<p>You guys are great. I can see one of our local REI stores from my office window, I will stop by after work and see if they have those pants. BunsenBurner, I notice that the LOLE pants have a back pocket flap on one side. Does the flap stay down? Every pair of pants I (or my Ds) have every had with the pocket flap needs ironing to keep the flap laying down flat and looking nice.</p>
<p>The REI slacks I have come with a snap for both back pockets so that the flaps stay DOWN. There are pleats in the back pockets as well. There are two very deep front pockets and a zipped front pocket as well. It has velcro on the bottoms of the legs with zippers (I guess for if you wear hiking boots or other clunky footwear). The slacks also come with SPF 50 protection.</p>
<p>intparent, the pants are no-iron (love 'em!), and the flaps stay down just fine on my pair of pants (I got them at a Sportswise overstock sale).</p>
<p>Remember, if you’re an REI member, there’s a discount availble as well for items that are at regular price. I think it’s 20%.</p>
<p>Just the regular REI member dividend? Or is there a sale going on or a coupon I haven’t been paying attention to (could be, I didn’t have any plans to buy anything until this afternoon!) Ah… I just remembered, my dividend check (not very big this year) is sitting at home on my counter. And I bet there is a 20% off coupon with it. So I think I will pick it up tonight, then go tomorrow after work to check these out.</p>
<p>If you go to the REI.com website, you can print the coupon. They won’t mail me my rebate check until July (don’t plan to shop there again until we are in SF probably), but did get sent my dividend notice & the member’s 20% off coupon is on the top of that printout.</p>
<p>You can call REI–I think they’ll probably have the dividend amount linked to your membership number so you probably don’t need to bring it in to get the dividend applied toward your purchase AND your 20% discount.</p>
<p>ya you don’t have to have the coupon. It is in the computer.
You even could look online- and order something and pick it up at the store for free- they can look up your number if you don’t have your card with you. ( but it will take a while to ship).</p>
<p>Also- look at the REI outlet, which is only accessible online ( unless you hit up their garage sales), they often have same stuff- but just last years colors.</p>
<p>For fit, I like Royal Robbins and Columbia- TNF and Prana run a little narrower, so it really depends. The REI brand- sometimes is too wide- but it depends on what it is.</p>
<p>I’ve traveled in Western Europe for more than 30 years and have always taken sensible precautions and have never had anything stolen. Some things I do or have done with family. </p>
<p>I carry cash and several different credit cards. (Call credit card companies beforehand and let them know that you will be using the card abroad).</p>
<p>We divide cards between H & I so if one of us loses wallet, all our cards are not compromised.</p>
<p>If we have a coat/pants that we might want to carry valuables in, I sew velcro strips on the opening. Impossible to open without making a noise.</p>
<p>I use a purse with a zipper and put a large safety pin just behind the zipper pull so that it is hard to open/difficult to pick. I put the strap over my shoulder, purse on building (not street side), and firmly tucked under my arm or in front of me. I never use a backpack. If I’m wearing a coat, I generally put the purse underneath.</p>
<p>I also use the zipper technique on checked luggage that you can no longer lock (if you don’t want to use those disposable ties).</p>
<p>I keep a copy of my passport in my luggage, and leave a copy of passports/credit cards at home.</p>
<p>I never use travelers checks any more. I get money from an ATM. The exchange rate is generally better. Sometimes you have to go to 2/3 machines but I’ve never been unable to find one. </p>
<p>I keep my camera in my purse except when I’m actually taking pictures and try not to use my map except in places like a cafe/store, not just on the street so I don’t look like a tourist.</p>
<p>You can lock checked luggage (if it has the little loopy things where the zippers meet) with approved combination locks that TSA can open. We invested in a few of those, and set 'em all to the same combination so anyone in the family can open them. So when we leave a hotel room that does not have a safe, we lock things we don’t take with us (like D’s laptop) inside. As someone mentioned above, they could take the suitcase, but it is not as easy.</p>
<p>Wow, you set velcro on all pants & jacket pockets that you’ll be storing valuables in. That makes sense, but then again it also makes noise when the wearer wants to open those pockets. It’s fascinating how different people take different precautions.</p>
<p>Part of it is also the environment that one expects to find him/herself in. We would have to prepare further in advance than we do if we wanted to be sure to have velcro for the correct pockets, but that’s definitely a thought. Maybe we could bring some velcro along? Hmmm.</p>
<p>I traveled through Europe with a money belt. Put cash for daily use in a front pocket. Excess cash, credit cards, ATM, passport in the money belt.</p>
<p>Only problem was the passport machine at the Eurostar had trouble reading the barcode on the passport heading from Paris to London (last stop before coming back to DC). The person said it was a little wrinkled and I told her I’d been carrying it in a money belt for a month, and she said “try to keep it in good condition.” In London, I got pulled out of the passengers exiting and asked questions about what I was doing in London, etc… I assume the events were related.</p>
<p>I just bought a Scott Evest jacket for my upcoming trip. 18 different pockets throughout the jacket, with most of them hidden. I was worried because my airline now says that you cannot carry both a purse and a carry-on back to the States, and I needed something to have stuff close at hand on the plane. I bought the Essential Travel Jacket:
[Women’s</a> Rain Jackets and Outdoor Vests From SCOTTEVEST/SeV - Waterproof Rainwear - Womens Pack Vest](<a href=“http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/subindex_womens_products.shtml]Women’s”>http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/subindex_womens_products.shtml) Just got it and I really like it!</p>
<p>I’m also going to look into the PacSafe bags, but I think if I just keep my wits about me, I should be OK.</p>
<p>That is an attractive jacket and I did look at it too. Does it fit close to your regular sizing or is it significantly bigger or smaller? I’ll be needing to replace my goretex jacket that is now shedding goretex. 
