money belts

I'm not sure what you mean? Do you mean wear it over your pants but under, say, a longer tee shirt? I'm not sure that would be enough of a deterrent to pickpockets. In my opinion, the reason for inside your pants means you've got pants and shirt over your valuables and they are very hard to get to.

I'm usually one to run "hot" but the money belt doesn't bother me. I do keep my passport in a small ziplock bag in case I do get sweaty.

Would an around the neck wallet work better for you?

You could also consider tethering a pouch with your passport inside your purse, inside a zipped pocket if that works with the purse you will carry daily. A friend here on the forum suggested sewing a split ring (like a keychain ring) to the bottom of a pouch, another to the bottom of my purse or inside a pocket and tethering with a Seattle Sports Dry-Dock tether. I've done that as well as have it in a zipper pocket in my purse which I secure with a carabiner.

Certainly money belts should be worn under your clothes. I wear mine overtop my unders, but inside the pants/skirt. And of course, only for deep storage. Daily cash and card in my purse.
Like Pam, I put passport and other documents in a ziploc in case of excessive sweating. I didn’t find the money belt to be overly uncomfortable. I knew it was there, but I prefer that to the possibility of being easily pickpocketed. My husband doesn’t like the money belt, so he uses the neck wallet instead. Works for him bc he typically wears baggier shirts with collars (hides the telltale string at the base of your neck).

Maybe try a different type of money belt? This stashbandz has been recommended several times on the forum. I have two, a black one I'll use as an under my leggings money belt and a navy one that I use over my leggings to hold my phone while walking at home. It's stretchy, comfortable and has four pockets to spread the bulk around your waist. Pre-Covid trip to Italy I used the RS silk neck wallet, more comfortable than synthetic but I didn't like all the bulk in one spot.

I confess, I don't use a money belt. I, too, find them very uncomfortable. I do use a travelon purse with slash resistant fabric and zippers that lock that I wear as a cross body bag in front of me in crowds. (One arm resting across the top of the bag).

I think the secret here is to experiment with different options and find the one that works well for you. There are certainly different secret pocket, pockets sewn into underwear, special vests, etc out there.

Find someone you know who sews and try the Carl Franz (of People's Guide to Mexico) extra hidden pocket.
I still use the one my mother made for me in 1996 and it has been all over the world. It works great, but is less accessible than the money belt.
https://www.peoplesguide.com/1pages/chapts/pack/pocket.html

Definitely under my shirt.

I used to wear a belt and bought a belt-loop pouch that flips inside the front of my jeans, or slightly off to the side, and it never felt sweaty. This worked great. Without a belt I now have a similar pouch made of cotton fabric--big enough for some cash and spare cards, passport even--that I fasten to the inside of my jeans with a couple of large safety pins.

I don’t like money belts because they make me sweaty among other reasons. I’ve been using a pacsafe bag … I don’t know what it’s called but it’s not a purse, no dangling . It crosses my body diagonally but sits on my back (diagonally). Almost like a baby sling but obviously much smaller. I like that it’s against my body, and when I’m in a more crowded situation I twist it so it’s against the front of my body instead of my back. So far so good

Cindy, I think you are talking about the belt money belt? Is it the one that attaches to your belt and hangs inside your pants that makes you sweaty? I think a waist belt would cause the same issue. Lo’s type is interesting but I have never worn one. I don’t need an added layer around my waist, unfortunately. I have always worn a leg money belt. The top of it is just under my knee, but I don’t travel in the summer and wear bootcut slacks or wide leg pants. At 68, even with nice legs, leggings are not a good look for me.

I think most styles of money belts will be sweaty in Summer.

If you are talking about the regular money belt, you can try wearing the storage portion of the belt at the small of your back and the buckle would be at your waist, in the front. That is more comfortable for some.

I never used a money belt before this forum and now only do while in transport if solo traveling. Also, I am getting away from them. I am more concerned with misplacing something. However, I do keep my financial backups in separate locations. And I love pacsafe and travelon for their organization.

I always thought that the problem with money belts was the term belt that implies that it is worn at the belt line. I think it is a spin off from the pants belt that actually had a small pocket in the belt. We wear our "money belt" relatively high in the middle of the lower back well above the belt line of standard pants. For us, it is very comfortable in that location. But things can get damp regardless where you wear it so we keep everything in small plastic bags. But I have seen a lot of males wearing the pouch of the money belt just behind the belt buckle for easy access. I don't think it should worn that way but that is just my personal opinion.

