dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

I use a Pacsafe strap. I wish Pacsafe made a decent sized shoulder bag with good camera storage. Most of them seem to be rather limited in what you can put in them. I would not use a backpack for touring in town. Once you take the pack off to access equipment, all the protection becomes meaningless. A shoulder bag you can access while still on your body.
You could use a pacsafe strap, keep the camera on your neck and a small pacsafe shoulder bag for lenses. For actually traveling I use a backpack that goes under the seat on flights. Once at my destination, the backpack is in my room and I leave lenses I won'd use that day in the room safe.

Schoee Loc: Europe

This might be the way to go...

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

I'm sure the smell is more than enough deterent but I like the way you think.

Dossile

In Europe I use cable reinforced straps from Pacsafe. They are more stiff then a regular strap but still comfortable. B&H eBags or adorama sells them. The small one is for the camera or a small bag, the big one for a bag. Pacsafe also makes bags. Great products.

The three most common dangers are slash and grab (cutting either the strap or backpack bottom), grab and go, or undoing zippers on a backpack while you are standing or walking. I wear my camera and case crossbody and loop my strap around my leg when sitting. I never stop walking for anything or anyone. I enjoy the surroundings without paranoia, but absolutely do not stop in a crowd with someone behind me if I have on a backpack with my camera in it. I’ve been to most European countries as a tourist too many times to count since I was 10. Never a dime lost yet, but it will happen one day when I’m tired and neglectful.

See Rick Steve’s website and go to the safety section. He always posts the latest scams and great safety suggestions.

jno

Look at PacSafe website. It is good gear but not inexpensive.

Beware of people who bump into you or spill something on you! Paris is bad but Rome and Barcelona are worse. Keep your guard up!!

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

As a former New Yorker, my wife instinctively puts her arm around her purse {almost carries like a football} after putting the strap over her shoulder ... many thieves carry a knife which can be used to cut a strap, perhaps even a strap with a thin wire through it.

TheShoe Loc: Lacey, WA

Look at the PacSafe line of bags and straps.

Dossile

Pacsafe straps use airplane grade cable and require bolt cutters to get through. I use their cable mesh bags as safes in 3rd world countries for odds and ends that are not considered worthy of theft in a major economy but can become a huge nuisance if missing. Things like razors, cables and chargers and eye glasses tend to have legs In the third world.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

I just got back from Europe, where I used a Tenba messenger bag. There's nothing about it to indicate it's for photography.

By the way, I took a Tamron 18-270 and a Sigma 10-20. I only used the Sigma once, and wish I hadn't packed it. Tamron has since succeeded the 18-270 with 18-300 and 18-400 offerings. You might want to take a look at them - very versatile, no lens changes needed.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

That will work if you take the muzzle off.

daledo Loc: Billings, MT

My dumpy younger brother in days gone by would put duct tape on his stuff to disguise his high quality equipment. Doesn't look cool (which is the point) but it seemed to do the job. It also makes for good family lore.

Keen

It is not the bag which deters theft. It is your attitude. Be alert to your surroundings....not daydreaming, or using your cellphone, or such. Keep your bag close to you. If you must set it down, stand close to it, and keep your eye on it. Imagine someone trying to pick your pocket, or mug you, or grab your bag....and you decapitating, or disemboweling, them, or beating them into a paste. Have nothing in rear pants pocket. When sightseeing, have zipper pockets on your jacket, and zip them closed. Carry your wallet in your front pants pocket, with something else-a cellphone, or such-in the same pocket....so it is difficult to get either item out. That way, no pickpocket will get anything out without you feeling it.

Put your our back to a wall, or post, or such, as much as possible, so people can only approach you from the front. Have only a single carry on bag. Keep your camera gear in it, and put some ranger rolled casual clothes in it, too. Wear your heavier, dressier, clothes-a business suit, or such-as you go through the airports. There are not many bags that can take a big lens....like a 70-200mm, or such. Those which can tend to be big, and bulky, and cost more than you want to spend. A Billingham Hadley Large Pro, or Billingham 307L, would work....but cost more in the neighborhood of $400.00 to $525.00. They cost a bit, but Billinghams last for decades.

If you want to be a bit deceptive, try the Billingham Overnighter (one of their leisure bags, rather than camera bags) for more like $300.00. It looks like a gym bag, and people won't be anxious to steal a gym bag full of dirty jock straps, socks, gym shoes, etc...which they will assume are in it. Billingham has a variety of dividers you can get, and put in the bag to hold your lenses. Look at the Superflex Partitions. Visit billingham.co.uk online, and shop around. Prices are in British Pounds. Currently, there are about $1.30 to every 1 pound.

I have been all over the world, and walked though very dangerous areas, and no one ever tried to mug, or rob, me, or pick my pocket. My attitude was such that none dared. When they had a choice of victimizing someone else, and living through the experience....or victimizing me, and dying painfully, they chose to victimize someone else. In the past, I have died, been out of body, and seen the life after death. It wasn't bad, so I do not fear death....or anything less than death. I am happy to die again, if need be....as long as I can take an attacker with me. Most would be attackers prefer to live.....so they attack others rather than me. Whether due to ESP, or body language, or whatever, the bad folks sense my attitude, and they leave me alone.

Safety is possible, but has a price. Spend some money, avoid distraction, remain alert. It works.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Are you concerned about a pickpocket reaching into a bag, or a purse snatcher grabbing the bag off your shoulder?

Whatever bag you have, make sure to have a firm grip on it. Don't let it just hang at your side or toward your back. Shorten the strap so it is under your arm, with your arm/elbow holding it tight.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

Go to H&H and get a camera strap with a steel cable in it, about $35.00. They also make a strap for your bag. They will cut your strap, take your camera or bag and run.