Favorite crossbody bag?

I always order a few and try my must carry items in them for comfort and fit. On Amazon try Baggalilni Double Zip Mini Sling has RDIF for credit cards, good size phone pocket, plus 2 compartments, fits a glass case also.
Lynn

a review & 10 recommendations - https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-fanny-packs/

I would go to a store and try them on to see what I like and if it has everything on it I am looking for. This allows you to see if the phone pocket fits your phone. This is a lot easier than shopping online and guessing, or the hassle of returning bags you didn't like.

Personally, I prefer a bag that zips at the top and then has a flap that comes down over that I can fasten at the bottom if walking through well known pick-pocket areas. I wear a messenger bag, cross-body almost every day, though lately have been wearing a hip pack, worn cross body. This is the usual way they are worn in Germany.

I have recently switched to Sherpani after years of using Travelon. Both brands have reinforced straps and slash-proof fabrics, RFID pockets and security "locks" for the zippers. Sherpani has some sizes that Travelon doesn't have.

My go-to travel bag/purse is one I found at Marshalls and I dont even know brand name. But very similar to the Baggallini Securtex Anti-theft Daytripper Sling. Mine is a bit smaller and not anti-theft, just sharing for look reference.

Top priority for me is for it to not have a clip closure like fanny packs do. Straps are fixed to purse but adjustable. It fits a small water bottle, sunscreen stick, wallet, phone and other small essentials. I have it at my chest when walking in busy areas.

I also carry a small “nanobag backpack” that I can easily pull out to store smaller purchases or my water bottle/snacks, light sweater, etc.

I have a comfortable cross body Baggalilni that I use every day, not just for travel. But it is definitely not slash proof, and has no RIFD protection. How common is that really?

Sierra has a huge selection of cross-body, hip and sling bags from popular brands like Baggalini, Sherpani and Kipling:
https://www.sierra.com/womens-crossbody-bags~d~10988/
They have a good return policy and a location in Coeur D'Alene, where you can have items shipped for free if you don't hit the $89 free-shipping cutoff.

Blockquote I have a comfortable cross body Baggalilni that I use every day, not just for travel. But it is definitely not slash proof, and has no RIFD protection. How common is that really?
Blockquote

Exactly! Mine definitely is not like that. Just the style of Baggalini for reference. 2 compartments. And small and comfortable enough I keep on me during overnight flights with my passports and wallet.

Waving hello!!!

I want to see this if you get it, lol!!

I don't bother with RFID "protection" nor with slash proof construction. Those just aren't important features to me and usually simply add to the cost of the bag.

I have bought a couple of bags with RFID protection because it was the bag I wanted, and it had it. But it's not my preference.

My current travel bag is the Pacsafe V Anti theft Tour crossbody. I've taken it on our trip to Scotland and England, and most recently our tour of Egypt. Loved it. The deciding factor for me, besides all the safety features, was that it would fit my tablet on travel days. Its a bit spendy, but if it's anything like my daughter's, it's worth it. She just replaced her 15 year old bag with the same. I lucked out with a great sale.

I'm with Kim on this one. I don't bother with RFID protection or being slash-proof. In fact, my current crossbody bag is one that I bought at Costco for about $10-$15, and I've been using it for the last year or so. It has an outside zippered pocket on one side and an open pocket on the other, and it has a small zippered pocket on the inside. It is big enough to hold a small notebook, a pen, my phone, a small packable bag, and reading glasses, which is all I really care about.

Around town, I keep my phone in the open pocket, but usually when I'm traveling I put it in the zippered pocket.

That said, I now have an Everyday Cubelet from Tom Bihn that I will begin traveling with, starting with my upcoming Seattle trip. It's 5.7”(w) x 7.3”(h) x 3”(d) and very cute, in my opinion. 😊 I don't know what size you usually like, but I prefer something on the small to medium size, and I think this will work well. https://www.tombihn.com/products/travel-cubelet?variant=46327887986877

I would also second G3rryCee's recommendation to check out Sierra either online or in the store. You will find many more options online, however, it's easy to pick it up in the store. They have a lot of good bags, and they usually carry Sherpani and Kipling. I'm not as enamored of Kipling as some people, although I do like the little gorilla that comes with it. In fact, if you do go pick it up, I would definitely check out the store for the rest of their travel items. They always have a lot of things there that are great. That's where I get a lot of my good socks from, too. I've found Balaga and SmartWool socks there for really low prices.

