Type of day bag to carry
 

Hello, I'm fairly new here and am at the very early planning stages of a trip to Italy with my wife next summer.

With all the talk of pickpockets, etc. I'm concerned with protecting any credit cards, cameras, etc. we may want to carry with us as we sight see. What recommendations do you have as to backpacks/daypacks, etc? Is it safe to walk around with something like that? What do you carry your small items in?

This is stressing me out more than the actual planning part...I've traveled to Mexico many times and have not had to worry about this. Any recommendations?

What did you use in Mexico? Use the same thing for Europe. I carry everything that I need in a regular purse. If you decide on a backpack, just remember that everytime you turn you in danger of hitting someone. I have seen this happen many times.

I like to have a bag large enough for camera, wallet, travel info, and sometimes a sweater. For trips to Italy and Peru last year I used a small Swiss Army shoulder bag (one strap) with loads of great pockets. It was pretty comfortable tucked under my arm with my hand resting on the strap. I must say I never noticed any criminal types pursuing me, so my greatest problem was just looking like a geek (which I am).

Stop stressing - it's really not that bad. However, I wouldn't go anywhere without using an under the clothing style security pouch for my passport and most of my credit cards/ATM cards. I only carry one credit card and one day's worth of cash outside of the security pouch. Both I and my husband carry small backpacks to hold things like cameras, guide books, water bottles, etc. My husband puts his one credit card/cash in a front pocket.

My husband carries his wallet in his front pants pocket..or in his inside jacket pocket.
I carry guide books and camera etc in my bag, that has a strap that goes over the shoulder or across my chest..that is the way I carry it when traveling..especially on trains. Backpacks are a pain! especially to other people..I cannot tell you how many times we have been on trains and buses and had to duck being hit with one on the back of some person totally unaware!
Messenger bags are good as well as these flat sort of backpacks that strap across the chest, my son wears one ( he lives in Japan and travels all over the world with that bag)
Mexico is worse, I believe, so you can stop worrying :)
And we never carry bottles of water, they sell it everywhere, you can stop and take a break and have a drink anytime you need it..leaving you with one less unneccesary item to lug around with you :)

As much as I really don't like Rick Steves, his website actually does have a good sized useful day pack, the civita day pack. Check into it, its a bit smaller sized than a normal back pack, but well sized for day tours.

You should carry your passport, credit cards, and cash in a money belt or pouch underneath your clothing. The belts are just that and the pouch goes around your neck and tucks under your shirt. That way you don't have to constantly worry about pickpockets. I would think twice about a backpack, as it leaves you very vunerable to thieves. A messanger bag is a good idea, as you keep it in front of your body. When I was in France I just carried a somewhat large purse - your wife might want to do that. Make sure it has a zipper and not just a snap closure, and always keep the tab on the zipper to the front. The combo of my money belt and a death grip on my purse gave me peace of mind without being overly concerned!

the best type of daypacks have good ventilation and good compression straps. go to rei if you have one near and try a few daypacks they have. i love the deuter line as they have the best ventilation possible. also look at camelbak packs and just take out the hydration bit...they are really good packs as well.

ucsun,
I'm just totally curious here, what is the great need for alot of ventilation?

I AGREE WITH ISABEL AFTER 4 TRIPS TO EUROPE FROM OUR FIRST TRIP WE USED A THIN ENVELOPE WHERE WE CARRIED OUR PASSPORTS , A COPY OF OUR SPOUSES PASSPORT, OUR CREDIT CARDS, ATM CARD AND ANY LARGE BILLS IF WE HAD THEM. THESE WERE WORN INDIDE OUR CLOTHING. YOU CAN FIND THEM AT MAGELLANS {SP]TRAVEL STUFF. I DIDN'T MIND GOING INTO A BANK AND PULLING UP MY TOP TO GET TO MY POUCH. I CARRIED A SMALL OVER THE SHOULDER BAG WITH SMALL BILLS, LIPSTICK, COMB, TOILET PAPER, ETC.

Mary,
Caps off please, its hard to read and frightening :)

Traveler863,
the ventilation helps keeping your back cool. with normal back/daypacks they sit tight against your back and trap heat. this leads to extra sweating. with better back/daypack, the pack has different ways allowing air to flow, which will keep you cooler. some have pods, grooves, or built-in frames to allow for the trap heat to get out.

and especially in summer, you'll even be hotter than normal and more sweating. maybe just me, but i feel much better walking around all day without feeling all hot and bothered w/ my pack.

ucsun,
I hear you, and thats goood logic. But how does this particular backpack allow extra airflow? I would assume it must be designed with some ridgedness to keep the pack away from your back? If ridged not sure thats always great either, hard to pack, more difficult handling. Please explain in more detail, I leave in about 6 weeks and doing alot of hiking and day trips with pack. Inputs are always great. Thanks.

best thing to do is to go to:

deuter.com
or
deuterusa.com

go to products, go to hiking, take a look at the futura 28 and look at the design. it's much easier than trying to put it in words.

the camelbak lines has extra padding in a few parts of the back that allows channels of air to flow. but nothing like the deuter packs. you could look at berghaus packs, but they're only sold in europe (you could pick one up there).

ucsun,
Ok I found the website and I see what you are talking about, it appears in the pictures to create a type of cave so you have a space there on your upper back. However, for just light hiking or day tripping to towns one wouldn't need such a serious pack. When I look at it I think that a good 4-5 hut to hut type pack for Europe, no?

the 28L is around 1700 cubic inches...not too big. for hikes or long days, it's nice. it looks bigger than it is because of the cavity for the back.

for shorter day trips or minimalists, the camelbaks are good too...look at the blowfish or rim runner. the blowfish is small but can extend a bit by unzipping to yield more space. i used the blowfish last year and it was great. this year, i am debating vs taking the deuter and more size vs the smallish blowfish. i'm torn myself.

