Scotteevests

I haven't used one but anything that has zipping pockets on the interior of clothing should be sufficient from a safety point of view. Pickpocketing a crime of opportunity so you really just need to remove that opportunity with zippers and hidden pockets.

I usually wear a moneybelt under my clothes for things I don't need access to during the day and slacks that have a zippered pocket hidden just inside regular pants pocket. That way I can access my credit card or larger billed cash just by 'reaching in my pocket' even if that pocket is hidden away behind a zipper. If the zipper is closed then inside my actual pocket you'll find gelato money, some change, gelato receipts and maybe yesterdays tickets. I learned the hard way that trying to just use a money belt has the potential of making you look like pervert if suddenly have to fish around in your pants - hence the external zippered pocket. I know many people use the neck pouch instead for the same reason.

My concern would needing to wear a vest everywhere despite the heat or dress of an event. Also I would hesitate to put anything of value into an outer layer that can be left somewhere or lost. If you hike around Pompeii in a vest in July you will want to take it off when you sit down. I often where a fleece layer but I don't zip anything of value into it - except maybe sunglasses - because it can left behind at a cafe or on a bus/metro/train/taxi.

My $.02, whatever works for you is the right solution,
=Tod

My husband and I have several and have used them for years. My husband likes the vests with zip-off sleeves. They are expensive, but usually there are 40% off sales twice a year, one at Xmas. I have also bought them on EBay, much less expensive, and in great condition. Note that the sizes seem to run small. Many of the jackets and vests are somewhat heavy. I have worn the featherweight (lighter) vest in August, and left it unzipped, not feeling too hot. In winter, I have worn the vest under a winter coat. As a woman, I then do not carry a purse, as I also have a Bandolier phone case, which has a neck strap and side snap pocket. However, my passport is always right neck to my skin, in an Eagle Creek silk neck passport case.
I generally do not take my vest off throughout the day.
So to further address your question, I think the vests are great for phone, sunglasses, ear pods, chargers, meds, and wallet, but I would never take mine off in public. However, I do really like the vests when going through passport controls and security checks, when it is a pain to have your passport under your clothes, as you're required to show it frequently.
Many travel stores carry Scottevest, but in limited styles, so maybe you can try them on in person. The quality is excellent.
Around home, we really like the men's zip hoodie, ( like a soft sweatshirt.) I liked my husbands so much that I bought a men's small for myself, as they don't have a women's style.
Hope this helps. Have a great trip!

I bought a ScottEVest Jacket with removable sleeves a few years ago and still use it on a regular basis. I took it on a trip to Europe a few years ago and it worked quite well, although I found that it wasn't warm enough on cool nights. It seems to be a good quality product although the zipper failed soon after I bought it and the company wasn't interested in fixing it, so I took it to a local tailor. They're a bit pricey but they certainly accomplish what they're designed for.

I normally use a Tilley Vest for travel by air. It has lots of pockets and is fairly light and comfortable.

I have had a Scotti Vest for years, however I only use it to get through security and passport control. It is very convenient for that. Once I am incountry, I go back to my everyday crossbody purse with zip closures and have never had a problem. Have a great trip!

Yessir, I'm a Scott E Vest devotee! Bought a featherweight vest, for me for our Florence/Rome/Salerno/Taormina trip this last April. Lot of trains, train stations, need my hands free and this did the job. Plenty warm too, even down to 50 degrees or so. Not sweaty until you would get to 70. For Switzerland I'd probably get the thicker one.

Only thing is I have to be consistent as to what I put in what pocket, because by switching it around I tend to forget!

Great information about the vests! We didn’t know if my husband also needed a money belt but I think he will carry one. He is older & I didn’t want him fumbling for things. Anything to make things easier! I appreciate the feedback. We found my husband’s on eBay & it is quite nice.

I have a Scotteevest jacket, they are secure, and great for the amount, and size of things you can put in one. The drawbacks though are that they are really cool to cold weather solutions, the temp gets above 60 deg F, you will not want to wear it. Also, given the material needed for multiple pockets, it will weigh (empty) easily 2 to 3 times what a regular jacket will weigh, can be a problem depending on how light you want to pack.

I rarely take mine anymore on trips, I first limited what I need to carry when I go out, so a simple jacket with an inside zipped pocket that fits my passport, maybe my phone, works just as fine, other than that I only have a very thin wallet with one card and a little cash.

