Review Summary
Overall Rating: 9
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Look |
There’s no getting around it, this dopp kit looks awesome. The waxed canvas is sturdy and refined while the leather accents add a beautiful touch. Through use the canvas has become more broken in. The stitching is seamless and the entire kit is refined to the last detail. |
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Design |
The dopp kit offers a simple but functional design. The carrying handle is practical and we love the hanging loop on the opposite side. It's extremely well built. There are limited built in organization features but smart design and material makes it just as easy to use. |
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Value |
It isn't cheap for a toiletry bag but you’re absolutely getting what you pay for. This kit is so well built we have no doubt it will last for years, no matter what gets thrown at it (or spilled in it!). |
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It will instantly elevate your travel style. This waxed canvas dopp kit looks incredible. | It's large, maybe too large for some travelers. The 4 liters of capacity could lead to overpacking or add extra weight to your pack. It’s not ideal for light packers or overnight trips. |
| It's built to last. There’s no doubt you could use it for a decade or more of regular travel. The material is top notch and the sturdy construction feels great. | It's heavy. The waxed canvas is sturdy and heavier than a synthetic alternative. Plus, the size means you can put a lot of liquids inside which add weight. |
| Spacious capacity and nice features including a zipped pocket, carrying handle, and hanging loop. We love how it stays open thanks to the waxed canvas material. | Limited organization. Other than the small zipped pocket it's a free for all with your toiletries. And because of the large size that does mean you’ll have to dig around to get items on the bottom. |
Who is the Fat Felt Dopp Kit Ideal For?
This men’s travel dopp kit is ideal for regular travelers who value great looking travel gear.
This toiletry bag is not made for backpackers. It's too big and heavy compared to smaller, synthetic alternatives. It's best packed in a suitcase, duffel, or larger travel backpack that can accommodate the size.
It is perfect for trips that are a week or longer. If you travel at least a couple times a year, either domestically or internationally, you’re guaranteed to have space for every toiletry item.
If you look for gear that will last, this will be the last dopp kit you buy. It is solidly built with top notch construction.
Shop the Fat Felt Waxed Canvas Dopp Kit
Full Review of the Fat Felt Dopp Kit
About Fat Felt
Fat Felt is an independent design studio in Denver, Colorado that creates bespoke dopp kits. Their product designs are based on what they love to use, with an emphasis on quality materials including 16 oz hard waxed canvas and vegetable tanned leather.
Material
The exterior of this dopp kit is made with durable 16oz hard waxed canvas construction, so it's exceptionally long lasting. A softer 8oz waxed canvas interior is easy to clean and contains leaks.
Waxed canvas traces its routes to British sailors who used it for their sails. Its strength and performance were selling points for sails but it also happens to look great.
A natural wax is applied to the cotton canvas to create a water resistant surface. You can re-wax the kit annually to maintain the water resistance but it's not required. When you splash on it you’ll notice the water beads instead of getting absorbed.
The natural leather accents are equal parts soft, beautiful, and durable. They are tanned with vegetable tannins so that they feel great and look incredible. Expect the leather to develop a rich patina over time.
You’ll find the leather on a large grab handle, smaller hanging hook, zipper pull tab, and the Fat Felt patch on the inside. Each of these is securely fastened to the kit, feels great to the touch, and leaves you feeling confident it's built to last.
Organization
This is the only area where the Fat Felt dopp kit doesn't shine.
There are virtually no features to aid with organization. There is a small zipper pocket on the inside that works great for small items that would otherwise sink to the bottom. We use it for lip balm, earplugs, and nail clippers.
The large 4 liter space is a free for all for your toiletries so you will find yourself digging through it to find a specific item. We tend to put large items like our travel sized containers and deodorants first and then stack the smaller items on top like toothpaste and toothbrush. They won't necessarily be in that order once you arrive at your destination though. The movement of your travel bag will shake the smaller items to the bottom.
But there is certainly no shortage of space. Every item you pack can be included based on need or weight considerations, not whether it will fit.
