Moneybelts, shirt pockets

To a degree, yes. But you min the lost. We use travel shirts which have hidden, secured pockets. Often the pockets have a zipper with a button flap pretty secure. My daily wear pants also has a number of secure pockets. Also the key is to not telegraph where you keep your cash and cards. And final a front shirt pocket is hard to hit without your knowledge.

Rick That is why I bought the moneybelt and the hiddenpocket for my fiance. He kept the major things in the moneybelt and our days euros in the hiddenpocket which was easier for him to pull out and withdraw euros from...and of course we always were off to the side doing this, as discretely as possible. He also used his inside pocket that zippered shut on his jacket...

The whole point of using a money belt is that you are working under the assumption you will be robbed. By keeping just a days spending money in your wallet or pocket, you minimize your losses. A theft might but a damper on your day...but won't ruin your trip.

Right - I actually bought the under-the-pants moneybelt as well as a silk neck wallet. Maybe the day-spending money can be retrieved somewhat more easily from a neck wallet? And hmm... now that I think of it, how exactly do you get at the under-the-pants moneybelt when you need to? If I've just shown up at a B&B that wants to be paid cash, do I politely sneak off to the restroom to get at my moneybelt? (I'm sure I'm asking something very obvious, but I've never done this before!)

There are those times that you may need to access your moneybelt in public...do it as discreetly as possible. You may have to show a passport or need a credit card for a larger (perhaps unplanned!) $$$ purchase at a store. Knowing that I'll be needing a cc, I try to do this in a secluded part of the store, if possible, although I've also had to do it right at the counter a number of times. I just pull my waistband out a little, unzip the compartment, and pull out whatever I need - As Discreetly As Possible. Believe me, they've seen it LOL! Then BE SURE it gets put back where it goes. THEN zip the compartment closed, and only then. Honestly, most likely nobody else will even notice... When I know I'll be buying train tickets or using an ATM very soon, I'll either do the same thing or I'll go to a restroom. If you're smooth enough, it's really hard to see 'it' happening. On the other hand, I've watched some people go at it like they're preparing for deep-sea diving or something - it's this HUGE production, accompanied by lots of noise and commotion. WRONG! Now, they have an audience of 25 watching them...(shaking head)... (cont.)

(cont.) Some keep their moneybelt under their shirttails, so this gets more tricky, but it can be worked around; I've seen it up close and personal a number of times...just 'scrunch' up your shirt 'front tail (?!?)' or sort of roll it up to access your moneybelt, or reach in and pull your moneybelt down and around the front of your shirt. Or, use a neck pouch. I can't use one because they all show, but my husband can carry the kitchen sink in his and you can't see a thing... As far as someone lifting something from your pockets, esp. front pockets, USUALLY that's going to happen on a metro or some other place where you're likely to be smooshed up next to someone who avails themself of this great opportunity. Just watch out the best you can in those types of situations...

I keep my days worth of bills wadded up in the bottom of my front pants pocket. Since I wear flat front and not pleated pants, they're harder to get to. I'll even split the bills out between different pockets. That way if one gets picked, they're less likely to continue trying other pockets. Other options include rolled up and tucked in your socks. Get creative. :-)

Rick, it is a question of anticipation. If I know that I am going to need my passport during the day, then it is placed in one of my secured pocket. If I know I need a wad of cash to check in, then somewhere during the previous hour or so, I will hit a restroom and take out the required cash and then be extra careful for the next hour or so. The same for an ATM stop. I take the cash, quickly put it in a pocket and clear the area. Find a restroom or a very hidden door way or something and then put the money away. How you use the money belt as your overall approach to security is what is important. Pickpockets do not hit random targets nor do they go through all of your pockets. If you are a target, you will be set up, and they will use clues from your behavior to identity which pocket to hit. Most pickpockets work in teams where one or two will distract you while another cleans out your pocket. The idea that someone comes along, slightly bumps you and they have your watch, gold teeth and a billfold is only in the movies.

Besides keeping all my valuables in my money belt (many years a waist style, lately around the neck style) I keep the days money or whatever is necessary for the day in a front zippered breast pocket in whatever travel shirt I am wearing.
I do not get into my money belt during the day unless I REALLY have to and then I find a place like a bathroom to access it while making sure that the surroundings are friendly and look secure. Happy travels

Rick, "I would love to see videos of various scenarios of real-life situations of people taking out money and cards and documents from both their money belt and their short-term day storage while on vacation". I'm sure the pickpockets would enjoy watching those videos too! It would be a good tutorial on where people keep their valuables, and how easy it would be to access them. Regarding your question, I often keep my daily cash in a shirt pocket, and so far haven't had any problems. One of my "travel shirts" has some hidden security pockets, and the others are secured with a button or Velcro. When I'm wearing my Vest, the pockets are hidden and not as easily accessible. Hope you have a great time on your trip! Cheers!

I don't think a shirt pocket is that easily pick pocketed. #1 It's in front of you within your peripheral vision #2 You have to get very close to a pick pocket #3 Many travel shirts have buttoned shirt pockets #4 Back pocket or baggy pants pockets are better targets Better to lose a little cash than your ID and ATM cards.
Best is to use common sense. The way so many posts are here you would think Italy is a den of thieves. Sure you need to be cautious especially in crowded areas but not everyone is after our money and cameras.