I took the RS neck pouch, cut off the strap and pinned it inside my waistband on pants/jeans. I found it to be much more comfortable than a regular money belt or neck pouch. Plus I figured 2 big safety pins would be a deterrent to a pickpocket!

Well, I was coming back on to mention StashBandz which I see Horsewoofie has recommended. I literally just walked out to the mailbox to retrieve my mail and my Stashbandz was there. I've got it on but I'm a bigger person and not sure how this will do. Im wearing it around today without anything in it to see if it actually fits and doesn't ride up.

I tried a money belt on one trip and found it sweaty, uncomfortable, and the stuff in it got bent. (I'm short-waisted.) Now I use a neck pouch, but only at airports, on trains, etc. For day-to-day out and about when travelling, I have a Travelon purse. My husband uses a wallet that hangs from his belt but inside his pants.

For me, it is all about layers of protection. My money belt is so comfortable, I honestly forget that I have it on when I travel internationally. I wear it in the front, under my jeans. I just carry my passport, a credit card, and some cash in mine, and very, very rarely access it while I'm out sightseeing. My Travelon or Pacsafe purse (I have several ones to choose from) carries the credit card and cash that I will need for the day. I haven't travelled internationally yet since the pandemic started, but I plan to carry my vaccine card in my purse as well. Back at the hotel or apartment, I hide the rest of my cash in my locked suitcase/bag/backpack. I try to use a credit card as much as possible for purchases rather than cash.

You might try an all-silk moneybelt, which is much less sweaty than the one RS sells. Don't use any waterproof liners, either, which are plastic and contribute to sweating.

Good luck finding your perfect way to stash!

I actually use a pouch that attaches to my bra. Like this one: https://www.rei.com/product/111859/pacsafe-coversafe-s25-secret-bra-pouch?CAWELAID=120217890003552592&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=104890977310&CATCI=pla-451869320060&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C21700000001700551_1118590001%7C92700053575933809%7CTOF%7C71700000066695738&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgKPNq9Tf9gIVzcDICh0DKAteEAQYASABEgKfLfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

It keeps the lines of my clothing flat and straight so I prefer it to a belt.

The larger issue of securing the various items you carry on your person is worth considering. I arrived at three levels of value and found pants and shorts (from Royal Robbins) that have a hidden zippered rear pocket for the highest security and least used, a flip pocket for items that get used more often, and everything else, like change and a wad of low denomination bills, is loose in a front pocket. No money belt at all.

My husband uses something very similar to RS Civita Hidden Pocket. He has used that for years.

I found that wearing my money belt with the bag part in the small of my back is much more comfy than at the front.
It doesn't stick out as it's in the curve of your back.
I also switched to one with an entirely elastic belt with no buckles or clasps, as once it came undone and I nearly lost it down the toilet.....

I do the same as SJ. I turn it around and wear the pouch at the small of my back. That way my tummy doesn’t look buldgey. I also safety pin it, too.

I don't use a money belt - I figured thousands or more people live in Europe and use regular bags without any problem, and that's what I do. I make sure my bag is secure and wear it cross-body, and I've never had any problems.

I've used one of these on our two trips and found it to be comfortable.

https://www.sierra.com/eagle-creek-undercover-hidden-pocket~p~67mtj/?filterString=travel-accessories~d~9646%2Fsearchwithin~pocket%2F

My husband has the Eagle Creek money pocket and the RS version and prefers the RS version even though it’s a bit smaller than the Eagle Creek because it has two separate pockets with one for bills and one for cc’s and it’s a better quality material.

Just out of curiosity I decided to wear my Eagle Creek money belt all day, walking to the store etc., just to see how it felt and if it looked bulky. I actually forgot I had it on. It doesn't show when its buckled around my hips instead of my waist and under my clothes. So, I am a convert now.

I bought an RS money belt for my first trip over 10 years ago and only used it on that one trip. I did wear it around my waist (over a shirt but under a sweater) because the in-your-pants thing seemed bizarre and uncomfortable. For me, it was still weird and seemed unnecessary so I did away with it, especially since my next couple of trips were in really warm weather without multiple layers to conceal this thing.

Wearing " the money belt under your belt (inside the pants), " I found to be just cumbersome.. I did that on one trip.

After that experience I changed over to wearing the Eagle Creek "hidden pocket," which is more comfortable, not tedious, and effective, plus, I wear the Eagle Creek neck pouch.