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Do you worry about pickpockets and keeping your belongings (and you!) safe while you travel?
While there are certain things you can do to reduce your chances of being pickpocketed – keeping your money hidden, not wearing flashy jewelry, being aware of your surroundings – using the right bag can go a long way towards protecting your belongings.
Pacsafe could be the answer.
Pacsafe is a company that makes anti-theft travel bags. These give you peace of mind and may prevent your belongings from being stolen.
We’re taking a look at their safety features and reviewing some of our favorite Pacsafe bags.
Safety Features That Make Pacsafe So Popular
Pacsafe products were developed with the goal of keeping travelers one step ahead of thieves and protecting travelers’ belongings from being stolen. With that in mind, their anti-theft travel bags have several features that keep your stuff safe.
Note: Not all bags have every single security feature. Make sure you read the product description before purchasing a bag to ensure your chosen bag has the anti-theft features you are looking for.
Slash-Resistant Material
Pacsafe bags are made with a slash-resistant material called exomesh slashguard. This stainless steel wire mesh is built into the fabric so thieves can’t cut your bag and steal the things that fall out.
Enforced Straps
The adjustable straps of Pacsafe bags are enforced with stainless steel wire and Dyneema (known as the world’s strongest fiber) which prevents thieves from cutting the strap to steal your bag. The wires are invisible to others but highly effective.
Secure Zippers
The zippers are designed to be puncture-resistant. This helps prevent pickpockets from puncturing the zipper with a pen or other sharp object to get into your bag.
Other zipper features include:
- Self-locking zippers – These instant locking zippers are compatible with a padlock for added security.
- Secured dock lock – A fast and easy-to-use lockdown point for your zippers to protect against pickpockets.
- Lockabout security clip – A three level lock-down point for zippers helps protect against pickpockets and gear thieves.
- Smart hook security clip – Secures your zipper to protect against pickpockets.
- Zip tab – Zip pullers can be placed under and through a secure tab to deter pickpockets.
In addition, some bags have the Roobar locking system. There are a few different variations of this system but it ultimately locks down zippers, slash guard anchor straps, and locking cables. Multiple compartments can be locked together with just one padlock.
Anchor Straps and Cables
Pacsafe bags have stainless steel reinforced anchor straps and cables that allow you to fasten your bag to a secure object so it can’t be stolen.
These straps use either a PopNLock security clip (a fast action detachable buckle) or a TurnNLock security clip.
RFID Safety
Credit cards and passports have chips in them that contain personal information. Thieves don’t even have to physically steal your credit card to get the info. They can use RFID readers from up to 10 feet away to skim the information from your cards.
Pacsafe has developed RFID-blocking material to keep your sensitive information safe.
So as you can see, there are a lot of functions at work to protect your belongings!
Types of Pacsafe Anti-Theft Travel Products
Since Pacsafe products were designed with travelers in mind, they offer many luggage styles and luggage accessories. Such as:
- Travel purses (including shoulder bags and cross-body purses)
- Waist bags
- Daypacks
- Duffel bags
- Laptop bags
- Money belts
- Wallets
- And more.
You can also buy separate bag protectors, straps, extenders, locks, and cables. They even make a portable travel safe bag.
Some of their products are specifically made for women, while others are made for men or are unisex.
Pacsafe Reviews on Her Packing List
While many of the bags reviewed aren’t currently in production, we have listed some alternative models for each. Full reviews of new bags coming soon!
With all these great safety features, it’s no wonder travelers love Pacsafe. Readers of Her Packing List have shared their experiences with Pacsafe, and we have several reviews of their products here on the site.
Take a look at them below:
Pacsafe CamSafe V25
Cristina loves this bag because it has compartments designed to hold her camera gear. It also has sections that hold her laptop, plus other items like her passport, documents, first aid kit, and more.
The bag is designed in a way that allows her easy access to her camera without having to completely take the bag off. It also comes with a rain cover to protect the bag and her belongings from getting wet.
