Pacsafe, thunderstorm pickpockets

For twenty years, Pacsafe has been creating backpacks and bags for travelers. Not simple, but protected: from autopsies, from thefts, from attempts to carry them out from under the nose of the scattered owner. It is clear that it is impossible to cover all two decades of the company's designers in one text. Therefore, we will talk about Pacsafe technologies using the example of seven current bags and backpacks.

From what and for whom?

When it comes to backpacks and bags with protection against theft, you often hear angry reprimands that all this protection is “nonsense and compote.” How antivorovskoy backpack save from a soldering iron, a saw, a crowd of Gopnik with bats (and saws)? Honest answer: no way. Just like your favorite knitted hat and down jacket will not protect against frostbite in Antarctica. But they perfectly protect from frost in the winter in the middle lane.



Most protected backpacks are designed for pickpockets who are not engaged in robbery. Such crimes are common in the civilized world, and violence is declining. Including state violence. For example, Barcelona, ​​which is known as the “European capital of pickpockets,” largely owes its status to the Spanish authorities. According to local law, all thefts for less than 400 € are considered administrative offenses and punishable by a fine of 50 €. Repeated violations do not add up. Therefore, local pickpockets consider 50 euros as “profession tax”.

')





Enjoy this little. Imagine that you are in a foreign country whose language you do not know. Documents, money, cards and a smartphone were stolen from you, and you also pulled out a laptop, on whose hard disk there are results of several months of work (not to mention the collection of photos of your beloved cat). How comfortable is the fact that a non-aggressive, slacker with deft hands made it? And that petty theft is almost an initiation rite for a traveler in Spain?



Pacsafe was founded in 1998 by two traveling friends, Rob Schlipper and Magnus Maglashan. Together they traveled half the world, and at one time even worked as security guards on yachts in the Mediterranean. On one trip, the couple found a cache of beer on the ship and emptied it during night patrols; to share with the rest of the team they thought of when three banks remained from the treasure.







Not all trips were so fun, some turned into failures and nerves ruffled. Schlipper first thought that he would not have prevented a protected backpack, during a trip to Morocco. He spent a sleepless night on the train because he had to protect his property from thieves.



It was this incident that prompted future entrepreneurs to start inventing and releasing bags that were protected from thieves. Practical experience gained has been translated into various pacsafe security systems:

• Protection against opening and cuts with a knife. This is the oldest technology of the company, which is that the fabric is reinforced with eXomesh special steel mesh. The mesh can cover the bag on all sides, or only specific parts. According to a similar principle, “strands” are inserted into the straps - Carrysafe steel slings.

• Lightning protection. YKK lightning bolts are not pierced with a pen and a screwdriver. Their runners in some cases are connected to the tongues - there are two grooves. Then these same tongues are fixed in place with a lock or carabiner. If desired, another lock is hung on the lock. Every paranoid person knows that there are not so many locks.
  
  

• Protection against theft of the bag entirely. Consists of a webbing reinforced with steel straps and a lock on it. This strap can fasten a backpack to some immovable object: to the fence, to the leg of furniture, to the pole, to the tree. Do not cut the strap, the lock is not so easy to open. This means that the property can be left unattended for a couple of minutes.

• RFID protection. Actually, it is a fabric with shielding. We know, we know. Mass "wireless" exist only in theory. When there is a serious reason to steal the data in this way, a tool will appear. In any case, Pacsafe decided to keep up with trends and added a popular protection measure to their arsenal.

The specific type of protection depends on the purpose of the bag, its price and size. The destination is indicated by the series: Venturesafe and Vibe - suitable for travelers and tourists, Metrosafe, Stylesafe - “urban” bags and accessories (which will suit even office workers with strict dress codes).







The Pacsafe logo is a sea turtle. This is no accident: the company not only hints that its backpacks are durable, like the shell of these brave animal travelers, but also engaged in environmental projects. Pacsafe has its own Turtle Fund, which provides grants to environmentalists for the conservation of sea turtles. Such organizations as The Olive Ridley Project and Fauna & Flora International received funding. Their volunteers and staff patrol beaches, pull tangled turtles out of their nets, fight poachers, and train coastal people to be more careful about endangered species.

Waistpack Pacsafe Venturesafe X Waistpack

Tourists often use belt bags, so there are a lot of them in the Pacsafe catalog. Venturesafe X Waistpack is a great example of how brand designers see the perfect bag of this type. It is compact, it sits comfortably on the body and cannot be opened on the wearer, who is lost or lost in the crowd.







