iSecond Tracks

For many people, traveling alone can be an incredibly life-changing experience. It’s a great way to learn about yourself, like what you like or don’t like doing when no one else is around. Not to mention, it’s a foolproof way to break out of your comfort zone and even meet new people abroad. If you don’t know where to start, we’ve even made a list of some cool apps you can use to meet people on holiday. 

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In general, because you’re exposed to new places and experiences, traveling always has some sort of risk. For the most part, there are endless things you can do to minimize them, like downloading some apps on your Apple Watch or apps for managing language barriers. However, traveling solo does have a different set of risks, especially when it comes to personal safety. In this article, I’ll be sharing a couple of recommendations for items that you may want to bring on your next solo travel trip based on personal experience and reviews from other people. If you want to learn more about the methodology behind how we’ve chosen them, you can head over to the end of the article for more details.

While fear shouldn’t stop you from experiencing solo travel, it’s never a bad idea to be practical when traveling alone. Part of this is investing in some gadgets that can help you avoid a lot of unnecessary negative safety-related problems. Here are some of them.

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While there are tons of different padlock types available, an ideal one for solo travelers to have on hand is retractable cable locks. For example, you may be staying in a hostel without dedicated luggage storage or CCTV camera monitoring. If you ever have to leave several bags for a few hours before your flight, you can use the steel loop to make sure no one takes them easily. Aside from that, they’re also useful for locking rented bikes or snowboards and even your day bag when you’re browsing a particularly sketchy area. In addition, it’s a great backup option for when you buy cheap luggage on shopping trips that don’t have locks.

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A popular cable luggage lock you can find online is the Lewis N. Clarke’s Cable Luggage Lock. Aside from being TSA-approved, it can also be retractable for up to 30 inches, which is more than enough for the average solo traveler. With almost 4,000 reviewers giving it an average of 4.2 stars, you can get it for $15.99 on Amazon. Alternatively, you can use any existing padlock that you already own with a braided steel cable with loops, which you can use to loop through the items you want to secure. That said, you should always make sure that no one can see your code and that you religiously scramble the combination after use to avoid giving other people clues about it.

For mid-priced travelers, it’s common to stay in more affordable hotels, hostels with private rooms, or homestays. While these definitely offer a lot more privacy than a shared hostel room with dozens of people you don’t know, they also introduce a new set of risks. Unlike expensive hotels, cheaper accommodations may be located in less-than-desirable areas that are prone to break-ins, so it’s important to evaluate any potential areas that need to be secured, like doors and windows. But if you are planning to stay in full-sized homes with multiple entry points, it may be difficult to monitor everything.

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To mitigate your risks when alone, you can get a portable door stop alarm like the EMDAK Door Stop Alarm, which can alert you if a stranger enters the premises. Priced at $17.99, it can generate a whopping 120 db alarm sound, which is as loud as an ambulance or a plane taking off. With its wedge-shaped design, it’s battery-powered and can fit easily under most doors, and you can even adjust the sensitivity. As of writing, it has an average rating of 4.4 stars from more than 7,000 customers. Although door-stop alarms can be useful, it’s important to know that while they won’t actively protect you from intruders, they can give you time to move to a safer location or contact someone for help. Not to mention, the alarm can also serve as a warning, which can dissuade potential thieves from entering.

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Aside from a door-stop alarm, it’s best to introduce a physical barrier between you and unwanted guests. Although there is little you can do to prevent bad actors from making an attempt, a portable door lock can be your best friend if they try to enter your room. On Amazon, a popular offering is the AceMining portable door lock, which has over 23,300 reviews with an average of 4.2 stars for only $14.99. And if you want to get it cheaper, you can also get a pair for a regular price of $24.99.

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To use it, all you have to do is insert the door strike into the right-sized hole. Next, close the door and attach the red or black plate to the designated hole. Apart from not needing tools to install, it has two holes for normal doors (0.78 inches) and bigger doors (1.2 inches), which can fit most doors with inward openings. Made of stainless steel and ABS plastic, it’s pretty light and compact at 4.3 x 1.26 x 0.4 inches, so you might even want to keep one in your bag for when you need to use public restrooms. In general, it’s best to have at least one door lock that you can put on the door of the room wherein you are sleeping, so even if there are intruders in your Airbnb, hostel, or hotel, the one that you’re in will be less likely to be compromised.

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When it comes to self-defense, pepper spray and stun guns are common deterrents. An affordable stun gun option is the VIPERTEK VTS-881 micro stun gun, which boasts an average of 4.6 stars from over 25,000 reviews. Depending on the color, you can get one for as low as $9.99. For girls who prefer something less macho, Guard Dog offers a stun gun that looks like lipstick for $24.99. Doubling as a 100-lumen flashlight, it’s also available in pink, black, and red colors. Over 2,000 reviewers have given the discreet stun gun 4.3 stars on average on Amazon.

