Safety is a hot topic in the world of travel.
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Though it’s top of mind for solo travelers who are taking on the world without a partner in crime, you should be thinking about security during every trip. Yes, even when you’re going straight from the airport to a resort.
There are dozens of security factors to consider, from avoiding scams to nailing first date etiquette to knowing how to use public Wi-Fi.
But what about personal safety?
Overwhelmingly, my advice on staying safe abroad revolves around one concept: don’t get drunk (or messed up on other substances).
Women face a very familiar set of risks when we get drunk while traveling. Men, on the other hand, are likely less aware of the dangers that revolve around them—like being robbed or otherwise taken advantage of. In fact, men are sometimes more prone to these risks because they’re not as conditioned to be on the lookout for danger.
Regardless of your race, gender, creed, and other defining characteristics, you’re still a tourist—and nefarious people know how to pick us out of a crowd with lightning precision.
When it comes to avoiding robberies and other similarly unpleasant experiences, I’ve got a few tips in my back pocket.
This time around, I’m recommending travel safety products that will prevent mishaps while empowering you to tackle any issues that do arise.
7 travel safety products that are actually helpful
Phone tether
A phone tether is a wrap-around cord that attaches to your phone’s case. I like them because they’re convenient as hell when traveling. Above, you can check out a solid brand, Pulpo.
If you’re going to take a lot of pictures, for example, it makes sense to keep your phone in easy reaching distance. But tethers also prevent pickpockets from targeting you.
Most phone tethers are mostly functional and ornamental, meaning someone could break them if they wanted. But if the choice is between you (with the phone tether) and another tourist (without one), guess who’s more likely to walk away with their smartphone that day? If you’re worried about your precious smartphone, get a tether!
Carabiner
Mini carabiners are one of my most surprising travel safety products.
You can use them for a range of purposes, from attaching bags to hanging things up in your hotel room. In terms of security, you can use them to clip your bag’s zippers together while heading into a busy zone.
It will keep your zippers locked tight. Similarly, you can use them on buses and trains to keep your items attached to a pole, preventing thieves from carrying them off the carriage when you’re not paying attention.
Geolocator (AirTag, etc.)
Usually, geolocators are attached to pieces of luggage to help hunt them down in case of emergency. However, if you’re worried about losing track of any important item, you can use the same idea.
Though these products don’t prevent theft, they’ll make it easier for you to decide what course of action to take in case of emergency.
Portable lock box
If you want to prevent theft entirely, look into a portable lock box, like this one from SAFEGO. These are usually popular with travelers who wear nice jewelry and watches, and want to keep them secure when at the beach or even when leaving them at their rental.
A portable lock box is a small and (depending on how much you want to spend) lightweight box that you can attach to a fixed surface or object and open at your discretion. Just don’t lose your key, for the love of god.
Personal safety alarm
I recommend personal safety alarms to solo travelers and anyone who’s heading to a private rental. Birdie makes a great device that’s taken off over the last year, particularly for women.
Unfortunately, Airbnb and other private rental platforms don’t include a lot of information on the type(s) of locks used on the property. If security is top of mind for you, then go for a personal safety alarm.
These small devices are usually around the size of a key fob and are designed to be worn. When you pull the pin out of the socket, a screeching alarm sounds while a strobe light flashes. Some travelers wear them on their bodies to draw attention; some people also attach them to door locks in case someone breaks in.
A whistle
A personal safety alarm is great for drawing attention immediately when you’re in danger. But I also want to mention a good old-fashioned whistle, like this LuxoGear pick.
I’ve never personally carried a whistle with me, but I also don’t head out into the wilderness during my travels often. If you’re heading out into a more remote area or are going to be spending a lot of time outdoors, consider bringing a whistle with you for an emergency.
On a recent episode of Marooned, a podcast that covers stories of the ‘catastrophically lost’ who are often tourists, the hosts pointed out one crucial note. Your voice will run if you’re calling for help, but a whistle won’t.
Satellite messenger
Forget the whistle if you’re really heading out into the wild. If you’re going to take on remote safaris, go backpacking through the jungle, biking across a continent, and similar adventures, pay more for a satellite messenger from Garmin or a similar company.
They’ll beam your cries for help up to a satellite before sending it on to emergency authorities. I also recommend these bad boys for anyone who likes to improvise and tack on last-minute excursions to their trips; when you bring this with you, you can travel with total peace of mind.
If you want to be extra safe, add these three travel safety products
Pepper spray
If you feel comfortable using and handling pepper spray, know that it comes in travel sizes. However, pepper spray is illegal to carry in many places—so do some research before you pack it with you.
If it’s illegal, you could consider opting for a hyper-sleek lipstick version. Otherwise, the small handheld versions linked from SABRE should do just fine.
Cat defense key chain
Cat defense key chains are really cute and clandestine brass knuckles. They’re designed to protect your little fingers while inflicting maximum damage on your enemies.
Once again, these are illegal to carry in many places—but, like the lipstick pepper spray, they look cute enough that only street fighters will clock them as a weapon.
These are my travel safety products of choice because they’re small, unassuming, and designed to protect me during use. Also, I won’t live in fear that my pepper spray canister will pop open in my luggage and wreak havoc on planes, trains, and buses.
That being said, I wouldn’t recommend carrying them unless you’re comfortable with getting into a physical altercation; you can’t use these from a distance.
RFID-blocking wallet
If you have a credit card with a chip for touchless payments, then you have a credit card with an RFID chip. RFID stands for radio frequency identification, meaning it’s emitting small radio signals that a POS device can pick up… or savvy hackers.
If you’re worried about someone lifting your financial data from your wallet, invest in an RFID-blocking wallet, like this Buffway Slim Minimalist pick.
