November 7th, 2007 by Pia Taylor
During our travels around Europe, we’ve had a chance to try out some travel gadgets and doodads to find out just how useful they really are when you’re on the road. In the spotlight this time around: Pacsafe’s secure shoulder bag, the Metrosafe.
Pacsafe’s Metrosafe 100 is a travel bag with a reassuring number of thief-thwarting safety features. It’s not something you’re likely to have out when you’re lugging your main backpack around, but it’s good for those times when you’re checked in at your hostel and wanting to spend some time exploring at your leisure.
My first impression was that it was quite a bit smaller than it looks on Pacsafe’s product page (though of course they do provide actual measurements – 22 × 15.5 × 8 cm – and have other, larger sizes from which you can choose).
But, despite its seemingly small size, it did hold quite a heap of stuff. I managed to stuff into it a cellphone, a digital camera, one small notebook, pens, my ipod, tissues, a small bottle of sunscreen (traveller’s bottle) – all snuggling fitting into all the well-thought-out internal pockets.
As far as safety goes, the Metrosafe is made of thief-thwarting slashproof material, and the attached strap consists of Pacsafe’s usual doubled up stainless steel cables, with exceptionally strong clips on either end.
A handy feature I quite liked is that you can wear the Metrosafe either as a shoulder bag or a hip bag, depending on your preference, simply by shifting the strap. Nifty.
I used the Metrosafe for several weeks, loading it up with everything I needed, and it did rather well, but then the strap started taking strain (it was quite a bit of weight I inflicted on it) and began to curl annoyingly as the steel cables bent permanently out of shape.
The verdict: I like it – it’s useful, holds a lot, and has some nice security features, but I have to say that I wouldn’t consider it a vital backpacking accessory. It’s good for protecting techno-toys, if you’re carrying them, but in my opinion a cheaply bought local bag will help you blend in better (and make you less of a target for theft). You’d be better off keeping all your non-tech essentials somewhere safer (like a hidden moneybelt).
The Pacsafe Metrosafe retails at around US$39.95. More info available here.
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One of the quickest, most convenient ways to get from the UK to Europe is by taking the superspeedy Eurostar. It can cut into a backpacker’s budget, though, if you don’t book in advance, and if you don’t find special off-peak fares.
