section deals that unfold and hang. It’s nice; but it’s started to come apart after years of use. I had my doubts that the Dopp Kit would be able to fit all the accumulated drek from my old bag; but it was a moot point. Not only did the Dopp Kit take everything from my old toiletry bag, I could fit half of my wife’s gear as well. The straps for the eye closures have two positions, so even though the bag was a bit overstuffed I could still close it securely.
The bull leather plates give the bag structure, so you don’t have to worry about your kit collapsing into a formless mass. The canvas straps sewn onto either side make transporting the bag ridiculously simple – if you don’t have room for it in your suitcase, just loop it over a handle or clip it onto something. The waxed canvas is a perfect material for sharp, or possibly leaky items. Saddleback says on the product web page that you can transport fixed knives in the Dopp Kit and I believe it. I had stopped traveling with my safety razor because it kept slicing through my toiletry kit. Here? Not even a nick on the interior. And if your shampoo bottle explodes? Rinse out the Dopp Kit, let it dry, and you’re good to go.
There is an interior flap and a back pocket that you can employ if you want a little organization. It’s not as fussy as a multi-compartment toiletry case; but that’s a good thing in my book – the amount of stuff that had accumulated in my old kit just because I had a place for it was ridiculous. And, honestly, there’s no reason this has to fit your bathroom gear for trips. It could easily be a storage bag for a couple of extra lenses for your camera, an emergency pack for your car (in a pinch, the waxed canvas will burn), or small storage for anything else you need to keep dry.
They sold out quickly over at Saddleback.com; but at $125, it’s one of the least expensive bags that the company makes, so it’s easy to see why. If you want to get in line for the next shipment, drop a back-order on the site and they’ll ship you a Dopp Kit as soon as they’re available (don’t worry, you won’t get charged until yours ships). Ditch those box-store polyester bags and get something your grandkids will be able to remember you by.
Thanks to Saddleback Bags for letting me know this product even existed and sending me one to try out. Opinions and gnarly razors are my own.
