Please help me re: anti-theft bag for travel!

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Pimpernel

Pimpernel

Decade Club
May 2, 2014
1,365
1,301
#1
Dear fellow purse and travel lovers, I´m looking for a reliable, sturdy, practical, many-compartment, roomy, and good looking but under the radar bag (preferably crossbody) for my travels abroad. And if it´s water-repellent, all the better! Also, I'd like reinforcement of the straps and the exterior fabric so that it can´t be slashed off, and with at least one RFID-blocking compartment or slot. Until now, I have used Mandarina Duck bags, which are very sturdy and difficult to slash - but alas, haven´t prevented sticky fingers from opening it and trying to fish out my wallet!

So far, I´ve only found online PackSafe and Travelon bags (through Evilbay and a site called ebags) that look really great and fulfil all requirements (and then some) at under 100 USD, but as I am in Europe I would have to order sight unseen, and the reviews are somewhat mixed - I´ve read about not-so-unslashable mesh panels, broken zippers, etc.

What can you recommend to me, do you have any experience with any of these brands, or others that you have tried and found satisfactory? What is your solution for peace of mind when you travel

Thank you very much in advance for your help :-)
 
#3
I bought my PacSafe CitySafe350 backpack on Ebay UK from the seller all_outdoor. They were Super helpful and kind, I can only praise them! If you need any info on the products (which they have alot of), you can count of them to give a quick answer.

So far, after 5 mths of use, I've had zero issues with my backpack. I've stuffed it to the gills, I've shoved it into tight spaces, in general just very careless use. No loose threads or flimsy parts etc.
 
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#4
Use pacsafe crossbody for international travel. Believe from metrosafe collection. ~10 years, now, so no rfid. New models have feature, plus padded bits for tech. I just add rfid sleeves to cards, etc--viola!

This sucker has suffered. Hosed down with enough collonil waterstop spray to terrorize any storm.
Rain, pickpockets, seasick vomit over flap, rainforest sweat & grunge, curious birds--you name it, bag survived.
Here it is inside kayak--NZ, Abel Tasman:
https://forum.purseblog.com/attachments/bark-bay-end-hike-_resized_1-jpg.3497116/

No problem in fancy venues, either. Suggest avoid their new day-glo colors & opt black, navy or grey. Opt for dark tones, if you vomit & spill things enough to be concerned.;)
Happy travels.
 
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#6
Wow, thank you very much for your useful tips, the pics, and the very graphical resistance features (great you mentioned seasickness as it is definitely a concern, as are bird/critters/safari incident visits)!

I´m going ahead and ordering a Travelon north-south crossbody in navy, and a Pacsafe crossbody.
 
#7
Ok, I received the Travelon north-south crossbody bag in berry (not the colour I wanted but as this berry shade is actually very nice, I'm keeping it) and I'm delighted. My only caveat is that it doesn't fit A-4 sheets, as I believed it would when I measured the site measurements on a piece of cardboard before ordering it. Otherwise it's light, sturdy, very well sewn together, and I'm keeping it for sure. The PacSafe I ordered elsewhere, alas, hasn't arrived yet.
 
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#8
Pimpernel said:
Ok, I received the Travelon north-south crossbody bag in berry (not the colour I wanted but as this berry shade is actually very nice, I'm keeping it) and I'm delighted. My only caveat is that it doesn't fit A-4 sheets, as I believed it would when I measured the site measurements on a piece of cardboard before ordering it. Otherwise it's light, sturdy, very well sewn together, and I'm keeping it for sure. The PacSafe I ordered elsewhere, alas, hasn't arrived yet.
Click to expand...
Need to see this berry tone.:yes:
 
#9
remainsilly said:
Need to see this berry tone.:yes:
Click to expand...

I´m very sorry it took me so long - here we go, for comparison, both outside in (cloudy weather) natural light, one with flash, one without: from left to right Travelon LTD Tote in Bordeaux/Wine, Hermès Trim in Rouge H Epson, Travelon North-South Crossbody in Berry (darker and more purplish than the warmer-tone, lighter LTD Tote; below the Trim is Hermès Cyrano Raisin in Agneau, for comparison):
20171229_124704.jpg
 
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