Peak Design Wash Pouch Review: Leveling Up My Toiletry Bag?

What’s so great about the Peak Design Wash Pouch? After all, it’s just a toiletries bag, right?

It’s enough of an upgrade that we feature it in our best gifts for dads guide for frequent travelers.

In this review, see how the Wash Pouch from PD works out for my uses, and how it compares to the toiletries bag I was using before from another company.

The Score View detailed breakdown

Peak Design Wash Pouch

4.41 / 5

The Peak Design Wash Pouch is a modern and durable toiletry bag with excellent organization, weatherproofed zippers and thoughtful design features, though the toothbrush slot is too small and it lacks a dedicated waterproof section for wet items.

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Quick summary

My first perception of the PD Wash Pouch for travel was that it reminded me of my Peak Design Tech Pouch, one of my handiest and most valuable travel accessories.

The wash pouch is a minimalist and modern toiletries bag or dopp kit, if you call it that, and it’s a smart way to store all my bathroom products and grooming supplies when I’m on the road. It’s durable and can last through tons of wear and tear, which led Becca to put it in her list of the best travel accessories for backpackers.

Because it bares such a similarity to my Tech Pouch (for all my electronic accessories, charging cables and wires, as I’ve detailed at my Peak Design Tech Pouch review), I feel like I’m traveling in style when I use it. I also have it in two colors: Black, and the new Coyote gold.

Here’s a photo of the Black Peak Design Tech Pouch next to the Peak Design Wash Pouch. Can you tell the difference?

Spoiler: The Wash Pouch is on the right and is a little bigger in length.

Review of the highlights

A few must-have elements of the Wash Pouch that I want to share with you are:

Uprightness & hanging ability

When I’m neatening up my hotel room, I can get the entire Wash Pouch to sit up on its own, and if I want to hang it on a towel bar, I use the stow-able hook.

Weatherproof materials

By weatherproof, I mean “water repellent,” and it’s exactly what I want in the fabrics of a toiletries bag. The strong material build of this pouch is on par with my Peak Design tech bag and backpacks (wow). (If you want to see in-depth at Peak Design’s best-in-class materials, head to a gear review like my Peak Design Everyday Backpack review.)

Helpful and functional pockets

In the past, I’ve used toiletry bags that have no organization; in comparison, the Peak Design Wash Pouch has mesh pockets and holders, a dedicated toothbrush pocket and an inside zipper pocket (for dry things like ear plugs and tabs of pills or medicines).

Grab handle

This feature is just a bonus, as it’s a useful way to grab the entire pouch froma hotel bathroom counter. If I have my hands full while I’m packing up my hotel room for checkout, I can hold it by the handle and carry a few other things simultaneously.

Critique and room for improvement

There are some places where the Peak Design Wash Pouch could improve, and I base that on my use of another leading toiletry bag.

Toothbrush slot

In trying out my toothbrush in the toothbrush pocket with the magnetic closure, it did not quite fit. I wondered why, as my toothbrush is a standard size. It was a bit disappointing.

To correct this, I found that my toothbrush fits perfectly, and with some extra space, in the exterior zip pocket. I’m fine with this. I also usually use a toothbrush cover anyway. The exterior zip pocket turns out to be a handy spot with some forgiving room to fit both a toothbrush and a tube of travel-sized toothpaste.

See how everything works out in these photos.

No plastic-lined waterproof section

You’ll see in all of the Peak Design description about this product that the entire Wash Pouch is wipe-able, and all the materials are waterproof.

There’s something to say, though, about the fact that my Bagsmart Toiletry Bag has a dedicated zippered side pocket that’s lined with wipe-able plastic. I like that a lot, and I make sure to put my wet stuff from the shower in there if I have to take a shower, check out of a hotel room and then fly home or onward from somewhere.

The inside of the entire PD Wash Pouch is water-repellent and the inside pockets can be pulled out to wipe clean. I don’t know, there’s something that feels much more “waterproof” to me about a clear plastic-lined pocket where my wet stuff can go.

If you keep scrolling, you’ll see where I compare them below.

Clip for towel bar

I’ve read some other criticisms about the hook for a towel bar, and how that works in real life. I haven’t had issues with it. I could see, though, that if you have a lot of volume in your wash pouch, that maybe the entire wash pouch would hang awkwardly.

Comparison to other toiletry bags

Toiletry bags for travel are very creative these days, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t compare the Peak Design Wash Pouch to the travel toiletry bag that Becca and I have been sharing for all our trips recently.

It’s the Bagsmart Toiletry Bag, and it has three compartments, each with dedicated zippers from the outside. The middle section that has elastic organizers and holders on each side opens with a double zipper. Each side pocket has a different function, with one side having an interior mesh zipper pocket and the other one being lined with wipe-able plastic for wet things.

