Update: February 2017. The SHAPL smart shower containers mentioned in this review are no longer available for purchase. As an alternative, consider this pack of four similar containers listed on Amazon.
If you are a regular traveler, you already know that one of the most annoying aspects of being away from home is so much when you jump into the shower.
Large bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel can really affect your allowable weight, not to mention that it’s impossible to fly with just carry-on luggage. Good luck getting that 16 oz container through the security scanner.
To avoid this, you can buy a few small containers under the TSA limit of 3.4 oz and fill them with your favorite bath products. There are dozens of variations on the market, including the SHAPL smart shower containers that were recently sent to me to test. This is how they were.
Features and specs
Smart Containers come in a package of three cylindrical tubes, each approximately 5 “tall and containing 65 ml (2.2 oz) of liquid. That’s well below the maximum allowed by the TSA, which means you won’t have a problem carrying them in your bag. -on.
Each container had a different colored suction cup near the top, allowing you to stick it on your shower tiles or cubicle wall and easily differentiate what was inside. They also come in various color schemes and branded designs, if you’d rather be reminded of Starbucks or the Los Angeles Dodgers while showering.
Containers hang upside down, with a white click cap on the bottom. Each cap is screwed on and screwed on to fill, with a rectangular notch on one side and a matching ‘bulge’ on the other. These allow you to hold the containers for easy transportation.
There is also a small space to stick one of the labels that comes in the package: they include shampoo, shower gel, lotion, conditioner and a couple of blank labels.
Real world tests
I used the SHAPL containers on a five day trip to Norway. Filling them took less than a minute, with the opening large enough to complete the task without dirtying the entire sink.
Initially, I was concerned about the relatively small size of each container, but found that the combination of the small outlet hole in the lid and the need to squeeze the sides to get things moving meant I was using less product than usual.
By bathing once a day, the containers were half full by the end of the trip. Please note I have short hair – your mileage can and will vary.
The suction cups worked well as they only needed a quick dip under the shower head before sticking firmly to both glass and tile, and they came apart easily without leaving a mark. It was simple to squeeze a small amount of product into my hand without having to go everywhere, although it took two hands to do it.
By emptying the shampoo and shower gel into their main bottles after the trip, I was able to extract almost all of the contents and leave only a small residue.
The company suggests that due to the squeeze design and the lid that closes tightly, you don’t need to worry about leaks while traveling. I found that to be largely true, although I did find some shower gel around the edges of the container after a flight.
However, that was probably due to my not closing the lid properly rather than a fault with the product, as it didn’t happen again for the rest of the trip.
Final word
SHAPL smart shower containers add a few extra features to a mundane aspect of travel. I liked the suction cups and lids that closed tightly, and would love to take the containers on short to medium trips, especially if I was traveling with just tote bags.
My only objection would be with the price. At $ 15.99 for three 65ml containers (or $ 5.99 each), they are somewhat pricey for discretionary items like these. However, if you are looking for a gift for a friend who travels, or if you spend a lot of time away from home and can see that you are regularly using Smart Shower Containers, it is probably worth it.