Not to argue with the moneybelt, it's a good idea. I bought a pair of convertible cargo pants (legs zip off) at REI. They were light weight for summer. The lower pocket on the right had a velcro flap and a large zippered pocket underneath. There I stored my oversized wallet with cash, cards, passports. If anyone had opened that velcro flap I would have plenty of time to react. I also had room for a not too compact camera in another pocket. I had no problems in 8 days in Rome.

You guys are great. To this first-time traveler (leaving Monday) this forum has been so helpful. As a great and humorous addition to this web site, I would love to see videos of various scenarios of real-life situations of people taking out money and cards and documents from both their money belt and their short-term day storage while on vacation. It would be a "how-to" and "where-to" for the various types of money belts and shirt pockets in various diverse real-life situations. It would be extremely informative and probably completely hysterical.

Moneybelts have recently been discussed at length elsewhere on this forum. From passed experience, this is what we do - 1 - I carry the moneybelt on my person on international travel days and on days I will need a passport/identification, when it is kept under my shirt and easier for me to get to. Burying it somewhere down in your underwear never leads to any kind of discretion when you have to access it. 2 - I use travel shirts as Frank does. The best have multible pockets, including a zippered pocket, and they all have at least buttons on the other pockets. The shirts look good, are easy to clean, and are durable. As for pickpockets, for any thief worthy of the name, they will nail you in a crowd by pushing up against you, which can be in front of you or from behind and extract your valuables then. Since I have used these shirts and kept my day cash in the zippered pocket in the front, I have not had any trouble at all. But I also am extremely careful about it at all times. 3 - I carry my days credit card and cash in a small travel wallet and leave the moneybelt secured back at the hotel, in a locked section of my suitcase. I lock all the sections to be less obvious. I also stuff my back pocket with kleenex packets (these are handy anyway), and when in a crowd I always reach back and pat the kleenex in an obvious manner. I never check my wallet in the shirt pocket with my hand, but bump up against it at times. 4 - The thieves are much better at ripping you off then you or me at protecting your stuff, but we have to access it at times, don't we? Just try not to be an obvious mark and let them look elsewhere for easier pickings.

Sounds like some of you haven't been swamed by gypsy children while you look at the mother presenting the baby and an empty hand for food.Cargo pockets still there? just checking! I have a regular ol purse with lipstck,chapstick, map,comb,candy and card for future fun all day. The deepsix stuff is in the bellehop brasafe, and pouch two holding the side in a stringy crochetedthin bag where;s a digital camera and credit card, and the other half of today cash. my shoes carry cash well when the smartwool wetwool soclks are but damp.
Offtopic, but have you taped money to the headband of your summer hat?Convenient and take ony the bills you need.

Rick from Boston (by the way love your city): All I can say is I'm almost certain I'm the least experienced to respond to you and did earlier just trying to help! I just wanted to write again to tell you, their tips, advice, suggestions are invaluable!! I can say I read this site for a year and only posted about two weeks b/f our trip and learned so much from these generous amazing people!! Trust me and take it all in!! I am so grateful and would not have had the trip we had without them directly or indirectlly...

If you stand there dumbfounded while you are swarmed by a bunch of kids and a woman holds a baby up to your face then you probably deserve to get your wallet pinched. If that situation happens I have no problem knocking down a couple kids while I spin around and move away, shouting "Nine, Nine" like a german tourist. I wonder what physical harm I can lawfully cause to a pick pocket and not get in trouble in Italy?

My husband and I each wear moneybelts under our pants, and I carry our small amount of "Need it soon" cash in a pocket. My husband's EMPTY pocket has been checked out a few times, but for some reason they never both with my pocket. He also has a small money belt with a loop that fastens around his belt and tucks in, but is very easy to access quickly if necessary.

"If anyone had opened that velcro flap I would have plenty of time to react." And THAT is why they throw 'babies' at you! And THAT is why they squirt 'bird poo' (mustard) at you! And THAT is why pretty girls kiss you/undress in front of you!
And THAT is why little kids bump into you! Sometimes the pickpocket is sneaky and you never were aware anything was happening, and sometimes you know EXACTLY what's going on but you can't react fast enough to do anything. If I'm standing behind you on a bus/train/queue and I bend over and rip that velcro open and grab your wallet, you'll never catch me, especially if you have luggage. Are you going to leave your luggage there on the sidewalk so you can run after me? No. Are you going to run as fast as I can while you're wearing a backpack? No. YOU may know that I took your wallet, but you DON'T know that I handed it off to my accomplice standing behind me. You never saw her...and she's GONE by now. The police can't keep me - I don't have your wallet. If you're coming down the train steps carrying luggage, I lean over like I'm going to help you - what I ACTUALLY do is grab goodies out of your chest pocket! Your hands are full, and you can't dump your stuff and run after me without tripping over it. And again, I'm gone. We're all safe at most 99% of the time; there's just gonna be those few times where we're vulnerable. THAT'S when it's good to have travel buddies that watch each other's backs constantly. Sparky Griswold and his family were talked into climbing into that fountain AFTER he handed their video camera to a stranger...Don't be a Sparky. Sermon over. Amen.