Losing your wallet at home is bad enough, losing your wallet in a foreign country is disastrous, but losing your passport while traveling can be an expensive end to your trip.
So, when I’m out and about I keep everything in the same spot so I know where it is and I know immediately if it’s missing.
My phone in my front right pocket, wallet in my front left pocket, passport in my front left pocket, less important but needed items, like tickets and the map that guy in the pub drew on a napkin, in the back right pocket.
I keep the important stuff in my front pocket. It allows me to periodically feel it is there (or missing) by furtively running my fingers over the pockets as my arms naturally swing.
Why You Need It
The Travelon RFID Blocking Passport Case is the right gear to have. It solves several problems.
It:
- Combines your wallet and passport into a single item and the fewer things you are keeping track of the better, especially when on the go.
- Keeps your information protected from electronic theft.
- Protects your passport from wear and tear, which may not seem important when you get that shiny new vinyl in the mail, but if you are using it often (and we hope you are) it rapidly gets ragged, bent, and faded and a lot of immigration agents frown on raggedy passports.
Why I’m Obsessed
Simplicity!
Three places to keep stuff: Passport slip, money pocket, cardholder.
No hidden pockets to lose bits of paper, not too many pockets to have to search when in a hurry. When i’st open you can see everything you need (and make sure it’s there).
The money pocket is sized to hold and easily see two types of currency. The wallet fits easily in the front pants pocket – where you want it because that’s the safest accessible spot.
When I won’t be needing my passport, I slip it all the way into the pocket. Then it’s out of the way and only a bit of blue is showing so I know it’s there at a glance.
When I’m traveling and need my passport I slip half of the pages in the pocket and let the other half folded over such that it’s fully visible. I separated it at my picture page so I can easily pull it out and it’s open to the needed page. You may be tempted to flip it open and hold it up for inspection like a detective’s badge, but any official who wants to see your passport wants it out of your wallet, so just pull it out.
You won’t win any fashion awards with this wallet, it’s for traveling easily and efficiently. So, depending on where I’m going and the purpose of my trip I carry as many as three wallets.
I always have the passport wallet, I also have a stylish wallet for formal occasions, and I have what I call my ‘small wallet’. It’s really small, just large enough for an ID (driver’s license in my case) a credit card and cash.
I have it because I hate carrying around a lot of stuff in my pockets. I use this most often when in-country, in nations that don’t require you have a passport on you all the time. It’s great in Europe or Canada for example. This may not work so well in countries where officials expect the tourist to have their passport at all times so you will need the passport case with you in those countries at all times.
I feel better when I’m nomading about when I have my trusty wallet with me.
A note from Kim: I’m not going to lie, Way is a little geeky about his wallets. He has his casual wallet, his “dress-up” wallet, and now he has his “no one is going to rob me” wallet. He thinks I’m jealous. I think he’s a little … pazzo – as they say in Italy.
Do You Really Need an RFID Wallet?
Here’s a video that talks about whether you need an RFID wallet or not. To sum up the video, if you live in the U.S, you don’t. If you are traveling outside of the U.S. it might be wise. Take a look for yourself.
Links mentioned in the video:
- Alpine Rivers 16 RFID Blocking Sleeves
- Bellroy Hide & Seek (RFID edition)
- Bellroy Travel Wallet (RFID edition)
and don’t forget Way’s favorite: Travelon RFID Blocking Passport Case.
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You should know that if you click on a link in this post, Way and I may earn a penny or two. Hopefully two so we can split it up easier. If you click enough times (as in every day for a few weeks), we may actually earn enough for a cup of coffee. In which case, I won’t tell him because … coffee.
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