Are you a high-flying businessman prone to travel and long-haul flights? In addition to clothes and other everyday articles, there are a few indispensable items which really should be inside every businessman’s suitcase. Take a look…
A DOPP BAG
All travelling gentlemen should own one of these – the Dopp bag is the original men’s toiletries and shaving bag, and in times gone by was given to older adolescents as a symbol of their transition to manhood.
The Dopp bag was also issued to American GIs in World War II, and although the original manufacturers, Doppelt’s, have since been taken over by Samsonite, there are many equally decent, equally manly versions of this timeless classic still on the market.
Remember – fill your Dopp bag with travel-size, not full-size, toiletries. Not only are they much easier to pack, but many international flights forbid carrying cosmetics bottles over 100ml on board. Don’t forget to pack some simple first-aid items – plasters, headache tablets, anti-nausea and anti-diarrhoea medication (traveller’s stomach is less than ideal), antihistamine tablets, a do-it-all ointment for cuts, scrapes, bruises and bites (Zam-Buk is perfect), insect repellant, sunscreen, lip balm and prescription medication.
ELECTRIC RAZOR
Some international flights no longer permit passengers to carry safety razors (also known as straight razors) or disposable razors on board an aircraft. This is because the blades are easy to remove and can be used as a weapon. Electric razors, though, are a safe bet.
SUIT JACKET
Whether for a dinner date with colleagues or an important business meeting with clients, a man should always have a jacket on hand. Choose one in a dark neutral colour – black, grey or navy. Jackets are more versatile than you might imagine – wear it with jeans for a smart-casual look, or pair it with smart pants for a more formal feel.
To ensure that it arrives at its destination crease-free, turn it inside out so that the jacket’s inner lining is now on the outside. Fold it in half, along the centre of its back, and then into quarters. Place it at the bottom of your suitcase where it won’t be displaced by movement. When in doubt, a suit bag works wonders.
HAND-HELD BAGGAGE SCALE
Travelling often means picking up extra weight – in your suitcase we mean! Paying fines for being overweight isn’t a great way to round off a trip; fortunately, there’s a novel item on the market which could save you cash. It’s called a hand-held baggage scale – a small device which you simply hook onto the handle of your suitcase, and then pick up the whole caboodle from the floor to gauge its weight.
Hand-held baggage scales come in analogue or digital format and are small and lightweight enough to pop into your suitcase. They’re especially useful if you’ve made a few purchases and need to know if you’ve tipped the scale.
ZIPLOC BAGS
Talk about versatile! Ziploc bags – or any other branded seal-easy plastic bag – have myriad uses. Pack cosmetics and toiletries containers into them (as per air travel regulations); store dirty laundry in them; keep important documents, receipts and credit cards safe, clean and dry…you name it, Ziplocs can handle it. Swing by the supermarket before you leave home and throw in a packet of these super-useful bags into your case.
IPOD AND/OR KINDLE
How to wile away the long hours waiting around airports or on long flights, without having to engage the annoying passenger besides you? Turn on and tune out – whip out the iPod for a bit of easy listening and open up the Kindle to catch up on some reading.
What versatile items do you take with you when you’re doing business travel, staying in airport hotels, or simply on the move all the time?