Travel clothing that feature pockets for keeping cash and your passport safe, made by The Clever Travel Companion. Photo / Nick Reed
Travel clothing that feature pockets for keeping cash and your passport safe, made by The Clever Travel Companion. Photo / Nick Reed
She says:
I've never travelled anywhere particularly dangerous, and the closest I've got to a mugging is when my friend's wallet was swiped out of her bag in Hanoi, Vietnam, a couple of years ago.
On my first trip to Bangkok, I took a money belt, but quickly discarded it when it got too annoying, and sometimes I don't even put my passport in the hotel safe. But, if I was to go somewhere where you really have to be careful, say Rio de Janeiro or Johannesburg, I'd of course take security a lot more seriously.
What I probably won't be doing is toting a pair of the Clever Travel Companion's cotton women's undies with zip pockets. It's not that I don't appreciate the concept - hiding your passport and cash in your, ahem, drawers is a good idea. But this pink pair of pants wouldn't be my first choice of security garment.
Hiding a passport and cash in your undies feels a little uncomfortable. Photo / Nick Reed
For a start, they're kind of bulky, like Y-fronts, even without anything in them, and the gusset rides up in a rather uncomfortable way. If you were wearing a tight pair of slacks and trying to hide a wad of cash and a Rolex, the outline would give everything away.
Still, if that doesn't bother you, and you're wearing loose pants, this could be a good option if you're on a train by yourself in the middle of Russia and you want some peace of mind for a bit of shut-eye.
I'd be more inclined to use the the tank top, with its lined zip pocket in the front.
Like the knickers, it can comfortably fit a passport, but the trick here is that you'd have to wear something over the top to get away with concealing it. If you're in a hot country, this probably wouldn't work.
Regardless, it's a hell of a lot trickier to steal something when it's right under someone's nose. Plus, the singlet pocket is a lot more comfortable and accessible than a money belt, and much safer than keeping your valuables in your handbag.
- Shandelle Battersby
He says:
Pockets and travel go together like airports and queues. Stroll through any respectable international departure lounge and you'll see plenty of heavily pocketed cargo pants and loads of busy jackets with buttoned or zip-locked spots on the shoulder and hip.
Many of these pockets go unused - as a species, we like the ability to carry loads of knick-knacks.
Into this busy sector comes the Clever Travel Companion's T-shirt with side pockets that, when worn on its own, are unobtrusive enough without being genuinely concealed. With a jacket or a loose-fitting shirt over the top, hey presto: your wad of cash or passport is nicely out of public view.
Crucially, it's a comfortable wear. The cotton is heavy, but sat nicely when tested out on a hot summer's day down on the Coromandel. Photo / Nick Reed
Crucially, it's a comfortable wear. The cotton is heavy, but sat nicely when tested out on a hot summer's day down on the Coromandel and, dare I say it, the shirt looked pretty smart. I rocked about with car keys in one pocket and cash in the other and they felt fine.
If you're slick enough to pick these pockets then, hell, you deserve the contents.
The underwear, of the boxer-briefs variety, was also a comfortable fit when worn on its own, but it felt understandably clunky with a passport wedged down there by the family jewels. A few dollar bills weren't a problem.
So, the black T-shirt passes the test with flying colours; the undies sneak through. Next time you see me in an airport queue you know where my spare change will be.
