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Help me buy a security neck wallet

Help me buy a security neck wallet

Old Aug 18, 2016, 7:41 am
  #1  
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Help me buy a security neck wallet

A year on from an unpleasant pick-pocketing experience in another part of the world, I'm due to return there to see my friends soon.

However, this time I want to go prepared as we'll be doing lots of sight-seeing and just generally be out all day long in the hustle and bustle of a big city.

I want to invest in a neck wallet that can hold my passport, money and a credit card or two, and perhaps also my mobile phone. I intend to wear a jacket over this to minimise the chances of being pick-pocketed again.

I've looked on Amazon UK and nearly all the popular neck wallets that have great reviews are from 'customers' who have been provided the product free of charge or at a big discount in return for a review. So, I'd take those reviews with a big pinch of salt!

Does anyone have any recommendations for a neck wallet that is extremely light, very comfortable to wear all day long, has enough space for passport, phone, credit cards and money, isn't too thick so can be worn under a jacket or a coat, doesn't feel uncomfortable if you sweat, and one where the neck strap won't break easily?

Oh, and it needs to be available in the UK.
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Old Aug 21, 2016, 6:53 am
  #2  
 
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Have you considered a security scarf or belt? I use the Sholdit scarf, but several colleagues prefer the SPI belt as it can also be utilized when jogging.

https://www.sholdit.com/collections/basic

https://spibelt.com/shop/category/travel/
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Old Aug 22, 2016, 2:14 am
  #3  
 
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If you are already going to wear a jacket, why not just use one with internal pockets to carry your phone and a small wallet with just one credit card and small amount of cash needed for the day?

Leave your passport/other credit cards/cash not needed for the day in the hotel safe.
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Old Aug 22, 2016, 9:42 am
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Originally Posted by rumbataz
Does anyone have any recommendations for a neck wallet that is extremely light, very comfortable to wear all day long, has enough space for passport, phone, credit cards and money, isn't too thick so can be worn under a jacket or a coat, doesn't feel uncomfortable if you sweat, and one where the neck strap won't break easily?
There are many of these, and I think most are fairly similar.

I use an older version of this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...k_ql_qh_dp_hza

The manufacturer has jazzed it up a bit since I bought mine. I like the little drivers license holder (mine doesn't have that). And mine is not RFID protected. So those are nice new features that they have added.

A few comments:
1. In a warm climate, I find that I do sweat against the back side of the neck wallet (touching my chest). Since I like to carry our passports inside the neck wallet, I put both passports inside a small plastic baggie so that they will stay dry.
2. I don't carry a phone in the neck wallet. But if I were to try, I'd probably use a plastic baggie for that also.
3. A thief could still come up behind you and slit the cord holding the wallet (and hopefully not slit my neck!!) and pull it off. So I use a small safety pin going through the cord and pin this to the inside of my shirt.
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Old Aug 22, 2016, 12:14 pm
  #5  
 
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I don't carry all my important stuff in one place. I have a show wallet and a concealed wallet as well so if one is compromised I have a back up. In the concealed wallet I carry back up money, passport (if needed to carry), and a spare credit card. This hidden wallet is never show in public. Some carry a money belt or neck pouch. There are a number of makers including Eagle Creek, PacSafe, LewisNClark to name a few.

The YOMO neck travel wallet looks interesting too.

https://www.amazon.com/YOMO-Designer...s=neck%2Bpouch


Shak
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Old Aug 23, 2016, 8:09 am
  #6  
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I have been looking for a good neck wallet as well, also started looking at this after a pickpocketing experience.

My main complaints so far have been
  • I find that most of the neck wallets I've seen are way too complicated with multiple pockets and thus they are very thick even without the passport etc in it.
  • I found a thinner one but it is not waterproof on the back so sweat gets thru. Thanks for the plastic bag idea, I'll try that.
  • The neck strap is too thin and uncomfortable. I'm thinking of buying some nice feeling wider strip from the cloth shop and sewing that in place myself. The separate wider parts some wallets have do not seem to stay in place, so that's not a good idea either.
  • The last one I bought was just a little too small to fit a passport easily thru the zipper opening, needed to fold the passport a little. Huh?

I think these are mostly optimized to be sold in the shop, and not designed for real use.

The specs of a perfect one (for me) would be something like:
  • Very thin
  • Lightweight
  • Minimal design with maybe just 2 separate areas/pockets or something simple
  • Waterproof against sweat (and maybe rain)
  • Some good feeling cloth against skin
  • Wide soft comfy neck strap
  • Passport size
  • Neutral skin color(s) to hide it well

If you have any good suggestions, please post the link here...

I'm hoping there is someone who has made a good one, somewhere? If not, this would be a fabulous kickstarter project...

Bonus story: I have done a few day trips flying 3+ hours away with no luggage or jacket or anything except a neck wallet and few things in pockets. It is really nice to travel "far away" with nothing to carry, although it feels a bit funny at the airport security...
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Old Aug 24, 2016, 4:00 pm
  #7  
 
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Pacsafe makes THE best neck wallets, they have several styles. Some have RFID protection. Eagle Creek is the runner-up for neck wallets.

Pacsafe's "CoverSafe X75" is a nice style for what you describe as your needs, but it's not large enough for a phone. One advantage of Pacsafe's neck wallets is the strap is covered wire, can't be cut.

Check the pacsafe.com website for the style you want, then other sites for pricing. Amazon UK has the Pacsafe Cover Safe V75 RFID Blocking Neck Pouch, it's POSSIBLY large enough for a phone. Amazon UK also carried Eagle Creek neck wallets.

Another tactic would be a travel vest or jacket from ScotteVest. They sell online and in some USA airport Brookstone stores. ScotteVest ships overseas.
Dianne47 is offline  

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