Gear Review: Pick-Pocket Proof Pants For Women

I must admit that I was plenty skeptical about the new women's Pick-Pocket Proof Pants (manufactured by Clothing Arts) that I anticipated reviewing. It's not that I was worried the pants wouldn't thwart thieves. I'm sure they would. After all, my friend tried the men's version last year and he had difficulty getting into the pockets himself. (There's definitely a learning curve.) But he loved the pants and wears them constantly. You can read my review here.

But I'm all about form and function. So, great that thieves won't be able to nab my passport, money, credit cards and cell phone. But aesthetics can't be sacrificed. And the idea of a pants with a multitude of pockets, including the cargo kind, just didn't seem to fit in with a pleasing aesthetic. Would my butt look droopy, my thighs bulgy and my hips like I'm carrying an extra 10 pounds? I'm pretty petite (5'2" and 104 pounds) so anything that detracted from my slim appearance would be a no go, even if it was pick-pocket proof.

Was I pleasantly surprised! These pants look great and perform well. The pockets -- there are six of them: two rear, two side and two cargo -- are all low profile.. The cargo pockets don't hang in a floppy way. Two of these pockets contain double security features: a zipper and a button flap. I defy a thief to get past that. The two side pockets are zippered and contain an inner pocket, perfect for my cell phone. Like with the men's pants, it does take awhile to get accustomed to all the buttons and zippers. But that's the trade off if you want to keep other hands out of your pockets.

The pants are lightweight and soft as cotton, but constructed of a nylon that's wicks away moisture, doesn't wrinkle, and dries quickly. Oftentimes, I have found that pants never fit me perfectly around the waist, often requiring a belt. No belt is needed with these, thanks to additional buttons to cinch in the waist, making for a perfect fit.

I was surprised to find that the pants convert to capris, my favorite pants style. So that's how I intend on wearing them on most of my trips to warm climes.

The fit is relaxed, without a hint of bagginess, and the comfort factor is high, including when I'm curled up for an hour on my commuter bus. The pants arrived four days ago and I've been wearing them every day since. In a few days, I'm heading out of the country on assignment to a tropical country and my Pick-Pocket Proof Pants are coming along with me, whether I expect pickpockets or not. And now you can get a 20% discount on these or the men's pants if you purchase my travel first-aid kit organizer.