edc travel Archives - Ashley Weston

Summer Travel Essentials And Accessories

Summer travel season is here and hopefully, you’ve got a trip or two on the books. Whether you’re taking a week away to hit somewhere warm and tropical, seeking out nature, or hitting the road for some sightseeing, you’re going to need some essentials to get you through all types of situations. If you’ve seen Ashley’s Instagram you know that we both travel quite a bit, and we’ve found that outside of finding the right travel bag, these small, easily packable items can make all the difference in the world.

Plus, almost all of these items can be found on Amazon so it will make your pre-trip shopping as easy as a few clicks.

Pain Relievers

Whether you’re nursing a hangover from a few too many poolside cocktails or dealing with aches and pains from hikes or exercise, a few of these can change the game.

Band-Aids

If you’ve ever dealt with vacation blisters from a day of walking and sightseeing or accidents in nature you know how handy a pack of these band-aids in your dopp kit can be.

Dopp Kit

Speaking of dopp kits, having the right one is not only stylish but helps keep you organized and prepared for any type of trip.

Dopp Kit Picks:

Budget Friendly: Herschel

Sunscreen

We can’t stress enough the importance of sunscreen, whether you’re at the pool or beach or just out and about. Don’t forget proper lip balm with sunscreen too!

Sunscreen/Lip Balm Picks:

Noise Cancelling Headphones

An absolute must when traveling on any kind of plane journey, these can turn a rough flight into a relaxing one. We’ve tried a bunch and the ones listed below are our favorites.

Headphone Picks:

Bose

Sony

Budget-Friendly: Cowin

Earbud Option

Sandals/Flip Flops

Sure, we’ve talked about how a lot of guys wear them too often during summer, but if you’re going to be in/around a body of water they’re definitely a great thing to have.

Flip Flop Picks:

Hurley

Scott

Rainbow

Clorox Wipes

For a quick clean up on potentially dirty surfaces that can make you sick, nothing beats the convenience of these Clorox wipes.

Emergen-C

Airports and planes can be a virus and bacterial hot zone, so make sure you’re taking proper precautions by downing a few Emergen-Cs and keeping your immune system in check.

External Battery Pack

Keep your devices juiced up and ready to go with one of these handy battery packs. Another item that you’ll be so glad you have when you need it.

Battery Pack Picks:

Power Bank

Belkin

Anker

Cable Organizer / Tech Dopp Kit

Keep your carry on or briefcase organized and stress-free with one of these easy-to-use cord organizers.

Organizer Picks:

Grid-It

BagSmart

This Is Ground

Lint Roller

A must-have for any dark clothing. We like this handy small version the best for traveling:

Travel Lint Roller

Portable Steamer

Small and easy-to-use, a steamer is well worth the packing space. This is the only one we use and recommend:

Portable Steamer

Portable Speaker

A fun, easy way to add some atmosphere to any trip. We’ve tested and used a bunch and these are our favorites.

Speaker Picks:

JBL

Anker

Ultimate Ears

The Best Men’s Weekender Bags of 2019

Whether you’re taking a weekend getaway or packing up for a shorter business trip, a stylish, functional weekender bag is the perfect travel companion. We’ve discussed some of our favorite weekender-style bags before, but these bags are so useful and versatile that we decided it was time for an update. All of these bags meet carry-on requirements and are ideal for 1-3 days of travel. Here are our picks for the best weekender bags of 2019.

Check out all our picks below plus a few extra bags that we added for good measure!

Stuart & Lau -$385

A truly excellent bag, we love the mix of waterproof nylon and full grain leather, as well as the simple, lined interior and clean design. An added bonus, this bag comes in multiple sharp color options and also comes with a matching, full-grain leather strap. It may seem like a small detail but the two exterior pockets on each end are a really handy design detail that gives you some extra storage flexibility. The navy and tan colorway we tested was great, but we also really like the olive and black combo.

Herschel – $90

We’re big fans of Hershel’s backpacks, briefcases, and wallets, so it makes sense that their weekender bag would be excellent as well. This bag boasts a very nice price point that belies it’s sturdy, high-quality construction and materials. It’s constructed with heavy-duty nylon and has an integrated shoe compartment that we thought was a nice feature. While we preferred the basic, monochromatic black and grey colors, the huge range of colors and patterns is a nice bonus if you prefer more colorful options.

Everlane – $98

As with all things Everlane, this bag has a great price point and super simple, classy design. In our previous weekender video, we chose this one as well, but it had a rubber bottom. In this newer version, they’ve done away with that and added metal feet instead, which we feel is a downgrade. But overall, it’s still a great bag at a great price.

