Cavita day bag

My wife and I went on the RS Best of Italy Tour and each took a Cavita Day Bag. They are very light weight so carrying them is no problem. You can always leave it on the bus or in your room if you don’t want to use them. A word of caution, each of you should wear a money belt regardless if you are using a day bag. Also, the bags are not water proof or even water resistant so I would include a plastic trash bags to protect what is inside should it rain. If you have any questions regarding your tour, feel free to drop me a personal message and I will try and answer them. The Best of Italy Tour was the best vacation we have ever taken. You will love it.

My wife and I recently traveled to France for ten days, spending several days on each end sandwiched with several days driving to Honfleur and to Dieppe. Since I enjoy photography as a hobby, I took the Civita bag as a way to carry my small travel camera as well as some snacks and maps for the day. My wife took a small bag as well for incidentals, snacks and a water bottle. So I vote for separate bags...it’s what works for us & hydration while doing a lot of walking is important. We were generally out and about from early morning to 10-11 at night.

I have found that if only one person is carrying a daybag, they end up with their own and their partner's: sunglasses, eyeglasses, jackets, water bottles, cameras, phones, etc. In my opinion, each should have their own daybag.

The purpose of a day bag is not to carry your valuables! The day bag is where you carry the things you might want to have nearby - a bottle of water, tissues, a map, a book, snacks, sunglasses, gum, camera, meds, rain jacket, etc. You can share if you like but why would you want to? The Civita bag is popular among RS readers, but really any bag you already have thats a good size will work. You could just use whatever you will use as your "personal item" on the airplane.

My husband and I each carry our own Pacsafe Venturesafe 150 crossbody sling bag (money & ID). We share our Civita tote--water bottles, chapstick, umbrellas, etc. We're traveling with 2 kids so it's kind of the family bag.

I take a Civita bag on just about every trip and while I don't use it every day, it's handy for longer day trips to pack rain gear, light coat, water or whatever. With a rolled up coat inside, it also makes a useful pillow for air travel. The Civita bag is made of a soft microfibre material, so it's not really robust enough for heavier items.

As others have noted, it's not a good idea to store valuables in the pack. A money belt is highly advisable (especially in Italy) for things like Passport, cash, etc. Keep a bit of daily expense cash in a secure pocket so that you don't have to access the money belt where others can see.

When it comes to Civita day bags, each to his or her own, I always say. Who knows but that one day with free time, you may want to go wild boar hunting, while hubby chooses to join a knitting circle, or some such thing. You might each need your own towel, jacket or water bottle.

It depends on how much you plan to carry.

Don't limit yourself to the Civita day bag. If you prefer a shoulder/cross body bag look at his Civita shoulder bag or the hundreds of others available that may offer more of what you may want--organization, security, etc. If there is an REI or camping store near you, go in and check out what they have.

I love my wife, but she carries too much stuff. I doubt we could share a daypack or tote. However, we’re fine sharing a checked bag for the infrequent trips when one is needed. I’d say just try to prepack your smaller bag just as you might your regular luggage. If you each bring a reasonably sized bag, shouldn’t be a problem.

Also: if either or both of you are planning on bringing a lot of souvenirs home, you’re going to need a little extra room, unless you can cram stuff in a regular suit case.

Thank you all for the response. Looks like we will both carry day bags! (We both had planned on using the money belts as well.) So nice to see such a caring travel community!

Your husband's money belt is NOT for things he wants to get out/use during the day. It's for deep storage of valuables that you do not want to get stolen -- large amounts of cash, passport, extra credit cards, etc.

Normally, except in the case of an emergency, one should not access one's money belt while out and about touring for the day.

The day bag, by contrast, is where you put things that you'll be using during the day - and can live with if they get stolen/pickpocketed. One credit card/debit card; enough cash for the day; guidebook; maps; water; jacket; cell phone; Chapstick; sunscreen; sunglasses; etc.

In addition to all the great comments, the Civita Bag is durable! We've had ours for years. I wash them in cool water in a lingerie bag in the washer & hang to dry. Pack it with light weight necessities-- no valuables.

I like my cavita bag. I carry quite a bit, medicines, maps, site info, tissue, hand cleaner and the like. I can put my SLR in there when not taking pictures and my mini iPad fits perfect in the back pocket. I have a little anti-identity theft wallet I use to hold my credit card and a days worth of money which I put deep in the bag. It can get a little heavy by the end of the day but I like the security of a cross body bag.

I have a Civita daypack. It's okay - nothing special. My husband likes it more than me. It has no structure whatsoever. It sags. I prefer a pack with a bit more rigidity and structure in terms of padding, fabric, and organizational features. An Ameribag purse can be a good choice. Many like cross body type bags. I'm busty - so crossbody does not work for me. I found a small 15 liter backpack that I really like. It was discontinued. I hope mine lasts a long time, since I cannot replace it now. Check out eagle creek products. Consider your body torso length when searching for a backpack if you go the backpack route. A bag around 15 - 22 liters makes a good size for a daypack. A larger person (i.e. 6 ft. Man) should go for the longer, larger pack. I'm under 5'5" and the small 15 liter pack is perfect for me, but rather small on my husband. The RS Appenzell fits me, but is used only as a family pack. It's as big as I can go. I much prefer my small 15 liter pack.

We have taken 14 RS tours (soon to be 16) and my wife and I each carry our own RS day bag every day. I also carry mine every day when I am in the US. Habit I guess. Some good observations from previous posters about water and strength. We each also carry a money belt and wear them as they are suppose to be worn, my wife wares a waist type while I have migrated to one that hangs around my neck = both inside our outer garments.