Documents /cash/card carriers

[soozansings]

I've been studying the different types of secure carry belts and wallets. I can't imagine wearing an under shirt or in pants wallet in the summer. I'll have cash, cards, passport. Any recommendations, especially from the ladies? Thanks.

 

[Tincatinker]

I'm sure I'm no lady. However, I do use a sub-outerwear body-belt for my passport, credit card & major cash stash. But that mainly is for when I'm travelling and in major cities where the pick-pockets are professionals and the creme-de-la-creme of their trade. I use it on Camino too but set above my waist-hip area where the hip-belt of my pack will sit. Paper money and passport that might suffer from 'damp' are in a very light-weight plastic bag and set in the front pocket away from my skin. At night its sits in a double twist around an ankle at the bottom of my sleeping-bag. That way it won't get forgotten on those nocturnal trips that we 'not ladies' are often obliged to undertake.

The crucial element of 'valuables' security is never, never not with you - with you in the loo, with you in the shower, with you while you just nip back to the desk to ask the hospitalero a question, with you at the bar even though you are with friends. A body belt is a ready solution. Avoid anything vaguely plastic / nylon. Mine is cotton / wool mix it washes and dries quickly when need arises and while my valuables sit in a zipped and tagged security pocket in my trousers. And pay particular attention to where and how it fastens - a clip on your hipbone or shoulder is a guaranteed source of discomfort.

 

[GreatDane]

I've been studying the different types of secure carry belts and wallets. I can't imagine wearing an under shirt or in pants wallet in the summer. I'll have cash, cards, passport. Any recommendations, especially from the ladies? Thanks.

I wear one of those nylon neck pouches with my passport, big money and credit card in it 24/7 (except when I shower and it's right there with me). I even wear it when I sleep. It's black and I wear it under black sports t's so it doesn't show very much except lumpy and I'm pretty lumpy anyway. My daily cash goes in an Exofficio Floating Wallet (last trip)/Chums Floating Marsupial Wallet(this trip) that is hooked by a leash to my skirt belt. The only time it gets unclipped is never since I change back into my hiking skirt there in the shower stall. Method works. I only know because a week ago I wasn't wearing a belt with my skirt, didn't have the leash hooked to me and used the restroom at a store. 10 minutes later I realized my wallet was gone. It's never been turned in. I have a feeling the wallet fell out of my pocket and got flushed....

 

[soozansings]

I'm sure I'm no lady. However, I do use a sub-outerwear body-belt for my passport, credit card & major cash stash. But that mainly is for when I'm travelling and in major cities where the pick-pockets are professionals and the creme-de-la-creme of their trade. I use it on Camino too but set above my waist-hip area where the hip-belt of my pack will sit. Paper money and passport that might suffer from 'damp' are in a very light-weight plastic bag and set in the front pocket away from my skin. At night its sits in a double twist around an ankle at the bottom of my sleeping-bag. That way it won't get forgotten on those nocturnal trips that we 'not ladies' are often obliged to undertake.

The crucial element of 'valuables' security is never, never not with you - with you in the loo, with you in the shower, with you while you just nip back to the desk to ask the hospitalero a question, with you at the bar even though you are with friends. A body belt is a ready solution. Avoid anything vaguely plastic / nylon. Mine is cotton / wool mix it washes and dries quickly when need arises and while my valuables sit in a zipped and tagged security pocket in my trousers. And pay particular attention to where and how it fastens - a clip on your hipbone or shoulder is a guaranteed source of discomfort.

Thank you,

I'm sure I'm no lady. However, I do use a sub-outerwear body-belt for my passport, credit card & major cash stash. But that mainly is for when I'm travelling and in major cities where the pick-pockets are professionals and the creme-de-la-creme of their trade. I use it on Camino too but set above my waist-hip area where the hip-belt of my pack will sit. Paper money and passport that might suffer from 'damp' are in a very light-weight plastic bag and set in the front pocket away from my skin. At night its sits in a double twist around an ankle at the bottom of my sleeping-bag. That way it won't get forgotten on those nocturnal trips that we 'not ladies' are often obliged to undertake.

