shoulder bag safety

We always use backpacks. We leave our money and passport in the safe (we keep a photocopy with us). When you start to get tired the backpack is a big help. We have never had a problem with slashers, but you, being female, are a better target. Italy is the only problem that I have ever had. It was a sreet beggar and she had her little kid try to come up and grab something. Wasn't a good thing for them. never let your guard down and always look alert. Crowds are what they operate in. If you always take precautions you won't have to worry.
Thanks - Bill

I always carry a backpack and carry any documenst with me, unless there is a safe in my room. However I don't keep any documents in the backpack. I wear a jeans jacket with inside large pockets where I put money and documents. Another thing, I only wear my backpack on my back when I am not inside the subway or bus or other crowded places. This way no one would be able to get into my backpack. Get a backpack that's made of a thicker material, so it would harder for a thief to slash it.

I have bought both of Rick Steve's money belt and neck wallet, first the neck wallet felt really uncomfortable and bulges too much to wear under summer clothing. I then bought the money belt, but not sure if I would wear it either after trying it on, I may wear it and use a purse I recently bought at e-Bags. It's one of the Pacsafe ones. I'm going to Germany and France, not too worried about carrying a purse in Germany but Paris, I am. The purse is pretty ugly but it will serve it's purpose. It's also long enough to go around my neck/across the front of my chest so I don't have to carry it around my shoulder, making it easier for purse snatchers and just annoying me by falling off my shoudler constantly.

I also have to carry three, possibly four people's passports. My kids and my son's friend have a tendency to lose things.

This is the one I bought, in deep taupe, but it's very brown with a blue interior:

http://www.ebags.com/pacsafe/citysafe_100/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=99885

Well, I have never used a pacsafe bag( they seem too heavey to me,, and a bit of overkill) , and I feel totally safe with my bag. Its a Derek Alexander black nylon canvas messenger style purse.It zips up, and has a flap that goes over the zipper the then fastenes down with a clamp,, it would be impossible to get into it.. or at least it has been for the last 5 years or so I have used it. I wear it over the shoulder and across chest when in busy areas, but also it leaves me hand free.

I did feel less safe in Italy then I did in Germany or France,, there are beggers and pickpockets in most large touristy cities in Europe,, but the ones in Rome I found the most aggressive, and yes, they use kids alot..

Since I do not carry my passport or CC with me most of the time( hotels safes) I do not really stress out too much about bag as I only carry about 100 euros max with me. . I want comfy. I don't want too big, the more room you have the more you will just fill it up. I personally find my camera, lipstick , water and sunglasses fit fine into a normal size bag.

I do not use a back pack at home to walk around town, so I see no need for one in Europe.. just my tastes.

I wear a money belt only when travelling and just have PP and CC in it so its not bulky . I take money out of ATM every three days or so ,, I do not carry all my eggs in one basket.

You might want to consider a messenger style bag that is worn across the chest. (This is very popular with Europeans). It allows you to carry a bag hands free yet not have to worry about it slipping off or anyone getting their hands into it without you knowing about it.

When wearing it this way, you have the choice of having the bag itself either behind you or in front of you.

When traveling on public transportation, it's always best to keep your bag in front of you--even if it s a backpack.

And yes, it would be best to wear a moneybelt. But, as you've seen, there are a lot of people who don't.

I have the Veloce bag and I have to say, it is really big to use as a day bag. Just how much do you need to carry? You might want to look into either one of the Civita bags instead. I have both. The backpack one can be worn as a backpack or held over one shoulder. The shoulder bag can be worn over one shoulder or as a messenger bag. (This second Civita is slightly smaller than the first.)

PIckpockets are anywhere there are tourists. They are opportunists. If you make it difficult for them to do their work, they will move one. Whichever bag I take, I either lock or use a carabiner to keep the zippers from easily being open while out and about. I haven't heard much about bag slashers for a long time.

After reading about it on this forum, I bought a MetroSafe 200 from PacSafe bags. I found a discounted model in an online camping store. It is not the most stylish thing ever, but it's not that dorky either!

It's not as big as the bag you're looking at, but I find it holds enough for travel and everyday use. I usually carry a camera and a small dictionary in addition to all the other usual purse stuff. I feel safer with it too. I guess if I were in the states I wouldn't worry about pickpockets on an everyday basis, but I'd still probably keep this bag.

I always use a messenger bag, slung across my chest. This distributes the weight evenly, so I can carry a lot if I want to, plus everything is safe. Have been to Rome, Milan and to Paris with never a second thought about whether my stuff would be safe or not. I had a friend who was wearing a back pack in Milan and in broad daylight, waiting at a crossing, I happened to glance over and see this guy trying to get into it. I yelled at him and he slunk away.

Personally, I find backpacks uncomfortable as they make my back and shoulders ache. I also dislike getting bumped with by people wearing them in stores, restaurants and on the buses and trams. Folks just don't seem to know what they are hitting.