It gave me 8-10 years of good use, so tough to complain. Wish there were coupons or discount on the jacket as I have a tough time paying full price for anything, especially clothing.</p>
<p>^^Nice jacket, unfortunately, the logos on the bottom of the sleeves could give someone familiar with this brand a hint that the wearer might be hiding something in the pockets.</p>
<p>It is so hard to find Gore-tex on sale. My ex-H once bought a Gore-tex parka on sale in a color we called “lamb-s*** yellow”. It was not very attractive, and he wore it for MANY years.</p>
<p>I bought the REI Rendevous Pants today, and I love them! I tried on a bunch of other styles, but those were the best by far. One note if anyone orders them, I had to get a size larger than I usually buy, so you might consider ordering up. I did have a donut at work today, but only one, and it was the first one I’ve eaten in ages… really!</p>
<p>Hey, we’ll be twins! I am coming to like my slacks more & more and am sure it will be great for the trip. They are really quite comfortable and you’d never know they were made of nylon just to look at them. They are great over the thermals I bought, so I won’t freeze (can you tell I get cold easily?)</p>
<p>You are right about the sizing. In Gloria Vanderbelt, I wear a size 4 or 6; in these REI slacks, I bought an 8 and it fits perfectly! Because they’re nylon, they do a pretty good job with wind and really don’t wrinkle at all.</p>
<p>Glad you like them (mine was probably the last of the prior season’s model).</p>
<p>I once did get a lovely goretex jacket on sale–brilliant turqoise blue. Hubby found it too bright & I handed it down to my sister, who has enjoyed wearing it. I still love my goretex jacket, even if it does shed more than I’d like. At some point, I will find the perfect replacement. Maybe look at Burberry, lustfully? They don’t make goretex, so I should be safe lusting.</p>
<p>OK, lusting impulse satisfied by looking at their website; not much suitable for HI & out of my price range.</p>
<p>OK–we’re set! I have two pouches, each with a loop that hubby & S will use (wear the loop on their belt & then stash the pouch under their slacks/shorts). D & I will use the waist pouch under our garments. I will bring an extra pouch and extra waist pouch just in case, with spare safety pin. </p>
<p>Since it will be cold (for us @ 40-70+), we will also likely be wearing jackets with zipped inside pockets and velcro (heck, I’ll even need thermals when it gets nippy). One pair of my slacks also has a zipper.</p>
<p>I also have a ScotteVest. However, I find it a bit heavy with all the zippers. The pockets are also a bit small, suitable only for very thin and light objects.</p>
<p>Perhaps a foolish question, but if you use cable ties to secure luggage, how the heck do you open them when you get to your destination? You can’t carry a pocketknife in your carryon.</p>
<p>We don’t use table ties ourselves for luggage. I supposed you could always get a knife (plastic or metal) from your hotel when you get there, but we just use paperclips or small bits of wire to keep the zipper from accidentally opening. As it is, security doesn’t even bother to CLOSE THE ZIPPER sometimes, which is very irritating. So far, we haven’t lost things from their sloppiness, but it is upsetting!</p>
<p>I tend to put things in my jacket pockets already but don’t like them to have too much/large or I feel very bulky. My polartec vests also have zip pockets; most places I travel too are cool enough that it makes sense for me to wear vest and/or jacket.</p>
<p>By the way, Sierra Trading Post has some good prices for goretex and other jackets and products. My SIL has ordered from them several times; I’ve tried them once but wasn’t thrilled with the quality of the products I purchased, so I returned them (they were brands I hadn’t heard of). If you get name brands, their prices look good.</p>