Anti-Pickpocketing hack

I've mentioned this before elsewhere too, I think the handle loop is a great idea for when you're actually using your phone. It makes it much more difficult for someone to "grab-and-run" with your phone, especially now that some phones are getting so big, they make easy targets for someone to snatch out of your hand as you're standing on the street looking up something.

Frank II - I've posted a a hack on my website that is similar but slightly cheaper. I created a wallet tether that I've installed in all my pants pockets as well as the side pocket of my day pack. You can also sew the tether to the inside pocket of a purse. It takes about 10-15 minutes per tether to install.

I bought the construction items from a sewing store:

• Packet of small swivel "lobster claw" clasps.
• Needle & thread.
• Heavy ribbon or hem tape. Light weight ribbon tangles.

1. Cut the ribbon length to approximately 5-10 inches (more or less). Longer is more likely to get tangled. Shorter makes it harder to access the item.
   
2. Sew the lobster claw to one end.
   
3. Sew the other end to the bottom of the pants pocket or backpack pocket.
   

You can put a tether in each pocket. Then you'll have an attachment point for your phone and your wallet. This is also good for key rings and other small items that can jump out of your pocket. A larger lobster claw makes it easier to unclip the items. As you've noted, adding a key ring to your protected item makes a great attachment point.

If desired you can also fasten the pocket closed with a safety pin.

This is a manufacturer of a wide variety of tethers and other stuff, often sold at Police/Fire/Paramedic uniform suppliers and lots of other places, or direct.

http://www.gearkeeper.com/communication/cellphones.html

I use a simpler approach, I bought this thingy (http://tinyurl.com/za3jhfb), which loops around the notches at the base of my Iphone case and simply loop it around my wrist when I'am in crowded situations. The loops is just small enough so that if a bad guy wanted to snatch it would take a lot of force for it to come off. There is also the added benefit of preventing me from accidentally dropping the phone and breaking the glass.

An even simpler approach than Michael's? We leave the cellphones at home! :O)

No way that would work for me. A good chunk of my travels revolve around my smartphone:mapping, Eguidebooks, storing documents, alarm clock, camera, banking, web browsing, email, general entertainment. If I were to leave that kind of technology home and go low-tech it would add about ten pounds to my baggage.

Not realistic for most people to not have cellphones, since those things now do everything for some folks.

Smartphones save a TON of weight to your baggage, not to mention precious vacation time. Purists/traditionalists may feel there is a sense of nostalgia or connection with traveling the old way, but imagine all that the phone has replaced with it's various apps, which in addition to replacement expands exponentially on features:

• Language phrase books have been replaced by translation apps that no only do all that the phrase books use to do, but can also teach you the pronunciation of words, contain many more languages than just a single language phrase book, and you (or the person whom you're communicating with) can dictate to the app and the app will translate it into your language.

• Paper maps have been replaced by the phone's built-in map app or downloadable maps. This alone rivals paper maps in that you can have maybe hundreds of maps at your finger tips, combine that with the phone's GPS and routing abilities, you'll never be lost again. In addition to the paper map, throw out the old compass while you're at it.

• Being able to communicate with folks back home via text and e-mail saves the time/cost of going to the old internet cafe (and remember when "internet cafes" were considered oh so hi-tech and saved us from writing letters and postcards?).

• Entire guidebooks can be stored on your phone, or just the chapters needed.

• music and movie apps replace Walkmans, MP3 players, portable DVD players, etc., a thousandfold.

Shall I go on?

And even if technology were to fail you (phone crashes, is damaged, etc.), you could bring a second phone (say, an older smartphone you upgraded from) as backup and the two phones together would still weigh less and be smaller than any one of the books that the devices are replacing.

Yes, yes, I know that most folks love their phones. We just don't (neither of us have smartphones) and it has worked just fine for us so far. We do bring an ipad (him) and itouch (me) for checking mail, looking things up at night, etc. but the phones stay home. They're just not something either of us rely on for much of anything even when we're not traveling. And I can't imagine trying to read a guidebook or navigate a map on those little screens.

Unplugging (or mostly so) can be fun. :O)

I'm also one that prefers to travel with a smartphone, and I can't imagine travelling without it, as it performs so many functions and makes things a lot easier. However, protecting it from theft is definitely important, and so far I've managed to do that well.

I turn off the smartphone, use a cheap TIM phone in Europe to make calls, the iPad mini does everything else, the only paper product is a good paper map (and reservations, tickets).