If you are an eternal traveller soul like me, then you probably already have fairly developed safety instincts when travelling to a new country or city. You may have gotten used to all the safety advice from family and friends.
We live in a world today, where you simply cannot leave your wallet or cell phone on a café table and expect that no one is going to touch it. You need to always be aware of what is happening around you and keep your possessions in a safe place.
Plus, if you ever had something stolen from you, this may have been the moment when you realized, that you could really need one of the best anti theft backpacks for travelling. But, how complicated can it be to pick such a backpack?
This guide is going to show why you should consider buying one of the many awesome theft proof backpacks out there and how to choose the best one for your next trip.
Anti-Theft Travel Backpacks Vs. Normal Backpacks
There are several features that an anti-theft backpack for travel has in comparison to a normal one:
- Secret Pockets – when you buy an anti-theft backpack, you will want to look out for a hidden zipper where you can hide your most valuable belongings, such as your passport and wallet. Pick-pockets will have a very hard time to discover them, especially because pick-pockets look for easy targets, zippers they can open quickly and then take a runner. Having a secret pocket will give you peace of mind, guaranteed.
- Locking Zippers – as you will be the only one who knows the combination lock numbers on the zipper tabs, then you have nothing to worry about. You will have immediate access to your stuff, but thieves will find it impossible to open it. They give up before even trying.
- Water Resistance – a lot of things can happen during your trip, rain, snow, humidity, to name a few. So, why not prevent them with a water-resistant backpack and keep your documents untouched by water or humidity?
- Slash-Proof Fabric – anti-theft backpacks for travelling are made of a special fabric which prevents thieves from slashing the material and steal something from you. This is a mandatory feature any professional anti-theft backpack should have.
- Sturdy Zippers – you need a safe backpack which cannot be easily opened. Opt for durable zipper that won’t get stuck and will perfectly protect your things.
Benefits of Anti-Theft Travel Backpacks
- Comfort – any anti-theft backpack should come with additional padding for the shoulders and back. What is more, the material will allow your back to breathe and stay dry during longer trips of carrying the backpack when travelling locally or overseas.
- Easy Access – thanks to high-quality zippers and intelligent pockets, you should be able to find all you personal belonging easily and fast in your backpack.
- Durable – the best anti-theft backpacks are made of slash-proof material which is known to be extremely resistant and durable. So, once you invest in a high-quality anti-theft backpack, you can rely on it for many years to come.
Things To Look For When You Buy An Anti-Theft Backpack
- Security – just as its' name mentions, any anti-theft backpacks for travelling should prevent thieves from stealing from you. Therefore, the best anti-theft backpacks have hidden pockets. What is more, some also use RFID blocking technology and thus block thieves from stealing money electronically from your cards for example.
- Durability – a professional anti-theft backpack should be made of resistant fabric. Check the label and choose a backpack made of slash-proofing material.
- Pocket arrangement – before buying an anti-theft backpack, you should check if you have enough space to keep your passport and documents safe. Moreover, good anti-theft backpacks have special shockproof pockets for your laptop and other sensitive mobile devices.
- Design – the best anti-theft travel backpack should be lightweight, with extra padding for your shoulders and back, and it should have a medium dimension so that it doesn’t become uncomfortable for your back.
- Special features – you can find several backpacks with extra cool features, some which come with an USB port allowing you to connect your mobile phone to a power bank inside. Others come with small, special cold pocket to keep liquids or medication cool.
The Best Anti-Theft Backpacks
1. Korin Design ClickPack Pro
Korin Design Backpack has all the safety features an anti-theft backpack should have. This backpack comes with a special lock mechanism which means that you don’t have to buy any extra luggage locks to keep your belongings safe.
In addition, its fabric has scored the highest points when it was tested for slash-proofing. Therefore, it will block any slash attempts coming from thieves.
And, here comes my most favourite part: You can securely attach your backpack to any steady object in the hotel or in a café. It has a metal wire lock which makes it impossible to any thieve to just steal your backpack when you have to use the bathroom or leave your luggage unattended. Bonus, it also comes with a rain cover!
2. Pacsafe Vibe Anti-Theft 25L Backpack
This 25 litre backpack can easily accommodate a 13-inch laptop thanks to its slim but spacious design. It's RFID-safe material protects you from hacker scanning.
The Pacsafe backpack comes with a special security clip installed on the top of the right strap. Thus, you can easily slide the zippers together and lock them using the Roobar Sport locking system which gives increased security against pickpockets.
3. Kopack Slim Business Laptop Backpack
This is probably the best anti-theft laptop backpack, coming with various safety features to give you peace of mind. The sleek design makes it perfect to take it with you on your commute to work or while travelling, especially when you carry a lot of valuable tech equipment with you.
It has one main compartment, divided into two parts. One is for your laptop and the other one has various small pockets where you can store anything else like your phone, notepad and more.
