Gear Archives | Thought & Sight

April 10, 2018

The Best Hanging Toiletry & Cosmetic Bags for Travel 2020

The Best Hanging Travel Toiletry Bags

I love my hanging toiletry bag. It keeps my plethora of toiletries organized when I travel, and is a lifesaver in hotel bathrooms with no counter space. But it was surprisingly difficult to find a great one amidst all the cheap junk on Amazon. There are, however, a handful of well made, well designed hanging toiletry bags out there, so I did some digging to put together this roundup for you.

Victorinox Muse – Overall Best

The Victorinox Muse is the hanging toiletry bag I use (you’ll see it make an appearance in many of my hotel photos!) and there’s a lot to recommend it. I love how the Muse keeps a ton of stuff organized while still folding into a medium sized bag. It’s a little pricey, but I can’t imagine using anything else.

If you’ve tried some of the cheaper bags, you’ll appreciate all of the organization here. Rather than one large main compartment that allows items to tip over and get jumbled up, this bag has four slimmer zipper compartments that hold items in place, but still allow for packing some larger items like a full size sunscreen bottle (or my oversize but essential electric toothbrush!). The thick vinyl lining prevent minor leaks from escaping, and is easy to clean.

I do really love this bag, but I have one complaint: the large pouch second from the top zips around in a U shape that allows for items to tip out if you’re not careful. I’d love to see side flaps incorporated in the pouch to prevent this.

Eagle Creek Pack It Wallaby Toiletry Organizer

Eagle Creek’s Wallaby bag boasts Eagle Creek’s quality at a really reasonable price. There’s good organization in this lightweight bag, and it’s thoughtfully designed. That bag hanging from the bottom is a removable TSA approved quart size bag for liquids, and there’s even a small shatterproof mirror built into the bag!

A couple caveats: much like the Muse, this bag is a little larger than you might think at first glance. Be sure to double check the dimensions, as carry-on only travelers may find it eats up too much luggage space. It’s also worth noting that only the bottom compartment is water resistant, so leak-prone toiletries should be zip-locked if stored in other compartments.

FLIGHT 001 SPACEPAK Hanging Toiletry Bag

Flight001’s Spacepak offers a cheery take on the hanging travel toiletry bag with fun prints and colors. It’s a lightweight bag, but with quality construction, including a solid metal hanging hook and zippered mesh compartments that allow you to easily see what’s in each pouch. There’s an included matching flat zipper pouch that can be packed in the bag or carried separately.

I love the style and design of this bag, and do think it might be one of the best options style-wise. But I wish more attention were paid to leak containment, as those mesh panels won’t be much help. Just be aware that you might want to use baggies to contain any possible leaks (though if you travel with a carry-on, you probably already have a supply of quart size ziploc bags to keep TSA happy).

Travelon Women’s Boho Trifold Toiletry Kit

Travelon’s slim Boho Trifold toiletry bag is a nice choice for lighter packers, and comes in a variety of pretty prints (there’s more options here). The clear plastic compartments make it easy to see what you’ve packed and prevent leaks from escaping, and the kit folds up into a slim, easy to pack shape. The hanging mechanism is actually a loop of fabric that connects to the bag with a plastic hook, so you can hang the bag almost anywhere.

The Boho Trifold is surprisingly wide at 21.5 inches, but the slim profile makes it one of the best choices for lighter packers.

Ropin West Hanging Vanity Case

I love the cool tooled leather and vintage appeal of Ropin West’s hanging toiletry bag! This is a seriously unique bag, and available in a bunch of colors to boot. The solid construction of the bag means that it generally hangs well even though the bottom is wide. The mirror is large enough that it can be used to apply makeup in a pinch, and there are enough small zippered compartments to keep little items like lip balm from getting lost.

However, with this bag you might find you require an additional pouch for organization, as the main compartment is fairly large and open. Consider this one if you’re checking your suitcase, or taking a roadtrip.

Travelon Total Toiletry Kit

A larger size gem from Travelon, their Total Toiletry Kit offers organization galore! This is the hanging kit for you if you have a lot smaller items to organize. It would be fantastic for keeping things like makeup brushes separate and clean.

