Healthy Explorer: Travel inspiration, tips, and guidance

Bobby Anti Theft Backpack

5/3/2019

Big cities like Barcelona and Rome can be amazing. However, there can also tend to be a big problem with petty theft in some of these great cities. I personally had my phone stolen out of my pocket while in Barcelona, and many of my friends have had things stolen from them as well. One way to help protect yourself against theft is to use a secure, theft-proof backpack. The Bobby Anti Theft Backpack by XD design is probably the most popular example I have come across. Here are some of its advantages and disadvantages:

The Good:

Hidden zippers- The zippers for the bag sit against my back when I am wearing it, so I have to take it off before I (or anyone else) can open it.
Durable exterior- The outside of the backpack is slash-proof, so you don't have to worry about any thieves slashing your bag.
Water resistant- I have taken my Bobby Anti Theft Backpack outside in the rain, and everything inside the bag stayed dry. However, I don't know if it would still hold up in long, sustained periods of heavy rain.
Comfortable- The backpack is comfortable for me to wear and there is adequate padding in the shoulder straps.
Fully opens- The bag can open like a suitcase to facilitate easier packing.
USB charger- If you have a power bank/portable charger (which are great to have when traveling) you can have it plugged into the the bag on the inside. Then you can plug your device into the USB port on the outside while leaving your power bank/portable charger secured inside the bag.
Lockable zippers- In addition to being hidden, the zippers on the backpack are also lockable for extra security.
Personal item- I have taken this bag on a number of flights as a personal item. Whether I am traveling on a budget airline and don't want to pay extra for overhead bin space, or I am moving somewhere and I want to bring a few extra things with me, this bag has fit under the airplane seat in front of me.

The Bad:

Not so durable interior- After normal use, part of the inside bag ripped (see photo) which has been an annoyance. Unfortunately the inside of the bag has not proven to be as durable as the exterior of the bag.
Quick access pocket not good for paper tickets- While the quick access pocket would be great in a city that uses plastic cards for public transportation, it is not great for cities like Barcelona that use paper tickets. The tickets tend to get bent and can be rendered unusable.
Possible slight zipper access at the top- If the bag is fully packed and it is zipped up at the top, the zippers can come apart a little, and the interior of the bag could possilby be accessed. I would recommend keeping the zippers on the side and not at the top, which easily solves this issue.
Not as much space as other backpacks- The bag does not offer as much packability as other bags that are specifically geared towards travel. It also looks bigger on the outside than it actually is on the inside.

The Ugly:
It is ugly that there is a demand for taking anti theft measures. However, we unfortunately do not live in a perfect world, so the Bobby Anti Theft Backpack is a good option. After the success of their original bag, XD Design has also introduced a variety of other bag options to combat theft. You should still exercise caution, but the bag gives you the opportunity to rest a little easier. While I am using TEFL to travel I usually use mine at least five days a week.