Which money belt do you recommend in France?

When I'm out sightseeing for the day I prefer the smaller Hidden Pocket version:
https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/hidden-pocket
The larger traditional money belt is way too large for my needs, it's was more handy back in the days of paper airline tickets.

When I'm in transit from one locale to another and need access to documents/passport I use the Neck Wallet:
https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/neck-wallet

They're all the same, and I no longer use any of them. I just keep things in zippered/buttoned pockets and most importantly, stay constantly aware of your surroundings and the people surrounding you (good advice any where you go in the world—even in your home town). If you don't do that, they'll get your cash, ID, phone, camera, etc. And I'd personally not prefer to have those things all buried underneath my clothing.

We have used and recommend the RS Silk Moneybelt. If you choose the moneybelt or other product put your Passport in a ziplock bag. That said, I also like the RS Silk Neck Wallet, worn cross body. My husband has been using the Silk Hidden Pocket recently and likes it better than the moneybelt, especially in warm weather. Whatever product you use, wear it beneath your clothing. ;) Any of these designs are a great preventative.

The same one i’d recommend for Italy. Here’s the answer i posted when you asked this same question in your other thread:

For a guy, a money belt that has belt loops and attaches to your belt is the most comfortable imo. You wear it inside your pants, not outside.
See if Rick Steves has one. Look on this website under “Shop Online”.

https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/travel-accessories/security

The RS assortment

As I just mentioned in another of your posts, while Rick Steves has great products, Eagle Creek has the best moneybelt design.

A money belt is not a purse or wallet and not practical for daily usage. It is a body safe worn under your clothes in transit or to secure valuables like passport, cards and money you don't need but have no safe place to leave during the day (e.g. a hotel room with no safe or if you are in a country where you feel you must carry the passport). Any belt worn under the clothing is fine. I find them most comfortable worn in back, below the belt especially if I have a long shirt or jacket on top.

for walking around you need secure places to put things that are also accessible to you. The neck wallet worn under the shirt works; a cross body purse works well; clothing with hidden inside pockets works -- the pockets on the side seam are less secure than zipped pockets behind a breast pocket or inside a jacket or coat. The best approach is secure spot like one of those coupled with only carrying what you must have -- don't carry more than one credit card at a time, more money than you need.

the best one is one that you actually use - whichever is better for you, but as was said on another post, absolutely no use in a purse or in the luggage.

I saw a few months ago a woman on a train with several young children. She was going from Gatwick into London. I could tell she had her money on because she was wearing dark clothes and had put the beige money belt over her waist - over her clothes. She was a perfect target.

Get any style or type you will be comfortable with and use it correctly and you should be fine. France or any other country.

Enjoy your trip worry free.

None. Never owned one, never felt the need to own one.

If you want one, they are for carrying valuables (cash, tickets) invisibly while you are travelling. You put it on in private in before you start, and empty it in your new hotel room. Totally pointless for things you need to access use during the day.

And stop worrying about "safety". It is a non-issue. Probably less risk of theft than your home town.

Last time I used a money belt I used a Youth Hostel Standard money belt. I don't know if they still make them because that was back in 1977.

There is no need to have a money belt in France. If you plan using it to foil pickpockets you will have to advertise you're wearing it every time you need money/tickets/credit card/whatever. This will mark you as someone who has something worth stealing and more likely a target.

Far better to keep important stuff in a zipped up pocket and leave anything really important back at your accommodation

If you plan using it to foil pickpockets you will have to advertise you're wearing it every time you need money/tickets/credit card/whatever.

But that isn't the way to use a money belt. Never access it in public. A trip to the toilet or hidden area before you need whatever it is, is the way to go. Yes, keep what is immediately needed in a deep pocket under zip if possible, but the money belt is like a portable safe. Only access it in private and put it away before coming back out. Oh, and if there is a cubicle use it. A crowded toilet facility provides no security.

Nigel. I know. But people do use their money belt as an extra pocket and fidget with it in public, That's why I advised against it.

If you want a true money belt, I prefer one with at least two zippered pockets and everything lined with plastic to keep it from getting sweaty.