The crucial element of 'valuables' security is never, never not with you - with you in the loo, with you in the shower, with you while you just nip back to the desk to ask the hospitalero a question, with you at the bar even though you are with friends. A body belt is a ready solution. Avoid anything vaguely plastic / nylon. Mine is cotton / wool mix it washes and dries quickly when need arises and while my valuables sit in a zipped and tagged security pocket in my trousers. And pay particular attention to where and how it fastens - a clip on your hipbone or shoulder is a guaranteed source of discomfort.

Thank you, Tincatinker. And, by the way, I so enjoy your tongue-in-cheek comments!

 

[Tincatinker]

Thank you. I aspire not to be Mr Grumpy all the time

 

[november_moon]

I can't stand wearing security belts, etc. I am short, which is part of the problem - hard to find a place to put them under my clothes where they don't show or bunch up. I've never found a way to wear any of them comfortably. So I never use them - anywhere. On the Camino, it seems like overkill to take such measures as keeping your valuables hidden under your clothes. Just keep them with you - and for women, that's easy - just bring a small handbag. Mine is just large enough to fit passport, credential, phone, and my wallet. When I walked, it went in the top of my backpack. When I stopped, I took it with me. It has an adjustable strap, so I can wear it cross-body if I want to. I took it with me when I showered, put it in the bottom of my sleep sack at night.

 

[J F Gregory]

I travel wearing pants with zippered pockets. Money and Passport go in a zip lock bag.

 

[Walli Walker]

I use a bum bag (waist bag/fanny pack). In it are all the important bits, passport, money, cards, phone, iPad mini, credential etc. It is ALWAYS with me. Also it makes it very easy to access these things while walking.

 

[BShea]

I have made a small zippered pouch that I sewed into my pants (trousers) for my cash and cards. I keep the cash in a plastic sleeve so it doesn't get wet from sweat.


For my other items I want to always have with me, I am trying to decide whether I want to use the waist pack I've used before. It has a perfect pocket for storing a passport.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WLGO372/?tag=casaivar02-20


Or this 16 pocket vest I just bought:


I like that the waist pack holds 2 water bottles but I thought the vest might distribute weight better. I need to practice a bit more before I make my final decision. I also should probably try to sleep in the vest.

 

[Seabird]

I use an expandable running belt. It has a small, stretchy zippered pouch on an elastic band. I put my passport, extra cash, and extra credit card in it and wear it in the small of my back. My "daily" cash will go into my waist pack.

 

[rometimed]

I had my passport and copies of docs in a water proof Ziploc type bag in a pouch in my pack and everything else in my wallet which could be tied into my pack side pouch. I also made copies of everything and uploaded them to my email address so had digital access via my smartphone @ any wifi area.

I always kept my pack nearby and it was 14 Kilos so not so easy to run off with, especially later in my trip in places like Turkey.

 

[naplesdon]

I wear one of those nylon neck pouches with my passport, big money and credit card in it 24/7 (except when I shower and it's right there with me). I even wear it when I sleep. It's black and I wear it under black sports t's so it doesn't show very much except lumpy and I'm pretty lumpy anyway. My daily cash goes in an Exofficio Floating Wallet (last trip)/Chums Floating Marsupial Wallet(this trip) that is hooked by a leash to my skirt belt. The only time it gets unclipped is never since I change back into my hiking skirt there in the shower stall. Method works. I only know because a week ago I wasn't wearing a belt with my skirt, didn't have the leash hooked to me and used the restroom at a store. 10 minutes later I realized my wallet was gone. It's never been turned in. I have a feeling the wallet fell out of my pocket and got flushed....

I had my passport and copies of docs in a water proof Ziploc type bag in a pouch in my pack and everything else in my wallet which could be tied into my pack side pouch. I also made copies of everything and uploaded them to my email address so had digital access via my smartphone @ any wifi area.

