money belt

I don't wear a money belt. It's so hot in Italy in July that it would kill me and the money in the money belt would probably liquefy in the sweat.
The only place where you would be vulnerable is actually in crowded places (e.g. crowded city buses, subways etc.). It's really unlikely to be pick pocketed anywhere else but in a crowded situation.
If you are in a crowded place, for example on the Metro subway line A on the way to the Vatican (a favorite of pickpockets, since it's full of tourists), you will be very vulnerable if you wear your wallet in your back pants pocket. Don't do that. Pickpockets target wallets in back pockets and women's purses, because they are easiest to steal from.
I generally have a my waist pouch around my waist, it's not under my pants, but it's in front so I can better control it, even in a crowded place. I suggest you buy something similar, if you don't have one. I generally also put a hand on top of it when I'm in a crowded bus. Protect it the contents also by facing an empty area of the bus (for example where people are sitting).
If women are traveling with you, tell them not to put valuables in the purse while on a crowded bus or other place.
Outside of that, you'll be safe. Occasionally, but not too frequently, you might be approached by gypsies (especially children) asking for money, often with a hand written sign saying "help" in Italian. They are after your camera and purses. Never pull out your wallet in their presence, because they are faster than a rocket. Be firm and send them away. The Italian policemen in plain clothes are everywhere tourists are and locals will help you too, but it's important you watch out for the gypsy kids and keep them at bay as far as possible from you.
The safest place for your valuables is actually your hotel safe, therefore don't take with you more stuff than you need.
Actually I always leave my passport in the hotel safe as well and just carry a photocopy with me. Others in this forum prefer to keep the passport in their money belt, but personally I think it's too bulky to carry around at all times.

I was pickpocketed once at the foot of a subway escalator in Paris. They didn't get much cash. That's what they're really after.

I no longer carry a billfold, and money and cameras are stashed behind zippers and out of sight in money belts.
My wife never carries a purse, and she follows me closely in tight places with many pedestrians.

And when we get in heavy traffic, my Southern polite manners are out the window. Someone gets in my space, and I'm very proactive in our personal safety.

Also watch out for strangers offering to take your picture with your camera or phone. Do so only if you have a disposable camera. If you want somebody to take your picture, ask some other tourist couple or a waiter or a shop owner, in other words someone who is unlikely a thief trying to run away with your camera while you say "cheese".

Yes, theft is a real concern in Italia. Tony, are you a guy or gal? My guy friends who travel with women let the women carry the money. For example, the ribbons of a neck wallet are visible, but if you wear a lightweight scarf, you can hide the ribbons. And a flat moneybelt if needed can be tucked inside underwear underneath thin lightweight pants. A loose shirt covering the waist hides that activity.

You can lengthen the RS neck wallet and tuck it inside pants' waistbands or belts, allowing you to access money from under the shirt without removing the neck wallet. With practice, you can do this more discreetly and faster than you think. Face your partner or a private area.

And the gal has the option of putting petty cash and bus tickets inside a small lightweight shoulder pouch that can hide under the arm. (The scarf can hide the strap.) There are also very small thin wallets that hide in the fold of your hand. You can fold petty cash in the main zipper and coins or bus tickets in the side zipper.

Blend in, wear dark clothes and shoes, navy blues, dark greens and browns, black. And keep alert. Thieves are pros and can spot a newby in the area. In December I was alone down in the Piazza Cavour Subway at Quartiere Sanita' District of Napoli and I saw a woman nudge her child, a young boy, in my direction. I turned toward her and stared at her eyes until she backed down. A method I repeated as needed.
I was too visible in a long light gray sweater, which I retired after that. The entire subway was dressed in black.

Know where you are going. Do as much research as you can here at home and in your lodging before you hit the streets. Do Not accept help (say) with your luggage at the airports or on the street. Take one carryon bag per person, have on you only what you can control and manage at all times.

I wore a money belt every time we went somewhere. Getting used to it was a bit of a chore but after that it wasn't bad. We never had anything pick pocketed in the 2+ years we wandered around Italy and, really, the only time I felt someone did try to pull something was in Athens but went on high alert then so no damage. So just be aware of your surroundings and wear a money belt.

I always wear a cross body bag with a durable strap that can't easily be cut. And when I walk, I hold on to the strap. I always choose a bag that has several inner zipper compartments. I put my cash and credit cards in the innermost compartments and nonvaluables (maps, snacks, water bottle) in the main compartment. They make these in both male and female styles.

Why not try clothes with built in moneybelts? I recently bought a tank top with secret pocket from http://www.clevertravelcompanion.com/ .