ScotteVest website has a sale ending tomorrow 9/9
https://www.scottevest.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooJ6QjQ95mCbCbWoSX2vi20-pWMfRW2eBUYVBDI8ARtfjq1pvgC

We bought them for our first big trip to Italy in 2018. Honestly for the cost I wouldn't buy one again. I gave mine away and my husband doesn't like his. Too many pockets, it's like wearing a backpack in a vest and it becomes cumbersome. I'm sure you can find a regular vest that has an inside pocket, I found a fleece one at Columbia, it has two zipper pockets on the outside and two open pockets on the inside, it's not heavy and it's a good extra layer for traveling during cooler weather.

FYI, there are cheaper copies on Amazon and probably Temu. it's really just a vest with tons of compartments.

you might also post this in a more general forum, not sure why you picked Italy.

I have a Scottevest but haven't worn it for awhile.

My biggest problem was forgetting where I put things.....and....some pockets are connected so I would think it's in one pocket but it shifted to another.

I bought one for our first trip to Italy back in 2010-it has a ton of storage space, but, similar to Frank's experience, my big problem was that I couldn't remember which pocket had what gadget or item, so I was constantly "patting myself down" in search of my stuff. My wife thought I had some sort of a rash, and we both laughed about it at the end of the trip. Bottom line, I used it for the next few trips but eventually got more comfortable with other methods of protecting my valuables, so the jacket has hung in my closet ever since. I keep thinking about donating it, but the memories of the self pat-down still make me chuckle, so I keep it for comic relief. I think I saw someone that did a YouTube video using one of those jackets as their carry-on so they didn't have to deal with the eventual tussle for overhead storage space-they augmented the jacket with wearing several layers of clothing, which might work for trips in the fall or winter, but not necessarily for visits to the Caribbean.

I have a similar vest. I wear it trout fishing.
When travelling, I do not wish to look like a tourist.
Also, I do not wish to look like a fisherman.

I do really like the vests when going through passport controls and security checks, when it is a pain to have your passport under your clothes, as you're required to show it frequently.

My wife uses one, and this is her primary use for it on airplane and train travel days.

We tend to travel in the cooler parts of the year, so sometimes she will wear it on a mostly outdoors walkabout. In even cooler or cold weather, she wears the vest under her coat...

Too many pockets for sure. Why carry so much stuff? It’s like the packing situation but on your person. I only carry wallet and phone, maybe a Kleenex when out and about overseas. Minimal stuff. I like to keep it light.

Many pro photographers wear this type of vest for practicality.

I think wearing something like this around a city as a visitor attracts the attention of what I'd call "chancers", whether they're thieves or not, increasing the risk rather than decreasing it.

I think wearing something like this around a city as a visitor attracts the attention of what I'd call "chancers", whether they're thieves or not, increasing the risk rather than decreasing it.

"Chancers" and actual thieves are looking for soft targets, like smart phones in hand on the street, or backpacks easy to access in a crowd, or wallets in hip pockets...and even the ever popular crossbody bags that so many women wear. I think the vests provide more protection than all of the above, and under the shirt neck wallets are also safer than all of the above, although neck wallets work best for "deep storage" of items one wants with them at all times (passport, credit cards) but not needing to use them frequently, like a phone is needed, that needs to be a little more easily accessed - and I think a vest is a pretty good option for phones, along with glasses, tissues, and other convenience items one needs more access to with little fear of them being stolen or picked...

I don't have a vest. I think it would be hot fir most of the year travel in Italy. We are leaving today and have been sweaty for the last 2 weeks. Wearing a vest would probably have made me pass out.
Our last Europe trip to Germany I had an infinity purse I would zip mine and my sons passports into. It was a cooler trip and I loved it. In Italy anything touching you is instantly soaked in sweat. I had a small cross body (the fanny pack looking ones). It has been perfect. When in a busy area/subway I just stuck my hand over the zipper part and no big deal. It was large enough for my passport wallet (2 passports inside, mine and a sons), my minimalist wallet, pack of tissues and sometimes my phone or sunglasses. Something slightly larger would have been nice for easy access, but is my everyday purse at home and was perfect. It does also have a back 'secret pocket that I didn't use (I would have for passports, but they were slightly too large).

"Chancers" and actual thieves are looking for soft targets

You obviously take security very seriously.