Our hiking can be long and strenuous but we always leave from our rented apt or hotel, set off for the day, return to hotel. My son loves his camelbak but wants a duplex you could say? A hydro pack that also has space for other items. Current hydro pack he has is just that, space for the water and thats it. I for one don't think hydro pack is a necessary thing, but then again I'm an old fart and hard to change but can be changed. Right now I like my simple backpack, smaller sized, enough for a litre or two of water, a sandwich and my camera...that's pretty much it. Any thought are welcomed. How about hiking boots, what's your take on those? Or I think with that I should start a new thread? You have good info.

ucsun,
I created a new thread, "Hiking....." to better accommodate this further discussion. Please post responses there. Happy travels.

I use a bag known as the "travel purse" from Eagle Creek. They have a lot of other similar types of bags that are very good for traveling. I wore the bag crosswise over by shoulder. It has a ton of little compartments so it carried my maps, water, camera and credit cards and money. My kids called it the fortress because I could double lock the area where there was money. If we were in a crowd, I just put my hand on it. Husband used a neck pouch. Also from eagle creek.

All the above are good and have used many of them, at the moment a travel purse from QVC has been wonderful (across the shoulder and in two sizes), however at times I also use a travel vest which, like a photographers or fishing vest, has many pockets and I have even added a few INSIDE the vest. So when you want to wear that, you can leave the purse home. Both work well. To each his own. Have a good trip. Halfpint

I wear a back pack and my boyfried walks beside me an maybe a halfstep back. Never been robbed yet. I think it is the same in any city. You need to be aware of you surroundings but not paranoid. I met two women in Rome who were absolutely terrified. How does one go through life like this? Whether you are in New York, Mexico, Rome, or any other major city I find common sense will keep you safe.

May I ask why some of you are walking around with so much loot????? Are you sleeping in public parks that you have to carry ALL of your belongings with you like a bag lady??????? Put your valuables in your hotel room safe and only carry what is necessary. You can fit a credit card, ATM card, and a small wad of cash in your pants front pocket. No need to carry a wallet in your back pocket. I doubt anyone is going to ask to see your SS card or driver's license. If you are terrified of having your camera stolen, carry a disposable one--the photos are just as good. If you are a woman, wear your purse across your chest bandolier-style like the women of New York or Philadelphia. Keep your ATM card, credit card, and cash in your pants front pocket. It is highly unlikely a pickpocket will stick his hand in your front pocket.

Why some of you insist on carrying your passport, all of your cash, traveller's cheques, 17 credit cards, your children's photos, etc. around with you all day is beyond me. USE THE HOTEL SAFE.

I am thinking that some people feel a little adrift when in a strange country and a little insecure.
Carrying things that are important to them and being well supplied might make some feel more in control of things, more secure.
I think as one travels, one feels more at home, in strange places and will eventually leave a lot of these extraneous items at home or in the hotel.
Picture the professional photographer, he has his wallet in his pocket and his camera around his neck. Film in another pocket. He is good to go. As a traveler, we can do much the same thing, it just takes getting past that initial feeling of being out of ones depth or familiar territory.
(The End of Scarletts dissertation on Traveling with ones Belongings) :D

Hi TG
You're neglecting the fact that some of us even when we are at home are lugging around a lot of stuff every day--I already DO feel that I am carrying only what is necessary. :)
The weight isn't due to the two credit cards, or the wad of cash, and I'm not carrying photos. It's the small camera, the one extra roll of film, the map, the kleenex and bandaids, the lipstick, the sunglasses and reading glasses, the few pages with sightseeing tips and cafes, the souvenir book I just bought and haven't dropped off at the hotel yet, etc. Somehow the ounces add up to pounds. Except for the souvenir book, camera, and map, it's pretty much what I lug around at home during the day.
I don't pack light either--it's a syndrome I guess, the need to have STUFF with me. If only I had Jeeves walking behind me to carry it all.

Scarlett
You can dissertate any time you like, as far as I'm concerned.
:)

here are two of several past threads on this topic

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34496230

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34594849

I read and read on this forum but the biggest impact made on me was a friend saying right before we left "we tuck cash, a credit card and Driver's License in the FRONT pockets of our jeans and we are good to go".

I went out to Kohl's and bought a small black bag with long strap that I could wear crossed over my chest to hold the "stuff" - camera, extra film, pages from guidebook or Fodor's printouts, but the cash, debit card and DL stayed in my front (black) jeans pocket. The rest of the "valuable" stayed in the room safe. Anything in the bag was replaceable if lost or stolen.

We also took a backpack on days when we planned to picnic or take a Fat Tire Bike Tour. It was great to have to tuck souvenirs in during the day.

I would NEVER put my camera or anything else of value in a backpack. Only extra clothes, a map, water, a book etc. Backpacks are a pickpockets delight.

In Napes I did have someone reach in to my front pocket (on a bus). We found Naples to be especially bad, as was the metro in Paris. We never carry our credit card and ATM card in the same pocket just in case someone rips us off. We have seen a lot of careless tourists bring out wads of cash. If we have a fair amount of money, we seperate it and just bring out a little at a time. Common sense has to prevail even if you are away from home and on vacation.

I use my regular (good sized) purse from home. Carrying approx. the same kind & amount of things. As mentioned above no need to tote water about, just stop for a beverage in a cafe or shop if you are thirsty. I use a disposable camera which is light weight and of no value.

For a man, I think a small day-pack or messenger style bag works OK. But keep cash, cards, passport etc. either back in the hotel safe or somehow secure ON your person (inner pocket, money belt or neck pouch if you feel the need).