Why a Travel Set-Up Rant

Discussion in 'General Shaving Talk' started by poppi, Aug 28, 2020.

  1. poppi

    poppi Well-Known Member

    Over the time I've been on this (and other) traditional wet shaving sites, I keep hearing/reading about what people would use for a "Travel Set-Up". Usually these items are things that wouldn't be used on a regular basis but deemed worthy to be used occasionally when folks do travel.

    I don't get it. Why would I want to use a marginal (to me) products when away from home. Don't I want to get close, comfortable shaves where ever I am? Yes I do so why would I use less than enjoyable items?

    Is it because folks think they might get ripped off or lose their stuff? You could have someone break into your home and steal everything.

    I don't travel enough to warrant such a set-up. But even it I did travel a lot, I would take along the same items I would use at home. Except perhaps blades which I can get at a Dollar General or Family Dollar stores. Those blades are not my favorites but do quite well for me.

    Can someone help me understand this type of thinking?
     
  2. Terry

    Terry Tool Admirer

    Well then....

    I have a dopp bag of goodies that includes shaving stuff.

    I use it quite a bit at home, mostly to make sure I have what I need in it.
    I use it for trips up to 10 days or emergency outings like trips to a hospital or work overnights.

    Last time I did an overnight I used it a few times.
    While swimming in a lake one grandson scraped his knee on a concrete step. I have cleaning pads, antibiotic ointment, and bandaids.
    I found that water proof bandaids are the only ones needed, they work for any bandaid need.
    That night my wife had a headache. I have ibrephrone and Tylenol.
    Got up, shaved, showered and got ready. Replaced the bandaid on my grandson that morning too. Another grandson had what looked to be a mosquito bite. I keep "sting ease" in there too, it works great for mosquito bites.
    I have many other goodies in it but it was packed from experiance.
    I put what ever razor with blades to match. I have soap I used last time I brought it out to use it at home.
    I've taken my GEM Micromatic OC, Yaqi Helmet, Gillette Fatboy and my Dollar Store razor to name a few.
    Whatever I used last time I brought it out to do a dry run with it.

    Now I have a motorcycle bag. It is good for two shaves. Very small and compact, toss it in a overnight sack and I'm good for a weekend trip. I have a small brush, a short handed Gillette travel razor, feather blades and a small 1/8 cup container of soap and other miscellaneous stuff.

    Both are always ready to grab and go without worrying about if it's got what I need.


    That's my travel stuff...

    tp
     
  3. PanChango

    PanChango Not Cute

    I have both lost and had things stolen while on the road. I don't use marginal equipment on the road, but I also don't take my nicest gear either.. Normally it is a 3 piece tech or something that packs flat with a pack of blades and maybe a brush depending on the length of time. If it is something special that I would miss if stolen (like my dad's brush) it stays home.
     
  4. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    I can get wonderful shaves with my Shake Sharp or my MMOC. The MMOC is easily replaced should it be left in a hotel, the Shake Sharp not. I'll travel with the MMOC. Not complicated.

    Sent from my LG-US998 using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2020
  5. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    Since I can't take DE blades in my carry on luggage, my travel razor is often a Trac II. I also find it easier to travel with a synthetic brush...allows me to save time by not having to soak the brush prior to use, and it dries quicker than a natural hair brush. I dislike having to pack a wet badger brush when I need to check out of a hotel.

    When I travel via car, I take more shaving goodies. I filled a small plastic tub with gear for a 6 week Florida trip this past winter.
     
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  6. Preacher

    Preacher Well-Known Member

    I have lost my gear on vacation before, so it does happen. What I pack when I travel is not marginal since all of my gear is good, but cost is a consideration. I $25 razor that gives a great shave is much easier to replaced than a $400 razor. For me, it's about economy. I take what I can afford to lose.
     
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  7. brit

    brit in a box

    i have a late 40s vintage brit shave kit with brush,soap stick and flat bottom tech.i got it pretty much nos.while it's valuable it's functional and that's what it's all about.i rarely only travel by car ,bus or rail so it's relatively safe.i wouldn't however bring along an expensive brit aristocrat just in case i forgot or lost it.i have lots of fb techs..
     
  8. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    I usually take a Fatboy and one of my travel razors. Either the B&P razor or a German 4-piece travel razor. Both give great shaves though I rarely use them at home. When I air travel, my dopp bag, sans blades, is part of my carry on luggage.

