Ignacio writes: That's in American English. In the U.K. the word 'fanny' may refer to another part of the (female) anatomy.

If I wear one of those, I always wear it with the 'pouch' in front. So, I guess that would make my 'fanny pack' a marsupial pack (i.e., such as for a kangaroo or wallabee or an opossum in the U.S.). I think that may make it a little more difficult to steal.

Thanks, Eddie.

The reason why I no longer use them is because they mark me automatically as a tourist, making me more prone to security problems, and also that, although you are right that it's safer to have it in the front, once I avoided being stolemn my money just by chance: I was in the middle of a lot of people who were kind of anxious to get into a disco (in Cuba), and when the door opened, I was pushed forward by the small crowd, and I noticed the hand of the pickpocketer because people took us apart abruptly. I hadn't noticed anything previously. I wasn't having my hand on the zipper because I never thought being absolutely pressed to each other somebody would have space enough to put his hand there without me realising it.

Eddie, I had the pack in the marsupial mode when the theives snatched it. Wearing it in this manner kept the contents at my front, but made the closure snap very easy for the pickpockets to access.

I've learned my lesson. Anything of value stays inside my pants and my wife can carry her own damn tampons from now on!

Your old pal,
Joe