Rick Steves Silk Money Belt
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Our Price: $9.94 Category: Apparel See more product details |
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Description of Rick Steves Silk Money Belt
-Materials: Spun SilkApparel reviews of Rick Steves Silk Money Belt
Customer Review: Recommended!
Rating: 5 Stars
Got this as a Christmas gift for my mom. She plans to use it for her trips.Customer Review: Great for the intended purpose
Rating: 4 Stars
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.
Customer Review: Good money belt
Rating: 4 Stars
I used this money belt in a recent Mediterranean cruise we took. Temperatures were extremely warm and the belt didn't make the temperature unbearable. The belt is made so even the largest person can use it. I go 250lb and I had a lot of belt left. The belt goes on and off quickly featuring and interlocking plastic connector. The belt features a plastic insert which helps keep the contents dry from perspiration; however my plastic insert bent and refuses to come back into shape. I am thinking a warm iron would do it though. The zippered pockets, of which there are two, seamed to be a bit of an over-kill. I seemed to constantly be opening the wrong one. One zipper would be sufficient but it wasn't a big deal. The other features that can't be over-looked is that it is extremely light weight and is washable. If you are looking for an inexpensive money belt that does the job, this one is a good choice.Customer Review: Very Good functionality - Can be detected at airports
Rating: 4 Stars
I have owned and used 2 of these in Ukraine and Peru (I like the black, under a black T-shirt). I like it very much, It keeps money etc safe and dry, and very hidden. I wear it under and undershirt (T-shirt). Functionality is excellent. I use it as a third wallet: one dummy wallet with a few small bills in a back pocket; a small front pocket wallet for daily activity and this as a hidden redoubt for large bills, passport card, and my passport when I do not need to have it in hand.
My only concern is the money belt can be detected in airports, i.e., in the San Jose, Costa Rica airport, during a hand and wand search when changing planes. At first I thought the zipper may have been metal, I am not sure. But, this was possibly due to my passport card and protective sleeve being inside at the time. Not a perfect item, but very close.
Customer Review: Your money, safe as a joey in it's momma's pouch.
Rating: 4 Stars
I bought this for my husband prior to embarking on our long awaited honeymoon to Europe. I'm a big traveler and in my travels I've learned it's good to do your best not to look like a tourist. This item was key to making sure we had all the documents and cash we needed and kept us from having to resort to typically tourist things like the dreaded fanny pack.
It was hot in Italy and my husband was very happy that this item was made from great, light weight and breathable material. He also felt like he'd foiled the would-be pick pockets in Florence!
I'd reccomend this to any travler, or even a hiker or runner. You can easily move arround without even noticing this item.. and yet it can carry all you need. The only draw back was that it was not long enough for the size of the Euro bills.