    The razors are valuable to me, and though it would probably cost me $200 to replace them, none of the three are especially hard to find.
     
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  9. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    I will definitely travel with my CH2 synthetic brush. That's a given. After that, I like to bring a tube of Proraso green, because it fit's nicely in my dopp kit.
    No straights on the road, so it's a DE of choice, non-cased, of course. Where I run into space issue is the post-shave, because I don't want to schlep a big bottle of Brut or Dominica, so I most often throw my plastic bottle of DRH Pink or Stirling ASB in with everything else. I don't find this compromising a spectacular shave in any way.
     
  10. Shaver X

    Shaver X Well-Known Member

    People are claiming that compact products suited for travel are always substandard? There are plenty of travel razors, brushes and shave sticks or creams that are excellent and affordable.
     
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  11. poppi

    poppi Well-Known Member

    Not always substandard but unused. If the travel set up was something that would/could be used on a regular basis, why isn't it?
     
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  12. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    I use the same gear at home.
     
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  13. Keithmax

    Keithmax Breeds Pet Rocks

    I take a bronze Karve F plate, a synthetic or badger brush. For soap a Tabac stick or a tube of aTOBS cream. All great quality but I want it compact. No straights when I go on the road.

    Why travel kit? It all set up and ready to go so I don’t take a lot of time packing.
     
  14. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    In the case of the B&P "compact" razors, they offer an excellent, even premium shave. It's an excellent temporary replacement for a Cooper MonoBilt. However, I wouldn't want to use a handleless DE for more than a few days. The vintage German OC travel razors offer a very mild shave and a nice, though light and short, 2 piece handle.

    Then there is the travel tech. If you have two of them, you can cut the ball off one handle, the neck off of the other, join the two handles, and have something like a usable razor. I consider the travel tech to be one of those "I forgot my razor and this is what _________ had." Fill in the blank with any gas station, motel, cruise line, or airline that existed between 1950 and 1975. It was "almost disposable." One of those things that you only use once, know you will probably only use it once, but keep it because it's too nice to just throw away, but never sold because it isn't worth anything.

    I remember as a kid in the 1980's, seeing travel techs in garage sales in the $0.25 box.
     
  15. brit

    brit in a box

    they are still abundant,just $25 up..great for fixing up flea bitten techs..;)
     
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  16. Shaver X

    Shaver X Well-Known Member

    Because what is best for travel is not necessarily the very best at home. Compact size is important for travel items, which is why people buy folding toothbrushes, small toothpaste tubes, small deodorant sticks, etc. for travel. Although these items would work just as well at home, there are full size counterparts that are better still. It is a matter of selecting the best tool for the particular situation.
     
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  17. Weasel640

    Weasel640 Well-Known Member

    I think that your expectation of what we all use for travel is misguided and/or over generalized. I think people who do have travel set ups have them built around what works best for them in their situation. Why is that so bothersome?

    I can't speak for others but I have two Dopp Bags set up for travel and showering at work when necessary. The razors and brushes in these Bags get rotated out at home as well. There are some Brushes and Razors that I won't rotate into travel, those are the more expensive and lesser used ones. If they aren't my go-to, daily drivers at home why would they be when traveling? The Software is the same products that I use at home, just in smaller containers for ease of transportation. Why would I need to bring an entire container of soap with me? It's not like I'm traveling for a year straight, and if I were, then I'd change my set up accordingly...
     
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  18. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    I generally pack user grade or things I can replace for less than $15.

    My home if far more secure than a hotel room or TSA at the airport (blatant thieves).

    :eatdrink013:
     
  19. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    Oh aye, and 95% of what I take on travel is the same thing I use at home, just packed in smaller containers. I want just as much luxury on the road as I enjoy in my own home, otherwise, why travel?
     
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  20. Jake Gibson

    Jake Gibson Well-Known Member

    20201004_214550.jpg I guess you could call this a travel setup, it's my portable shaving box I've been working on. Just need the mirror for the right side of the lid and the little chains on either side to keep the lid from completely unfolding. There's a straight razor coffin underneath the Proraso cream that fits perfectly. I'm thinking of putting vintage DE blades on the left side of the little strap on the lid for decoration. I'm actually very pleased with how well everything fits!! I've wanted one of those antique shaving boxes forever but they're just so expensive so I'm creating my own :)
     

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