We travel frequently in Italy, France, Spain and Greece, we are two women in our 60's and so far have never had any kind of problems with pick pockets, etc. I hope I have'nt just jinxed us! We are careful and always aware of what is going on around us. We both have used Tilley (tilley.com) 'Pick Pocket Proof Purse of Many Pockets' for several years now. It is a shoulder straps purse big enough for water bottle, snacks,etc. We keep our passports and other important stuff in the secret pockets of our Tilley clothing. Works for us. We find that carrying a purse (versus a pack)does not immediately brand one as a tourist. We have been mistaken for locals many times!

My favorite everyday purse/bag is a Mountain Equipment Coop sling bag. Not sure if REI has something similar for USA market. Can be worn front or back across one shoulder - just reach and pull it forward to access contents or throw it round the back- no need to remove. More than enough room for wallet, sunglasses,cellphone and waterbottle and snack with plenty of room to spare for guidebook, camera and small purchases. Available for righthanders & lefty's and best of all, my husband has agreed it is manly enough to replace his dreaded fanny pack so he has one too! At only $21cdn my suggestion is to buy one and use it at home for a couple of weeks and see

I also have both the Veloce and Civita bags, but the Veloce is just too big for carrying around all day. Is better as a carry-on for traveling. The Civita I carry while touring if I need to carry a sweater or am having a picnic and need to carry food around. It's light weight and comfortable. I really don't like the Veloce bag and wish I hadn't spent the money on it. I also have the Avanti bag and do like it as a carry on for trips.

But for general touring, I got a slash-proof, security messenger style purse (not PacSafe, but same features). It was on sale for half price - $21! I will only carry a guidebook, water, and snack in it. But it hangs nicely with the strap across my shoulder. And it fits under my jacket so I can carry it without anyone knowing it's there.

For valuables, I use a money belt. For daily cash, I use the secret inner pockets in my jacket.

I love the RS Veloce' bag, but I don't use it for European travel. It's too bulky and too heavy for that. I also think it's certainly not a safe or stylish way to secure your stuff. (I use it as a carry-on for business travel: heavy laptop, and lots of files and papers, but it stays in hotel room).

For travel, I use a small messenger-style bag for non-critical items (map, water etc.) for reasons Frank & others have posted.

Yes, the purse is handy, but a money belt is where you put things that do not need to be handy, so I don't consider the bag a substitute. I use a money belt, but I don't reach into it in public, or stuff it full. It's so comfortable I don't even feel it.

Of course, no one wants to wear one with 4 passports in it, but consider wearing one with back-up cash, extra ATM, and Credit Card.

[edit] P.S. I keep my daily cash and one credit card in a place that's more secure, less obvious than my messenger bag (Hidden/zippered pocket for example) but not in my money belt (which I don't access in public). . This is the best way I've found to manage the risk so far.

Be safe and use PacSafe. I use the day back pack and the fanny packs (I have the small and large) by PacSafe.

Hi Gail. My last 2 trips to Europe have been to France. I used Rick's Civita backpack without a problem. I was able to stuff a sweater or my rain jacket, camera water, snack, RS tourbook, city map, lots of stuff in it. I did feel safe with it. I do wear a moneybelt when on holiday with my passport and travel info (flight, hotel reserves, etc) in it. This April I am going to Italy and I did buy the small Pacsafe; I will use it for carrying my passport and airline tickets to and from my destinations, there are great pockets in the purse for boarding passes. I will probably use it in Italy for my day money, usually 30ish Euros and if I am going to a meal, my credit card. I don't like to haul my credit card out of my moneybelt in public, but I have done it when I didn't have enough cash in my small purse that fits under my jacket. The Pacsafe purse is a bit heavy for its size so I am not sure I will use it every day. It is pricey, almost $50 Canadian. Have a great trip.

I have the PacSafe MetroSafe 100 bag and it's great for city sightseeing. In Europe, I would also use a moneybelt for passport, credit cards, big money stash, etc. and keep only my day's money in the PacSafe bag, along with my camera and little things. It converts into a waist pack if you don't want to carry it on your shoulder. (Only the smallest one does that.) I have a very small Canon Digital Elph camera, so it fits very well into the tiny bag. I've never had a problem with pickpockets or thieves, but it's just one less thing to worry about. I can take a photo without worrying if someone is going through my bag or pockets.

I only use a backpack when touring or hiking outside the cities, and only for my jacket, water bottle, guidebooks, that sort of thing; nothing valuable. I take the train into Philadelphia for work every day and I wouldn't wear a backpack there, either, though lots of people do. I prefer to be hands-free, so I use a cross-body messenger bag or purse for my stuff and am just careful and aware of what's going on around me. I have the MetroSafe 200 bag as well and sometimes use that for my daily commute. I know people who have had their wallets lifted right out of their bags on the train, in stores, etc. even in the suburbs, so I'm always pretty cautious. If I'm carrying a shoulder bag, I make sure it is well-tucked under my arm as I walk.

There is an ad on TV right now for chewing gum where you see a woman burdened by shopping bags and she takes the strap of her purse in her teeth and starts digging in it. A guy on a motorbike comes by and tries to snatch it and is dragged off his bike (because her teeth are so strong from chewing the gum, you see). It's a really funny ad but that situation is exactly what you have to guard against: being distracted and vulnerable. For me, using bags like the PacSafe bags really helps in that respect. It gives me one less thing to worry about. But then of course be sure you USE the theft-proof features!!

