REI Shower Roll Hanging Toiletry Kit Review: A Modular Kit With Real Trade-Offs

Introduction

REI currently makes two styles of toiletry kit, and the Shower Roll is the hanging option of the pair. It comes in a small size, which this review covers, as well as a larger size. Hanging toiletry kits like this one have a clear advantage over simple pouches: you can hang them up in the bathroom or shower and have easy access to everything inside.

The trade-off is weight and bulk. Hanging kits tend to have more pockets, more zippers, and more material than a simple pouch. Compared with a similar pouch-style bag, the Shower Roll is a little bigger but weighs over 13 ounces (370 grams), roughly six times as much as a pouch that comes in at just 2.1 ounces. Whether that weight is worth it depends entirely on how you travel.

Design and Layout

The Shower Roll keeps things simple: three main compartments arranged in a roll format. There is a large mesh pouch on the top with a top-facing zipper, a small middle pouch with a front-facing zipper, and a medium-size pouch on the bottom, also with a top-facing zipper.

One of the more charming details is a small hidden pocket behind the top pouch that holds a little mirror. You can take the mirror out and carry it with you into the shower, or attach it to the kit with velcro when the whole thing is hung up.

Materials: Not Actually Shower-Proof

Despite the name, this kit is definitely not waterproof. REI uses a mid-grade nylon and non water-resistant YKK zippers. The bottom and middle pockets will repel a little water, but anything inside could get wet in the shower.

The top mesh pocket will obviously let water in, but because it is breathable, it dries quickly. If you plan to hang this inside the shower itself, treat the top pocket as the place for items that can tolerate moisture.

Hanging and Carrying Options

The entire kit is hangable. If you have a hook, you can hang it directly from the fabric loops. If you are working with a towel bar, the top strap folds over, clips in, and lets you hang it that way.

This is where the hanging format earns its weight penalty. Being able to unroll the kit at eye level in a shared bathroom or hostel shower makes your routine genuinely easier than digging through a pouch on a cluttered counter.

The Removable Clear Pouch

One of the standout features is a zipper that lets you remove the bottom clear pouch entirely. The intended use is to keep soap, shampoo, and similar items in it, then unzip the pouch and take just that into the shower with you.

Because the clear pouch is removable, you effectively get three toiletry kit carry options:

• Take the entire kit, with the clear pouch connected, as one complete system
• Leave the clear pouch at home and use just the top two pockets
• Take only the clear pouch as a minimalist kit for a short weekend trip

It seems REI designed this thing to be genuinely modular, and that flexibility is the strongest argument for choosing it over a plain pouch.

Packing It Full: Capacity Test

Packed completely full, the kit held a surprising amount. Large containers, soap, and a shampoo bar went into the clear pouch. A toothbrush, razor, and toothpaste fit into the slim middle pocket. Miscellaneous smaller items filled the larger mesh pocket on top.

For reference, the containers used to max it out ranged from one-ounce bottles up to a three-ounce (about 90 ml) container, plus a two-ounce (60 ml) bottle. With everything inside, the kit folds into a compact rectangle, the strap wraps around, and the buckle holds it closed.

The strap is long enough to extend out and cinch down over whatever you have packed, and even fully loaded there is a generous strap tail to tighten it up. It is hard to imagine fitting much more inside.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The main decision here is weight versus convenience. At over 13 ounces (370 grams), this is a heavy kit by minimalist standards, especially when simple pouches can weigh a fraction of that. If you count grams, look elsewhere.

Also keep the material expectations realistic: it is called a Shower Roll, but it is not waterproof, so items in the top mesh pocket are exposed if you hang it in the shower.

Buying Advice

The Shower Roll makes the most sense for travelers who genuinely use the hanging format: people staying in hostels, campgrounds, or shared bathrooms where counter space is scarce. Its modularity is the real selling point. If you only take short weekend trips, the removable clear pouch alone can serve as your entire kit, which partially offsets the weight penalty for anyone who leaves the rest of the roll at home.

If you mostly stay in hotels and pack light, a simpler, lighter pouch-style bag is probably the better match, and REI makes one of those too in small and large sizes.

Conclusion

The REI Shower Roll Hanging Toiletry Kit is a thoughtfully designed, modular hanging kit with a removable clear shower pouch, three carry configurations, and a mirror tucked behind the top pocket. Its weaknesses are just as clear: real weight and nothing close to waterproofing. Buy it if you value organized, hang-anywhere access and the flexibility to strip it down to a single pouch. Skip it if every ounce in your bag matters more than convenience.