Venturesafe X Waistpack sizes are 18 x 38 x 12 centimeters. Not much, but there is enough space inside to accommodate the most necessary things: documents, wallet, small gadgets such as a camera and a bank. The main compartment is a reinforced compartment for a 7-inch tablet or e-book, as well as a pair of shielded pockets for small items and cards. The front pocket also has small pockets for organizing small things and a lock for keys. The wall of the bag adjacent to the body is made of soft, breathable material, and it has another secret pocket.







The small bag is sewn from durable nylon ripstop fabric and is reinforced with steel mesh at the front, and a steel sling is sewn into the belt. The length of the belt is adjustable and on the person it snaps into place with a small buckle with a buckle. The latch opens simply: you need to turn and press its upper part. However, outside the mechanism itself does not give out, and it is more convenient to open it on yourself and not on the other person. The “dogs” of the zippers of the main compartment and the front pocket are securely fixed on the lock that is sewn to the bag on top.







All these protective tricks are not striking, so that the appearance of the Venturesafe X Waistpack is not much different from other sport belt bags. Is that the seams neat, and from the jewelry - the alternation of matte sections of fabric and shiny.

Pacsafe Venturesafe X22 Travel Backpack

The next backpack, Pacsafe Venturesafe X22, is designed for those travelers who prefer active recreation: fishing, hiking, and so on. The design is appropriate: a tall and narrow backpack opens only from above, there are tie-downs on the sides, and straps are complemented with chest and waist belts - so that it is more comfortable to sit on the back. In addition, the backpack has its own rain cover.







The total volume of the backpack is 22 liters. The main compartment is deep, it houses a 13-inch laptop, for which has its own compartment. A small external compartment is divided between a set of pockets for small things (there is where to put the spoon or poverbank). The front is a vertical outer pocket. Another fit on the valve, closing the main compartment.







The main material of the backpack is durable nylon ripstop fabric. The front part of the backpack is reinforced with steel mesh, steel slings are sewn into the straps. The right shoulder strap is equipped with the same buckle as that of the Venturesafe X Waistpack, so the backpack can be mounted on a fence, furniture leg, lamppost or thin birch. The zipper pockets of the pockets are locked in place with textile loops. In the lightning section runners, the system is more complicated - they can be fixed with special carbines.







The appearance of the Venturesafe X22 is quite sporty, even in the black version. Blue looks bright, such a juicy backpack will be impossible to lose in nature.

Pacsafe Metrosafe LS450 Urban Backpack

When Pacsafe bags and backpacks became known among travelers, the company began to create products for use in the city. Pacsafe Metrosafe LS450 is a typical and one of the best representatives of the “urban” direction of the brand. You can safely wear expensive gadgets in the crowded metropolis, without worrying about their safety, which is provided by a thick layer of lining, and thought-out protection.







The total volume of the Metrosafe LS450 is 25 liters. In the main compartment there is a laptop compartment, where a 15-inch laptop is placed. The shielded front compartment organizer is equipped with pockets and attachments for small items. You can wear fragile smartphones or sunglasses in it, the lining will protect them from damage. A large outer pocket is located at the front bottom, it closes with a zipper. A pair of elastic bottle holders protrude on each side of the backpack.







Metrosafe LS450 is sewn from thick polyester fabric. The backpack is reinforced with non-cut steel mesh, steel slings through the straps. The right strap is equipped with a lock, with which the backpack is fastened to fixed objects of the urban environment. The “dogs” of the main compartment's zippers are locked in place, and for the zipper of the pocket-organizer, a carabiner is sewn on the side, as in the Venturesafe X22.







In addition, the Metrosafe LS450 is characterized by soft and comfortably sitting shoulder straps. This backpack can be stuffed with items under the string, and it still will not cut the shoulders.

City backpack Pacsafe Vibe 28

When you first see the Pacsafe Vibe 28, it’s easy to confuse with a small suitcase. This is not an accidental association: one of the main purposes of a backpack is to serve as hand luggage in airplanes. That is why it has the characteristic form of a “brick” so that its owner can fully take advantage of the “free” space allocated to him.







Dimensions Vibe 28 are 47 x 31 x 21 centimeters, and weight - 1 kilogram, which is less than the limitations of most carriers. Volume - 28 liters, in the main compartment there is a reinforced pocket for a 15-inch laptop, pockets for small items and ties for clothes, like in a suitcase. Outside there is one large and deep pocket in the front, as well as a hidden shielded pocket at the top of the backpack. In addition to comfortable and soft handles with a chest strap, on the side of the Vibe 28 there is a handle, so that it can be carried like a small bag.







