Spiff Kit: Pros and Cons?

[jessiew]

Alright... likely pulling the trigger on a standard spiff Kit but wanted to hear from my TB friends of some of the pros and cons of the design? My current toiletry setup is terrible so this would be my first step in getting a streamlined organization technique.

[halstead.nathan]

It doesn’t work for me. I travel carry-on only and the spiff kit doesn’t have a clear plastic area to store toiletries. I travel with very little and don’t need much organization, I only need a clear plastic area for TSA


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[G42]

It doesn’t work for me. I travel carry-on only and the spiff kit doesn’t have a clear plastic area to store toiletries. I travel with very little and don’t need much organization, I only need a clear plastic area for TSA


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Welcome to the Forums @halstead.nathan! Sounds like your style is more clear 3DOC.

@jesiew, I actually use the SpiffKit as a mobile crafting kit/carry... for toiletries, I use a clear 3DOC and a small snake charmer

[halstead.nathan]

I needed a bit more organization than a 3DOC while having a clear panel on part of it so I ended up with a different company’s product. I won’t link it here to be respectful of TB products, but I love it.


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[alanshutko]

Spiff kit works for me, but only because I have TSA PreCheck. If you don't or can't have that, 3DOC is a better choice.

[Sstj315]

FWIW, I just got back from a Caribbean cruise and we did not even have to take our quart bags out. We traveled out of Syracuse and returned through Fort Lauderdale. We just used standard quart freezer ziplocs.

[b1gsky]

I have a Spiff Kit Deluxe because I managed to buy one locally for a steal ages ago. I love it and have used it for a few years now. I don’t use the shelf as intended though, instead I keep a little pouch on the shelf (like a pencil pouch) which holds all the makeup I’m taking. I put my liquids in a standard freezer ziplock bag too. I keep the ziplock bag in an outer pocket of my bag when I’m at the airport. When I’m at my destination I either put them directly in the bathroom or into the Spiff Kit until it’s time to fly home. I had a toiletry bag with a clear section in the past, but that didn’t work for me. Most of the time they didn’t want to accept it because it’s not in the regulations, so I decided to just stick with the ziplock bag. I don’t have any experience with the clear 3DOC though. I do want to buy a standard Spiff Kit in the future, because I often don’t need all the space of my DSK, but I’m still undecided on the color. I would love one in Logic Blue, but I’m not sure they’re ever going to make that combination.

[Rei]

briefly

Pros :
- 2 sizes to choose (normal or deluxe version)
- deluxe version can be big enough to hold a clear pouch inside (I mean some clear TSA compliant pouches, I don't know about the TB clear 3D pouch)
- can be used for anything (I use my deluxe spiff kit for Art stuff : A5 notebook, pencils, ink pens, watercolors, etc.)

Cons :
- not TSA compliant for liquids
- no outside anchors (I would like to hold it as a mini purse...)

[Skirata44]

I think the main question here is how heavy/light you tend to travel. I tend to onebag whenever possible, so normally I just bring either a ziploc bag, or more recently a clear 3DOC. If you're going to be regularly traveling with multiple bags, go for the spiff kit.

[Cristina]

How well do you know yourself regarding compartmentalisation and also under/over-packing?

The Spiff Kits are great for people who like to separate items. I use the lower left pocket of the Spiff Kit for face stuff, the lower right pocket for shower stuff, and the top pocket for long things and non-wet items like toothbrushes and combs. Some people would prefer one bigger pocket but I wouldn’t.

I have both the Spiff and Deluxe Spiff and I really appreciate how they pack into a flattish shape inside my travel bag. They aren’t bulky. The Deluxe even fits in a side pocket of the teeny tiny Night Flight Travel Duffel!

As other have said, it isn’t TSA compliant but people usually travel with several non-liquid toiletry items anyway (toothbrush, comb, etc) so for me a ziplock going in and out of the Spiff would be my preferred way to organise for a flight but I normally travel by train so it isn’t an issue anyway.

