I’m not a doom-and-gloom type of person, but I like to be prepared. I’m not afraid to land at an airport in a developing country that some say may be unsafe, by myself, with a single bag, and spill out onto the city without too many fears that I’ll be troubled.

I generally know that I can take care of myself, fly under the radar, and not have much worth taking, but one thing people can take is technical information from my credit cards. That’s why the one safety travel equipment that I carry is RFID blocking accessories.

If you’re not familiar with RFID, it is a technology that is apparently able to send electronic waves to your cards or passport to read—and hence, steal—your information. It’s actually a bit terrifying: an unknown force always potentially out there ready to pounce. Do I wish that those nefarious people who want to steal my money weren’t so nefarious? Sure. But because that’s not the case, I find it particularly important to be active in preparation. 

So I got a wallet and a passport holder that block RFID. The passport holder, made by PacSafe is enough to hold my passport and some extra paperwork. It is way too bulky for my liking, but I use it because I appreciate what it’s doing. 

The RFID-blocking wallets, which are also made by Eagle Creek, are a fantastic option and satisfy my desire to carry something that’s light but still does the job of protecting the card information.

Indeed, there are many different RFID blocking accessories. I suggest finding the one that suits your needs if and when you’re preparing to do some traveling...or if you’re like me and like a little more protection on the regular. 

Note: there are conflicting reports on how easy (and possible) it is for criminals to use this type of technology to steal the information.