Comments on: Protecting Your Belongings and Valuables While Traveling

By: Michaela Potter

Michaela Potter — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:01:37 +0000

A low cost option to think about are safety pins! You can use them to secure the zippers on your day pack, camera bag, or purse. Keeps little hands and fingers from slipping in. Plus they are small and lightweight!

By: Dave and Deb

Dave and Deb — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:33:16 +0000

Fantastic information. I am going to bring the Pacsafe 55 with me next time.I actually always worry more about people putting things in my bag on buses at border crossings (smuggling etc.) I am a little paranoid, but with the pacsafe 55 I think I will rest easier on those long bus rides that cross borders. I never thought about locking it to a bedpost before either. Now that you write about it, I don’t know how I never thought of it!

By: Anil

Anil — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:46:51 +0000

I generally keep most of my larger bills and an ID or ATM card in my sock. It’s a good hiding place and won’t expose your money even in places where pat downs are frequent(at touristic sights, airports, etc.)

By: JoAnna

JoAnna — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:35:04 +0000

In regard to the money belt, pickpockets know they’re there, and in situations where you’re bogged down in a crowd or jostling around on public transportation, you can still be pick pocketed wearing one of these. I had a friend who had one that went around his thigh, which was awesome. Obviously you don’t want to be digging around in it all the time, so if it’s just being used to transport money from one place to another while you trip around the world, the thigh money pouch works great.

Also, you missed a couple obvious solutions that don’t require equipment. In socks, in shoes, in bras, in hidden-zip bracelets, and spread out among zipped or velcro pockets.

By: Jeffery Patch

Jeffery Patch — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:15:41 +0000

Todd –
They are a bit expensive, but if I were ever to take my full camera kit with me I’d definitely be purchasing a Pacsafe for myself.

Good point about the shorts and that’s one reason why I don’t typically use a money belt. Either I keep my wallet in the front pocket of my jeans that are tight enough to definitely notice somebody reaching in, or my cargos have velcro and are difficult enough for me to reach into! :)

By: Todd

Todd — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:09:28 +0000

The PacSafe products look interesting (certainly tougher than the cable bike lock & padlock I typically haul around), but it looks like they come with key locks, which leaves you open to the risk of losing the keys (though they sell combination locks as extras on their site).

I always make sure the shorts & pants I take on a trip have secured pockets, preferably velcro or buttons, which make them more difficult to be opened by would-be thieves (and I have caught two of them in the act!).