There's a big world out there to explore, but traveling brings with it certain risks, with tourists often targeted by pickpockets and other criminal types. It is therefore essential for travelers to keep their valuables close at all times, and where could be better to store your worldly possessions than in your underwear. Armed with merino wool and polyethylene, US start-up Adventure Underwear has taken on this brief.
Adventure Underwear was created to "provide a practical solution to safeguarding your valuables when you travel without sacrificing comfort or style." It's underwear made from 100% Australian superfine merino wool, a material "which is soft, lightweight, breathable, quick drying, and doesn't hold odors." It's also helps keep the wearer warm in cold weather, and cool in hot climates.
If this was just wool underwear it wouldn't have made it onto the pages of Gizmag, but the innovation comes in the form of two built-in pockets designed to hold and protect your valuables at all time. One of the pockets is designed for quick access, while the other is designed to store your valuables even when you head into the sea for a dip.
This second pocket is made from polyethylene and certified waterproof up to 200 ft deep. Measuring 6 inches by 4.5 inches (15.2 cm by 11.4 cm) it's potentially large enough to hold a wallet, a passport, a small camera, and other assorted items you'd be devastated to lose. The idea of stitching pockets into underwear for added security isn't a new one, but making one of the pockets waterproof to such depths is.
After eight different iterations the creators of Adventure Underwear have decided to bring the underwear to market and are seeking to raise US$30,000 by Aug 21 through a Kickstarter campaign.
At the moment Adventure Underwear is only available for men in sizes ranging from Small to XXL. If the company raises $50,000 from the Kickstarter project they will also start producing a version for women.
One pair of Adventure Underwear will set you back $39. Shipping to the US and Australia is free, with $20 added to the price for shipping to all other countries. While this isn't cheap, the creators justify the price by reminding potential buyers that these replace the need for a money belt and waterproof bag. You also get a nice-looking pair of wool underwear out of the deal.
Source: Adventure Underwear, Kickstarter
As to being good for swimming, my father had swimming trunks when I was growing up that had a fishnet type pocket inside the trunks, some I think had one of two side pockets like pants (never understood how those would hold things in water because we were pre-velcro.)