Safety Gear for Travel: Useful Tools While Abroad

Travel Security Through Safety Gear

When traveling, there are many steps a person can take to be safer.  The most useful of these steps are habitual.  Practicing safe habits, staying connected, navigating safer areas and being pre-informed are all important aspects of travel safety. However, it is also helpful to have physical safety gear which can aid in a person’s security. 

The safety gear in this article discusses useful tools to keep a traveler secure anywhere.

To be clear, it is perfectly fine to travel with just a couple items on this list or no additional safety gear at all.  Habits and awareness are the most important things a person can have. But safety gear can greatly enhance your personal protection of yourself, your valuables and your journey.  

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Mini Locks

The easiest safety gear to buy are miniature locks.  These tiny locks are able to fit within zippers on suitcases or backpacks.  While walking around or lounging in a public place, this means that others cannot stealthily open your luggage.  

When using a mini-lock for check-in baggage, this can help prevent your luggage from becoming unzipped on flights and better protect your gear if your luggage is misdirected.  

Though larger lockers come in more varieties, mini-locks usually need a small key to operate.  

Money Belts

A Money Belt is a popular piece of travel protection.  This piece of clothing works by being worn around the waist, under a shirt. It also includes an interior zipper for storing cash.  A Money Belt is a sturdy, practically invisible piece of safety gear that can store and protect enough cash to manage emergencies.

Note that money belts can’t be worn through airport security.

Hidden RFID Blocker Pocket

In terms of safety gear, the absolute most important tool is a hidden holster or pocket for your passport.  This piece of equipment is meant to be worn under your jacket or shirt.  

A hidden pocket has several advantages. 

Firstly, since they result under a person’s shirt, pick-pocketers cannot reach them, even if they know where it is hidden. 

Secondly, a hidden pocket keeps your passport and other important documents in a single area, which makes it easier to keep track of.

Additionally, these pockets can store a variety of items which are important or difficult-to-replace, such as emergency cards, emergency cash, your passport, a USB of emergency information, driver’s licenses and even a phone.

The best of hidden pockets have an additional layer interwoven in the fabric called an RFID Blocker (Radio-Frequency Identification).  RFID scanners can be used to collect information from passive digital reading items, such as your credit cards.  Placing such cards in an RFID blocker pouch adds an extra layer of security and protection to your journey.  

Heavy Locks

When traveling, it’s useful to have a strong, heavy lock.  Many locations have locks you can rent, but this is an unnecessary charge.  Most hostels expect travelers to bring their own lock for security.

There are two types of opening mechanisms locks usually use: Key or Code.  Locks with multi-digit codes are usually better since they don’t cost additional key-weight to travel with.  Also, you don’t have to worry about losing the key.  

The other distinctions between locks are padlocks and cable locks.  Cable locks sometimes work better for hostels, which may have non-standard latches.  However, the cables can be broken through more easily.  Padlocks are generally thicker and more difficult to break.  I generally recommend getting a padlock for better security.  You can supplement this with a locking wire in case the padlock doesn’t fit.

The best padlocks for travel have a steel shackle between 7 mm and 10mm.  This is a sturdy width which is difficult to break.  But it is also narrow enough to fit into thinner locker loops.

Secure Wire Cord

A wire cord is a thin loop of strong wire used to lock up goods for brief periods of time.  These cords can’t withstand a heavy bolt cutter, they’re strong enough to deter a person from simply walking off.

A wire cord adds peace of mind when protecting your luggage, vehicles and lockers.  A bike can be chained up, a backpack can be latched to some furniture or an irregular locker latch can be closed.  Wire cords are incredibly light, durable and versatile.  They can be stored very easily by being woven into a tight “wreath” pattern.  

Reflective Sunglasses

When traveling, there are many times when eye contact is problematic.  Walking through popular markets with hawkers may become more difficult if you continually make unintentional eye contact.

Sunglasses are a normal part of a traveler’s kit.  Furthermore, sunglasses that shroud the eyes or are strongly reflective can help avoid unwanted eye contact. 

There are generally two schools of thought for travel sunglasses.  A person can either buy cheap pairs which can be replaced easily, or a singular highly durable pair.  Generally, its best to buy a strong pair of scratch-and-bend resistant sunglasses for all your journeys. 

I generally buy lighter, more affordable sunglasses, such as SUNGAIT, which can easily be replaced. When selecting your sunglasses, look for reflective lenses.

Trackers

A GPS tracker lets you find an object regardless of its location in the world.  This can be useful for valuable devices, such as phones, laptops and luggage.  There are free software options which can also track devices provided the feature is activated.  

Trackers have become very light and affordable over the years.  While they have limitations, if you’re traveling with anything truly valuable, trackers may be a useful purchase.