If it were a choice between having my passport stolen and wearing one of these vests in town, well, I'm not sure which I'd prefer.

edit: Obviously the above is a joke, but no, not for me. It just screams "tourist" too loudly for me. I've never felt the need for such rigorous security measures., or needed so many pockets.

I have a Scottevest.com trench coat with a couple of dozen hidden pockets, some big enough for an Ipad -- men's versions are even more capacious. Of course fully loaded you would look ridiculous BUT they are really secure. Italy has a lot of well trained and a lot of amateur pickpockets and they do love those lurching crammed busses where people have to hang on and thus take their hands off their cross body purse or whatever.

Travel shirts with zipped pockets behind the breast pockets are also good. Travelsmith used to have nice relatively stylish jackets with great hidden pockets -- I have one that is about 20 years old, but more recenltly there stuff has tended towards icky poly knits without security pockets.

Even with hidden pockets it is wise to carry as few valuables as possible when out and about. Stow it in the hotel safe. In an apartment in Florence my old fashioned bureau had a key locked drawer and I used that.

Yeah, I think people are thinking in narrow terms. Yes, Scottevest made their name selling multipocket vests, made famous by photographers, but they have long since expanded their clothing line to jackets, shirts, pants, shorts, underwear, even hats, all with hidden pockets. There are also other companies like Clothing Arts offering similar things.

I guess my advice would be to first determine what season you are traveling in. A jacket or vest is great in cooler weather, not much use May through September for security.

Second advice is to find something that works well for what you will want to carry. Many of the security jackets are great, but there seems to be pocket wars, to come up with the one that has the most pockets. But every pocket adds another chunk of material, and you get a jacket weighing several pounds, not counting all the stuff you put in the pockets, plus the stuff you once did, and never figured out to get back out.

Like I said, I have a Scottevest jacket, but rarely take it with me. I did find an Eddy Bauer light jacket that is water repellent/waterproof that also has a couple inside pockets, more than enough for what I carry, and cheaper and lighter than the Scottevest. I also have found a couple shirts here and there, at Costco or sporting goods stores, that look like dressy casual shirts, but have an inside pocket at the chest, those work well in warmer weather.

@janettravels44 I had to giggle when I pictured Inspector Gadget while reading your post. :)

When travelling, I do not wish to look like a tourist.

Nothing screams "TOURIST" more to me than a woman clutching her crossbody bag to her chest, with her hand over the zipper. Problem is, nobody can keep that extra bodily security up 100 percent of the time. And the forum offers many anecdotes about these cross body bag victims who have had their bag picked on a crowded subway car or train, right in front of them...usually when their hands are occupied with pulling a bag, or they are holding onto a subway strap, and they are no longer protectively clutching their crossbody bag to their chest...in a blink, you have been robbed.

We use them all the time. My husband got one after I read him the latest pickpocket incident on another travel site. Most guys think keeping stuff in the front pocket is the end all. Yeah right. Pickpockets are pros, it’s what they do and they are good. I love being hands free and no purse. Someone would have to be highly inappropriate to pickpocket us!

My husband likes the styles with the large zipper pocket across the back. When he removes the sleeves, in they go to the back pocket.

It's a tool like any other. You either recognize the benefits or you don't. The two sides of all clothing arguments here (wear what you like / don't look like a tourist) are well represented.

Most people are focusing on the pickpocket issue, when the real benefit is just having enough handy pockets to carry your stuff in. I dont know about most of you, but having my phone tucked away is a benefit as it doesnt fit anywhere else on my person. If you dont think backpacks and fanny packs are cool, then avoid them with a vest/jacket. I know guys who brag that they don't need to carry anything, but thats because their spouse is carrying it all.

These vests are a bit too much in advertising tourist for me. I started carrying a European Man Bag (thanks Seinfeld) and blend in for the most part. The only time I do feel conspicuous is when carrying my dSLR.

These vests are a bit too much in advertising tourist for me. I started carrying a European Man Bag (thanks Seinfeld) and blend in for the most part. The only time I do feel conspicuous is when carrying my dSLR.

Being in tourist areas marks you as a tourist, and the pickpockets work in those areas, looking for the easy marks.

I don't worry about blending in, I just don't want to be marked as a soft target with a backpack or fanny pack or carrying my phone or other stuff in hand...I also stay out of the crowded tourist areas for the most part. Been there and done that, my focus in my travels at this later stage of my life is less focused on tourist sites, more on local ambience, non touristy locations.