Going travelling - do I really need a shave brush?

[rmac]

Hi all,

In the process of planning a trip to Vietnam and trying to pack ultra light. Flying carry on only so wash kit is very basic, a brilliant looking Drakensberg roll up wash bag (pictured below) with soap, toothpaste tablets (great alternative to toothpaste), bamboo toothbrush and hairbrush. Shaving kit is simply a Gillette sensor and La toja shaving stick.

I was going to bring a small muhle synthetic travel brush but am thinking it might be unnecessary. From experience the La Toja lathers pretty well without a brush and the sensor doesn’t need much in the way of lubricant to work effectively.

Will be away for about 2-3 weeks so am I really missing out on anything by not bringing a brush? It only weighs 41 grams (yes I measured it) so any weight saving is negligible, but luggage space is severely limited so what do you guys think?

 

[Multum in parvo]

It might be easier to locate a decent hairbrush locally than a shaving brush so I would swap these two.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

You don't 'need' a shaving brush as you can lather any simple bar soap with your hands and shave perfectly well, or use shampoo or hair conditioner if you have it. You could ditch the razor altogether and buy disposables during your travels, it might be fun and you might find some great products. Why not ask the locals how they shave and try it for yourself? Or... grow a beard. Bon voyage.

 

[gpjoe]

- do I really need a shave brush?​

Nope.

From experience the La Toja lathers pretty well without a brush...

I think you answered your own question.

Safe travels, and enjoy your trip.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Well, we already covered that DE‘s and blades for them are available in Vietnam…

Going to Vietnam, any DE blades available?

I’m in the process of planning a trip to Vietnam in September/October. Will be visiting Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi amongst other places in between. Because I’m moving around a lot I will be flying carry on only, shave kit is minimalist (Gillette sensor, muhle travel brush and La toja stick) but I...

www.badgerandblade.com

So bring soap, brush and AS if you don’t want to depend on the local stuff.

 

[sarimento1]

Hi all,

In the process of planning a trip to Vietnam and trying to pack ultra light. Flying carry on only so wash kit is very basic, a brilliant looking Drakensberg roll up wash bag (pictured below) with soap, toothpaste tablets (great alternative to toothpaste), bamboo toothbrush and hairbrush. Shaving kit is simply a Gillette sensor and La toja shaving stick.

I was going to bring a small muhle synthetic travel brush but am thinking it might be unnecessary. From experience the La Toja lathers pretty well without a brush and the sensor doesn’t need much in the way of lubricant to work effectively.

Will be away for about 2-3 weeks so am I really missing out on anything by not bringing a brush? It only weighs 41 grams (yes I measured it) so any weight saving is negligible, but luggage space is severely limited so what do you guys think?

Well, TBCH, you can get by without a shave brush!
For that matter, the wash bag is beautiful but a bit of an overkill.
It must weight 300g at least and can be replaced with a plastic baggie!
In any event, have a great trip!

 

[BigJ]

‘Need‘ is so subjective! IMO you can do just fine without a brush.

I prefer a brush to build my lather. Thus, I bring my Wee Scot when traveling. And I ENJOY my AM shaves!!

 

[ChriWilson]

You don't 'need' a shaving brush as you can lather any simple bar soap with your hands and shave perfectly well, or use shampoo or hair conditioner if you have it. You could ditch the razor altogether and buy disposables during your travels, it might be fun and you might find some great products. Why not ask the locals how they shave and try it for yourself? Or... grow a beard. Bon voyage.

Brush is definitely not necessary; if you choose to go forward with La Toja, one could easily build off of a face-load using their hands.

I love this idea though and actually may employ it on an upcoming trip to Tokyo this year and/or next.
Gives a wonderful opportunity for a Restraint Exemption when considering JNats and an Iwasaki Kamisori

‘Need‘ is so subjective! IMO you can do just fine without a brush.

I prefer a brush to build my lather. Thus, I bring my Wee Scot when traveling. And I ENJOY my AM shaves!!

Simpson's Wee Scot or Special (18mm) are perfect here

 

[Roy]

Why a hair brush? A small combe? .

 

[Multum in parvo]

This is my current travel setup but I’ve never weighed it.
I can heartily recommend the Mühle travel brush

 

[Jim in NZ]

A brush is a nice to have, but you could just take some shaving oil. A 35ml bottle is tiny, and enough for months of shaving. Somersets is a good option.

 

[WThomas0814]

You're going to Vietnam and not checking a bag? My Dopp kit always goes in a checked bag with my DE and two brushes (yes, I rotate brushes even on the road), plus a shaving stick and my aftershave (they all exceed the 100 ml limit).

I flew internationally 150K+ miles annually the last 5-6 years of my career and never had a lost bag.

 

[sarimento1]

as for 'small' brushes, fortunately we have many great choices.
here are mine, from 18g to 40g.
each performs excellently!

 

[Jim in NZ]

If weight is a concern, lose the heavy canvas Drakensberg bag (700 grams!) In favour of a lightweight hiking one like the Osprey one at 91 grams.

The bigger issue with a brush is if it can't dry out properly, and gets stinky with bacteria and mould. A synthetic will dry quicker than a bristle or badger one. You can also use alcohol based hand sanitizer to remove much of the water and retard microbial growth as long as you rinse the brush before using it at your next stop.

 

[Jay21]

Millions of men travel each year with a disposable razor and a 2 ounce can of foam. My rule is to not pack anything I’d feel bad about if it was lost, stolen, or left behind accidentally.

 

[KW Driver]

Practice without the brush before you go if you haven’t (assuming you have). There are plenty of travel brush options. I settled on an Omega 599 and 40033.

I’d also go with a smaller Dopp. My Tom Bihn clear packing cube acts as a 3-1-1 bag and I’ve done a month out of it without a restock. It stays on me and I have a bigger kit for long term stays that would go in checked baggage if needed

 

[Garry357]

That’s a great travel bag. I travel a fair bit and always take a cheap synthetic brush. I prefer to use a brush. I do own a Vulfiv travel brush with tube but never take it. I use a cardboard toiler roll as a protective tube. I take either 1 soap bar or 1 small cream.

 

[Old Hippie]

In my occasional travels I have often been reminded that hotel designers don't tend to build out their bathrooms with a sympathetic eye to wet shavers. Given that the venue is often suboptimal, yes, I prefer to take a brush. Having at least some decent shave kit means I'm probably going to get a decent shave.

I have an old RazoRock beehive synthetic. Lather mop, that is, but slapping on a monster blob of lather has its attractions.

I've likewise been back and forth about whether to take some junky razor that just barely shaves or something nicer that I'd really regret losing. Solved that one by taking a nice razor last time out and had lovely shaves that left me quite optimistic for the rest of the experience. In the end, getting a good shave is worth something. You can really ruin your holiday mood with a cruddy shave from some plastic fantastic from the nearest drugstore.

My advice is either A) don't cheap out on your shave kit or B) get a nice electric and just buzz things off in the morning and get on with your day.

O.H.

 

[NorthernSoul]

You can get by fine without a brush fairly well. You can use a small tube of shave cream, like Speick for instance, and lather by hand.

 

[VerbaVolant]

To me, a shave brush is a necessity. A wash bag is optional. Get a ziplock bag and pack a proper brush.
3 weeks of travel without a brush means missing out on 21 great shaves.
Safe journey, brush or not.