Travelon Anti-Theft Classic Essential Messenger Bag, Black

LOVE this purse! I need a travel purse that was thin enough to pack on during the plane flight but held enough stuff when used for daily excursions. This one fits the bill! I can hold my beanie and gloves, a water bottle, a notebook, my wallet and phone. It's high quality material with metal throughout the bottom and handles to ward off pursecutters. There are clips at the zippers that ward off pickpockets and can be clipped and unclipped quickly and smoothly.I typically wear this across my body under my coat. I wear a lot of natural colors so this beigey-gray-brown blended nicely with every outfit.

I wanted a purse for a long trip to several European countries which could: 1. Hold lots of items 2. I could wear securely 3. Looked stylish and 4. Had security features. This purse fit the bill. It's black, so it went with everything. It was not too big, (I didn't want to carry a backpack), but I could fit my iPhone plus, extra charger, wallet, snack, small water bottle, souvenirs (extra socks, small umbrella etc) and other incidentals as needed that i deemed necessary for a long day and night exploring away from lodging. Even with all those items, I was able to zip the purse closed easily. The adjustable strap allowed me to wear the purse at different lengths. The purse was not too big in tight quarters (crowded museums, restaurants, metros and buses). The strap was thick and sturdy for comfort and security. There were plenty of pockets and slots to store away items (keys, metro and train tickets, phone cords). The security snaps were a bonus. I don't know if the purse is technically waterproof or water resistant, but it held up in rainy weather without anything inside getting wet. And I was able to pack the purse flat in my suitcase for airline travel. When I first got the purse I thought it would be too large, but it was perfect for my trip and went everywhere.

I bought two of these in 2018 and loved them. Perfect for travel, roomy but not heavy, water resistant, tons of pockets, easy but secure access to credit cards and phone. I loved it so much that it became my regular purse. Then I wore out the main compartment zipper. I bought a replacement in 2023, to have while getting the zipper repaired. Very disappointed that this version is cheaper made. Far fewer pockets, bag has overall less room, material seems lower quality. It’s still a good bag for travel, but much lower quality.

This bag sits tight to the body, has a front, back and main compartment to keep everything from a phone or camera to credit cards, cash and a spare light sweater or jacket if they can fold up small. Let’s face it, you don’t need to carry every single thing that you own when you go out for a day in a new city. What do you want is to have your phone, cash and credit cards secure. You can lock the zipper on the top and front pockets. The back pocket will be against your body. This is an absolutely perfect day purse to wear over one shoulder and have it rest against the other hip. I think it’s a great investment and I’m glad I purchased it.

I just returned from a three-week trip in Europe. I chose this purse for the trip as it would hold everything I needed, from passports for the family, tickets for tours, emergency meds, wallet (which I could attach to the inside hook to keep it more secure...see photo), my cell phone (which I tethered to the strap of the purse while I kept it in the front outer pocket for quick access for picture taking, snacks, and anything else I wanted to carry. I also on occasion attached a collapsible water bottle to the metal ring where the strap attached to the body of the purse. I liked that I could "lock" both the front pocket zipper and the zipper at the top of the purse, making me feel more secure. For safekeeping I also carried my husband's wallet. After using everyday while traveling, shoving under airplane seats, etc., the purse still looks terrific and none worse for the wear. You have to use common sense while traveling but this purse gave me an extra sense of security while visiting many countries/cities known for pickpockets.

I got this purse mainly because the straps are slash resistant as is the bag itself. It’s a crossbody so that makes it easier to keep on my body. It looks secure and blends to my body which in my mind makes criminals less likely to want to try to snatch it. (Fingers crossed) it’s not really high fashion but right now I prefer the security. The wallet pouch is resistant to scanners and scammers. Would be great for vacation or traveling in any place that may not be the safest place, aka anywhere in the USA these days. There are lots of pockets to store things in, it’s versatile in the fact you can wear it crossbody or on the shoulder. The straps are adjustable and you may even be able to tighten it around the waist. Each zipper has a clasp so if you’re in a crowded area it would be difficult for someone to casually unzip your bag to take anything out.