Another thing: sometimes I'll take one of those drawstring "backpacks" folded up in my little bag, so if I have a lot of stuff I can put it on my back. They're hard for thieves to get into because of the way they are constructed, but I wouldn't put anything valuable in it as they can be slashed. But that's something you can fold up tiny in your small bag and take out as you need it. I see them in Old Navy and DSW and Target for around $10.

I have not seen the "Pacsafe", so it may be like what I am going to describe. We use a small Eddie Bauer backpack which has a flap which covers the zip and to which the straps are attached so that when you wear it the opening is completely covered. You cannot open it without taking it off. My wife also has the Tilley purse which is described above and swears by it. It is so simple, yet very effective.

I used the Pacsafe Metro 200 on our trip last summer, along with a money belt for cash & cards. I wore the bag messenger-style pretty much all the time. I was happy with it and felt very secure in crowded areas. I'd use it again.

I have a Pacsafe and its ok, but on my most recent trip took a Daymakers of Santa Barbara. It has many more features that make sense to the way I roll. You can attach the coin purse (included) to a lanyard type device inside the main compartment or to another clip in another zippered area. You can also clip the zippers shut to make it much harder to be blitz attacked. The strap is adjustable and I wear it messenger style when I feel the need. Comes in several sizes, colors and pocket configurations. The one negative aspect would be price. Most models cost more that a Pacsafe, but its been well worth it to me. Check out their website.

I usually just keep my valuables in a money belt and then just use the same bag I use for when I am shopping at home (either my well-used backpack or my canvas shoulderbag). I figure that as they just look like everyday bags and I am comfortable with them I will not look so much like a tourist. I have never had anything stolen (touch wood!), but I think I am pretty vigilant as I grew up in a city. I am never sure how to wear bags. Some people wear them across the body for safety, but I have seen cases on the news where women have been dragged along the street because a mugger grabbed the bag and the woman could not free themselves from the strap.

One thing you should always carry is a tatty old carrier bag incase you buy anything expensive. I once bought some expensive jewellery on holiday. As soon as I got out of the store I went into a public toilet and threw away the expensive-looking, logo-strewn bag and put the jewellery in a supermarket plastic bag. I was able to travel home after dark without attracting anyone's attention.

I used a smallish across-the-body purse that had a fairly hard to open clip on the front. Personally I don't think you need a pacsafe but if it makes you feel better, ok. I kept my hand on my bag at all times and had zero trouble everywhere (including Barcelona, Rome, Brussels, etc).

Personally I've heard of way too many people whose backpacks are opened up in a busy street, I'd never ever use a backpack for my daily sight-seeing, I also think it has TOURIST written all over it and i'd personally rather try to blend into the crowd a bit more. It's all personal of course, but that worked for me, with all of my important valuables in my money belt and a mostly empty wallet

Debra - My backpack has a toggle, a zip and a very noisy clip. I salute any thief who can get through all that without me noticing! I don't think backpacks always scream out tourist, although it depends where you are and what style you have I suppose. Where I live lots of people carry them as their everyday bag. I see so many people walking to work in their business suits with a backpack on!

You all dont realize that wearing a daypack makes you stand out like a tourist. Thats asking for trouble!! Messenger bags are less likely to make you stand out so much. Dont look like a tourist and you are less likely to have issues. While in London, I wore a messenger bag and blended in with locals, as it seemed most people there used messenger type bags. Even men carry them. I hated having to be stood next to other Americans on the tube with their backpacks sticking out and knocking into people. I could point them out right away.

I wear a cross body purse/bag, not bulky or clunky. I have medium-sized one by Fossil that I really like. It has compartments enough for small digital camera and extra batteries, lip gloss, tissues, coin purse, pocket map, etc. Has some inside compartments for day or two's worth of money. When your hands are free, then you can protect your cross-body bag if you feel the least anxiety about your location or sense any kind of issue. Passport, ATM and CC cards are always in money belt. Always. Even with a room safe.

http://www.google.com/products?addr=95667&q=%22buxton+over+the+shoulder+organizer%22&oe=utf-8&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&sl=on

This is what a girl friend and I are carrying for 6 weeks in Europe this spring. We've been wearing them for the last couple of weeks to test them and think they'll be great. Light weight and it'll carry my camera, camcorder, and a bottle of water - plus all the garbage we women just can't seem to do without. Almost all the many pockets are zippered.

I have the 7 pocket bag from www.daymakers.com in the black nylon. It has steel cables in the strap that you don't know are even there. I don't believe it has the slashproof mesh throughout the bag but I have never had any problems. The strap is adjustable and the bag is a nice size.

I just bought this the other day: http://www.rei.com/product/763408
It's messenger bag style, but smaller than the laptop sized ones. It is perfect slung across my chest and I'll be able to fit my camera, camcorder and maybe even a paperback! When I carry it, I always have my hand grasping the strap. But my hands are both free if need be...