Explorer Plus Review

So as always a disclosure. After reading the review on the Gravel Travel Bottles, they decided to send me some of their latest products to review. The fact they sent me these products won’t affect my opinions during the review.

The Gravel Explorer Plus Toiletry Bag is larger than the Explorer Slim, and the second largest in their collection. The next size up is the Max which is big enough to class as it’s own bag. The Explorer Plus comes with a clear TSA approved bag which is really handy if you’re flying carry-on only.

The design of the Explorer Plus is very similar to the Explorer Slim. But it includes the addition of a larger pocket that takes up the length of the bag, allowing for larger items to be carried. 

This bag once again comes in black or sand colours. Both look great, I do have a preference towards the sand though. 

The materials are strong and durable. It’s made of exactly the same materials as the Explorer Slim which came with me to Lisbon. They do mark a little easily however considering I hang them up in the shower these get washed off really quickly. 

Being larger it does make this bag less packable. It’s still made of the same soft material that you can easily squish into place though. As this bag has a larger pocket you may fill this up with bigger items though. So how easy the Explorer Plus is to squeeze will vary depending on what you pack.

Inside the bag has a couple of mesh covered pockets. I like these as they still provide great storage but you can see what’s inside without having to open every pocket. Unlike the Explorer Slim, the plus only has one pocket in the first section that’s completely sealed, this is for the toothbrush to stop it from getting any soap on the bristles. 

Instead it has a bigger, completely sealed section on the back. This section has no pockets so is better for larger items like bottles. Or to store your liquids separately in the provided TSA bag for easy access at security.

The Explorer Plus is larger than the slim, giving the benefit of taking up more space with the trade-off of being bulkier. I have been testing the Plus over the last month by using it for the gym. It does make it easier to pack, you don’t have to squeeze in your items as much. The larger pocket on the back is easy to put items in. I like to keep the TSA bag in this larger pocket with my liquids inside. That way when I go to the shower or I am going through security I can easily grab all my liquids, and put them back when I am done.

The Plus comes with a clear TSA approved bag. You can buy this separately, and it’s really handy when travelling. If you’re flying carry on you can put the main Explorer Plus in your bag and quickly grab your liquids when you’re going through TSA. I did this in Lisbon although I used the TSA Bag and the Explorer Slim.

To me, the Explorer Plus is more suited for longer travel than the Explorer Slim. Although I will admit I travel fairly light. When I went on my recent trip to Lisbon amongst my group there would have been a size from the Explorer range suited to everyone. One friend travelled with just a toothbrush and toothpaste, he would have suited the slim. On the opposite end of the spectrum my friend couldn’t live without her straighteners for two nights and would have preferred the Explorer Max. It’s a great series of toiletry bags and there’s a suitable size for everybody. I’d recommend browsing the range, and deciding which one is best for your type of travel.