Travel Gear

I apologize if this is covered somewhere but I did make an attempt to search for it. I haven't even purchased a razor yet but I was wondering what everyone travels with shaving wise. I know there are travel brushes and cases for razors but do you bring soaps or creams along. How about anything else, is there anything else essential enough to bring along? How about if you just have a carry-on, can you even bring the blades on for US flights? I'm just going to assume that you would be knocked down and dragged into a security room for trying to carry a straight razor on. Anything else that is unexpected with traveling?

i have been traveling every week for work since last october. my travel setup changes from time to time. i drive so i'm not sure about the flight restrictions. my current travel setup consists of.
mekur progress
derby blades
tweezerman brush
st. james shave stick
st. james a/s

i have tried the merkur travel razor, and a travel brush. they work o.k., but i rarely have to pack so light that having all the travel stuff is of any real benefit.

anyone else? i'm relatively new to wetshaving, but i know i would hate to have to go back to a mach 6-billion and a can of overpriced goo just because i'm travelling. what do you do about lather? soaps, creams?

T&H Turnback Silvertip brush
Gillette travel razor
Creams in sample containers
Shaving soap in stick form
Aftershave in sample containers
Derby blades (checked in)

What I actually put in the sample containers depends on my mood and how long I'm going to be gone.

Here is my travel kit:

Brush - Simpson Major turnback (previously I used a Saville Row travel brush in a tube - great buy for under $30).

Razor - If I'm checking my bags, I use a Merkur travel razor, if I'm flying carry on, I use a Sensor disposable, but may try to score some of the single-blade Bick Metal razors in the future.

Soap - If I'm taking soap, its going to be a shave stick of some sort.

Cream - If I'm taking cream (which I don't generally) I use some cream in a small travel pot.

AS Products - I have decanted several products into very small travel-sized containers.

Cologne - I usually use a decant or a test vial of something I like.

Taking the trouble to put stuff into smaller containers lets you use your favourite products and takes up next to no space.

I can get all of my travel shaving gear into one of those plastic baggies that airport security makes you use for your liquids/gels/cream products.

I travel for work a bit. I use the following
Merkur Travel razor w/ Derby blades
Free Zirh Brush (very stiff, and store it in a wet lock section of my dob kit)
QED sticks (several..I really like this set up because these soaps work great with out a bowl...and there is so many to choose from)
AS- just depends normally use Nivea aftershave.

I have carried on this stuff before, and no one has said anything. I was mostly concerned about the blades but not a word was said.

Mantic's videos are a good place to look for great travel ideas. I got my ideas from there:
C&E Best brush in a prescription bottle with holes drilled for ventilation
QED shave stick (either Tangerine & Spearmint or Bathtub Gin)
46 SuperSpeed in a little plastic box I picked up at Target
Usual ASB

The best part of travelling and wet shaving? The hotel's water is insanely hot and I can use a nice, thick hand towel for Kyle's shave prep, toss it on the floor, and the maid brings a new one EVERY DAY!!!! Those Westin Heavenly Towels are awesome!

I have developed a minimalist (compared to most gents here) setup:

- Proraso Pre/Post cream
- brush-less shave gel
- Merkur HD/Feather blades
- Weleda After Shave Balm
- Nivea Essentially Enriched Lotion

Before, instead of the gel, I took my regular brush and small sample-sized containers of different creams, as well as witch hazel and an alum block.

Also, search for "travel", and you'll find dozens of threads, some of which sporting the exact same question you have

Best - MM

Check out the Container Store for ideas on what to store your stuff in while travelling. Also, I recall some posts along this line where people posted links to various suppliers of travel and outdoor gear that had nice storage container options.

I think if you just do a search on "travel" you'll be rewarded with more posts than you can shake a stick at.

Other tips:

If you don't want to get a brush specifically designed for travel, again there are a ton of threads with people talking about what they used. Getting a large sized perscription medicine bottle from a drug store (often completely free of charge) and drilling a few holes in it is a very common container option to put your regular brush in to go on the road.

Good luck.

I agree on using the sample containers and shave sticks. I can get a much product variety as I could possible need on the road with a couple of shaving sticks or a few small, re-used sample containers for creams.

Here's my video on travel ideas:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFNuV7vxZvA[/YOUTUBE]

--Mark

mantic said:

Here's my video on travel ideas:

--Mark

Click to expand...

'nuff said...


and regarding Chris' travel brush: awesome brush!

Suzuki said:

Here is my travel kit:

Brush - (previously I used a Saville Row travel brush in a tube - great buy for under $30).

Click to expand...

PLEASE!! Point me toward where I can find the Saville Row travel brush in a tube as you mentioned. Sounds like a win-win for me...

Thanks!

Tom

Since I don't check bags when flying, I use a cartridge razor on those trips. I did take a DE and DE blades along until I found out that they are not allowed (they were not detected by the screeners). Proraso soap (in the tub, not the tube) is my go-to soap when flying.

I don't travel for business anymore, so any flying I do involves checking a stroller, car seat, etc. In other works, I can't rely on carry on only.

40's NDC Gillette SS w/ IP's
AOS Pure Badger
Proraso Soap
Proraso ASB or Hydrolast AS Conditioner

I recently got a Simpson Major and have Pre de Provence SS on the way, so my kit is going to change next trip.

T&H Turnback brush
DR Harris Almond shave stick
Merkur HD
Booster AS in travel bottle
Cologne du jour

I usually check in my bag.

Driving or flying, I cannot understand why one wouldn't want to enjoy the same quality shave on the road as you do at home.

I take one of my smaller Shavemac's, Moss Scuttle, Mama Bear's soap sticks for in-the-shower prep, makin's for a superlather, alum block, ASB, Bay Rum AS, an EDT or two
and a Slant/with Feather blade.

Staying in a hotel also provides the chance for a good hot towel treatment without trashing your own bathroom, (tip your housekeeper! lol).

I travel by air occasionally and by car every 2-3 weeks. My setup changes because of this.
Air; C&E travel brush, Proraso or Musgo Pre shave, 1-2 soaps, decants of cologne, tube of ASB, tube of facial exfoliate, Derby and/or Crystal blades, cased Merkur HD and I will be using my new Kamisori scuttle.
Road; Pretty much the same but I'll take a couple of vintage Gillettes instead, my goood scuttle and my Silvertip Shavemac.

i would probobly take the wilkinson plastic DE, i can pick one up at the supermarket for dirt cheap, comes with 5 blades, and no worry if its lost, a small can of goo, and a small skin food bottle,

mantic, it seemed like you were carrying a pack of feathers with that cheapo plastic DE, is it wise to mix such sharp blades with something thats a step from being a disposable ?

Aevum said:

mantic, it seemed like you were carrying a pack of feathers with that cheapo plastic DE, is it wise to mix such sharp blades with something thats a step from being a disposable ?

Click to expand...

Actually they're Crystal/Israeli Personna blades.

--Mark

ha, ok, i saw the blue print and mistook them for feathers,
i always wondering if an injector would be a good traver razor, becuase of how much it resembles a cartrige razor (only by looks) but on the other hand, losing a O type or a M type to a airport security guard would be quite painfull...