Packed full, this is a substantial size hanging toiletry bag, one that’s best for those bringing larger checked bags. True to its name, the Total Toiletry kit has pretty much everything; water resistant compartments, removable pouches, space to hold full size bottles and to organize small items. I don’t love that the hanging hook is plastic, but that fact that it swivels is sure to come in handy, a feature that other brands often overlook.

Consider this bag if you’re a heavy packer, or packing for your family.

Best Hanging Travel Toiletry Bags Quick Comparison Chart

Hanging Toiletry Kit	Capacity	Price Range
Victorinox Muse Hanging Toiletry Bag	Large	$$	Check Price
Eagle Creek Pack-it Wallaby Hanging Toiletry Organizer	Medium	$	Check Price
Flight001 Spacepak	Medium	$	Check Price
Travelon Trifold Toiletry Kit	Small	$	Check Price
Ropin West Hanging Vanity Case	XL	$$	Check Price
Travelon Total Hanging Toiletry Kit	XL	$$	Check Price

Lo & Sons Claremont Camera Bag Review

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September 16, 2016

Lo & Sons Camera Bag Review

I recently purchased Lo & Sons’ Claremont crossbody leather camera bag for use with my new Fuji X-T2. Here’s what I thought of it….

Want the short version?

Not enough thoughtful design features to merit the $300 price tag.

The Pros – Claremont Camera Bag Review

I really wanted a bag that didn’t scream “camera bag,” something I could use as a daily bag, so my camera would always be within reach. I chose the Lo & Sons’ Claremont camera bag for its attractive, modern design, and hands-free crossbody strap.

And for most of these criteria, it delivers.

In person, the style doesn’t disappoint. I’d be comfortable carrying it as a daily bag, and even using it for slightly dressier occasions. There’s enough interior padding to protect a camera from bumps and maybe small drops. I also like how the turnlock closure requires just a bit of effort; it won’t accidentally come undone, and makes unnoticed theft that much more difficult.

The Cons – Claremont Camera Bag Review

To be fair, my largest issue with the bag is one I half anticipated when shopping: there’s just not enough storage or organization for this bag to effectively function as a basic purse AND a camera bag. This is an problem if, like me, you don’t want to carry an additional purse.

Compared to my old practical nylon camera bag, the Claremont really has few features designed with a camera in mind, and these shortcomings can’t all be dismissed in the name of the minimalist design.

In addition to the main padded compartment, there are two memory card slots in the front, and a back zippered pouch.

The bag easily fits my small X-T2 and an extra lens, but it becomes a challenge to pack in a small wallet, keys, cell phone and lip balm. With a larger DSLR, those extra items would be even more tightly crammed.

There’s a bit of extra room at the top of the bag, but it’s not really usable unless you want to “unpack” before taking your camera out–and then again to fit it back in.

The removable divider is a good idea for flexibility, but has difficulty staying in place, and the slightly rounded shape of the bag’s base means that my extra lens will always try to topple over once I remove my camera.

If I want to pack other accessories like filters or extra batteries, they’ll be floating around in the bottom of the bag, or crammed into the back pouch (leaving me to wonder where to put my keys).

Above, I have a tissue pack, lip balm, my keys and iPhone 5s (awesome pizza case from Etsy) in the back pouch, and though you can’t tell from the photo, it’s pretty crammed. The tightness of the pocket also makes it difficult to dig out items that slip to the bottom.

A small front pouch in the place of the memory card slots, and expandable accordion edges at the top of the back pouch would go a long way to making this bag more functional.

The Verdict – Lo & Sons Claremont Camera Bag Review

Overall, I just don’t feel that Lo & Sons Claremont camera bag has enough thoughtful design features to merit the $300 price tag. If you’re absolutely in love with the style, and don’t need to carry much with you, go for it. But I hesitate to recommend a bag at such a high price point when it seems more like a purse with a couple token camera bag features added.

This bag really only works for me when I don’t want to bring along an extra lens, so there’s free space for a couple personal items. Not ideal, so I’m still hunting for something that will better fit my needs.

Two Options I’m Looking At:

Ona’s Chelsea camera bag. It’s larger, and appears to have more in the way of storage and dividers.

This vintage courier bag, which also has better storage, and is gorgeous. However, I would need a padded insert to protect my camera. (I’m half hoping someone buys this before I give in to temptation, and half reluctant to tell anyone about it!)