Pacsafe CamSafe V25 anti-theft features:
- Slash-resistant exomesh that helps prevent thieves from cutting into the bag.
- Smart Zipper security feature that keeps contents safe by latching the zipper pulls in place to make it harder for someone else to unzip the bag.
- An anchor so it can be attached to another object to prevent someone from grabbing it.
This bag is unfortunately no longer in production but you can purchase a Camsafe Protective Camera Insert to fit inside one of your travel bags instead.
- Read Cristina’s full review: Meet Cristina, a Traveling Journo, and Her PacSafe CamSafe Anti-Theft Day Pack.
Pacsafe Citysafe 200 GII
The Pacsafe Citysafe is a purse designed with travelers in mind. Viktoria loves all the different safety features that help prevent theft.
- The zippers clip onto little carabiners which makes it difficult for a thief to unzip the bag and steal something.
- The bag is made with slash-resistant material.
- The strap has a steel cord inside, so even cutting the strap is nearly impossible.
The purse has several compartments that Viktoria says help her organize her belongings. There’s even a padded compartment for holding a tablet or small laptop.
One of the pockets is made with RFID blocking material, so she can store her credit cards and passport in there and identity thieves can’t use an RFID reader to access her personal information.
Unfortunately this bag is no longer in production. An alternative is the 7L Pacsafe LS200 Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag which is the largest messenger-style bag that Pacsafe offers right now and holds an 11″ tablet or small laptop. If you want something larger, take a look below.
- Read Viktoria’s full review: Pacsafe Citysafe 200 GII Review.
Pacsafe Slingsafe 300 GII
HPL’s Brooke loves her Pacsafe Slingsafe backpack.
- It’s made with Pacsafe’s exomesh material that keeps thieves from slashing through the bag.
- The zippers have clips that prevent someone from quickly unzipping the bag and grabbing something out of it.
- The bag has a locking shoulder strap for securing the bag to a fixed object.
- There’s even an RFID protection pocket to prevent information from being stolen from credit cards or a passport.
Brooke says the backpack looks small but holds a lot of stuff. She can fit her 13″ MacBook Pro, camera, phone, cable/chargers, book, notebook, sunglasses, water bottle, and plenty of extras inside the bag. Brooke still uses this bag 12 years later!
Unfortunately this bag is no longer in production but a good alternative is the 11L Pacsafe CX Anti-Theft Mini Backpack or the Pacsafe GO 15L Anti-Theft Backpack. Both of these bags fit a 13” Macbook.
- Read Brooke’s full review: Pacsafe’s Slingsafe 300 GII Review.
Another one of Brooke’s favorite anti-theft travel bags is the Pacsafe CX Anti-Theft Convertible Backpack. Brooke packed for 2.5 weeks with only this bag! If you think that’s not possible, you might want to check out the Baggage Freedom Express masterclass.
How do you protect your belongings when you travel? Do you have a Pacsafe anti-theft travel bag?
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My mother-in-law always has an overflowing purse that she doesn’t watch close enough so I got her a Pacsafe security purse for Christmas. She doesn’t zip it closed *headdesk*
I don’t like these security bags. They are ugly and weighty.
I use an REI Flash 18 backpack when sightseeing. Sure, it can be slashed and someone can get in via the top opening (the only opening). However, there’s webbing loops inside. I use metal rings (like the ones for keys), carbiners, coated security cables, and metal chains to hook my wallet, camera, and a couple of ditty sacks (where I keep my phone and petty cash; separately) to the backpack. If the bottom was slashed, items will dangle but not scattered. If someone grabs anything from the top opening, the items won’t go far either. Anything not tied down, I can afford to lose them (sunglasses, jacket, water bottle).
There are ways to secure important personal belongings than paying for these overpriced and ugly bags.
I love Pacsafe bags! Used them for years. They do help me feel more secure about my stuff. I think some of their designs are nice especially the backpack, simple and sleek. They do hold a lot. The security features do not add a lot of weight.