Rick Steves Silk Money Belt | | Brand: Rick Steves
Category: Apparel
Department: unisex-adult
List Price: $12.95
Buy New: $9.80 - $12.75
as of 7/31/2010 18:04 MDT details
You Save: $0.20 (2%)
Altman Luggage Co.  2085 reviews
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Luggage Pros 908 reviews
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Amazon.com
Usually ships in 24 hours
Sharon Luggage & Gifts 447 reviews
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Rating:  110 reviews
Sales Rank: 9
Fabric Type: silk
Clothing Size: 5" x 11"
Size: 5" x 11"
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0
Dimensions (in): 11 x 0.5 x 11
MPN: RSK-95
Model: RSK-95
ASIN: B0009U7RCK
Tell A Friend
Add to Wishlist
Add to Wedding Registry
Add to Baby Registry
| |
| Features:
| • | Silk Comfort: Made from comfortable spun silk, our sturdy, ultra-light under-the-pants Money Belt is your best guarantee against pickpocket theft. | | • | For Every Body: Its soft elastic strap adjusts to your unique abdominal circumference. Its slim, strong buckle makes it easy to clip on and off. | | • | Secure Storage: The main zippered compartment features a moisture-barrier liner, perfect for you airline ticket, railpass or passport. A second zipper reveals two "easy access" compartments - one for your cash, and one for your debit/credit cards. |
|
| Accessories:
|
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Made from comfortable spun silk, our sturdy, ultra-light, under-the-pants moneybelt and neck wallet is your best guarantee against pickpocket theft, Its soft elastic strap/neck cord adjusts to your unique shape and the slim, strong buckle makes it easy to clip on and off, The main zippered compartment features a moisture barrier liner and the second zipper reveals two easy access compartments: one for your cash and one for your credit/debit cards, Rick Steves line of travel luggage and accessories is designed to be practical, durable and light weight - ideal for the frequent traveler, whether for Europe or cross-country, Each items' "Rick tested" features work to make every trip smoother and more enjoyable
|
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 110
It did the job! July 25, 2010
FL95
I ordered this money belt for a recent trip to Europe. I wore it just about every day over a 10-day period, positioning it on my lower back, just below the waist line. I honestly could not even tell if it was there unless I checked for it (this was kind of surprising because I usually had it fairly well stuffed with things like paper bills, driver's license, debit card, extra credit card, and (sometimes) my passport). As others have noted, the waist belt is a bit long, but this wasn't problem at all. I just wrapped the extra material around the clipped belt and again I couldn't even tell it was there. The belt clasp never came undone. At the end of one day, I was a bit alarmed to discover that I'd neglected to zip the two main storage pouches closed, but it turned out that nothing was missing. So, all in all, it did the job, and I expect I'd be able to use it for many more trips.
Great for the intended purpose July 21, 2010
Jonathan Evatt (Global Citizen)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've spent months at a time in places such as Peru, India, the Caribbean, the Canary Islands, and so forth. I always keep my passport, some backup credit cards, and backup cash in a money belt. Just in case the need arises. Fortunately I've never had to actually find out just how effective these belts are, although not having a wallet in the pocket or purse over the shoulder is bound to make one less prone to interest from thieves.
- This money belt is light weight due to the silk. This potentially makes it less durable, though I think it's worth it.
- The plastic lined pocket is a bonus. If you may be in seriously wet conditions (like sailing, river crossings, torrential rain, etc.) it might pay to have a suitably sized and sturdy zip-loc bag in there for complete water-proofing. Having extra freezer grade zip-locs on hand is also useful for any liquids you travel with, and any items you don't want getting wet under any circumstances.
- You may find the strap way too long. It can be shortened by cutting it.
- You may find it creeps up your torso after a while. Typically this will only occur if you wear it above your pants, around your waist/torso. I've found this to be the case with any money belt warn above the pants. Personally I don't mind keeping it up high. If you don't want it creeping up, position it under your pants, below the waist-line (this is where is was designed to be worn). If you have a belt holding up your pants, then position beneath and below this. This may not work so well if you have a thick passport or more than one passport in there, as it these documents may get bent into the shape of your butt.
- I prefer this style of money/document holder to the ones that hang from the neck, such as Eagle Creek Travel Gear Neck Pouch. (If you don't mind items around your neck you may want to get one of each - SEE THE TIPS BELOW). Typically it is much easier to lift your shirt inconspicuously and get what you need, than to drag a pouch all the way up over your collar. Ideally, you'll only have in there the things you won't need in public. I also find the neck ones create tension in the neck after wearing them a lot.
<< A POTENTIALLY USEFUL TIP >>
For those people especially concerned about their safety, consider buying a cheap, thin wallet in addition to whatever wallet you plan to keep most of your money and cards in. Stuff one or more dummy credit cards in there, a little cash, and some receipts. Make it look used at first glance. You can "make" a dummy card by looking through your credit cards now and finding the one with the longest time until expiration. Call your bank and tell them you lost the card (do not report it stolen, just in case that may bring up issues of needing to report to police, etc.). They will send you a new one with a new number. The card you reported stolen is now your dummy card. You can also make dummy cards by keeping your expired cards. If someone robs you on the street, they are not going to check your cards for expiration dates. Most will not even be interested in the cards, it just makes the wallet look legit. Most will be looking for cash.
