Concealed wallet or belt?!

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darkhelmet

Joined
Dec 31, 2002
Messages
23
im looking for some kinda way to hide cash etc when travelling, like a wallet that you wear hidden, or a belt with a zipper so you can store bills in it... or something to wear around your wrist? something like that... not sure what would work best, but i know i dont want to wear a standard wallet in my pocket when visiting other countries... any suggestions welcome! something that is light and small and doesn't show. not sure what to search for her... if you have any links id appreciate it.
 
Having spent over five years kicking around Europe when I was one of Uncle Sam's lost children, I recommend a neck pouch. I sewed one from waterproof nylon with nylon bootlace type material for the neck cord and a velcro closure. I used waterproof material to prevent intrusion of sweat in hot weather travel. It wasn't fancy, but it kept my passport and spare cash out of harm's way.

I recommend neck pouches over a belt because the pouch is always worn next to your skin (i.e. under whatever shirt you have on). At the beginning of each day you transfer whatever traveler's checks or cash you want for that day to a pocket. A belt, being a more outer article of clothing, offers greater risk for a "cut & run" theft. A money belt worn inside your clothes would be as equally acceptable as a neck pouch, but wouldn't be big enough for your passport.

I guess if I'd been smarter, I would have not only sewn a neck cord on my pouch, but a strap to attach around my torso as well. IMHO do not have a clip/snap on your neck strap that might break & allow the pouch to be yanked free. It's a trade-off between absolute security of your pouch and strangulation if someone gets hold of the cord & tries to leave with the pouch.

These days there are lots of nice (and gadgety :) ) traveler's pouches, so it becomes a matter of picking which one best suits your load and your carry method of choice.
 
I would suggest you hang it under one arm instead of around your neck. You won't have the telltale string in the back of your neck and it could be accessed by undoing only one button of your shirt.

I would also suggest that if you need to access money / plastic that you excuse yourself to the bathroom and close the stall door so as not to 'flash' your hiding spot.

Or do as I do...fold the money up in a small bundle and drop your pistol in the pocket on top of it.;)

Gadget54
 
I think there are some thigh pouches as well. Something that hugs the thigh and it shouldn't print through if you have losse fitting pants.

I have to double check the next time I'm at my local Mountain Equipment Co-Op. That's where I think I saw them.

Burton
 
I think there are some thigh pouches as well. Something that hugs the thigh and it shouldn't print through if you have losse fitting pants.
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In which case you should definitely follow Gadget54's advice of excusing yourself to the restroom stall. You're going to get some weird looks if a cashier gives you your total and you start to undo your pants. Reaching inside your pants will likewise get you talked about.
 
If you decide to use a zippered money bely be aware that after a while the zipper shows through on the outside of the belt so everyone knows that you are wearing a money belt.
 
Originally posted by Bodyhammer
In which case you should definitely follow Gadget54's advice of excusing yourself to the restroom stall. You're going to get some weird looks if a cashier gives you your total and you start to undo your pants. Reaching inside your pants will likewise get you talked about.
Click to expand...

Hhahah!
Yes, that's true! I was thinking more along the lines of stashing extra cash and passport. When I travel I take along a "dummy wallet". It contains expired credits cards and about $40.00 in loose cash and some other wallet-like items...nothing I would mind if I lost or robbed of. Then I would have my real wallet. Redundancy...and the thigh pouch would contain my passport and some extra cash and anything else that I could not afford to lose.

Burton
 
Living in Central America, where theft is commonplace, I do several things. First, I carry the equivalent of the Eagle Creek hidden pocket. It is leather and I got it from REI a couple of years ago. I have worn it EVERY day for over two years. Second, I carry two wallets. One is my "primary" that I operate out of. The second is my "drop" wallet which is the first one I would try to give away if robbed. I do this at the advice of others who have been here longer than I have. The last thing is that I always carry an exposed leatherman to give away in an attempt to keep the nicer knife I have hidden. (One friend has lost three leathermans to thieves this way!)
The hidden pocket is easy to carry and easy to access without being VERY visible.
 
Great minds think alike. I saw these two at a local hiking store yesterday, but thought their retail price was a little high. Looked on Campmor and sure enough, they're on sale for about 40% of the local retail price. You might like this security pouch or this neck wallet.
 
>"When I travel I take along a 'dummy wallet'. It contains ... nothing I would mind if I lost or robbed of. Then I would have my real wallet. Redundancy...and the thigh pouch would contain my passport and some extra cash and anything else that I could not afford to lose."

>"I carry two wallets. One is my 'primary' that I operate out of. The second is my 'drop' wallet which is the first one I would try to give away if robbed."

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I thought I was the only one. :) Glad to know the methods I use have the BladeForums guys' stamp of approval! Staying safe when you're off the beaten path really isn't that hard ... but you have to think all the time, and be vigilant as hell. In 1997, I backpacked and camped all around Turkey with emergency money sewed into the hem of my Dockers shorts. I was leading a cash life then, no credit cards at all, so losing my scratch was NOT an option.
 
Here are my options living in a thirdworld country:
1) Outside view of my Rei stash wallet. Big enough to hold a passport and plenty of cash or credit cards. Does not print due to location. (Shown with Brown belt for visibility)
 

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You guys may not need this but here is my "secret" for not getting COMPLETELY robbed while travelling. I like jeans for daily wear because you can do a quick modification of the inside of the jean pocket that will allow you to carry some extra green and even a photocopy of your passport in a place that NO one looks. This does not take the place of the other methods shown but is a last ditch stash. Can be done simply as is illustrated below:
 

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OR, it can be done to all your jeans (And other pants with pockets made this way.) in a more durable fashion with some iron on patch material. Takes no time and gives you a tiny bit extra IF/WHEN you get robbed.
 

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Overall an excellent thread with great ideas.

Another, supposedly more tactically oriented money belt: http://bladeart.com/artists/fred_perrin/fred_perrin.htm

Re the dummy wallet, I don't recommend carrying expired credit cards, ID, or anything similar, since your credit card number(s) might not have changed on the new card(s), and there's no sense in EVER telling a scumbag who you are or where you live(d). My dummy wallet contains several million in Clinton-era "novelty" notes and nothing else. If you insist on having "cards" in the dummy, some gift and greeting card shops sell cards the same size with slogans or affirmations on them, instead.
 
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