StashSafe 100 Hip Pack
I've worn fanny packs for over 20 years. The StashSafe hip pack is the best one I've found. Specially-geared to prevent theft, the strap has stainless wire embedded inside so no one can cut the strap and run off with it. The buckle's catch is hidden by a velcro-backed flap that ensures it's neither visible nor reachable.
I used my pack heavily on a recent 6-week trip through Central America. The fanny pack is heavier and bulkier than many others (ed.: 300 grams). But it features several compartments and pockets inside that can carry a lot of stuff. In my case: two cameras, wallet, change, pen, small notebook, magnifying glass, penlight, swiss army knife, passport, watch.
You can also attach a lock between the two zippers and a stainless steel loop so they cannot be unzipped (pic below). I think this is more for locking it up when leaving it in a hotel room (and you can lock the bag around any pole or object that it can't be slipped over). When I'm out and moving around, I go into it so often, it would be a drag to keep unlocking it, so I've never used a padlock.
Another item I bought from PacSafe, but never used it on my trip, was their backpack & bag protector, a stainless steel mesh web that fits over a backpack so you can lock it to some kind of non-movable post. None of my hotel rooms seemed that open to theft, but I'm sure in some parts of the world and in some neighborhoods, you might want added security (esp. with laptops, cameras, etc).
Favorite (15)
j
It seems a lot less likely that you'll be robbed if you just don't wear a fannypack in the first place. . .
Nick
Just say no to fanny packs! (folks in the UK are giggling right now, I'll let Google explain).
I'm not just being snarky, I do have a point to make! I've traveled all my life, and the best way I've found to travel is to leave some or most of the cool tools at home. Bring the absolute minimum, and know if there's anything you truly need, you can get it locally (because the locals will need it too). Dress like a local, and not like a yokel. If you do that, you have taken away 99% of the reasons to be hassled or robbed and you'll also have a much more relaxing trip without feeling like everyone is out to rob you.
There really should be no reason for an armored fanny pack!
As a very experienced traveler (I've lived in Thailand, Paraguay, Kenya, Tanzania, India, Honduras and Indonesia, and traveled to dozens of other countries), here's what I do:
Dress in the same fashion that a middle class local would if wearing western clothing; typically slim pants and a button down shirt. Save the baseball cap, shorts and flip flops for the beach. No, you won't be mistaken for a local in most places, but you also won't look like a rich mark. Learn how to say hello, goodbye, and thank you in the local language, and you're even further ahead.
Take a slim, small camera that can slip into a front pocket for snapshots. If it's a little scratched and abused looking with a piece of electrical tape holding the battery door shut, so much the better. Leave the giant bottled water in the hotel / wherever you're crashing to brush your teeth, and if you're thirsty when you're out, buy a soda or other bottled drink.
One cool tool I do carry in some places is a money pouch to hang around my neck under my shirt. I don't travel with any significant amount of money (rural Cambodia, with no credit card or ATM network, was a recent exception). But it's a great place to keep my passport and emergency contact info. The small amount of money I need for a morning or afternoon is at the bottom of a pocket. If you need to get more money out of your money pouch, go to the bathroom.
Things I've seen fellow travelers bring and rarely use:
1. Heavy multitools. Seriously, borrow the tool you need from a local. They'll probably be interested in helping you fix what's broke! And the less useless, heavy gear you bring along, the less you'll need to repair. You'll also need to check your bag, if flying, if you bring anything that isn't permissible in a carry on. Expect to save a couple of hours when you're at your most exhausted if you avoid checking a bag.
2. Large flashlights. If you're traveling off the beaten path, take a tiny headlamp, like the Petzl Tikka Plus.
3. A full change of clothing for every day they're traveling. You'll end up wearing the same comfortable pants almost every day; when you get back to civilization, have them washed with the rest of your clothes while you wear your spare pair.
4. Huge first aid kits. If it's that major, plan to see a doctor. A few bandaids and antibiotic cream (for blisters), and required meds (anti-malarials, etc). should be all you need to worry about.
6. Big, heavy SLRs. These usually end up getting left in the hotel room or unhappily lugged along due to paranoia. Buy some postcards, and enjoy not having a 10 pound photo bag around your neck. You'll get better candid snaps with a pocket camera by not intimidating the hell out of your subjects, too. The gorgeous photo of the temple, shrouded in mist and illuminated by the rising sun? You'll find it in the gift shop for 50 cents.
7. Big, heavy guidebooks. Do your research ahead of time, write down some notes, and consult people you meet along the way.
Obviously, these don't apply to all types of trips and travel styles, but for the type of traveling I do, it's worked well. Fellow travelers will be lugging a 75 pound rucksack, while I'll be comfortable with a < 10 pound daypack.
And that was way more information than anyone wanted. :-)
Chris
I agree with Nick, I've traveled for the better part of my life and a lot of what he said was spot on...I even learned a few things :).. but this fanny pack is like a giant, albeit armored, bullseye...
Barbara
Seems like a skilled pick-pocket could unzip that sucker, take everything you've got and be gone before you realize anything's missing.
Kyle
Thanks for the great comment, Nick. As a fellow traveler, I vouch for everything he offered here.
"Fanny" (haha) packs are unsecure and unsightly. If you aren't being robbed, you are being laughed at. Either way...don't do it.
Robert
2 weeks in mexico, took mine everywhere to hold my daily needs and never had a problem. a guy on the beach asked me where i got it. Better than other fanny packs that i've used.
hahahahaha
the pacsafe is great for traveling in the usa....i used it for a 'safe' for my rooms as you can lock it to something big like a chair or the bed. keeps people from quickly grabbing it when the maid has the room door open. also keeps the maids from going thru your stuff. i have used mine for over a decade....i would carry a small desktop and lcd back in the day and i would put those in the packsafe and lock it to the table in my room also. wouldnt stop a determined thief but no one is going to casually walk off with your stuff....i probably wouldnt take it to a foreign country. i wouldnt take anything i wouldnt mind losing.....
Laral
I agree that calling this 'hip pack' (Pacsafe's name for it) a 'fanny pack' is really kind of, shall we say, "rural", for an American and downright vulgar, sexist, and heathen for a British reader. Also agree that Americans already stick out like a sore thumb anywhere we go without further advertising our presence. A better investment would be one of Pacsafe's money belts, but there are much better examples of those elsewhere.