The Vibe 28 is made of thick Oxford nylon with a thick lining that keeps things inside from being hit. Additionally, the walls and bottom of the backpack are reinforced with steel mesh so that the pickpocket could not even theoretically cut through it. The straps are sewn steel slings. Like many other Pacsafe backpacks, the Vibe can be “chained” with a strap to a table leg or other fixed object. The zipper of the main compartment and the pocket are fixed in place by the lock for the runners, so that no one will open the backpack invisibly to the owner.







Overall, the Vibe 28 was conceived as the ideal partner for an office worker or a gadget man who makes short trips from time to time. During business hours in a backpack it is convenient to carry a laptop, paper and gadgets, and before a business trip or vacation you do not have to look for a suitable bag.

Bag with pickpocket protection Pacsafe Vibe 150

The Pacsafe Vibe 150 bag occupies an intermediate position between a full-fledged backpack and small accessories of the brand, like the Venturesafe X Waistpack bag mentioned above. A sort of compromise when you need to take more things than fit in your pockets, but not enough to take along a voluminous backpack.







The Vibe 150 weighs only 370 grams. The volume is 4 liters, the iPad mini tablet is placed in the pocket in the main and only compartment, and the smartphone is placed in the large front pocket. The bag fits well on the shoulder and is worn on the back. To get the right thing, just drag the Vibe 150 from the back to the stomach.







The fabric of the bag is reinforced with a steel mesh, like most other Pacsafe accessories. A steel sling is sewn into the strap, and the lock on it allows the Vibe 150 to be attached on the fence or furniture. The “dogs” of the main compartment's zippers and pocket are locked with a lock in one place, so that the bag can be fearlessly worn on the back, without fear that someone will rummage around it. The pocket is also shielded, so you can carry a biometric passport and plastic cards in it.

Backpack Pacsafe Stylesafe sling

Most Pacsafe backpacks and bags have a distinctive sporty or minimalistic look. Pacsafe Stylesafe sling is not like this: this is a female backpack. Naturally, constructively nothing prevents a man from wearing it. However, thin straps, the elegant shape of the backpack itself and a pair of front pockets hint at who it is intended for.







The most important "trick" Stylesafe sling is in the straps, connected by a zipper. The zipper opens and the strap divides into two; closes - and the backpack can be worn on one shoulder. The straps themselves are not the thinnest and are reinforced with steel straps so that they cannot be cut. On the right "half" there is a carabiner with a lock, so that this backpack tightly "chained" to the furniture. Yes, Pacsafe loves this system: apparently, someone in the team was not lucky to part with property that was not secured in place.







The backpack is protected from attempts to open it with a knife with the same steel mesh as in the "male" models. The zipper of the main compartment is locked in place by an inconspicuous carabiner. "Dogs" zipper pockets can be threaded through special loops so that the thief could not unnoticeably unbutton them.







The volume of Stylesafe sling is 6 liters. The backpack is placed a tablet with a diagonal of 10 inches, for which in the main compartment there is a separate pocket. There is also a shielded pocket for plastic cards and electronic documents.

Backpack Pacsafe Stylesafe

Pacsafe Stylesafe is another women's backpack with a very minimal design. Its volume is twice as large as the previous model: 12 liters against six. In the main compartment fits a whole 11-inch laptop, which has its own compartment. There is also a shielded pocket for plastic cards and pockets for gadgets.







Outside, there are four more pockets: one on the back, two on the sides — for an umbrella and for a bottle, and one in front, which closes with a zipper. Her "dog" is locked in place of the textile loop. The zipper of the main compartment from the opening by outsiders is guarded by a carbine that snaps onto the slider. The backpack itself is reinforced with a steel mesh, its straps - with steel straps.







The most original protection lies in the design of Stylesafe. The fact is that lightning passes along the edge of the back and under the straps. That is, it looks like a XD Design Bobby backpack, only the Pacsafe model will be even more difficult to open imperceptibly on the back. And so that the backpack is not taken away entirely, while its owner orders coffee in a cafe, there is a lock on the right strap for fixing it on the furniture.







Additionally, it is worth adding that Stylesafe keeps its shape well and with all the protection weighs only 370 grams.



You can purchase these and other Pacsafe backpacks in our online store . Until April 14, each of them has a 15% discount on the promotional code HABRSAFE.