The Fat Felt dopp kit is available in 3 two-tone colorways; Alpine Lake, Night Sky, and Earth. All 3 styles look great and feature contrasting interior canvas.
Ease of Use
Despite the lack of organization features we haven't found it difficult to use thanks to the material and clever design.
The zipper runs across the top and halfway down the sides so you can really open it wide. If the zipper only ran across the top it would be too hard to see in and find anything.
The internal canvas is a contrasting color so it's easier to see items.
When it comes to ease of use, you could best describe it as ease of access. The zipped opening opens wide so you can easily dig through and find what you need. And because it's made from sturdy waxed canvas it actually stays open! You don't need to use one hand to hold it open and find an item with the other. This subtle touch actually makes a huge difference. Because of this, plenty of light gets in the wide opening so it more than makes up for a lack of compartments or pockets.
The large grab handle is extremely convenient to use and the opposite side has a small hanging loop.
Quality
This dopp kit is exceptionally well built. Every detail has been refined down to the last stitch. You will struggle to even find a loose thread out of place.
The material feels great. It does require a break in period, especially when it's first out of the box. But the more we have used it the better it looks and performs.
The waxed coating of the canvas creates a layer of water resistance and small splashes will bead and roll off the outside. If you do get some spills or spots on the bag a hair dryer works great to remove them. An annual re-wax is recommended but completely optional, the canvas will continue to soften over time without re-waxing.
Between the external hard canvas and softer layer of canvas on the inside the chances of spills escaping are low.
Testing and Ownership
We’ve been testing the Fat Felt men's canvas dopp kit all summer and have been extremely impressed. It's too big for an overnight trip but anything longer than that is perfect. We tend to half fill it for a long weekend and then compress it in our bag. On weeklong or more trips it really shines.
The coolest feature is that the waxed canvas stays in place so you can pull it open and it stays open the entire time it sits on the vanity. This makes it extremely easy to find items quickly.
Luckily we haven’t had to contend with any leaks or spills. While it's not rated as waterproof, the layers of canvas give us the impression a small leak would be contained and not spread into your bag.
The waxed canvas dopp kit looks so good and has truly been a joy to use. It's often the most refined piece of travel gear we use on a given trip and has become a go-to item every time every time we pack.
The size has been great. Previously we were using a 2 liter synthetic toiletry bag that was always bursting at the seams because of how jam packed it was. we initially thought 4 liters was going to be too big but we love using it. We tend to fill the kit 3/4 full which means it compresses a bit in the bag and makes it easy to find items once its opened wide on the vanity.
We’ve packed the dopp kit in a suitcase and a 28 liter travel backpack. A 28 liter backpack is likely the smallest size travel bag you would want to pack it in, anything smaller and it would take up too much space.
It has definitely broken in well with use but shows zero signs of wear and tear. When it gets splashed on or dirty, a damp cloth has been sufficient to to clean it up.
Product Care Tips
This is a beautiful piece of travel gear so it's worth taking care of.
The toiletry bag ships flat so when you receive your Fat Felt dopp kit expect some creases and wrinkles in the waxed canvas.
Apply heat from a standard hair dryer near the bag’s surface to easily remove them. This will not damage the product. The same process can be done if rain or water splatters the waxed canvas which can cause spotting.
Never use soap or detergent to wash a waxed canvas bag. Spot clean it with water and leave to air dry or use a wet, soft bristled brush. The wax provides a water resistant coating so you can reapply annually to maintain. Or, let the bag age without re-waxing and it will gradually soften over time.
Read out detailed Waxed Canvas Dopp Kit: Clean & Care Guide for more info.
Final Verdict
There’s so much to love about the Fat Felt waxed canvas dopp kit. It looks so good and will inevitably last for years of travels. The materials are awesome and the way it stays open to find items is a game-changer. It would be hard to switch back to a synthetic material toiletry bag because of this.
If you love the refined style of the Fat Felt dopp kit but prefer a leather alternative, consider the Jack Foster wide leather toiletry bag. If you can’t imagine a packing accessory without organization pockets, the Peak Design Wash Pouch is a good alternative with a built in network of pockets and compartments.