For many years I used a Nike gym bag I had found at an outlet store as a camp “shower bag.” It had pockets on either side that were probably meant for keeping water bottles in, but worked well for putting your shower flip flops into. It had an interior pocket that was good for keeping change and tokens and an exterior one that was great for putting my glasses and insulin pump into when I was showering. I kept that bag in my cabinet in the camper and I used that bag to death. It had been washed and was peeling when I finally decided it would need to be replaced this year.

A couple of months ago I joined a gym and as part of getting myself revved up to want to go there, I got some new gear. A new swimsuit, some new sneakers and workout clothes and a new gym bag. I bought it spur of the moment at L.L. Bean. It didn’t occur to me until I was packing my gym bag that what I might want for the gym and what I might take when camping and heading to the shower were almost identical sets of gear. So what if my new gym bag was also my camp shower bag? Hmmm. This seemed like a good idea.

It turns out that the bag is great for camping. The underside pocket is perfect for keeping your shower flip flops, even the bulky Oofos one I like because they are great for my plantar fasciitis. The outside pocket is good for keys and change and tokens. The inside has a big pocket that works well for my goggles and contacts and glasses. And it will hold plenty of clothes and shoes and my camp towel, which it turns out is also great when I want my own towel at the gym. It’s big enough to put my dob kit into in addition to all of the other gear. It’s lined with some pretty water resistant fabric.  It’s easy to carry to the bath house and to hang in the shower room. And it looks good.

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