Toiletries case and other cases.

[arctictern]

What kind of bag or case would you recommend for your toiletries?


The case I got has two main pouches; there is enough room in the case between the two pouches to fit a large bottle of shaving cream, razor, aftershave, deodorant, large bottle of shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, q-tips, nail cutters, and a comb. The only thing it won't fit is mouthwash.



And for my shoe shine kit and sewing kit I got similar cases about half the size and they fit everything in perfectly.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Is this for every day use, in the field or for basic training?

 

[arctictern]

It's for basic training but I'd love to hear all sides of it.

 

[hiv]

It's for basic training but I'd love to hear all sides of it.

When I did my basic training, we weren't permitted toiletry bags. All items you could need for personal hygeine had a specific layout and placement and were subject to daily inspections.

 

[Armymedic]

Then you get two. One for every day use and one for inspections....

 

[arctictern]

Yea I guess that'll work. Keep one set on display and the other in my case for use.

 

[Matt_Fisher]

Get a nice bright pink one with a floral pattern on the side, and throw in a pink toothbrush, lady shick razor, some Oil of Olay moisturizer, and some Secret deodorant.   Your instructors will really appreciate your keen hygeine practices.  

 

[arctictern]

And what will my bunk mates think? Never mind don't answer that.

 

[Jarnhamar]

It's good to have two of everything. One for use and one for inspection. Just remember to use common sense. If your on to month 3 of your course and you still have a brand new tube of tooth paste, your toothbrush doesn't look used and your soap is brand brand new, the staff are going to know what your doing. The whole "two of everything" thing isn't a new concept, it's been around a while. It's good to do but use common sense.

As for shaving kits, most people will use something like this
http://www.wheelersonline.com/detail.asp?product_id=2031
Theres no real winner when it comes to a shaving kit. Their pretty much all the same in my opinion. If i had any advice it would be dont spend tons of cash on a fancy case (or expensive stuff to put inside) because you could easily lose it or have it stolen.

 

[Budgie]

When I did my basic training, we weren't permitted toiletry bags. All items you could need for personal hygeine had a specific layout and placement and were subject to daily inspections.

umm....What about feminine hygiene products???  That would be so embarrasing if those got inspected  :-[ 

 

[Fraser.g]

While on course you will have a drawer or some other space that is designated for personal items. This is usually not open on inspectons but must be kept neat. Any personal items that you may need can be kept there. Toiletries, personal hygiene supplies, civi clothes etc.

Remember, just because it is not usually open does not mean that the instructor cadre can not inspect it.

 

[hiv]

umm....What about feminine hygiene products???   That would be so embarrasing if those got inspected   :-[  

I believe they had to keep them in their personal boxes.

All my instructors were combat arms though so they may have been a little tougher than the regular basic instructors.

 

[chrisf]

While on course you will have a drawer or some other space that is designated for personal items. This is usually not open on inspectons but must be kept neat. Any personal items that you may need can be kept there. Toiletries, personal hygiene supplies, civi clothes etc.

Remember, just because it is not usually open does not mean that the instructor cadre can not inspect it.

I had always been told that they weren't allowed to inspect it... though sometimes the personal drawer was "clearly over filled" and it "accidentally fell on the floor" and as such it was the stuff that was on the floor that was being inspected.

To the original poster... consider the following things for the purposes of the field and shaving kits (I'm bored at the moment, so I'm making a few rambling posts)...

For shaving, consider shaving oil... great stuff... I have rather sensitive facial skin, and get terrible razor burn rather easily from many shaving creams (The Gillette stuff for sensitive skin, that comes in a green can works pretty well though), shaving oil never causes razor burn though... it's great stuff... splash some water on your face, four or five drops of oil in your hand, rub it on your face, shave as per normal. You can even probably get away with dumping the water on site, as it's just a little clear water with a couple of drops of vegetable (Or is it nut based? Can't specificly recall) oil and some little hairs in it. Takes up far less room then shaving cream.

With regards to the shampoo, unless you're on an extended exercise, you're not going t need it, and even if you are on an extended ex, you're not going to need it on a regular basis.

 

[beach_bum]

umm....What about feminine hygiene products???   That would be so embarrasing if those got inspected   :-[  

You know something....no one really cares.  Honestly, every woman uses them. Feminine hygene products are not going to be something that your instructors have never heard of or seen before.  It's not a big deal....don't make it a big deal.  You'll figure it out when you get there.  For me, when I was in basic, I just kept them in my barrack box.  The instructors saw them, no one even mentioned it.  Don't worry.

 

[CdnGalaGal]

For a toilettries bag or a shoe polish kit, you don't need anything fancy.

On basic, I used a large ziploc bag with my name and last three written on it for my shoe polish kit and same for a toillettry bag in the field (for the females, throw in a few pads and however many Tampax compacts or whatever they're called just in case). Throw it in the top pouch of your ruck and you're good to go.

And again, for the females - You might be worried about pads and tampons now, but just wait. After the first week of Basic, you won't care about it and you'll realize no one else cares about it either.

 

[arctictern]

http://www.wheelersonline.com/detail.asp?product_id=2031

This is the kind of bag I have for my shoe shine kit & sewing kit except for the colour, one bag is grayish and the other a pale green(they cost me a dollar each, not bad eh?)

For my toiletires I bought a case that is like the one in the above link except its like two of them stuck together allowing me to hold all of my toiletires with the exception of mouthwash.

 

[chrisf]

And again, for the females - You might be worried about pads and tampons now, but just wait. After the first week of Basic, you won't care about it and you'll realize no one else cares about it either.

Or better yet, wait till you've got a half dozen people, both male and female, using the washroom (Which unofficially became unisex because the women's washroom was on the other side of the barracks, and was also the responsibility of another platoon for cleaning) at the same time, all having a chat.

 

[CdnGalaGal]

Heh... I've heard stories about other basic courses in Wainright and Dundurn when it comes to the showers... On my basic, we had one shower stall that was maybe 5 x 6 with two shower heads. For the first few days, we'd allow 2 minutes in the shower per person (two ppl in the stall). By the end of the course we had managed to cram 9 girls into that thing and still manage to come out clean. (alright, guys, quit yer gigglin'  :)  Talk about getting over embarassing situations fast!

Anyway, Daryl, whatever it is that you have for your polish and your shaving cream will be fine. The bags aren't inspected, and if they are, no worries, it will be sorted out since everyone in your platoon will have to be the same for inspection (they won't be so anal, however, as to ensure everyone buys the same colour toothbrush or same brand of soap).

 

[chrisf]

Or when it reaches the point where you can recognise the person in the stall next to you by the sigh or the grunt they make as they being their business.