Camouflage, Duct Tape and Other Anti-Theft Travel Tips

Not being one who has ever really gone the globe as a traveler I’ve been pounding the internet superhighway trying to pick up on any tips, insights, secrets and whatever to help prep me for my trip to Southeast Asia.

There’s definitely plenty of sites out there willing to pass on their experiences, some of them actually well-written. One thing that seems to be a constant among them is the issue of personal safety and security. It appears theft can be a common thing. Some places seeming to be far worse than others.

A lil’ guerrilla travel security is in order for this virgin traveler…

Backpack Camouflage

I’ll be carrying my gear in two easy-to-grab-and-run bags. For everything plus my kitchen sink, a 3600cu inch (59 liters) Kelty Moraine which I’ve had for a number of years. For day hiking, a 660cu inch Maxpedition Malaga (cool thing about this bag is that I can carry it in front while carrying the Kelty on my back).

All my shit, two bags. Don’t want to lose them. Don’t want to tempt any banditos, either. I figure the best way to encourage thieves to skip my bags is to basically make them look like crap. I initially got this tip from HoboTraveler. The logic is, if my bags look like crap then folks assume that their contents are pretty crappy, too.

Here’s how I “crapped up” my bags…

• 1 can black spray paint
• 1 roll duct tape
• 1 Sharpie marker

1. From about a foot or two away from the bag, spray the bag with paint. The idea here isn’t to turn the bag black but make it look worn, dirty, and heavily used. Give it a mottled look. I did make sure to spray over any logos and branding on the bag.
2. Wrap duct tape around a few straps and along some seams. Again, this makes the bag look pretty hobo-ish. If the bag is being held together by duct tape, surely it’s not worth taking or even peeking inside. I chose the traditional gray color for my tape so that it’s clearly visible.
3. With the sharpie, add some personalization to the bag. A few Black Flag symbols, song lyrics, sketches, etc and the bag is looking less and less appealing.

So, in the matter of a few minutes I took some nice (tempting) looking bags and made them battered, ugly, and worn. Sure, somebody could still try to grab them or pilfer through them at some point but why waste the time when it appears there’ll be little to no gain for doing so?

Backpack on Lockdown

While a crapped up backpack helps deter temptation, it doesn’t do much to stop an actual snatch and grab. That’s where this next tool comes in. Pacsafe makes, well, a cage for your pack. Basically, you wrap this steel cage around your pack and with the accompanying locking system, tether it to some immovable object.

It sounds a bit overkill, I know. Maybe it is. But, I’d rather overkill something than lose everything.

Regardless, it’s a cool tool to have, though not inexpensive. Thanks to mom I’ll be bringing this with me to keep my bag in one spot.

Duct Tape Thievery

I may have to turn in my techy/geek card while carrying this next tool because it’s pure hipster style. I have to admit, though, it’s pretty damn cool when it comes in to play as a decoy.

See, the other day I sat down with a razor blade and a roll of duct tape and made myself a wallet… out of duct tape. Nothing but duct tape. It even has multiple pockets for bills and can carry credit cards.

It’s what some call a “mugger’s wallet”. When getting mugged, this is the wallet you give up while your real stash of cash is kept cool. Again with the “camouflage” – some personalization with a Sharpie, a sticker, some old expired credit cards, and a few bucks – and it looks like it’d be my genuine wallet. Which it will be. I’ll carry a day’s worth of funds in it and use it as normal but should I ever get mugged… meh, no biggie. Another roll of duct tape and I’m back in business.

Here’s instructions on how to make your own duct tape wallet.

The Family Jewels

While the bandito is running off with a wad of duct tape, my real valuables are kept secure in my pants. Pacsafe makes a killer money belt that you wear underneath your clothes. It’s breathable, has multiple pockets, and is slash-proof.

Frankly, all of this is fine and dandy and can really help however it amounts to squat if a person simply has no awareness or sense about them. Now, I’m a pretty aware fella but I know there’s a thief out there who’s far smarter than I am. All I can do is what I can do, and choc the rest up to experience. Spending too much time being paranoid wouldn’t make the trip worthwhile. But, a little preparedness goes a long way.

Related Topics

gear, travel