I always kept my pack nearby and it was 14 Kilos so not so easy to run off with, especially later in my trip in places like Turkey.

My two cents worth of advice,
I met a guy several years ago who spent the night in the albergue in Cizur Menor and overnight someone cut the string on his neck bag while he was asleep. Many will advice you to put your valuable in a pocket or at the foot of you sleep line while you are sleeping.
I never leave any of value in anyplace other than the front pocket of my pants in a ziplock bag, no one is going to put their sticky fingers there.

 

[GreatDane]

I met a guy several years ago who spent the night in the albergue in Cizur Menor and overnight someone cut the string on his neck bag while he was asleep. Many will advice you to put your valuable in a pocket or at the foot of you sleep line while you are sleeping.

Even on the camino I wake up 319 times a night (just look at my FitBit stats sometime!!!) so if someone was cutting the sting on my neck bag and dragging it out of my shirt I think I wouldn't sleep through it. And I never used my bag (too hot in Sept '14 for me) and just laid on my liner so what I did was the best plan for me. YMMV

 

[GreatDane]

I'm still wearing my passport pouch under my shirt, floating wallet in my front pocket but this time I'm wearing an small Marmot Excursion Lumbar Pack in addition to my smaller pack. It will contain my camera, 2 .5L water bottles, reading glasses, pen, snacks. No water bladder this time (hooray!!), and no having to take off my pack to get to everything else.

 

[scikowski]

I use a silk neck pouch, but I loop the string part around my bra strap so it isn't around my neck. I adjust it so the pouch hangs above my belly button so it doesn't bend when I do. I keep my passport and, credit card and most of my money in it. Money for the day goes in a small wallet in my zippered pants pocket. I keep everything in zip lock bags in the pouch. I just know that if I kept things in something like a waist belt I would eventually leave it somewhere. The pouch stays on my body unless I am actually under the shower. So far so good!

 

[soozansings]

I have made a small zippered pouch that I sewed into my pants (trousers) for my cash and cards. I keep the cash in a plastic sleeve so it doesn't get wet from sweat.
View attachment 24566

For my other items I want to always have with me, I am trying to decide whether I want to use the waist pack I've used before. It has a perfect pocket for storing a passport.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WLGO372/?tag=casaivar02-20
View attachment 24567

Or this 16 pocket vest I just bought:
View attachment 24569

I like that the waist pack holds 2 water bottles but I thought the vest might distribute weight better. I need to practice a bit more before I make my final decision. I also should probably try to sleep in the vest.

Oooh i looked at the vests. Pretty cool.

 

[Louise2016]

I also dont like the feel of a neck purse or waist belt. I put my passport and money in a quart size ziploc bag and keep it in a deep inside pocket of my backpack when hiking, then in a zipped pocket when lounging around, then with my shower bag when i shower, then in my pillow at night.

 

[soozansings]

I also dont like the feel of a neck purse or waist belt. I put my passport and money in a quart size ziploc bag and keep it in a deep inside pocket of my backpack when hiking, then in a zipped pocket when lounging around, then with my shower bag when i shower, then in my pillow at night.

Thanks, Louise. That's the way I'm leaning, too.

 

[magpye]

I've been studying the different types of secure carry belts and wallets. I can't imagine wearing an under shirt or in pants wallet in the summer. I'll have cash, cards, passport. Any recommendations, especially from the ladies? Thanks.

I was very pleased with me "baggallini" belt wallet. Of course I always wore a belt... and a money belt at that: a true, leather, zippered money belt. Also available other than leather. As well, my trousers and skirt had interior zippered pocket. The baggallini wallet is large enough for a passport and has about 8 different pockets, some zippered. It has a detachable shoulder strap as well. However, I always needed a waterproof pouch for my guidebook and pilgrim passport, which I needed far more often than my wallet. I picked up a clear sleeve with neck cord in one of the shops along the way. Slept with my skirt or trousers as pillow and was never compromised for security.
Hope this helps.