I've been spending whole summers in Europe for years and have never once had anything taken. I walk assertively and don't stop in crowded places as if I don't know where I'm going, even if I really don't know where I'm going. I wait until I'm in an open space and then figure out where to go even if I have to backtrack. I always use a purse that has a top that zippers shut and my husband and son keep nothing in their pockets. I often just have their stuff in my purse - I don't carry much in it either. My purse is one that has a long enough strap that I can pull to my front and hold onto snugly if I am in a metro or bus and it has substantial straps that would be difficult to cut. Don't make the mistake of hanging your purse/camera on the back of your chair even in the nicest of restaurants. If a stranger comes up to you for any reason assume the worst...make direct eye contact and don't reply if they speak to you. No one has any reason to speak to you unless it's to sell you something or distract you. Just use the same common sense that you would if you were walking around New York City or on Hollywood Blvd in L.A..

....... money belt seems not very convenient ....... That is the whole idea !!! If it is inconvenient for you, it is more inconvenient for a pickpocket. Money belts are not designed to be convenient especially if worn properly.

A couple of years ago on an RS tour, our guide gave me great advice: wear your money belt backwards. I.e., the pouch portion in back, buckle in front. It is so comfortable that I truly forget I have it on. Put a few euros and your bus tickets in your pocket, and you're set for the day. My husband keeps a dummy wallet in his hip pocket, and carries a daybag with twist-ties through the zippers. I carry a small bag with several inside zipped pockets, worn with the strap across my chest and the bag itself just under my hand. We refined our techiques after having been pocket-picked twice in Paris within two days. Getting smarter... But do try the money belt trick; it does work. Oh, UNDER your clothes, of course.

There are many different styles of "moneybelts" and the trick is finding the one right for you and that you are comfortable with (literally and figuratively). And keep in mind that the real intent is to make your valuables almost impossible for someone else to get to without your knowledge - it doesn't matter if someone knows you have one or where it is.

A neck pouch works well for many people and can be easy for you to access. Many people will pin it to something else inside their shirt (women can pin it to their bra) so that it doesn't move around on them and can't be moved without their noticing. But depending on the top you where, no one can reach in and access it without you knowing.

I wear a belt wallet that loops through the belt and has a series of Velcro and zippers to access it. It can be worn inside pants/shorts or even on the outside since no one can get into it without my noticing.

Women can use a travel purse that has a series of secure folds and zippers. This is different than a regular purse that just unzips from the top or has a simple fold over and clasp. The idea is that it takes several steps to gain access. But this only works if the woman isn't the type to be careless with it (never sling it over a chair, set it down on a table etc...).

And of course the more traditional waist pouch. Many do find them hot or uncomfortable and of course they can be very difficult for you to access too. Some people carry around some day-cash in a regular wallet for convenience.

I can't say enough good things about my trusty Pacsafe cross-body purse. It has a clasp that hooks the zippers and is a real pain to get into, which is of course the point. I also have my wallet on a chain in an inside zipper compartment in the purse. I'm always the one who carries the money and passports. Hubby gets a daily allowance, hehehe. I've also used moneybelts, but they are so cumbersome and uncomfortable. I must say I do like the idea of the neck wallet with a scarf hiding the strings.

The money belt has never appealed to me so I got a pouch that has a loop for your belt to go through and then you flip it inside your pants in front. Passport, cash reserve and credit cards fit just right and it's waterproof. It's not detectable through jeans and I always wear tops untucked anyway. For a purse I use a sturdy leather Coach crossbody that zips shut.

To add to what everyone has said, be very, very aware when there is any kind of distraction, even a pleasant one.

When we arrived in Paris on the Eurostar, we were going to take a cab to our apartment, but there was a lineup of about 40 people at the taxi stand, and there were no taxis in sight. So, we took the metro with our luggage, which made it very obvious we were tourists.

At one stop, a couple of men with musical instruments jumped in through the front door of our subway car and began playing music. Another man boarded at the second door of the car at the same time. He stood extremely close to my husband (who was also standing), almost touching him, even though the car wasn't so crowded that he needed to stand so close. This made me very suspicious, and I did not take my eyes off the man, making it very obvious that I was watching. Eventually, he left the car and so did the musicians.

My husband had most of his money and his passport in a moneybelt, anyhow, but I am convinced that this was a group of pickpockets working together, with some creating a distraction while the other one tried to pick people's pockets.

So be very alert, not just in crowds, but when anything unusual happens that might divert your attention.

