Everyone has heard stories of friends and relatives who have had their money or their passport pick-pocketed when they are traveling. You do not need to go far from home, those that pickpocket seem to congregate anywhere there are a lot of people or tourists. They hang around airports, bus and train terminals, museums and any or all tourist attractions. A lot of companies have devised products to keep your valuable safe. Smart travelers use them. They can be the most important of your travel accessories and should always accompany you. There is a type and style that you can be comfortable with and that will remain hidden under your clothing. They are available in many fabrics ranging from cotton to nylon to silk. Many have non-sweat material underneath for comfort. With the large selection available, you really have no excuse to be taken advantage of by a pickpocket.
The most popular models are the money belts. These are worn around the waist and have one or two zippered pockets and some compartments inside. They are adjustable with elastic belts and are meant to go underneath your clothing. These are available in cotton, nylon or silk. Eagle Creek and Easy-go are two of the most popular brands making this important product. They are always available in a natural color so they will not be visible under light colored or thin fabrics.
Around the neck women often choose money belts. These have zippered pockets or Velcro pockets and some inner compartments. They are also designed to be worn only underneath clothing. Many of these around the neck styles have an adjustable strap that can be worn short or long. Because the strap locks at any length, you can also wear it around the shoulder or around the waist depending on the type of clothing you are wearing that day. These money belts are small enough to fit in the pocket of your discount luggage and be available when you arrive on your trip.
Now travel socks are available with a hidden zippered pocket for money and passports. The socks are made of machine washable holofiber. These socks can also be packed inside your lightweight luggage and used instead of a traditional money belt when clothing dictates. Other innovative types of travel money belts can clip onto the waistband of your slacks or skirt. The clip will show but the belt itself is under your clothing. There's also a loop type of money pouch that you slide your belt through. This also flips around underneath your clothing. The traditional belt style with the hidden zipper for money is still around and still very popular. The only drawback on this style is that it will not hold a passport. Passports are a favorite item of pickpockets, so the traditional belt style is usually worn for domestic travel where a passport is not a necessity. This style belt is available in luxurious leathers and also in fabric. From the outside, they look like ordinary belts and cannot be detected.
None of these types of travel money belts can be detected going through security checkpoints, although the one that resembles a regular belt and is worn on the outside will most probably have to be removed because of the buckle. There are no metal parts on the belts designed to be worn under your clothing. As long as you do not put anything with metal into the belt, there is nothing to set off security alarms. These under-the-clothing types of travel belts are not to be confused with the traditional fanny bags worn by men and women. These can be unfortunately pick-pocked. There is a new model fanny bag on the market by Pacsafe that is slash proof, snatch proof and tamper proof. All of these products are popular as corporate gifts and can be imprinted or silk-screened with company names or logos. They are so practical and necessary that they make wonderful gifts for all occasions.