Right now, I'm happy with a neck wallet. I wear it over my head and one arm so it sits on the side of my body under my shirt. Pant styles are slim fit now so I feel like I have room under my shirt but not my pants.

I'm in the "never use one" - I pack my neck wallet but in reality it never leaves my suitcase. I have never wished I had used it... but maybe it's the places we visit....but even in Rome, Florence, Paris, Copenhagen, Venice, Amsterdam... I never use one. I carry my phone with a cover that I can stick some cash and a credit card sometimes I use a small leather bag.

I use a money belt, under my slacks, never access in public.
A “money belt” that hangs around the neck, shows unless you have a collared shirt and tells everyone it is there.
I use a crossbody bag during the day that fits close to me and no zip pockets out to the world for anyone to access. In it i carry enough euros for the day, metro tickets or pass, maps, phone far in the bottom.

Many years ago we traveled to NYC with our two young teens. We made sure they each had a money belt with enough money to get a taxi back to the hotel if we should get separated. Never hurts to have emergency funds tucked away.

Thank you guys for your answers!!

I used a Travelon cross body bag/purse on my recent trip and felt very secure with it. In the past I have used a money belt, but as others have pointed out, it's not meant for items you need to access frequently. My boyfriend kept one credit card in his front pocket, and I kept cash and everything else in my purse. On crowded trains I kept my hand on it, even though it was zipped/locked, just for added peace of mind. I wouldn't want to be fumbling with metro tickets from a money belt, that's for sure.

My money belt is from Amazon Basics and it was cheap and did its job of transporting sensitive items while jetlagged on the RER after our flights.

I’m in the “have never used one” camp. My son does though. See my rec above.

I use a money belt while in transit. It is a Rick Steves belt. I prefer the silk one since it is softer and thinner. For day touring I carry a crossbody purse with just what I need for the day. Carry the purse in front of you with your arm over it when on a subway or crowded bus.

I recommend you check them out in person at a AAA or other travel store. I prefer a Rand McNally one that I’ve had for years. Its very lightweight, not too big, but has two pockets.

I made the mistake of ordering one online last year and it was horrible, despite good reviews. It had a RFID lining, but the material was loud - it crinkled when your touched it. Imagine wearing it and crinkling while you walk!

I've this belt from amazon.com

and this neck wallet.

I use one of these.

I gave up on money belts years ago and changed to a neck pouch (wear inside your shirt) big enough to hold my passport and wallet.

I have the travelon cross body purse that I keep on me at all times in front of me. For my passport (I went to Europe in winter) I sewed these hidden pockets into the coats I brought. They would also work for for light weight jackets or coats.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DK9689O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Tashamont. The one time we ever lost something to a pickpocket my husband had 'one credit card in his front pocket'. By the time he realized it was missing (pretty quickly as he went to pay for museum entry) and reported it, the thieves had already put 20K on it and it took us weeks to deal with). Pickpockets can easily pick a front pocket. They are trained experts at this.

@mathrobot, you mentioned in one of your other posts that you are from Canada. Do you have a MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop) store or a SAIL store where you live? They sell money belts and neck wallets from various manufacturers, you can take a look at them before you decide what to buy. Also CAA (Canadian Autumobile Association) sells travel items at their locations.

I don't use a money belt per se but the "hidden pocket". It's made by Eagle Creek, very handy, convenient, good for carrying cash, 6-7 x 50 Euro bills, ie 350 Euro as reserve cash I'm not concerned about the amount carried.

No one knows you have it on, whether you're carrying 40 to 400 Euro.

Bottom line in crowds is to keep alert in Paris. I have seen Americans too often in a group, all totally into themselves, oblivious to their surroundings, attracting attention, all of which will mark you as a target by the bad guys for a scam and being picked.

PS and by the way- RS has security accessories/money belts 20% off through 7/7/19. Everything mentioned upthread. www.ricksteves.com "shop online."

I agree with Nigel that the best is one that you will actually use. Look at the sizes and think about what will be more comfortable for you. I use a neck wallet because I like the shape better--but I put it around my waist so it hangs as a pocket below an untucked long shirt, although next time I might try wearing it cross-body. I also like to wear pants with a zipper pocket containing one credit card and cash for the day.