Combatant Gentlemen – $110

We loved the price point and mix of leather and canvas with the shoe handy shoe compartments and this bag is a really excellent value. The bag has a unique garment bag design to it but in the end, we weren’t a fan of this aspect because it could potentially affect the clothes you normally put in a garment bag as they can get smashed on the sides and bottom. But, other than this small part, this bag was really great.

Frost River – $215

The Frost River bag is made in the USA and boasts a great mix of affordability and quality. It’s constructed with heavy-duty materials that will age beautifully and last a long time. The leather accents are very nice and the hardware is sturdy. The top zipper design opens up very wide to make packing easier and the exterior pockets are perfect for stashing books, magazines or an iPad, both nice design touches.

Filson – $395

Another made in the USA, heritage brand, Filson builds extremely durable, handsome bags that will literally last you a lifetime. If you favor the more rugged, woodsy look, this is the bag for you. It’s constructed of very sturdy canvas, outstanding leather accents, and strong hardware. It has a very large capacity and features a beautiful all-leather shoulder strap. This bag takes some time to break in but will only get better over time.

Want Les Essentials – $450

This stylish weekender bag boasts a sleek, monochromatic design that we really loved. There’s minimal branding and it features very nice cotton canvas accented with Italian leather details. We loved that the entire base was leather, a very nice touch. While the shoulder strap wasn’t all leather, overall this bag is very nice and has exceptional design.

Billykirk – $550

Another outstanding American-made bag, Billykirk is known for their leather goods and excellent quality. This handsome bag is made from heavy waxed canvas and very nice leather accents (including an all-leather shoulder strap!) that will age beautifully. The style is clean and simple but with a bit of a rugged vibe that’s not too over-the-top. It’s really a great mix of modern classic styles. It comes in two great colorways but we especially love the all-black version, it’s really sharp. This bag also comes in smaller and larger versions, so if you’re looking for more or less space but love the looks you’ve got some options here.

Frank Clegg – $925

Dorian has owned this bag personally for 4 years now and it looks brand new. This bag has it all: clean, classic design, buttery soft tumbled leather that just gets softer with age, an all-leather shoulder strap, lined interior and no metal feet on the bottom. Plus the design features just the right amount of structure to it. It’s a pleasure to own and use this bag, it’s the best of the best.

Best Men’s Wallets Of 2019

Just like the right briefcase, a stylish and functional wallet is a smart way to keep your life organized and looking good. We’ve discussed some of our favorite wallets before but we wanted to update it with some new picks and styles. To recap, here are a few things we look for in great wallets:

No Contrast Stitching
Minimal logos/branding
Classic & minimal design

With that said, here are our current picks for the Best Wallets of 2019!

Bryker Hyde – $40-$43

A great value, this bi-fold wallet from Bryker Hyde features excellent leather quality and great functionality with multiple interior slots and an id window. Branding is fairly minimal but there are multiple logos. The wide range of colors and RFID blocking are nice bonuses too.

Herschel – $30

For the man who prefers a minimal carry, this leather card case wallet from Herschel is excellent. It features really nice pebbled leather and multiple slots for cards and cash. Construction and edges are great and the finger cutout is a nice detail for ease of use. There’s a bit more branding than we usually prefer but overall this wallet is a great value.

Herschel – $89

We also loved this bi-fold leather wallet from Herschel as well. It features the same excellent pebbled leather and clean design. This option features RFID blocking and Tile tracking, which are great security features (there’s also a similar, non RFID version too) and the interior features plenty of card slots and space for bills.

Carl Friedrik – $83

This option from Carl Friedrik is bi-fold / case hybrid, so it’s got a nice slim design but also has a good amount of storage. It features beautiful Italian leather and construction is excellent. There are a variety of color options available too. We loved the very minimal design and thoughtful details like an exterior pocket with finger cutout.

Bellroy – $169

We’re big fans of Bellroy’s goods and their leather bi-fold wallet doesn’t disappoint. It’s made from excellent leather and features a very clean, slim design with great craftsmanship. This version has RFID protection (there’s a non RFID blocking version also) which is a nice bonus too. The interior features 3 pockets, space for bills, and a pull tab feature for convenience.

This Is Ground – $175

Another brand we love, This Is Ground always brings really high-quality design and leathers to all of their products. We loved the unique magnetic attachment design in this phone case wallet as well as the clean, minimal design with no branding. The interior features just the right amount of pockets and the wallet closes up with a nice, heavy duty zipper. Good, slim phone wallets are tough to find but this version from This Is Ground really knocks it out of the park.

The Best Men’s Leather Briefcase Of 2019?

As we recently discussed in our briefcase rundown, the right briefcase/messenger bag is definitely a worthwhile investment for every man to make. We recently we got our hands on one from Carl Friedrik to test out; is this the best men’s leather briefcase of 2019?

