A pacsafe purse and the tsa? Have you ever had a problem flying with a pacsafe bag?

[RVRCLC]

Have you ever had the tsa question your pacsafe handbag?

I'm wondering whether to use mine as a carry-on purse,

or ship it (empty) in the luggage and use it after I arrive in Europe.

I seldom fly, have had very little experience with airport security, and

I want to keep the airport hassle to a minimum!

[Happy ks]

Why would you have a problem with it? When you go through security you will put the bag into a bin and it will go through the x-ray machine seperate from you. Your body is checked for metal through a different machine. The pacsafe bags have security features, but they are not x-ray proof. If there is something questionable in the bag, they will have you open it up for them, just like any other bag.

[RVRCLC]

Why would you have a problem with it? When you go through security you will put the bag into a bin and it will go through the x-ray machine seperate from you. Your body is checked for metal through a different machine. The pacsafe bags have security features, but they are not x-ray proof. If there is something questionable in the bag, they will have you open it up for them, just like any other bag.

 

Wire in the lining.

[6rugrats]

You will not have a problem with this purse.

[Member123]

Have you ever had the tsa question your pacsafe handbag?

I'm wondering whether to use mine as a carry-on purse,

or ship it (empty) in the luggage and use it after I arrive in Europe.

I seldom fly, have had very little experience with airport security, and

I want to keep the airport hassle to a minimum!

 

I absolutely love my pacsafe bag. I specifically bought it for Europe and it is the BEST bag! I don't know which one you decided on, but it's amazing how much it holds. One thing: please do use the features of the bag, especially the ability to clip your zipper shut. I can't even begin to tell you the number of times I saw purses in Europe with the zippers unzipped and the contents just sitting there, ready to be grabbed. I don't know if the ladies were just lazy (because it can be a hassle to zip up your handbag all the time!)... or if the zippers were opened by "other hands." I never, ever saw a pacsafe purse with its zipper open; I'm talking about the more designer bags with zippers.

 

Anyway, from personal experience... my pacsafe bag has been through a lot of different domestic and international airport scanners, customs at different cruise terminals and all those scanners, through the scanners at various museums (Vatican, St Peter's Basilica, some churches in Spain)... absolutely no problem whatsoever. Never questioned.

[Hoyaheel]

Why would you have a problem with it?

 

Wire in the lining.

 

Fortunately, wire isn't against TSA regulations and we aren't limited in carrying it on a plane :D

 

My husband has pacsafe straps on his camera and one camera bag; I have a pacsafe purse. No problems or questions on many trips through various airport screening facilities.

[RVRCLC]

My body has enough metal pieces to outfit a small hardware store.

I am going to be the hassle, so I want my belongings to not be a problem.

DH will not be going with me.

 

The purse is wonderful, I already love it,

it will be a "camera bag" for my dSLR camera.

(It's the citysafe 200 GII, got it from Zappo's.)

 

Years ago, I noticed the open purses on other people.

I used to travel with someone who was very careless about that.

[Bowie MeMe]

I have progressed from purse to a travel vest. All sorts of pockets including one that zips and is perfect for my small camera on a neck strap. When I go through security the pockets are each loaded with change, camera, passport, money, etc etc. and I just slip the vest off and put it in the tray. At the other end of security I slip it back on and no one sees me replacing coins, money, passport and nothing can be left behind because it all goes back on my body as a unit. When traveling, I have my vest "tricked" out for touring and it just hangs in my closet until the next time so tissue/money/passport copy/hand sanitizer/ sunscreen/camera/extra battery/ rain poncho etc. is all in place and all ready to go as soon as I put the vest on.

 

I find that with the arthritis in arm and shoulder that the vest is much easier for me to carry "my needs" than in a purse which gets heavy after a long day of touring. Hubby wears his own vest and carries his own things which takes a weight off me too:p. We bought vests of many pockets at Bass Pro Shop and they are called fishing vests. They cost $25 which is much cheaper than those that are called travel vests. Since I wear the vest on my body and can spread the more valuable things like money over 8-10 pockets some of which are inside and zippered or velcroed I feel secure. I was always fearful that if a thief grabbed my pacsafe bag he could drag me or hurt me because the bag wouldn't give -- the thief does not care if he injures me. Rather have him take my money than hurt my body! Anyway it's vest for me.

