I’ve officially hit the age where I no longer just want the thing, I want the best thing.
It’s a feeling that I’m sure many readers can relate to. It’s not that I need something fancy or overtly luxurious — quite the opposite, as I actively making a living off identifying deals, hacks and disproportionately priced gems.
But more and more often, I find myself drawn to what I’ve affectionately coined the step-up option: the thing that is, to use another commerce buzz-phrase, a true splurge-worthy upgrade: a piece of apparel or gear that will pay back the investment and then some, be it through sheer quality, rugged functionality or a general ability to reliably produce complements.
In Carl Friedrik’s latest travel accessory, I’ve found a product that checks all three boxes.
We’ve long been big fans of the luxury travel brand here at InsideHook HQ — my colleagues have previously waxed poetic about their Rimowa-rivaling aluminum carry-on — predominantly driven by the London-based label’s keen eye for minimalist design and a price point that, while higher than the polycarbonate DTC clones, still feels responsible compared to astronomically-price competitors.
Stuff We Swear By: Carl Friedrik’s Carry-On Should Be Your Short-Trip Mainstay
Spacious, well-designed and pleasingly minimalist, the luggage is a joy to wheel aroundThe brand’s latest addition to their streamlined travel line-up, a sleek washbag, is no exception. Offered as a handsome answer to the endless nylon dopp kits, the new pouch combines a spacious, malleable design — the interior measures 3.5L, a game-changing upgrade from the industry average 1L — with a full-grained leather exterior for a carry-all that’s both spill and embarrassment-proof.
Carl Friedrik Large Washbag
Specs
Full-Grain Bovine Leather (Exterior), Smooth Vachetta Leather (Detailing), 100% Recycled Polyester (Lining)
No detail has gone unconsidered. The interior swaps an abundance of tiny, useless pockets for one large magnetic closure — offering an easy, polyester-lined cavity to dump all your grooming supplies in — and two exterior window pockets hold whatever quick-grab items you might on the fly. The double-zipper design allows for a manageable rooting-around experience, and there’s an exterior loop for tote-ability and hanging upon arrival,
Have spent my previous travel living out of high-vis yellow The North Face canister (an excellent companion, but not the most sophisticated), test-driving the new leather washbag was a Bond-ian experience. A dopp kit that was both functional and nice enough to keep out on the sink counter during a recent trip to the Catskills is exactly the kind of luxury I’m trying to introduce into my life.
The washbag isn’t cheap — the leather kit naturally commands a steeper price point, at $290 for the large size — but it is the best bag I’ve come across yet. You can shop the bag here.
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