A money belt is like a seat belt: you may never need it, but when you do, its probably too late to put it on.

I like the hidden pocket when I’m in transit with my passport and all my cards and cash. But in as a day-in-day-out matter I rely mainly on keeping a single card and a small stash of cash in my front pocket PROTECTED BY A SAFETY PIN. This was recommended to me by someone in a store that sold money belts etc. I foiled a pickpocket by this means on a crowded bus in Rome.

I also agree with other posters that situational awareness is paramount.

Recognize that you aren’t trying to foil a sophisticated Ocean’s Eleven band of professional thieves, but to slow down or deter an opportunistic a**hole who can, and would rather, find an easier mark.

Since Rick Steves had his wallet stolen, I wear one. When I go through TSA, I can easily take it off. It's my wallet. https://youtu.be/JlHZb5uoBXI

I've tried every kind of money belt there is and found all of them lacking in some way. A few years ago I tried this EazyMate. It was the first of its kind that I saw, but there are many more brands these days.

Please note that you do not wear it outside your clothes. I use it all the time, except in transit on the plane to Europe and back home.

It's easiest to step into it. Oddly, even in heat wave Spain a few days ago, I sweat less with this and no plastic bag cover over anything than I have with any of the other options.

My cross-body day bag is this Baggallini. I carry a small amount of cash and one credit card inside a pocket deep inside it. I use a tiny screw tight carabiner to "lock" the main zipper to the strap. It's annoying to use it, but it definitely came in handy at the Alhambra in Granada recently.

I noticed a family pacing our RS tour group. They seemed odd because the young girl, about 8-10 years old, was dressed like a Muslim, but her mother was not. The girl was weaving her way around our group. At one point, she was on my left. I looked down and saw her next to my purse. She was signaling that I wasn't a good mark.

I just looked at your link to the Easy Mate. I suppose it might come in handy if you need to hide a smart phone, but for me it looks like it would be too big to layer under my clothes. I am a small women and my money belt needs to be thin and light.

Like blattner, I used a safety pin on pants that lack a front zipper pocket.

For those of you using neck wallets for your day to day, what are you doing when you want to pay for something? Pull it out of your shirt and get the money out, then put it back in?

Is it really an issue if thieves can see that you have a neck wallet? They can't get to it, so wouldn't they just move on to an easier target?

What are locals doing with their daily stuff (money, id, cards, phone)?

@tstottle

Go up the thread and read the post by janettravels 44. The neck wallet or money belt is not where you keep the money or card that you expect to use during the day. You do not pull it out to access it while out and about. It is for deep storage of the important things (passport, large bills) that you do not need to use, but want to keep safe. For those daily transactions, keep a small amount of cash, and/or the card you expect to use that day in a more accessible, but still protected place.

What are locals doing with their daily stuff (money, id, cards, phone)?

Carrying them in their pockets, just like most people. In the summer, it's also common to see men carry little man bags capable of holding their wallet, keys, change, phone, and so on when it's too hot to wear a jacket with pockets. This is a popular one, though many variations on this theme are for sale in stores and street markets all over the place.

For paying for normal stuff, I keep a small supply of cash (maybe up to 50 euros) in one front pocket and a credit or debit card in the other front pocket (sometimes one of each). If I'm anywhere crowded or potentially dicey, I'll at least keep a hand in the pocket with the credit cards. Losing a relatively small amount of cash isn't a big deal (but it hasn't happened yet).

I don't access my neck wallet in public. I think ahead about what I might need for the day. My passport stays in the neck wallet unless I need it. I keep back up credit/debit cards there too. My bank charge on debit withdrawals is a flat one percent, so I rarely make large withdrawals now. In the past, I kept any excess money in the wallet.

If I need to access the wallet, I go into a bathroom or other private space, get what I need, put the wallet away then check around carefully to be sure I didn't accidentally drop something. Truth be told, I did access it once in a grocery store in Madrid. A few minutes later I realized a thief was following me - presumably trying to figure out how to get the wallet. I stopped and stared at him and he ducked down an alley.