We do find moneybelts uncomfortable, and we wear them only when we are travelling between locations on our trip. We use the cotton kind, because they tend to be more breathable and cooler, we've found. The rest of the time, I use a cross-body bag and my husband uses a travel wallet in a front pocket.

Wear one.
I have seen people get ripped off. If you plan on being there, just place one on you in a safe place. Pick pocketing is everywhere and if you take $500 out of the ATM and someone sees you get on a train you are a huge target if you have it in your bag or wallet. Better safe than sorry.

I'm with Anita. I carry my purse, walk with purpose and do not stand in a crowd and gawk at whatever. We have thwarted 3 pickpocket attempts in our travels. My purse has very thick leather straps that won't be cut easily and I carry my purse on the shoulder near my husband. He carries a small amount of cash in his front pocket and his wallet is in my purse.Be alert - pickpockets avoid alert people - they want easy targets and there are plenty of them!

Hi Christa:

Could you tell me where you get the pouch? Thanks.

Tony

I was looking at a money belt our neck pouch, but I'm now thinking differently.

To help travel lighter, I've bought a pair of pants from Bluffworks. These pants are meant to go from activities during the day to a night out. Washable, etc. I plan to have 3 and rotate during our 15 day trip, with washings as needed. I mention them because inside of the regular pockets, there is a "secret" pocket with a zipper. So I'm considering keeping cash and cards in the zippered inner pocket.

Additionally, we've purchased a backpack from Pacsafe for camera, etc. It has a securable pocket for passports, credit cards, etc that also has RFID protection. Plus the normal Pacsafe features.

So I'm now thinking of skipping any other security feature and just going with these.

Thoughts?

@ Lee - The pants with the zippered pocket are pretty good as long as a pickpocket doesn't know about the "secret" pocket. If a good thief saw you access the pocket they could probably just unzip it and lift your wallet. They can be that good. But it's certainly far better than just sticking a wallet in a pocket (front or back).

The Pacsafe bags are great as long as you aren't careless with them. Some people are not good about keeping the bag or purse on their person at all times. If you are the type to set it down, sling it over a chair or forget and leave it open, then it's not a good fit for you.

Tony, Christa is referring to a Hidden Pocket style. I occasionally wear this type - I just pin it to the inside waistband of my pants, since I rarely wear a belt.

Since you haven't included your location and I have no idea what part of the world you live in, these are available from many merchants. Eagle Creek was the first to produce them.

My husband uses a regular leather money belt to keep the bulk of our cash safe. Fold bills lengthwise and put into a hidden zippered pocket. We each carry a small amount of cash, and he never accesses his belt in public. I use a cross body purse or bag, and hang onto it. I find bags with inside pockets, so if anyone with a knife slashes the bottom, nothing would fall out. My husband keeps his in a zippered pocket in the front of his pants. We have travelled the world without incident -- so far so good! I also carry a carabineer and can clip my purse to a chair in a restaurant so no one can grab it!

Here is the belt he uses: http://www.magellans.com/leather-money-belt-37798

Jan B

I just want to mention something unorthodox we did...but didn't utilize it, but I thought it was a good idea at the time...I have a seamstress friend and when we were going overseas, I had her sew a little pocket on the inside of my husband's jeans that he was taking...up on the waistband (you could put a thin piece of Velcro or a Velcro dot or something to hold it closed so money didn't work it's way out). It was the size to hold a few credit cards or folded money. No band like a sweaty money belt, easy to access, but I would guess fairly difficult for someone to stick their hand down your front waistband without you noticing (!?). But as I said, we never used it (I don't know why - I guess didn't think about it), but if someone is creative, there's an idea for you! Couldn't be anymore uncomfortable then a money belt...

I will just add that my daughter figured out a brilliant idea to cut down on sweat getting your stuff in the money belt wet. Between the plastic pouch (Rick provides) and the inside side of the money belt (the side against your skin), place a folded small paper towel. We got the size that breaks up in about 6 inch strips and packed several. We just changed that every day and aired out the moneybelt over night. The small size doesn't really add that much to the bulk and it really help cut down on wet money!

Or just use zip-loc sandwich or snack bags to hold bills inside the money belt. Another for the passport. Used these in Italy and had no problem with damp items in my money belt. I wear my money belt EVERYWHERE, EVERY DAY when I travel. I don't find it at all uncomfortable and not inconvenient unless I forget to carry my walking-around money in my (worn postman-style) purse. Actually, I find the money belt very comforting, knowing that my passport, cards and big cash are someplace that I will definitely notice if someone tries to access (i.e., inside my pants.) But then, I also wore a money belt while taking the subway in NYC.