[Kaadk]

Spiff kit works for me, but only because I have TSA PreCheck. If you don't or can't have that, 3DOC is a better choice.

Yeah, even with TSA Pre✓, I still carry my liquids in a 3DOC. I've run through enough airports where I can't guarantee Pre is always available, or not available at my terminal, or not available at the time I'm flying, etc... that I try to make sure that I'm not reliant on Pre and can be processed through a non-Pre line if needed without hassle.

I have a Spiff Kit Deluxe because I managed to buy one locally for a steal ages ago. I love it and have used it for a few years now. I don’t use the shelf as intended though, instead I keep a little pouch on the shelf (like a pencil pouch) which holds all the makeup I’m taking. I put my liquids in a standard freezer ziplock bag too. I keep the ziplock bag in an outer pocket of my bag when I’m at the airport. When I’m at my destination I either put them directly in the bathroom or into the Spiff Kit until it’s time to fly home. I had a toiletry bag with a clear section in the past, but that didn’t work for me. Most of the time they didn’t want to accept it because it’s not in the regulations, so I decided to just stick with the ziplock bag. I don’t have any experience with the clear 3DOC though. I do want to buy a standard Spiff Kit in the future, because I often don’t need all the space of my DSK, but I’m still undecided on the color. I would love one in Logic Blue, but I’m not sure they’re ever going to make that combination.

The only place I've ever had issues with my clear toiletry bag (and that was a non TB one, but similar design) was Heathrow. Thankfully they had ziplocks on hand to use there. And if not, I travel with a small enough selection of liquids that it wouldn't have really bothered me to toss them if needed.

[b1gsky]

The only place I've ever had issues with my clear toiletry bag (and that was a non TB one, but similar design) was Heathrow. Thankfully they had ziplocks on hand to use there. And if not, I travel with a small enough selection of liquids that it wouldn't have really bothered me to toss them if needed.

I had this issue in Frankfurt and Berlin. It was a while ago, I'm not sure how it would work out now. I don't carry many liquids either, but I wouldn't want to toss them because I would be sad to lose my containers which I've been using for a while. I never buy travel sizes in the drugstore, I decant my regular stuff. Plus a few liquids wouldn't be replaceable at my destination, like my deodorant cream.

[Kaadk]

I had this issue in Frankfurt and Berlin. It was a while ago, I'm not sure how it would work out now. I don't carry many liquids either, but I wouldn't want to toss them because I would be sad to lose my containers which I've been using for a while. I never buy travel sizes in the drugstore, I decant my regular stuff. Plus a few liquids wouldn't be replaceable at my destination, like my deodorant cream.

Actually, thinking back on it, last time I was through a German airport was prior to 3-1-1 going into effect, so yeah, I guess that's possible. Actually, thinking even further on it, even then, my toiletries traveled in checked luggage, so yeah, completely ignore my advice about where the 3DOC is accepted, I guess I'm a little out of date.

[b1gsky]

Actually, thinking back on it, last time I was through a German airport was prior to 3-1-1 going into effect, so yeah, I guess that's possible. Actually, thinking even further on it, even then, my toiletries traveled in checked luggage, so yeah, completely ignore my advice about where the 3DOC is accepted, I guess I'm a little out of date.

Oh no, you missunderstood. As I said above, I have no experience with the 3DOC. I used something from a different brand. I think it wasn't completely clear on both sides? Anyway, the 3DOC might work. I have no idea. But I like the Spiff Kit, so I'm not tempted to try it out. I do a lot of train travel where it doesn't matter and for flying the combination of DSK and ziplock bag is an easy solution and I'm on the safe side.

[Traveltech]

Didn’t like the spiff kit because 1. It’s heavy relative to other toiletry kits, and 2. The pocket size limits what you can secure, leaving the full interior kind of jumbled. If you were to hang the kit as designed, those things that don’t fit the pockets will have to be removed.

I made the kit work better for me by sewing o-rings into the mesh. Then I could put the extras into GWs and they were secured.

YMMV