The Ultimate Toiletry Bag and Dopp Kit Packing Tips

Whenever and where ever you travel, there are a few staple items that will help you stay fresh and keep you organized throughout your trip. Inside the perfect carry-on, you need something to transport all of your essential items that keep you looking good away from home.

Here is where the Monte & Coe Dopp Kit comes in. The combination of vegetable tanned leather, its sleek size, and water-resistant interior, we designed the best toiletry bag to carry all of your personal essentials.

What the Hell is a Dopp Kit? 

A dopp kit is a term that is particularly used in North America to describe a product used to carry essential grooming items when travelling. In simpler terms, a dopp kit is a synonym for a toiletry bag. 

Whether it's for an overnight stay, a weekend trip or a vacation to the other side of the world, dopp kits keep grooming essentials such as shaving kits, makeup, and other toiletries in one place. 

Not travelling anywhere as of late? Dopp kits are also a great way of keeping your bathroom counters neat and tidy. Say goodbye to bathroom counter clutter. 

The History of the Dopp Kit

The name derives from Charles Doppelt, a German leather goods maker that emigrated to the United States in the early 1900s. Initially dubbed the "toilet bag", the bags were renamed to the Dopp kit, due to the negative and dirty connotations surrounding the word "toilet". 



Photos by Library of Congress (@libraryofcongress) and Monte & Coe (@monteandcoe)

Doppelt created these leather cases for soldiers in the U.S Army in both World War I and World War II. Each recruit was given a dopp kit to house all of their personal essentials. After the wars, soldiers returned and continued using their dopp kits, bringing the dopp kit to popularity. 

From military beginnings, the dopp kit became a household name throughout the 60s and 70s.

Packing Tips and Hacks: How to Pack your Dopp Kit for Success

The secret to any dopp kit is how you pack it. Think of it as a game of Tetris. Pack wisely; the tighter you pack, the more you can fit. This always seems to be the challenge for the traveller in us. What can’t you fit?

Prioritize the essentials first - whatever that means to you

We're thinking your toothbrush and paste, your favourite cleanser or moisturizer you cant live without, deodorant, etc. 

Consider mini/travel sized products

Depending on how long your trip is, travel sized products are typically more than enough.

If you're flying with just a carry on, be wary of the 3.4oz/100ml onboard liquid or gel regulations. There's nothing worse than having the airport security confiscate your favourite hair product, especially when you could have prevented it. 

Does anyone else have a drawer full of product samples ranging from perfumes to shampoo? Those little packets are golden tickets to travelling smart. 

What to pack in you Dopp Kit

Not sure where you're going but looking for some toiletry bag packing inspiration? Here are some of our essentials:

1. Shampoo and Conditioner - travel sized or even in package free bar form. Pressed shampoos and conditioners will also steer clear of any liquid spills or airport security mishaps 
2. Body wash/soap - same idea goes, think travel sized or bar form. 
3. Cleanser - a sample size could also work for short trips
4. Toothbrush and tooth paste - I have never run out of a mini sized tooth paste while out of town, but keep in mind the length of your trip
5. Sunscreen
6. Moisturizer and other skincare
7. Eyedrops 
8. Sanitizer - something that we're all carrying and keeping in our lives after the past year
9. Deodorant - essential, no excuses here
10. Shaving/grooming kit 

The list could go on and believe it or not, all of these essentials fit effortlessly in our Dopp Kit.

The Best Toiletry Bag: Why we love our Dopp Kits

Our Dopp Kits have been designed to be sleek and compact to save space in your weekender bags or suitcase, while also offering plenty of room to carry all of your essentials.

Photos by Monte & Coe (@monteandcoe)

The rectangular shape is both stylish and functional, allowing for larger full sized items to also fit into the bag. Our Dopp Kits feature a main zipper opening made from Italian brass and an inner zipper for items that might need more attention. 

Coming in two styles, both vegetable tanned leather and wool dopp kits are lined with waterproof PVC coated nylon, which protects against spills and accidents. Vegetable tanned leather offers durability and strength, while wool exteriors naturally wick away water and moisture. 

Need we say more? Find your perfect dopp kit and other travel accessories here.