[RVRCLC]

I have progressed from purse to a travel vest. All sorts of pockets including one that zips and is perfect for my small camera on a neck strap. When I go through security the pockets are each loaded with change, camera, passport, money, etc etc. and I just slip the vest off and put it in the tray. At the other end of security I slip it back on and no one sees me replacing coins, money, passport and nothing can be left behind because it all goes back on my body as a unit. When traveling, I have my vest "tricked" out for touring and it just hangs in my closet until the next time so tissue/money/passport copy/hand sanitizer/ sunscreen/camera/extra battery/ rain poncho etc. is all in place and all ready to go as soon as I put the vest on.

 

I find that with the arthritis in arm and shoulder that the vest is much easier for me to carry "my needs" than in a purse which gets heavy after a long day of touring. Hubby wears his own vest and carries his own things which takes a weight off me too:p. We bought vests of many pockets at Bass Pro Shop and they are called fishing vests. They cost $25 which is much cheaper than those that are called travel vests. Since I wear the vest on my body and can spread the more valuable things like money over 8-10 pockets some of which are inside and zippered or velcroed I feel secure. I was always fearful that if a thief grabbed my pacsafe bag he could drag me or hurt me because the bag wouldn't give -- the thief does not care if he injures me. Rather have him take my money than hurt my body! Anyway it's vest for me.

A vest is a wonderful idea, several brands are on the market.

I have one from Tilley, it would be perfect if I were taking my point and shoot camera.

My Nikon dSLR camera is way to big for any vest.

[Hoyaheel]

Vests. With chest pockets stuffed with travel items. On my DDD chest. I shudder at the visual:p Some people look great in them - and I do love the concept of traveling light(er). But the vest won't work for me.....

[DivasDare]

I absolutely love my pacsafe bag. I specifically bought it for Europe and it is the BEST bag! I don't know which one you decided on, but it's amazing how much it holds. One thing: please do use the features of the bag, especially the ability to clip your zipper shut. I can't even begin to tell you the number of times I saw purses in Europe with the zippers unzipped and the contents just sitting there, ready to be grabbed. I don't know if the ladies were just lazy (because it can be a hassle to zip up your handbag all the time!)... or if the zippers were opened by "other hands." I never, ever saw a pacsafe purse with its zipper open; I'm talking about the more designer bags with zippers.

 

Anyway, from personal experience... my pacsafe bag has been through a lot of different domestic and international airport scanners, customs at different cruise terminals and all those scanners, through the scanners at various museums (Vatican, St Peter's Basilica, some churches in Spain)... absolutely no problem whatsoever. Never questioned.

 

Same here.

[Happy ks]

Wire in the lining.

 

The purse goes through seperate security, you're not wearing it while you walk through the scanners. The wire in the straps and lining will show up on the xray machine. If they want to look closer at it, they will. A lot of other purses have metal detail, carry on suitcases as well, some have metal zippers.

[slidergirl]

You won't have any problem with the Pacsafe - TSA can steal from it just as easily as they do any other purse :-)

 

Seriously, you won't have an issue. But, do lock ANY carryon items you put on the TSA belt. If they need to look inside anything, then they will have to have you there to unlock it. It prevents the TSA from snooping without you. It happens more than you think.

[simplelife]

A vest is a wonderful idea, several brands are on the market.

I have one from Tilley, it would be perfect if I were taking my point and shoot camera.

My Nikon dSLR camera is way to big for any vest.

I am considerign a travel vest for my next international trip this year. Would like to hear more about experiences with these.

[Suitcasefull]

I had a lady make a travel vest for me a number of years ago (several patterns available) and have loved it except for the fact that I didn't consider fabric weight at the time! All the pockets and zippers added to that so it can get heavy when loaded. Had it made a little longer (hip length rather than waist which looks better on me) and looks nicer with pants.

It wears and washes beautifully and doesn't look "sporty" like some of the others but now will be checking out lighter-weight vests at sporting good stores. Definitely recommend a vest, though since everything is easily on and off at the airport plus great for day excursions where you want a lot of stuff with you although perhaps have other things to be left on a bag on the bus at shopping stops.

[Bowie MeMe]

I am considerign a travel vest for my next international trip this year. Would like to hear more about experiences with these.

