Fanny pack or purse?
Feb 15th, 2001, 06:54 PM
#1
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Fanny pack or purse?
I will be traveling in Italy this summer w/my husband and another couple. I hate the look of the fanny pack but is it much safer than a purse (across the body w/one hand on it at all times)? I live in NYC and have also lived in Paris and traveled around Europe as a college student so I am familiar with safety precautions in big cities. Never had a problem. thanks!
Feb 15th, 2001, 07:09 PM
#2
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I've never worn a fanny pack. I prefer a purse that's designed to be worn across the chest. The zippered pocket on the back (against the abdomen) is where I store my money, passport, etc. The front flap pocket holds the maps, kleenex, etc. With its wide, thick strap I don't worry about a slash and grab, and the zippered pocket would be pretty difficult for a pickpocket to open. I have a canvas one (Calvin Klein $10 at Marshall's) and a black microfiber ($10 Target).
Feb 15th, 2001, 07:14 PM
#3
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I don't think fanny packs are safer than purses abroad--primarily because from what I've heard and seen, women in Europe don't wear/use them, so you're marking yourself as more of a tourist..hence, with stuff to steal. I always carry a shoulder bag with strap long enough to sling across my chest; harder to just grab away from me. For real security, a lot of people recommend money belts, but I find they're a lot more trouble than they're worth. I might use one in an *extremely* high crime area, but since I've carried a purse around every day for 15 years living in Washington, DC, I don't really feel the need to switch to a money belt in Paris. <BR> <BR>Oh, and BTW, "fanny pack" is considered vulgar at least in Britain, don't know about the rest of Europe. "Fanny" there refers rather graphically to a part of the female anatomy. (I will never forget the time I first learned this: an American woman got off a tender boat on a cruise, complaining that it had been rather a damp ride and "my fanny is soaked!" Two elderly British women behind her nearly choked until one of the cruise staff explained the idiomatic difference.)
Feb 16th, 2001, 04:21 AM
#5
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Carolyn, <BR> <BR>I like to take a backpack on trips. I only just recently discovered how handy they are for trips. I have a very small purse with a long strap that I keep inside the backpack, but occasionally I just grab the purse to take along for just shopping excursions or out to dinner, etc. <BR> <BR>Sandi
Feb 16th, 2001, 05:29 AM
#7
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Carolyn, I'm a New Yorker too <BR>and I use something similar to elvira's or gina's bag I guess. Mine is black microfiber, several internal zippered pockets for wallet, tickets, etc. <BR>On the plane it's my carry on bag, while I'm there it's my daily purse. It's also large enough to also hold a guidebook small purchases (postcards, etc) a small bottle of water, and a folding umbrella. THankfully it weighs next to nothing when it's empty.
Feb 16th, 2001, 05:39 AM
#8
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Another vote for a purse - looks better and no easier to steal. I've seen people here in Chicago try to slit the bottom of fanny packs and backpacks and take things out of the bottom - I suppose when I'm not around to scream at them, they might be successful. Wearing the bag in the front would make that manoeuver impossible, but I'm still recommending a purse. The very fact that you ask the question means that you'll probably be so aware of your surrounding that it won't be a problem...
Feb 16th, 2001, 07:26 AM
#10
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I think fanny packs simply scream "I'm a tourist," and that contributes to vulnerability. I carry a medium-sized black leather backpack with a combination zipper/drawstring/snaplock that makes it hard to get into. Inside that, I carry a small over-the-shoulder bag big enough for money and passports and other essentials - if I don't need the backpack, I just carry the smaller bag. I'm in Europe for weeks every year and have never had a problem.
