10 Sep Five Ways to Keep Your Backpack Safe while Traveling
A small backpack can be a comfortable, hands-free way to carry personal items while traveling. Unfortunately, it can be an easy target for thieves, too. Despite what I tell my children, I don’t really have eyes in the back of my head. Besides which, vigilance only goes so far. Here are five other methods I use to keep my belongings safe when using a backpack.
1. Choose the right pack
Even though slashing theft is relatively rare, you might want to buy an anti-theft backpack for total peace of mind. Pacsafe has a line of anti-theft bags and travel security products that get the job done. If you don’t feel the need to carry something quite that fortified, look for heavy-duty nylon bags with double zipper closures on the big compartments.
2. Keep your zippers secure
Inexpensive backpacks often have a single zipper closure that can’t be secured. Double zippers can be fastened together with locks, small carabiners, binder rings, or cables. If you’ll be going in and out of your backpack frequently (for a camera, for example), go low-tech. You’re looking to deter thieves, not turn your backpack into Fort Knox.
3. Forget the small outer pockets
In general, don’t store anything you couldn’t bear to lose in the small outer pockets of your backpack. Since these are almost always single zipper, they are the easiest to tamper with. Fill them with used tissues, gum wrappers, and maps, and keep your phone and sunglasses elsewhere.
4. Think about an anchor system
Consider buying a retractable combination cable lock to secure your bag to your chair in busy restaurants or to your armrest at packed airport gates (or anywhere else you’re likely to be distracted). While it’s true that determined thieves won’t be thwarted by this measure, opportunistic ones will. Got an extra quick release dog collar lying around the house? That will work too.
5. Don’t need it? Don’t bring it
Take a small wallet with just the bare essentials when you travel, and leave everything else at home. The Royce Leather ID Wallet and k safe" and Lodis Audrey Zipper Card Case are both nice. You should also leave laptops, iPads, and Kindles in the hotel safe whenever possible. Finally, stash copies of all your important documents (including credit card contact numbers) in your luggage. That way, if the worst happens, you can act quickly to get replacements and limit the damage.
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