The difference is that our Bagsmart Toiletry Bag stands upright on its own, whereas the Peak Design Wash Pouch still “sits upright,” but opens in a more accordion-style way. And I have to mention that the Bagsmart one, with all its trimmings, is bigger and fatter, weighing 9.9oz, whereas the Peak Design Pouch is 8.7. You can feel the difference.

Lastly, it’s a quarter of the price of the Peak Design one, which is competitive, but the quality and materials are not nearly the same (although in all honesty, they’re holding up well).

I will say that where the Peak Design Wash Pouch wins is in its weatherproofed elevated zippers. Those just can’t be beat, because after all, this is a Peak Design product and it’s built with all the technical features that make me enjoy using my PD Travel Backpack, Everyday Backpack, Tech Pouch, Field Pouch, Packing Cubes and Shoe Pouch.

(In this photo, you can see the Peak Design specialty zippers, compared to the regular Bagsmarat zippers in the toiletry bag behind it.)

Worth it?

If you’re leaning toward having all your packing accessories match, I suggest going with an all-Peak-Design setup. The Wash Pouch adds a minimal, slim and strong touch to my packing accessories, and I can be nearly sure that with those weatherproofed zippers I talk about above, there will be no leaks from liquids on my valuables or clothes.

As you’ve seen from my other Peak Design reviews, Peak Design’s Lifetime Guarantee really means that their products are the best, and if they stop performing at any point in their lifespan, they will replace the item for free.

What else should you know before buying a Peak Design product? Head to my Peak Design brand review to find out, and it also might be helpful to see my Peak Design Shoe Pouch review for completing your packing setup.

Detailed score breakdown

Peak Design Wash Pouch

4.41 / 5

The Peak Design Wash Pouch is a modern and durable toiletry bag with excellent organization, weatherproofed zippers and thoughtful design features, though the toothbrush slot is too small and it lacks a dedicated waterproof section for wet items.

Core functionality

88%

Good functionality with mesh pockets, dedicated toothbrush pocket, and inside zipper pocket for dry items. The organization is better than basic toiletry bags but the toothbrush slot is too small for standard toothbrushes.

Materials & build quality

94%

Excellent build quality with weatherproofed zippers and durable materials. The Peak Design quality and Lifetime Guarantee provide confidence in long-term use.

Organization & access speed

86%

Good organization with mesh pockets for visibility, elastic loops for toothbrushes, and inside zipper pocket for dry items. The accordion-style opening provides wide access, though the toothbrush slot sizing is a limitation.

Packability & footprint

90%

Good packability at 8.7oz with accordion-style opening. The slim design fits well in luggage and the grab handle makes it easy to carry.

Ease of use

86%

Easy to use with intuitive organization and grab handle. The accordion-style opening works well, though the toothbrush slot sizing issue is a minor inconvenience. Quick setup - just pack and zip.

Durability & resilience

96%

Excellent durability with Peak Design quality and Lifetime Guarantee. The weatherproofed zippers and materials are built to last through heavy travel use.

Ease of maintenance & cleaning

90%

Easy to maintain with wipe-able materials and water-repellent interior. The pockets can be pulled out to wipe clean, though a dedicated waterproof section would be better for wet items.

Leak protection

84%

Weatherproofed zippers provide good leak protection, and the water-repellent interior helps contain spills. However, the lack of a dedicated plastic-lined waterproof section for wet items is a limitation compared to some competitors.

Moisture management

80%

The water-repellent interior helps manage moisture, but ventilation could be better. The lack of a dedicated wet section means moisture from wet toiletries might not be as well-contained as bags with separate waterproof compartments.

Versatility across trip types

88%

Good versatility for various trip types. The organization works for different toiletry needs, though the lack of a dedicated waterproof section limits wet item storage. Works well for quick overnight stays and longer trips.

Overall value for price

84%

Higher price point but good value considering the Peak Design quality and Lifetime Guarantee. The pre-owned store offers good deals for budget-conscious buyers.

How we score gear

Where to get yours

You can get a Peak Design Wash Pouch on the Peak Design website, of course. And just like I recommend in my Peak Design packing cubes review, if you want to hunt down a lightly-used one in the Peak Design Preowned Store, you may find a deal.

Keep in mind that by ordering your PD products through Peak Design directly, you get that Lifetime Guarantee that’ll protect your Peak Design item through the years.

Comparison with similar products

Here's how this product compares to similar options. Use this table to find the best of the bunch!

Other Peak Design packing accessories?

I was one of the first to try out Peak Design’s Packing Cubes for travel when they first came out, and you can see more about them in my Peak Design Packing Cube review.

To complete the picture with your packing products, try the Peak Design Shoe Pouch as well, as I had a lot of luck using it for my trips this year.