Kopack also makes another version of this backpack with a shockproof laptop compartment!
The zipper is almost invisible so that pickpockets won’t see it. Plus, you have also some hidden pockets where you can put your documents and credit cards and. This USB charging backpack additionally charges your smart phone, tablet and other devices on the go. Absolutely a great pick!
4. Eagle Creek Straight Up Business Brief RFID
I generally really like Eagle Creek products and this backpack is no exception. You can carry it three ways: As a backpack, cross-body or with the padded grab handles. One of its most important features is the RFID blocking passport-sized pocket. It also has a 17-inch padded compartment, just perfect for your laptop plus an additional electronic pocket.
5. Bobby Compact Anti-Theft Backpack
One of the best features of the Bobby Compact is the hidden zipper which will make it very difficult for a thief to discover them and steal things from your backpack.
The fabric is resistant, protecting you from slash-and-run.
6. Oscaurt Anti-theft Travel Backpack
A decent choice if you are looking for a small and handy backpack, which will protect you from thieves and the like.
It has a modern design, being at the same time lightweight and affordable. The zipper is hidden underneath the flap which means that thieves will have some trouble if they want to open your backpack.
In addition, the back is made of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), a ventilating material which means that you won’t sweat while you carry the backpack. It also comes with an external USB charging port, so you can take your power bank with you and charge your phone on the go. So handy!
Finally, due to the secret pouch and dedicated compartments, I recommend this backpack as a safe alternative to a normal backpack during travelling.
7. MATEIN Travel Laptop Backpack
Hello to a spacious backpack, having a capacity to carry a 15.6-inch laptop as well as a 15-inch, 14-inch and 13-inch Macbook or laptop, all while being super lightweight and durable.
The bag itself is divided in three compartments. One is perfect for your laptop, another one for your clothes, shoes, etc, and the front compartment is ideal for small things like your makeup, jewellery, keys and more.
This backpack from MATEIN is water resistant which means that it will protect your electronic devices no matter what. It also has an anti-theft compartment at the back, where you can put your ID and other important travel documents you need easy access to.
In addition, it has a luggage strap to hook onto your luggage tube as well as an external USB port allowing you to easily connect to your power bank within.
8. Pacsafe Metrosafe Anti-Theft 15L Backpack
If you are looking for superior quality, then you have found the perfect candidate with Pacsafe. Founded by two travellers, Pacsafe has been around since 1998, so they sure know their stuff!
Security is their most important strength, having RFID-blocking pockets and smart locking zippers. The stainless-steel mesh wires inserted in the fabric make it slash-proof.
In addition, you can also carry your laptop without worries thanks to the padded laptop compartment.
Moreover, the closure system allows you to safely fasten your backpack against any steady object. Finally, this backpack is very comfortable thanks to the padded back and shoulder straps. The 15 litres are perfect as a day pack.
9. NOMATIC 40L Travel Backpack
This is a roomy backpack, having a capacity of 40 litres, which is basically a spacious day pack, in case you have a lot of equipment or even can be used when travelling carry-on only. You can use it both as a backpack or a duffel bag as the waist strap is detachable.
It also has a padded pocket for your laptop and a RFID safe compartment for your credit cards. One super feature is comes with an extra laundry bag. Especially when you're travelling light, this is a genius feature.
The weather-resistant material allows you to carry your Nomatic travel backpack with you anywhere, anytime. The zippers are also water-resistant which means they won’t let water through or rust. Moreover, the special water compartment will protect your belongings from getting wet in case your water bottle spills inside. A must-have backpack for digital nomads!
10. Uoobag Travel & Business Laptop Backpack
A great backpack both for business and leisure travel thanks to its hidden pockets that make it pretty much almost to access the laptop compartment. Its sleek design makes it perfect everyday use.
It has 5+ pockets, some of them being hidden, including a generous compartment for your laptop.
Plus, you can use the vertical, hidden zipper on the front to hide things you need quick access to. All zippers are extra durable and impossible to be cut with a knife. The double zipper tags can be easily locked together with a TSA lock.
Finally, the S-shaped shoulder straps distribute the weight evenly and so it will protect your spine and keep you away from back pain.
No matter where in the world you travel and if you take your laptop and other valuables with you, having an anti theft backpack for travel is absolutely invaluable.
Especially in big cities around the world, pick pockets are a problem, so having a backpack that prevents theft or looks too “difficult” for a thief will immediately remove you from the target list as most will move on to easier targets with visible, loose or open zippers. A wise choice to consider!
Don’t Go Without Travel Insurance
Why buy travel medical insurance from SafetyWing?
- Get insured, even if you already left your home country
- Covers visits to your home country if you’re travelling long-term
- Buy one-off or choose a start date and let your insurance extend every 28 days like a subscription until you cancel (no more paying upfront for long trips or open-ended adventures)
- COVID-19 cover is included
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