I bought a Travelon cross-body bag at AAA. It was about $40. I can fit the large RFID wallet for passports, my travel camera, wallet, portable power pack, and travel wifi. Each zipper has a little clip to hold the zipper pull in place. It goes right under my arm. Very secure.

I’m a huge fan of Tom Bihn bags. I use the Side Effect because it is small but large enough for my iPhone, crossbody, lightweight, great zippers, and I can use a Nite-Ize locking carabiner to lock the zipper closed. Although it is large enough for my phone I usually use a phone lanyard when I’m traveling.

I'm also a big fan of Tom Bihn bags. I use the small cafe bag for daily use, even at home. It has room for my phone, eye and sunglasses, the RS guide book for the country we're visiting, and several other smaller items.

I forgot to actually answer the question. My crossbody bags that I use at home and on the road are either :

— Nylon bags (lighter for travel) : Hedgren. I have several in different sizes and have been buying them for more than 20 years, come to think of it. Small ones, tiny ones, medium-sized ones, and a small backpack. I have probably owned 10 or more, including some that I wore to death and had to replace with newer versions.

— leather (more robust and a bit more stylish ): Nat & Nin (a local French brand). I have four of their bags - two small crossbodies (suitable for dinner out), a big work-style satchel (the Macy), and my all-time favorite, a true workhorse, the Jen for just about every-single-day use. I usually purchase during les soldes. These bags are good value for money. Not cheap but not outrageously expensive either.

I’m always amazed with the responses from this community, especially for a topic that I was sure would get nothing but groans from far and wide!
I’ve been looking over the suggested bags, still haven’t decided. I do have a couple hanging in my closet so I’m not desperate, and we aren’t leaving until June so I’ll continue looking at the suggestions.
Our area doesn’t have the best selection of ‘in person’ options so I’ll most likely be ordering and returning.
I did just order a new Quince expandable carry on, delivery should be very soon. I’ve heard good things, we will see what it’s like in person.
Thanks again for the great advice!
And , Hi Pam!!!

Terry...if you are at all interested in Tom Bihn which has been mentioned by several folks, I've got 3 different ones that you could look at.

Rogue Sacoche - I use this here at home. It's very lightweight and just enough room for basics.

https://www.tombihn.com/collections/all-tom-bihn-stuff/products/rogue?_pos=4&_fid=e4f34a476&_ss=c%3Fvariant%3D46061356286141&variant=46061356286141

Everyday Cubelet - I use this as my "on the plane" bag with my valuables in it. I also wear it in Europe when it's rainy and I need something that will fit under my zipped up rain jacket.

https://www.tombihn.com/collections/all-tom-bihn-stuff/products/travel-cubelet?_pos=11&_fid=e4f34a476&_ss=c%3Fvariant%3D44901686345917&variant=44901686345917

Side Hustle - This is new and untried and got it specifically for my upcoming trip to Paris. I needed to replace some older bags that are just worn looking and wanted something a little bigger than the Sacoche.

https://www.tombihn.com/collections/all-tom-bihn-stuff/products/side-hustle?_pos=5&_fid=e4f34a476&_ss=c%3Fvariant%3D46377969090749&variant=46327927603389

None of them are a sling bag like the Simplify Living bag is.

I was glad to read one of you wears a protective/secure bag as a matter of course and not as a travel requirement. I’ve tried secure devices but just don’t get it only for foreign travel, why the attraction?

I was robbed once in Europe and a protective device wouldn’t have protected me. Seventy three countries visited and counting…..still not worried.

Pam, I hope you will post a review of that Side Hustle bag after your upcoming trip. Looking at the details online, I found myself nodding and saying yep, uh huh, yep , at each feature. If I didn't already have a bag that met my needs, I think id be getting that one.

@CJean…I will! So far all I’ve done with it is see that it fits in my Baggallini personal item and rhen place the Everyday Cubelet in the Side Hustle, lol. 😂 I’d gotten the double swivel carabiners for it so I can use it as a seat back cube but have been able to inch my way up to Delta One segment by segment so will probably not need those!

If you buy/use a small bag that is cross-body, a slash proof strap is good > a friend saw two people on a motorcycle steal a bag by slashing the strap and driving quickly away.

If I were using a larger bag, a backpack, I'd be interested in the bag being slash proof.
Two years ago, we ate lunch with a couple that had just had their backpack slashed. They had no idea of it until they stopped to eat.