As a bonus, our readers can get $50 off and Free Shipping to the US with code: AWX10

Shop this briefcase here: Carl Friedrik Briefcase

Design & Materials

The briefcase comes in a few different colors but we tested the chocolate brown color. The color was beautiful and very rich-looking. The construction and leather quality was very good and the overall design aesthetic was just what we like, clean and sharp with minimal branding. The bag also has a good amount of structure, which we really liked.

Strap and Interior Features

The bag has an all-leather strap (a nice bonus) and really cleverly-integrated shoulder strap set up with attachment hoops built into the handle attachments. The bag features a nice cloth interior in contrasting grey with a bunch of functional pockets.

Cons

Metal Feet – Not our favorite feature as they can tend to scratch floors or tables depending on how careful you are with them.

Loose Interior Cloth – The interior padding is pretty minimal but it has enough structure to keep everything safe and secure. We weren’t huge fans of the looseness of the interior fabric though.

Price & Value

This bag is fairly pricey at $500 but overall we really loved the quality and design and felt that it was definitely a good overall value and for a nice briefcase. There is quite a bit of competition at this price range and felt that if the bag was slightly less expensive it would be a slam dunk, but nonetheless, it’s still a great bag that is fairly priced.

As a bonus, our readers can get $50 off and Free Shipping to the US with code: AWX10

Shop this briefcase here: Carl Friedrik Briefcase

Top Men’s Briefcases / Messenger Bags For 2019

A stylish and functional bag is one of the most important accessories a man can own and we thought it was high time we updated our previous picks. We love a good backpack of course, but no matter what type of field you work in, carrying your goods in something sharp and professional is important. You’re better than that old, falling-apart school bag.

In this video, we’re running down a batch of the latest and greatest new men’s briefcases and messenger bags for 2019!

Incase – $70

We loved the clean, simple design for those looking for a budget-friendly option. It features a clean, no-frills design and is made from rugged canvas with plenty of padding to protect your goods. It also comes with a shoulder strap for extra flexibility.

Italic – $250

Another bag with a clean, minimal aesthetic, the Italic bag is a great leather option. It features really nice pebbled leather that feels luxurious, especially for its affordable price point. This bag also comes with a removable shoulder strap (in nylon) and an interior padded laptop compartment. The metal feet on the underside were the real drawback as they can sometimes cause damage if you aren’t careful.

Stuart & Lau – $325

This bag features a nice nylon base with leather accents and matte hardware giving it a very sharp design aesthetic. While not all leather, it would be an excellent option for those of you who don’t work in super formal environments. It has nice details with a ton of functional interior pockets and a nice-looking leather shoulder strap with matching hardware. Overall we really liked this bag and felt it was well worth the price given its excellent design and functionality. It comes in multiple colors too.

Bellroy – $590

Dorian is a big fan of their phone cases so we were excited to see one of their briefcases as well. The Bellroy features really nice leather and a lot of structure, which we really like. It has a clean, functional design and some nice touches with its interior contrasting color and nicely integrated eyelets for the shoulder straps. Two things we weren’t in love with were the leather accented nylon shoulder strap and a little bit of excess branding. It’s on the expensive side but we felt like it was definitely worth the investment for those looking for a modern, structured briefcase.

This Is Ground – $649

We’ve featured some of their products before and we’re definitely fans of their high-quality construction and great leather. This bag is on the slim side so it’s definitely for the guy who carries less stuff. It’s got a great minimal design and an exterior pocket for extra storage as well. The interior is very cool and it features a bunch of different organizational compartments for your extra goods and features an interior magnet set up that works with their innovative mod products. It’s definitely on the expensive side but well worth the price for its quality.

Frank Clegg – $900

Dorian’s bag mentioned in the video, very high-quality leather and handmade construction. An investment bag that will last you a lifetime.

Everyday Carry With Perkens Bien Aime

In this round of EDC, Ashley sat down with Perkens Bien Aime to discuss his go-to carry items for each and every day. Here’s a peek at what Perkens relies on as a busy influencer and tailoring specialist.

Thanks to Perkens for joining us for this video and thanks to IWC, one of our favorite watch brands of all time, for helping make this video happen!

Featured Items

Sketchbook / Notebooks

Apps

Everyday Carry with George LaBoda

For this edition of our Everyday Carry series, Ashley sat down with George LaBoda to discuss his go-to EDC items and everything he relies on as a successful influencer and co-creator of Gents Lounge.

Thanks to George for joining us for this video and thanks to IWC, one of our favorite watch brands of all time, for helping make this video happen!

Everyday Carry With Ty Severe

For this edition of our Everyday Carry series, Ashley sat down with her friend, Ty Severe, to discuss his go-to EDC items and what helps get him through the day as a successful menswear and lifestyle influencer.