Anti-theft bags for anti-stress travel

THE year-end travelling season is just around the corner! And we're focusing on a couple of bags that we hope could help enhance your holiday experience. I think most of us can agree that getting robbed while on vacation is one of the quickest ways to ruin the trip.

Along with the trauma are the inconveniences that result, which can range from minor (losing some cash) to major (losing one's personal identification documents, sentimental possessions, mobile phone, etc). Anti-theft bags are a good way to reduce the risk of getting pickpocketed (though, we realise they cannot eliminate that possibility altogether), which should give you greater peace of mind and the focus you need to enjoy your holiday.

I have been trialling some of these bags, and am focusing on two of my favourites this month. Both are from eBags.com (www.ebags.com), an online retailer for travel bags and accessories that is a subsidiary of well-known luggage maker, Samsonite International. I picked the two bags that best suit my preferences, but eBags makes a host of anti-theft bags in other designs and specifications for different needs.

I find the eBags' offerings to be more in keeping with my own style vibe (understated, clean lines); I also found their bags to be softer and slouchier (which is a look and feel I prefer), compared to their rivals', which are more structured and stiffer. Overall, I felt that eBags products were better constructed and more comfortable to carry over long periods of time, which might also explain their higher price point.

The two bags featured are also the ones I will be bringing with me on all of my holidays, henceforth.

The first is the Anti-Theft Hobo (https://www.ebags.com/ product/ebags/anti-theft-hobo/ 358329?productid=10651271), on offer for a period at US$89.99 (S$123). It's a large bag - measuring 15 inches x 10.5 inches x 5.5 inches, with an adjustable strap that lets you wear it across your body or on one shoulder. This is the bag I bring on plane, train or car journeys, or on a day trip, when I need to carry a fair amount of stuff. When I'm sightseeing, I switch to the teeny Anti-Theft Crossbody (https://www.ebags.com/ product/ebags/anti-theft- medium-crossbody/342289? productid=10569586), which retails at US$84.99 (S$116.23). It's 11.5 inches wide, by 9.5 inches tall, and 2.5 inches deep. The strap adjusts from 13 inches to 25 inches, again allowing you to wear it cross-body or on one shoulder. A bag this size is a must-have in my travel collection; I have a bad back and cannot carry large (and therefore heavy-ish) bags for long. This dinky chap fits all my essentials and has a wonderful number of pockets for such a small thing.

All of the anti-theft bags by eBags are made with what the company terms "eXomesh" slash-guards, which can be described as a wire-mesh structure hidden within the entire outer lining of the bag. This prevents your bag from being cut by a knife and the contents falling out as a result.

The handles of the bags have "Carrysafe" straps - again, these are wire-type structures which prevent the handles or straps of the bag from being cut and your bag snatched from you. These internal wires, while being tough and slash-proof, are also soft and flexible, so you don't feel them at all.

Another set of features I really like on these bags are the "Turn & Lock" security hooks and the "Snap & Lock" mechanisms. I've noticed that people tend to place their bags, especially if they are large ones, on the seat next to them when they are having a meal, or waiting in the airport lounge, for example. This isn't the wisest thing to do, as it means your bag could be easily snatched by someone walking by.

The straps or handles on eBags' bags, however, have a "Turn & Lock" security hook - it's a lobster-claw clasp that will unhook from one end of the bag and allow you to thread the bag strap around an object, like the back of a chair, before strapping it back to the bag. This hook also comes with a "lock" feature, which you turn on the clasp after you've hooked it back onto the bag, which prevents the clasp from being released easily. This allows you to secure your bag to a piece of furniture while you're not carrying it, and makes it that much harder for someone to make off with your bag.

The zippers on the main compartments/pockets of these bags also have "Snap & Lock" mechanisms, which allow the zipper pulls to be secured to the bag, making it difficult and tricky for anyone hoping to pick your bag either quickly or stealthily.

The bags also come with "RFIDsafe" pockets, said to prevent unwanted scanning - this was the only feature I was unable to test and verify on my own. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips are embedded in most credit cards and can be read by a scanner. The "RFIDsafe" pockets are lined with a material said to be able to block any such scanning - keeping your information safe, supposedly.

Other additional features I appreciate: a light-coloured interior, which makes it easier to locate your stuff, especially in larger bags; and a good number of interior and exterior pockets, which help keep me better organised.

The Hobo, in addition, has a foam-lined pocket for your tablet, and a key leash (to keep keys handy); and the Crossbody can be unzipped at its base to expand its capacity. What more could I ask for, from these bags? If I'm being picky, I could say that it would be nice if they each came with a torchlight (a la Jerome Dreyfuss), but then again, one could also ask for the bags to be self-cleaning, or to be able to morph into raincoats when needed, to do my laundry and manage my finances. But I think that's a discussion for another day.

You can buy these anti-theft bags on eBags.com or on Amazon.com (www.amazon.com).

Disclaimer: Bags featured here were sent to the writer by eBags for review, however, the decision to feature them was based solely on the writer's preference for them over the anti-theft bags she had purchased on her own.