Now, if you happen to be unfortunate enough to be forced to give someone your money, you can reluctantly hand them this dummy wallet. Depending on the situation, make a run for it immediately whilst they are looking through it (if you get the sense that is what they were after... chances are they will leave you to scram). You'll have to make the call on whether to bolt or not.
The dummy card may also come in handy if you happen to end up in a situation where a bar, or restaurant, or whatever tries to scam you into paying a false bill that is priced too high. Give them your dummy card (the one you reported stolen, which still has a valid expiry date). There are only some countries where these types of scams take place (Turkey, for instance, is known for the jacked-up menu prices scam). Thailand is most known for their jewellery scams, which can be avoided by simply not visiting any jewellery stores by recommendation or invitation from people you meet on the street or cab drivers, etc.. Should you end up in such a fix, and don't have the confidence to say no to the pushy sales people, again you can pull out your dummy (not yet expired) credit card. The payment will fail, and you'll be free to go.
<< ANOTHER TIP >>
Again, if in a country where your safety is of particular concern to you, have three locations with cards and money. Your money belt (such as the silk one this review is for), your dummy wallet, and somewhere else, such as down a sock (if appropriate, perhaps not for a woman in a skirt or man in shorts), in a shoe (potentially uncomfortable), in one a leather belt that has a pouch sewn into it, or in a wallet that hangs around your neck (such as this: Eagle Creek Travel Gear Neck Pouch). Here is one example of a belt with a pouch behind it, to see what I mean (this one is a bit cheap & tacky looking by the sounds of it, so you may need to search elsewhere for a nice one) - BLACK LEATHER MONEY BELT W/ HIDDEN ZIPPER POCKET. In the unlikely event that you get robbed and the robber takes your dummy wallet AND checks around your waist or neck for your money pouch, you will at least still have a backup of cash and a credit card elsewhere.
Alternatively, if staying at a (reliable) Hotel, consider keeping your important documents (passport, for instance), and a backup of cash/credit cards in their safe.
When out and about, avoid taking your passport with you if you can keep it safely somewhere else. Make a photo copy of it (including any visas and entry stamps) and present that if ever asked by Police (for example) for your travel documents. Also take photos of all significant pages in your passport, and of all your other important items (drivers license, international drivers license, credit cards, insurance policies, etc.) and email them to yourself - to a Gmail account, for instance. That way you will have access to that information even in the unlikely event that EVERYTHING gets stolen or lost (including your camera).
IMPORTANT:: Delete these photos from your camera once you have uploaded them to your email account, because in the unlikely event that your camera is stolen you don't want a copy of these records on there.
Most importantly, once you have taken these basic precautions, simply be mindful, be aware, pay attention to your surroundings, and have happy and safe travels. I have felt safer in many so-called "dangerous" countries than I would on the streets on London or New York. I was even in Kashmir during an 8 year war, and I felt much safer than in L.A.
It is highly likely you will never need any of these precautions, yet knowing you have taken them can allow for greater ease-of-mind whilst travelling.
Happy travels.
- Jonathan Evatt
International lecturer, natural health expert, gourmet whole-food chief, and award-winning author of Peace, Power, and Presence: A guide to Self Empowerment, Inner Peace, and Spiritual Enlightenment
To see many other reviews check out my Amazon profile page.
awesome product July 20, 2010
lobita
This was a great purchase, I wore it under my jeans the whole time and it was comfortable. No one could tell that I was wearing it, even with it full of money and a passport. The waist band is very elastic and adjustable so it really is great for any size person. I would strongly recomend this light wieght money belt to anyone doing international travel.
 Good but fragile July 5, 2010
spork
This product broke on me the first day I had it.
I was trying to tighten the belt and then "pop" one of the plastic latches broke. I glued it back using super glue and it held for one of my trips in its entirety (a 2 week trip) and then held for like 3 days out of my second two week trips before the glue gave up.
The belt is nicely made with multiple pockets and a plastic "case" inside of the back pocket. I had wondered what the point of it was until I realized later how much you wind up sweating while wearing it. Yes, if you're traveling in a hot area and you wear the belt then the money belt will get significantly damp. The plastic allows you to keep your money or papers completely dry. The belt itself dries out very quickly once you take it off.
The belt isn't "wear it and forget about it" since, of course, you can feel it while you wear it but it's more comfortable that one would think. The first few minutes of wearing it feels troublesome but as the day goes on, you get used to it pretty handily. Besides it is a very safe to keep money and your passport when traveling. It's definitely nice having the knowledge that your passport and cash and whatnot are safe from pickpockets.
In the end, I would recommend it (as a 4*) if there wasn't the worry about one of the plastic latches breaking. But since it DID break and break very easily and early upon my ownership, I really have to dock it at least 2*s. The piece that broke was a VERY thin piece of plastic and quite easy to break. But just so you know another friend of mine bought one and his was fine. Perhaps I'm not as careful as he is, but look at the plastic catches (where the elastic threads thru) and you'll see what I mean by it being thin and kind of fragile.
 Not bad. slightly irritating July 1, 2010
John Schultz (Midwest USA)
This was a bit overkill for going to Alaska. At no time did we feel like this was needed for this wonderful location. I can see how this can be pretty important in a less developed country. I found it to be a little awkward to use and it irritated my skin slightly.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 110
|
|
|
