Are you a traveller who takes every new mod-con with them when travelling overseas? Or are you so afraid of being pick-pocketed or mugged that you don’t actually enjoy the culture and your surroundings? Read the Top 5 Security Products that any traveller needs when overseas.
1. Padlock or Combination Lock
Padlocks and combination locks are the most versatile security products when travelling overseas. You should be using them from the time you leave your front door to the time when you return again.
You can buy a set of 4 padlocks that all have the same key. This way you don’t need to carry with you a whole set of keys just to get into your luggage! Or try a combination lock. No keys are involved, but you do need to remember the combination. Make sure the lock actually fits through the zippers of your luggage!
Either way, padlocks and combination locks are very handy to:
- Lock your luggage while on public transport or left in the hotel’s luggage room.
- Lock the locker or storage box in your dorm room.
- You can even use them to lock 2 or 3 pieces of luggage together. This makes them harder to pick up and steal.
2. Money Belt
An easy way to hide your money or credit cards when travelling is to use a money belt. They come in a huge range of options from neck pouches, waist bands, actual belts with zipper sections and even leg straps. All these are great ways to protect your belongings.
If you keep these money belts under your clothing, there is virtually no way you can be pick-pocketed. However, if you are constantly taking money out of your money belt in a public place, it will make it very obvious to any thieves who may try to mug you. We recommend that you still use a wallet with a small amount of money in it and save your money belt for your cash, passport and credit cards.
3. Cable Lock
Use a cable lock to lock pieces of luggage together in a luggage room, or connect your luggage around a seat while you are sleeping. They can be opened with a key or by combination. They are a great security product to use if you use a lot of public transport.
We have used them to put through zippers and through other padlocks to hold them together. On overnight trains, we placed a bell on the cable, so no one could touch our backpacks without us hearing them.
4. Mesh Security Products
Mesh security products are becoming very popular with tourists, especially with people who haven’t travelled before. They will give you the peace of mind that your backpack can’t be slashed.
They are basically a handbag, backpack, camera case or many other types of luggage with a metal mesh sewed into the lining of the bag and the strap. This will stop any potential thief from slashing your bag. It will not however, stop you from a snatch-and-run attack.
If you are planning to buy mesh security products, make sure you buy one with the mesh sewed into the lining. Do not buy a mesh that goes over your luggage. They are cumbersome and very fiddly to attach and attach properly.
5. TSA locks
What are TSA locks I hear you ask? TSA stands for the Transportation Security Administration, an agency of the US department of homeland security. A TSA lock is a special type of padlock or combination lock that can be opened by customs officials when entering the USA.
If you do not use a TSA lock, there is the potential that your padlocks / combination locks will be broken by customs officials. There is also the potential that they might cut into your luggage.
Above are the Top 5 security products that all travellers should use. This is not dependent on travel style, budget, age or travel destination. These items will keep your belongings safe!