Med Kit

If there’s anything that keeps a traveler prepared for anything, it’s a well-stocked medical kit.  Your med-kit is the ultimate emergency plan for any contingencies.  A med-kit should contain the following:

• Medical Bag
• Written Directives (instructions on first aid procedures)
• Cue Tips
• Band Aides
• Fabric Masks
• Disposable Gloves
• Topical Antibiotics
• Ingested Antibiotics
• Altitude Sickness Medicine
• Emergency Cash
• Water Purification Tablets
• Personal Meds
• Condoms, Birth Control, Personal Hygiene Products
• Multivitamins
• Tourniquet
• Press Pads
• Medical Tape
• Antibacterial Wipes

Your med kit should never be simply bought at a store.  Always, always, always build a med-kit personally, and familiarize yourself with how each item is safely and properly used.  Building your own med-kit ensures you understand how all tools are applied and how you can properly respond to different emergencies.  

Pacsafe

If there’s any one company famous in the travel-security world, it’s Pacsafe.  Pacsafe creates products which are designed as anti-theft hardware.  Their flagship products include cut-proof bags, lockable wire case protections and anti theft crossbody bags.  

If you’re working as a digital nomad with large amounts of valuable equipment, Pacsafe provides many options to improve safety.  Their gear makes it hard for thieves to cut open bucks, unlock zippers, break locks or access your luggage.

Pacsafe has two main disadvantages when traveling.  Firstly, their products tend to weigh more, making long-term travel a higher-energy expenditure.  Additionally, they tend to be a little on the expensive side.

In short, if you’re already traveling with a lot of valuable gear (such as photography equipment), Pacsafe is an excellent option.  If you’re traveling at minimal expense with light gear, there are other, cheaper methods for protecting yourself. 

VPN

A VPN is an enormous safety asset in the digital world.  A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service which protects data while connected to a network, namely the internet.  An individual using a VPN can connect to another website safely without other people online tracking their activities.  

There are many VPNs out there, which tend to update and improve frequently.  Choosing the correct VPN for you depends on necessity.

A VPN is absolutely necessary for some countries, such as China.  China infamously uses “the Great Firewall” which is a massive internet control feature blocking many internet resources, such as Google, Facebook, Netflix and many more.  Sites not specifically approved by the Chinese Government are blocked.  This Firewall cannot be circumvented effectively without a VPN.  There are other countries which have information control policies that can also inhibit online activity.

Keep in mind, such firewalls and policies are updated frequently.  A VPN Service must also be updated frequently to remain useful in these settings.  Look for VPNs which can meet your individual travel needs.  Always get a VPN prior to traveling.   

The Leftfade Trails Recommended VPN options can be found by clicking here.

Safety Alarm or Whistle

While it might be difficult to travel with self-defense gear such as pepper spray (airlines generally forbid flying with pepper spray), sound alarms are a good item to have.  Anything capable of making enormously loud sounds for attention, which is not reliant on batteries, is an excellent safety device.  

A safety whistle is the most universally applicable safety item, since they are small, light, sturdy and can be fit easily on a keychain.  A safety whistle can attract the attention of crowds if you are ever in personal danger.  It also has the ability to get the attention of people at a great distance if necessary. 

The sounds travel well, so a safety whistle is also useful for hikers and woodsmen who may need to call for help.  In this scenario, a safety whistle should be used at regular intervals when stuck or lost until other hikers or a park ranger can arrive to provide aid.  The same is true for people in dangerous situations while boating or kayaking or in a dangerous position in a mountain.

Signal Pocket Mirrors

A pocket mirror is anything which has a direct reflective surface for signaling others.  If you travel with a standard mini-cosmetic mirror, this will serve nicely.  If you don’t have a reflective mirror, there are cheap, uncrackable mirrors which can fit inside a person’s wallet. 

A Signaling Mirror can be used to reflect the sun’s light to get the attention of people extremely far away.  This can be used if you need the attention of a distant plane, boat or guide on the other side of a canyon.  Light travels much further than sound, making signal mirrors a good way to communicate or signal at vast distances.

Aside from safety and communication considerations, signaling mirrors are handy for everyday usage.  Putting on sunscreen, brushing teeth in the woods, applying makeup, checking around corners or looking down narrow angles can all be accomplished more easily with a miniature pocket mirror.

Reflectors

Travelers often end up in strange spots, either due to wanderlust or circumstance.  Sometimes, this means walking on a road at night or camping on an otherwise quiet mountain.

A couple of cheap, lightweight reflector strips are a huge safety asset in low-lighting settings.  Useful in rain, heavy snow, darkness, dust storms, roadside walks and long bike rides, reflectors can allow people with car headlights or flashlights to see you from far away, taking better precautions to avoid an accident.