 

I have a fishing vest from Bass Pro Shop (ours is huge and in an outlet mall) and it has worked beautifully. On the left hand side is a large (half the area of the upper vest) pocket with a vertical zipper that runs next to the full length zipper. This is the most handy and used for me. My camera with a long lanyard that is around my neck goes in this pocket as does my sunglasses. Very easy to whip the camera out take a picture and then back in the zipped up pocket (don't have to put it off and on but yet out of sight and not banging around). I have also kept my watch in this pocket which is large. patch pockets with snaps on bottom outside of vest is where I keep kleenex, hand cleaner, gloves etc. In the zippered inside pockets I keep my passport (or copy in a plastic snack bag) and money and a neck bank with all the credit cards and insurance cards and cash (keep it in the neck bank so that can put it around the neck if needed to and under clothes AND so that when I return to cabin can just place it in the safe and it goes back in the vest for next tour) My SIL tells me that the big zippered pocket in the back is for game!:eek: but I find it perfect for a folded flat heavy plastic rain poncho and a plastic zip lock bag for flat papers like map or souvenier folder.

 

My vest is grey cotton/polyester;my husband's is khaki. I wash them each time I throw in a load of clothes and they are ready to go again. I was afraid they would be hot but that has not been a problem (tested last year in Florida, Missouri (over 100F), Brazil (90F) and Galapagos Islands). I even wear mine now on the airplane itself because everything is handy like tissues,MP3 player, candy bar:eek:) The price for this vest was less than $25 so I think it is a bargain even if you don't use it often. I also find that wearing the vest instead of having a purse is less tiring -- doesn't wear on your shoulder and doesn't drag on your hands so much -- weight is distributed better. Most of the time they don't consider it a purse or bag and don't have to have it checked for entrance lines etc (Disney World:D)

 

Works for me. Maybe will work for you. If they steal it out of the vest I probably have a more severe problem than just lost money/valuables.

[Sandy Sails]

My body has enough metal pieces to outfit a small hardware store.

I am going to be the hassle, so I want my belongings to not be a problem.

DH will not be going with me.

 

The purse is wonderful, I already love it,

it will be a "camera bag" for my dSLR camera.

(It's the citysafe 200 GII, got it from Zappo's.)

 

Years ago, I noticed the open purses on other people.

I used to travel with someone who was very careless about that.

 

Regarding YOU being the hassle at the airport, my advice would be to ALWAYS use the body scanner, don't walk through the detector. Trust me, you do NOT want to go through the TSA pat-down - it's very thorough! If you just go through the body scanner, you'll be anonymously "naked" for 5 seconds and then you're done (be sure to take your watch off - my error the first time). If you walk through the detector, it'll beep and then you'll have to wait for a female TSA attendant to touch you EVERYWHERE in front of everybody!

 

Also be aware when you get on the cruise ship - some of them have sensitive detectors so you'll beep every time you get on the ship. A female security officer will then take you aside and "wand" you all over. Last month one didn't have her wand on her so decided to do a "TSA pat-down" in front of everybody getting on the ship. I put a stop to that immediately after she touched me inappropriately. Always insist on the wand! As if life isn't difficult enough with artificial knees, they feel the need to treat you like a criminal...but then again, I do understand the need for security. I just get really tired of it.

[planktin]

My husband and I just returned from a transatlantic & Med. cruise and two weeks traveling around Europe. We each had Pacsafe bags for our DSLRs and I also had a Pacsafe backpack as a second carry on. Never questioned in any country's security checks. I agree with a previous poster, keep your bag closed until security asks you to open it. No one ever asked me to open any of my bags (I did take my iPad out first). It was weird how I left my shoes on in the Paris security check but my husband was asked to remove his. Also, I kept my full water bottle (in the xray bin) but his was taken. :confused:

 

BTW, I have no metal parts but I got a pat down every time. I figured it must have been my underwire bra. I don't like it but what can you do? I would rather be touched by one security-stranger than be the one to have to touch strangers all day long. :o My secret is to stand with my feet spread just wide enough that the upper parts of my thighs are still together, nobody has ever tried to "get up in there" except one very thorough woman in China a few years ago.

[Froufie]

This site was being discussed on my TA roll call - looks very interesting!

 

http://www.scottevest.com

[Pennyscandy]

Four of us has the same Pacsafe purses and no one had a problem. Went to Europe, flew into London.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

I have been using a vest for years - so easy, especially if you have close connections or an airport where you clear security multiple times. It may not be the most stylish thing, but frankly, i couldnt care less. It is convenient and safe. I have had several styles and the one with the back pouch is my favorite, great for holding a water bottle.