Travel Purses and Daypacks

I wanted to make a quick post about the two bags I'll be using on my upcoming trip to London, not including the suitcase, which I'll go over in my packing blog.

Since I'm traveling solo, I did opt for some extra protection with my bags this time.  I think it's important to wear travel bags as cross body or as backpacks, because not only do they make heavy loads easier to carry (think a long day of shopping!) but they are also the most secure on your body. Living in NYC, I've not had any problem with regular zippered purses and the like, but while I'm traveling I'll be juggling more valuable items like a camera and iPod. While I strongly encourage you to look your best while traveling, making a small sacrifice on style for a bag is worth it to me. So leave your designer bags at home! The ones I've chosen I feel are the best compromise between security (and peace of mind) and style/good looks.

I have two bags that I've already traveled with that I'll show you here, once is a purse and the other is a daypack. They are both made by Pacsafe and are Anti-theft bags made specifically for travel. The links are included, and you can see more details and videos on the Pacsafe website. They include the coolest safety features like slash proof fabric and straps, and zippers that clip to the bag.

My "purse" is the Pacsafe Metrosafe 200:

Click for link

It's much more compact and doesn't fit very much more than just what I need for the day. I actually have it in this purple color, which I think makes it look more fun and less "travel gearesque" than some travel bags I've seen.  This bag straps across my body, and has two expandable side pockets for water, umbrella or sunglasses. The main flap opens up to a secured zippered pocket with spaces for gadgets. I find the headphone port extra handy, since I'll be listening to walking tours on my iPod. This way, the iPod is safe and heavily clipped into the bag, but I can still listen and walk around hands free. (I really enjoy the Apple headphones with the remote, because you can pause and advance and control the volume without actually touching the iPod itself.) The bag is, as I said, only big enough for what you want to carry for the day, so for the longer day trips I'll be taking or on the days I think I'll do shopping, I carry this Pacsafe Toursafe sling and backpack:

Click for link

I love this bag, as it's a little more sleek, deceptively roomy on the inside, and converts from a sling to a backpack. It includes all the same wonderful safety features, so you can rest assured that even though it's on your back, no one can get into it without a good deal of noticeable effort. I still sling it around my front when in crowded places like the metro. This pack holds my light jacket in it very well, with some room to spare, but looks very compact on my back. Mine is black, but the company carries it in "tabasco" (more of a salmon) and a beige color that look very nice. There are of course plenty of pockets on the inside, as well as two hidden zippers on the outside. The only negative is that the opening is a little small, making it harder to get the big things at the bottom in and out. But it's also a plus in that same way, I suppose, if the person rummaging through your bag isn't you! 

I like the daypack for the internal space and I can comfortably carry more weight with this on. It isn't, as I mentioned, as easily accessible. To get something out, you have to take it off, bring it around, open it up, get when you need, put it back and then put the pack back on. With the cross body, I get get almost anything with only one hand and some determination. 

So those are my bags! I'll show my suitcase in a future post, but please let me know if you have suggestions for travel bags or other thoughts!