Backpack locks are a very important piece of backpacking equipment regardless of whether you are backpacking in Europe or further afield. It is not possible to keep your backpack in sight for the whole trip as it will often be left in backpack stores in train stations/bus depots or in shared hostel rooms. All important documentation such as visa’s and passports should be kept on your person 24 hours a day, but other equipment of value such as shoes, towels, clothes and tents will have to be left unattended. This is where a backpack lock is required.
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A backpack lock works by padlocking the zips of your padlock shut so they cannot be opened unless the lock is removed. They come in two different varieties, either key operated or a combination lock. The key operated lock requires a key to be unlocked which means that you have to keep the key safe at all times and can lead to problems if it is lost.
A small investment in a backpack lock will stop you getting caught out.
A combination lock requires a code to be selected for the lock to open (normally a 4 digit code made up of numbers. See image). It wise to choose a number that is easily remembered such as a birthday or anniversary. Losing the code (as with the key) can cause all sorts of problems and mean that the lock is permanently stuck on, keeping you from all your possessions!
Backpack locks vary substantially in price and as a rule of thumb the more money you spend the safer your belongings will be. More expensive locks tend to use thicker metal so they are less likely to be chopped off by someone using bolt cutters or sawn through by a hacksaw. Even the cheapest of locks will provide a decent level of protection and this is normally enough deterrent to an opportunist thief that is rifling through bags on the off chance of finding something of value. If they look at a backpack with a lock they will simply move on to the next as quickly as possible.
More determined criminals such as those with knives could always cut through the fabric of a backpack but due to the time involved this is unlikely to happen unless they have a tip off that something of value is within the backpack. For this reason you should always keep anything of value hidden when in public places such as buses and hostels.
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