GORUCK Dopp Kit Review

The GORUCK Dopp Kit is more than just a toiletry bag. You can modify it for various uses, but we can’t help but wonder whether or not any of them are worthwhile additions to your pack-out. Is it a jack of all trades, or will we wish it had stuck with just one? Let’s dive in.

External Components

The primary material used here is CORDURA® nylon. Let’s be honest; it’s GORUCK. What did you expect? This bad boy is durable and water-resistant. That said, the materials stay wet for an extended period after water soaks into it. So, while it takes a while for water to seep into it, it takes a bit to dry once it has. This isn’t an issue for some uses, but a dopp kit will undoubtedly be in the bathroom at some point, where it might get wet. If this is your plan, we recommend leaving it out of harm’s way and only taking the items you need into the splash zone.

Additionally, the exterior materials pick up hair and dust fairly easily. Luckily, cleaning with tape or a lint roller is even easier.

The zippers are from YKK. They’re durable, and we haven’t had any issues with the main compartment opening. It isn’t an AquaGuard model, so it isn’t as water resistant, but we haven’t had any problems with liquids seeping in or out. If something were to spill, it would, though.

On the pack’s front face, there’s a hook-and-loop fastener where you can attach a patch to customize the pack. Ours came with a GORUCK patch with an American flag background, which is fun but probably not for everyone. Because of the hook-and-loop fastener, you can customize it with any patch you want.

On the backside, there’s a mess of PALS webbing for you to work with. There are two buttons here, too, so you can attach gear more easily. This webbing doesn’t get in your way if you don’t have MOLLE attachments to use with it, which we dig. It does add a significant amount of weight, though. That said, this thing already comes in at nearly a half pound, so it doesn’t hurt much in the scheme of things.

On the bottom, there’s a large piece of elastic that helps attach the pack to things. It’s stretchy and durable; plus, it hasn’t started to stretch out after repeated use, which is handy. Like the webbing, this doesn’t get in your way if you don’t want to use it. The material also adds traction on the bottom of the pouch, which is handy.

Overall, this thing looks sleek and solid. It will match other GORUCK gear you’ve got on hand, whether that’s a sling, daypack, or travel backpack. How will it fit inside the latter two, though?

Inside The Dopp Kit

On the inside, there’s nothing permanent. All of the internal organization can be changed using a hook-and-loop fastener. It comes with four inserts that you can stick inside to add segmentation. Without it, the pouch isn’t handy.

Before discussing each insert, let’s chat about the overall experience.

Essentially, they don’t fit very well. It takes a while to get them to slot in so the main compartment zipper can close, and even then, sometimes, they poke out slightly on the bottom. Part of the issue is that the hook-and-loop fastener is like a magnet. As you’re trying to line it up, it attaches securely without much effort. So you’re constantly trying to line it up and unstick the hook-and-loop fastener to find the perfect fit. If you can get the perfect fit, the inserts work well. If you plan to switch them often, it can be frustrating. You might eventually get the hang of changing them and setting them, but we haven’t so far in testing.

They would be significantly easier to work with if they were slightly smaller. Another issue is that the zippers on the inserts can be challenging to open. The materials are tight, and the zipper heads feel large for the job. Don’t misunderstand; they work, and you can use them; we only wish they didn’t get stuck so much.

Now that we’ve reviewed the inserts, let’s get into the specifics. Because there are four of them, you can use this pouch for almost anything.

Insert #1 has a singular mesh zippered pocket. This spot is good for passports, travel documents, cash, or other larger, flat items. Because of the mesh, you can see what you have stowed inside. This makes it more susceptible to the elements, but the exterior does an excellent job of protecting the inside from water. The mesh isn’t stretchy, but it is durable, and there’s a divider inside to help sort whatever you stow inside it.

Insert #2 is similar to the first iteration but is a standard nylon material instead of mesh. This makes it so you can’t see inside and offers extra protection from liquids. We dig this spot for storing your passport, travel documents, and extra cash if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t need to see your essential items every time you open your pouch. In theory, this is safer, as it’s not visible to anyone else either. That said, some travelers like to have eyes on the critical goods every step of the way, and the mesh is helpful for that. There’s a divider here, too.

Insert #3 is similar to a billfold travel wallet. You get both sides of the wallet, but you don’t have to fold it, which is neat. On the right are six slots for credit, debit, and ID cards. On the left, there’s a clear TPU window for an ID you want to show and another larger liner pocket for more cards or folded cash. On the top, there’s a large zippered pocket for items you don’t want loose in the main compartment. There’s no divider in this zippered pocket, unlike the first two.

Insert #4 has more general organization and can be used like a minimalist tech pouch. There are three liner pockets: one large, one small, and one medium. There are two elastic loops, one large and one small. The pockets are too tight for more oversized items. The elastic is stretchy and snappy, which we dig. However, we wish the pockets had more depth.

These inserts will work outside of the Dopp Kit, too. If you want to leave your important documents or cash in the safe, you can remove one and do that. Or, attach it to another daypack or travel backpack with a hook-and-loop fastener inside it.

Don’t worry; we didn’t forget. This is a dopp kit! How does it handle toiletries?

The two inserts with only one zippered pocket don’t work well for many toiletry purposes. If items have much depth, they’re hard to slide into the pocket. Flat items like bandaids do well, but we’re hard-pressed to fill one pocket with flat items like that while traveling and using this exclusively as a toiletry kit. Maybe as a combination dopp/emergency kit, but it is easier as a general use or tech pouch.

The insert with the loops is a little more handy, as you can slide in toiletry tools, like a toothbrush or comb. They’re designed like you’d see on a tech pouch, but they work okay for gear you’ll use in the bathroom.

The last insert doesn’t make sense for toiletries at all—that is unless you want to take your cash, identification, and money into the restroom with you. Jokes aside, this one wasn’t meant for use in a dopp kit.

There’s a significant amount of room between the pouch’s two sides, so you can stow extra gear here. Depending on how you pack, larger items might tumble out when you open the bag.

Overall, we don’t think this is a perfect dopp kit. However, as a versatile travel organizer that can do almost anything in a pinch, we think it’s a solid shout, especially if durability and modularity are your main concerns.