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Take note that the TSA does require that pepper spray and stun guns only be allowed for checked baggage and not carry-on bags. Not to mention, you aren’t allowed to bring more than one 4 fl. oz of pepper spray on the plane at all. As for stun guns, they should be stored securely in such a way that they won’t discharge on their own. Due to some models using lithium-ion batteries, which typically need to be in carry-on bags, the TSA specifically mentions that it will be up to the attending officer to decide if you’ll allowed to board with it. So, if you’re traveling light and don’t plan to check in any luggage, these self-defense tools may be better suited to local travel or anywhere that doesn’t involve a plane.

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For solo travelers, going to the beach or the poolside can be a pretty challenging experience. One of the most common and annoying problems is not being able to swim because you’re worried that thieves will take your belongings left behind on beach chairs. Thankfully, one Shark Tank entrepreneur had the same experience and created an anti-theft portable beach chair vault. Made by AquaVault, the beach chair vault was given a thumbs up by over a thousand reviewers and clocked in at an average rating of 4.3 stars. 

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Depending on how much space you have in your luggage, it comes in three sizes (classic, mini, and regular), which all have the same water and slash resistance, as well as RFID-blocking technology. With prices ranging from $49.95 to $59.95, it works by letting you loop the bag top through the beach chair and setting a combination lock to keep it in place.

At SlashGear, one of our colleagues even shared his experience using one of the brand’s earlier FlexSafe designs at the beach, which was back when it was still being funded via a Kickstarter campaign. Since then, it has undergone a couple of improvements, which include a motion alarm and a less bulky-looking combination lock. By attaching your bag firmly to your beach chair, you don’t have to bring a silly-looking waterproof bag to the pool or worry about thieves taking your valuables while you’re having a dip.

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In many tourist hotspots, snatchers are trained to be able to spot expensive items in your bags. Typically, they’ll target things like cash, electronics, jewelry, or wallets. Thankfully, there are ways to trick them via secret storage solutions. Depending on what’s more natural for you, there are so many options available, including things like Stash-It’s Hair Brush. On the surface, it appears like any other round hair brush, except it has a removable lid which has a 1.2-inch diameter and 4.5-inch deep storage compartment, which is enough space for a few hundred dollars or small pieces of jewelry. 

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Alternatively, you can also get a stainless steel water bottle with a hidden compartment. TRAVAH offers a fully functional diversion water bottle for $24.99, which not only keeps your liquids hot for half a day or cold for an entire day but also has a 3.25 x 3-inch secret compartment which you can access by unscrewing the bottom.

While you’re out doing tourist things, there are also a myriad of secret storage options for items left behind in your hotel room. For example, you can get Stash-It’s Hanger Diversion Safe, which you can use to store valuables inside your hostel closet. All you have to do is slip it on one of the ordinary hangers and top it with clothes or suits to look more unassuming. So far, over 2,400 buyers have shared that they were mostly satisfied with it and gave it an average of 4.5 stars.

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Unfortunately, accidents can happen, especially as the world continues to experience extreme temperatures. In recent times, it’s not unsurprising to hear stories about unprecedented flooding, wildfires, or storms, even in tourist destinations. Earlier this year, The Independent reported how Vinales Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site and tourist area in Cuba, experienced a terrible wildfire. Not to mention, Thailand, which is the most popular tourist destination in the world, has experienced extreme flooding and landslides in some of its top sites, like Phuket, in 2024.

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Apart from not booking a trip during calamity-prone seasons, one thing you can do to prevent adding more problems in the event of an unexpected fire or flood is to invest in a fireproof and waterproof bag for your passport, important documents, money, and jewelry. Available in three sizes, The Good Stuff sells waterproof bags that also have a fireproof heat shield that can withstand up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

With prices that range from $12.99 to $24.99, the compact size or smallest 8-inch x 5-inch option is large enough to fit your passport, boarding passes, and a few other things but is also small enough to be stored easily in handbags. However, you can also get larger sizes if you want to get some protection for your documents. While the pouch is a little more expensive at $17.99, its 10-inch x 13-inch option can fit most document sizes, including A4 and long bond paper.

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As a lover of travel, I have over a decade of solo travel experience under my belt. In the past few years, I’ve been to various countries in Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States. I have also stayed in everything from dirt-cheap island hostels to five-star luxury hotels in some larger cities. Regardless, as a woman, safety has always been a big priority for me during my adventures. Aside from planning routes and activities that can limit my exposure to unnecessary risk, it also means investing in gadgets and tools that are meant to help me travel safely. In this list, I’ve listed several types of practical and light-weight items, which are similar to the ones that I personally use. I have also included items with generally positive reviews from buyers across platforms.

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Depending on the type of traveler you are, the right safety gadgets may vary. For example, someone who travels primarily to cities will have different needs than someone who goes to beachside towns or even the difference between staying in hotels and hostel dorms. In this list, I’ve tried to include things that can benefit most travelers, regardless of the destination. That said, these tools will not take the place of having a good sense of situational awareness. At the end of the day, they’re meant to aid you with improving your chances of staying safe, but it’s always up to you to be mindful of your things, your body, and your environment.