@Evan - In what cities did the motorcycle stealing and the backpack slashing occur?

Evan, my concern with a slash proof strap on a crossbody bag is what happens if they grab the strap and take you with it? I've not witnessed this, but I've read several reports of women being dragged by the strap with motorbikes thieves.

I have never liked the metal reinforcement or ‘slash proof’ purses because of the weight. I carried one for a couple of years and donated it and started over. I think giving great thought to what you want to carry every day is the first step. How big does your bag need to be? Once I no longer carried physical books anymore, it really made a difference to my everyday travel carry. I also don’t carry an umbrella or a water bottle. I do carry a collapsible silicone 8oz cup. I also use a crossbody strap for my phone so it doesn’t go into my purse.

If I know I'll be traveling in busy areas with potential risk for pickpocketing, my passport (if needed to carry), large bill (for emergency) and 1 credit card go on my money belt or in a secured pocket on my pants. My crossbody bag has small bills and personal items like wipes, hand sanitizer, sunscreen stick, etc. that are less troublesome if stolen. My phone is usually on a lanyard on my neck, and sometimes tucked inside my bag which sits at my chest.

The "slash proof" bags are just not for me. I would be more concerned about the potential to get hurt than to a bag being stolen.

Evan, my concern with a slash proof strap on a crossbody bag is what happens if they grab the strap and take you with it?

I agree, Jean. Honestly, the way I wear a crossbody bag on my body, which is basically across the body, I don't see how anyone could just rip it off. It is pretty close to my body, so it would be hard to grab it, and it is usually pretty small, too. Sometimes I'll have a lightweight packable backpack on my back that I suppose someone might be able to get to, but those would just have purchases in them and maybe a few innocuous items that didn't fit in my crossbody bag. They'd be welcome to those.

But then again, I think that most people who are targeted are those in parties of two or more. I've been traveling for so long, and I've never once been pickpocketed or had anyone even approach me with the idea of doing it (that I could see). I do think you're much more aware of your surroundings when you travel solo, because you're not engaged in conversation with someone else.

That said, there are those people (including solo travelers) who spend their entire time on the streets looking down at their phone while walking, but that's not me. 😊

I didn't think much about RFID protection until my credit card was skimmed on a recent trip to Rome. Probably on a bus, but who knows? It was in a cross body bag, buried at the bottom in my wallet, under my coat. They still got it. I wouldn't have known had I not set the text notifications for the card's use, either by me in person or 'unaccompanied'. Replacing it and the subsequent reorganization of auto payments was an enormous pain. For our most recent trip, I bought thin, metallic sleeves for my cards. I use them at home now, too. I've got no proof that they work, but at least it gives me a little peace of mind to have them.

I have always liked the Travelon bags or PacSafe bags because of their fantastic organization. I use them at home and away. The safety aspects are superfluous, but I appreciate them. Rarely will I lock the zippers as this is situation dependent, but I like having them. I like a place for everything and I am consistent in using each organization pocket/zipper accordingly. Frankly, I am much more afraid of dropping or misplacing something than being pickpocketed and that is why everything has its place. I've never found a non-security purse, in the small size I like, have as much organization as I want. I'm also not afraid of a motorcyclist grabbing my purse and bringing me down because I don't think I'm a good mark. But who knows...

The only item I am really afraid of losing is my phone and, when I travel, I have it toggled to/in my purse like a toddler. The only time I am worried about losing my passport is the day before I'm heading home, because I am ready and eager to head home after my trips. This is just me.

My favorite bags:
1. https://pacsafe.com/products/pacsafe-go-anti-theft-tech-crossbody?color=Coastal%20Blue
but I have a much older one, which is quieter. If I have a day that I need more than this when traveling, I will carry a Love Bag for a sweater or such; ie, in Paris.
2. I also have two bags, again, much older, that I can't find online. They are Ebags, but PacSafe designed. What I like is there is a zipper that goes around 3/4 of the bags to enable them to be 1" thick or increase to about 3" thick at the bottom. I use one of these daily because I can squeeze in my compact dslr and my glasses if I want to do so, but most of the time I keep them thin.

"I didn't think much about RFID protection until my credit card was skimmed on a recent trip to Rome. Probably on a bus, but who knows?"

@Wanderlust58 - Thank you for posting your experience. I had not seen others on the forum who had gotten skimmed so it's good (???) to know it happens. Well, not good for you but good to have that information out there.