Gravel Explorer Slim Toiletry Bag Overview

Who doesn't want to be organized with their toiletry bag? Anyone? Ok I'm sure there are plenty that just can't be bothered to worry about it. Or, they like that old leather dopp kit kind of thing. Which honestly, is cool too. That patina! Those things are classic. 

But this bag is not that. The Explorer slim bag is more on the tech side of things than a traditional dopp kit. It's not a pouch, it's a rectangle. It's not rolling, though it does unfold. I'd say it's minimalist in design, but made with high quality materials (it's made from what I think is a TPU material; similar feel to the Wandrd or NOMATIC bag coatings).

It's a clam shell design, and folds all the way open as such. When in use, you can either just rest it on a surface like I do, or use the included G hook (that stows away) to hang it up. Dealer's choice there, which is always nice.

It has 6 pockets total, and 7 if you count the hook pocket, which you certainly could use for other things, too. Two pockets are water resistant (proof for all intents and purposes) - one for your toothbrush and one for your liquids (or travel wash bar in my case since I don't carry liquids any more).

Both the outside, and the mesh inside, are made of durable materials. This isn't just nylon mesh that you could easily tear. It's rubber (or similar) coated to make it strong. The only way you're going to tear or cut that is if you set out to do so.

The bag retails on their site for $49.00 USD but regularly sees price cuts below $40.00.

Here you can see it next to a more traditional, pouch-style kit, my Cotopaxi dopp kit. It's about the same size in length, but is much slimmer. Hence the name.

Additional Explorer Slim Features

It's worth noting a little bit more about the features, as the pockets are quite cool on this thing. Most are purpose built, which I appreciate. There is a "hidden" pocket, which is inside one of the bigger mesh pockets. You could put all manner of private things in there that you would not want to be right out in the open. Use your imagination here, I'm sure you can think of a few things, male or female. The toothbrush pocket is clever - it's a long, toothbrush shaped (shocker) pocket that runs the length of the bag on one side - it keeps a wet brush from making other things in your bag wet. Nice.

Another pocket is a bigger, square shaped pocket that is also water proof (I think they say resistant, but in most cases I think you're safe) and designed for your liquids, to prevent spillage inside the bag. This is also a great idea, I use it for my soap and hair product tins, since I don't use liquids any more. But, if the soap is wet, even though in my Matador FlatPak case, I get double the protection. If I needed liquid for some reason, I'd feel safe putting it in here.

Lastly, the outside pocket is nice and big, and has a felt lining. So, you could put any number of things in here you don't want to scratch. Travel mirror? Your phone in a pinch? Etc.

Here's what it looks like open, with my usual stuff, and packed. I also added a pack of Compeed's and some Q-tips to the final version. I pack pretty light here, but still have all most would need.

Gravel Explorer Slim Toiletry Bag vs. The Field

This is a bit harder than in a review on say, a backpack or travel pack. There are usually very specific competitors. For this, I mean your choices are endless for toiletry bags. I WILL say however, I've not seen QUITE that many doing this particular thing as well (the combination of materials, clever org, and features).

So first I'll say, your easy option is a dopp kit. These can be leather, nylon, no color, lots of colors, etc. These are your every day pouch style bags your dad probably used. As mentioned, like the old leather ones. Or, like one I personally own and use a lot, the Cotopaxi Del Dia dopp kit (I like this one for the unique color ways and for the company's mission).​

The second type, I would say is the roll up kind of dopp kit. I tend to not like these, because I feel like anything that isn't perfectly flat is going to make the roll-up feature bulky and uneven. Now, some people like this because it forces you to keep your kit light, which I respect. So that might be something you want to consider.

I also had the Sea To Summit light toiletry kit for ages. Almost 10 years, I think. Served me well. I got rid of it because I wanted the Cotopaxi. But this style suits some, too. Fits more than enough, but I did not like the organization in it. Because it's so thin, there was no "fight back" of the material vs. the contents so stuff was very lumpy and not very protected. Some brands of this get really big, really quickly. You don't need that much stuff, and definitely less than you think. Change it up.

Lastly, I'll mention what is probably the closest competitor I've found - the NOMATIC toiletry bag 2.0, small. It's built out of similar materials, has a similar idea in it's layout, but does a few things differently. In fact, I've got one in my possession right now to review! I'll be doing that soon, so check back/sign up and I'll have it on the site, and linked here once complete).

Note that the picture here shows it unpacked, next to a Galaxy S9 for reference. Further down, the banner image shows it packed, but not completely over stuffed, and it's just under 3 inches high (I was photographing at an angle so it looks like it was at 3 inches, but it's just below).