The best reflection safety tools are full-reflective orange-or-yellow vests, but these are generally a bit too much weight and space for travelers to justify carrying around everywhere.  It is better to buy two or three reflector buttons, attaching them to the front and back of your backpack and another to your day bag’s strap.  If this is too much weight, you can also purchase a thin strip of reflective tape, which serves the same purpose.

Headlamp

When navigating at night, there is no safety gear more useful than a headlamp.  While ultralight flashlights tend to be an option, flashlights have several disadvantages.  They tend to be more directional, heavier and require the use of hands.  

A headlamp is superior for night travel.  Headlamps don’t require the use of hands, making climbing, moving and carrying luggage much easier.  They also don’t need to be directed, since they follow the same direction as your head and eyes while walking.  They’re better for camping, cave explorations, and emergency situations.

Black Diamond Headlamps

There was an unfortunate time in life where I was in the cold and dark tundra of Mongolia trying to use a outhouse bathroom while wrangling a flashlight. Since then, I’ve only traveled with headlamps. The Black Diamond Headlamp’s batteries last for a year or so at a time while hardly weighing a thing.

Decoy Wallet and Decoy Phone

Unfortunate as it is, crime is a factor of the world.  Robbery happens and it’s best to be prepared for the possibility, unlikely as it might be.  

A traveler is wise to carry a decoy wallet.  This is a wallet with a few bills, some un-activated cards and no identifying information.  A decoy wallet is enormously cheap, as it’s designed to be stolen.  

In the event of a mugging, a decoy wallet can be tossed on the ground while you swiftly and calmly walk back to safety.  Never step forward to hand a wallet to an assailant, always put your wallet on the ground and depart without accusations.  A decoy wallet should have enough money inside to appease a mugger (roughly $20 USD or the equivalent in local currency) and inactive cards.

A decoy phone is the same as a decoy wallet: a cheap device which can be lost or stolen without taking a financial hit.  

Emergency Apps

There are certain apps which can help you stay safe while abroad.  The most popular and well-verified can help with navigation, emergency services, information and personal safety.  

Sitata

This app is a community-driven information application.  It offers safety information on a variety of situations, with active message boards advising travelers. The app supplies information on local emergency services, hospitals and offers real-time alerts that can affect travel-safety in a region.

TripWhistle

This is a free safety-app which is used to contact emergency services.  Tripwhistle functions in 196 countries with over 70 emergency numbers saved.  The app works as an international SOS service, capable of contacting local police, fire or medical services.

bSafe

bSafe is an app designed for solo traveling women to get home safety.  The app allows other users to follow verified women via GPS in real time, ensuring they get home safely.  Once a user reaches their home address, the app notifies the safety-watcher users tracking the route.

Google Translate and Speak and Translate

These two apps are offline translation resources, absolutely vital in confusing navigation situations where you may not speak the local lingo.

  Google Translate has an offline writing dictionary, allowing you to type accurate information for others to read.  The app also has an offline camera feature for different languages, such as Japanese.  This allows a traveler to read public signs for directions just by pointing their phone’s camera at some text. 

However, Google Translate’s audio translator only works with an internet connection, which is why Speak and Translate is an excellent backup. 

Speak and Translate can translate spoken audio offline in ten languages, including Chinese (Mandarin), English (US), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish.  When connected to the internet, both apps can translate audio for most of the world’s most commonly spoken languages.  

Red Cross Emergency App

This app tracks dangerous weather, natural disasters and other worldwide alerts, sending information directly to your phone.  The app can track multiple locations, letting you assess both your current location and where you’re heading next.  

For a full list of travel app recommendations, click here

SIM Card or ESIM

The Internet is an enormous game-changer in terms of safety.  Having a stable internet connection can help a person stay connected, stay informed and continually access forums for advice.  

Many phone models allow for a SIM Card to be inserted inside their device.  This allows a person to have pay-as-you-go internet while they’re in a new country at a very low price.

Many phones don’t have the SIM Card slots needed to install a new SIM. These phones are, however, capable of downloading ESIM services.  An ESIM is exactly like a SIM Card, but entirely software based.  These can be bought at stores which already sell physical SIM Cards.

Map Apps

Navigation apps such as Apple Maps, Google Maps and Maps.me are all wonderful travel tools.  Aside from helping with navigation, they have valuable offline features which allow users to download maps for directions.  

Map apps can improve a journey considerably, ensuring continuously correct directions and preventing lost wanderings.

Your Gear, Security and You

There are tons of things a person can buy to ensure they’re well-protected.  All the aforementioned safety gear can help a person be more secure on the road. But overall, it’s a person’s habits and awareness that ensures safety. Practice staying aware and cautious when traveling. 

Best regards and excellent trails,

Old Sean

For more stories about wandering the world with varying levels of safety, read Leftfade Trails Blog Posts.

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When carrying around important documents such as visa paperwork, medical documents and more, protection is needed. This case fits snugly in suitcases and backpacks while halting heat and water damage.