Since I don’t count any pickpockets* among my otherwise scallywag friends (looking at you Jon and Jay), the veracity of pickpocket-proof is a difficult one to test. That being the case, I will review the Clothing Arts Pickpocket-Proof Shirt on being just that, a shirt. The lightweight fabric (“100% Nature-Like™ Nylon”) has a slightly synthetic feel and although generously cut, the fabric felt clingy. I’m not sure if it was just me, but it really didn’t seem to breathe very well and made me feel warm whenever I put it on.
The mechanism for making the shirt pickpocket-proof is a zippered pocket concealed inside each breast pocket. The hidden pockets are large enough to hold an iPhone or a passport. While the zippered closure was untested against thieves, it did keep my phone from skittering across the pavement when I bent over to tie my shoe.
Good:
- cut long so the fit was comfortable
- zipper kept my phone from falling out
- I didn’t once have my pockets picked while I was wearing it, so maybe it works
Bad:
- The “100% Nature-Like™ Nylon” felt to me like 100% nylon
- looks like a tourist shirt
- One zipper was unusable because the pocket button was sewn through the zipper
Would I recommend: If you are really concerned about having your stuff lifted while you are traveling, and looking for a shirt specifically for travel (e.g. one you probably won’t wear at home), then this might be the shirt for you.
The Clothing Arts P^Cubed Travel Shirt $69.95
*The more you know: The origin of the term ‘sidekick’ comes from pickpocket slang of the late 19th and early 20th century. The “kick” is the front side pocket of a pair of trousers, and was thought to be the safest and most difficult one to pick.
Images via: Clothing Arts website