Here are the best travel safety items and gear that every traveler needs! Whether you are traveling solo or with a group, these accessories are my top picks for staying safe and being prepared.
It’s no secret that I am a big proponent of solo travel. From road tripping across the United States (nine times!) to visiting vibrant cultures like those found in Egypt or Qatar, I can safely say that I am a solo travel expert.
But I would be lying if I said that traveling the world as a solo female is without risk.
While the world is full of incredible places to explore, life on the road can be unpredictable. Whether through travel accidents or purposeful scams, things can go wrong anywhere.
And while there is never a guarantee that travel will be 100% safe, there are ways to mitigate risk and to be prepared for emergencies.
Enter, my favorite travel safety gear.
While I love these essential items and recommend them for solo females, each of these accessories are perfect for any traveler on the go. No matter what else is in your carry-on bag, these travel safety items need to be on your packing list.
Below, I will list my favorite travel safety items for use against pickpockets and thieves; travel essentials for personal safety; travel safety items for health and wellness; and, travel safety gear.
And, if you want a quick list of all the safety essentials, I’ve got that, too. For now, let’s dive right in.
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Travel Safety 101: How To Stay Safe While Traveling
Safety on the road does require a bit of pre-planning and forethought. Meaning, your plan to stay safe begins before you even leave home.
While I have used each of the accessories for travel safety listed below, let’s be real – I don’t necessarily recommend traveling with all of them on each and every trip.
For example, you’re not going to wear the scarf with a hidden pocket during a summer in Moorea. But, you can use it year-round in Dubai. And, you may not carry the slash-proof bag while hiking… but it is great for crowded places like Santo Domingo and Istanbul.
So what I recommend is to take into account the culture and climate of the country you are visiting, and then decide accordingly what items make sense.
You don’t need to rush out and buy them all at once, but it’s a great idea to have many of these on hand at home to pack for any applicable trip.
Quick Links: Travel Safety Gear Essentials
- A Scarf with a Hidden Pocket – perfect for hiding passports and cash on the go.
- A Slash-proof RFID Protecting Bag the absolute best cross-body bag on the market!
- Mesh Backpack and Bag Protector – backpack protection when your bag is left in your hotel room or dorm.
- The Classic Money Belt – a classic for a reason, a simple way to hide money and cards.
- 4-Pack of Luggage Locks – for locking suitcases, backpacks, and purses as necessary.
- A Hidden Pocket Hoodie – for stashing all your gear on purse-free days.
- A Neck Pouch – for hiding passports, cash, and cards under your shirt (and providing easier access than a money belt!)
- A VPN – to keep data safe and secure (and allow overseas streaming.)
- A Personal Safety Device – a noise-making device for calling attention and help.
- A loud whistle – another noise-making option.
- A Door Stop – with a built in alarm to signal unauthorized entry.
- Portable Door Lock – for extra peace of mind in hotel rooms.
- First Aid Kit – for any cuts and bruises along the way.
- Hand sanitizer spray – perfect for quick sanitization.
- Face masks – not just for illness, but useful for pollution concerns, too.
- Electrolyte Tablets – think “Gatorade” but without the added sugar.
- A Quality Head Lamp – these are indispensable for hiking, camping, and in hostel dorms!
- Travel Wifi – to keep connected on the go.
- Samsung SmartTag 2 – keep track of your luggage on Android devices.
- Apple AirTag – keep track of your luggage on Apple devices.
- Travel insurance – Get a quote here!
Pickpocket-proof Travel Safety Items
These items prioritize your safety by stopping thieves in their tracks. Each travel safety accessory below is perfect for avoiding pickpockets and making you less of a target.
1. A scarf with a hidden pocket.
This is one of my absolute favorite safety accessories for travel, particularly because I travel a lot in the Middle East, where scarves are frequently worn for modesty or for entering mosques.
Note: this is one of my favorite safety items for solo female travelers.
✅ This scarf has a hidden zippered pocket right in the lining. It is perfect to stash items like your passport or credit cards, making them almost invisible.
✅ It also comes in several colors (mine is plain grey but I’m considering a fancy print!)
2. A slash-proof crossbody bag.
The reason why a crossbody bag is one of my favorite travel safety items is that it is much more difficult to snatch. In some countries, it is a pretty common scam for people on scooters to grab purses or cell phones from pedestrians hands as they pass by.
By wearing a purse that quite literally wraps your body rather than just hanging off your shoulder, it makes it that much harder for a thief to grab and run (or drive) away.
Pacsafe takes things a step further by incorporating their slash-proof material and RFID protection. You quite literally can’t beat these bags!
✅ This crossbody bag provides slash-proof material and RFID protection.
✅ I can’t recommend this bag enough, especially for places you plan to do a lot of walking or feel nervous about pick-pocketers and purse-snatches.
3. A mesh bag protector.
Particularly useful if you are booking a hostel dorm room, this mesh bag protector will keep your bag safe.
How it works: basically you lock your backpack or bag inside of a mesh metal cage, and it locks to either a bed frame or table, etc. It essentially makes you the most labor-intensive person to rob in the hostel, deterring thieves due to the difficulty of getting to the goods.
Most crimes are crimes of opportunity. Do as much as you can to not present that opportunity.
✅ Pickpocket-proof bag protector, perfect for dorms and shared spaces.
✅ It keeps clothing, passports, gear, and more locked up tight.
4. The classic money-belt.
The money-belt is a classic for a reason. If you are in an area where muggings and pickpockets run rampant, a money-belt is a great way to keep your cash safe.
I recommend putting your cards, cash, and passport inside of the money belt. Then, keep a few small bills in your pocket so if the worst does happen, you have a separate stash to give the thief, and your “real” cash remains undiscovered.
✅ Hide cash, credit cards, and passports under your clothing.
✅ This one is RFID protecting, too!
5. Luggage locks galore.
Small luggage locks are one of the items that I consider non-negotiable. And, I don’t only use them on my suitcase.
I use small locks like this for my daypack, particularly when I’m carrying my camera or anything else valuable. The idea again is to make your bag the most difficult one to rifle through or snatch.
Though very simple, these are one of my most-used travel security items. I have them on hand for literally every trip I take.
✅ Great for suitcases, backpacks, day packs, and more.
✅ These ones are TSA compliant!
6. A Hoodie with hidden pockets.
I wear hoodies on long haul flights, in chilly hotel rooms, for working out, and a million other places on the road. And when I discovered this one with 14 hidden pockets, I was sold.
The concealed pockets keep things safe and secure, such as small cameras, wallets, iPods, phones, and more. Note that larger items may not work. But, this is great for purse-free exploring, hiking, and all of your in-flight essentials.
✅ 14 hidden pockets to stash your electronics, wallet, passport and gear.
✅ Perfect for purse-free hiking and exploring!
7. A Neck Pouch
Depending on the scenario (and outfits involved) you may prefer a neck pouch over the money belt. I’ll be perfectly honest, I don’t love either, but sometimes safety trumps style and comfort.
This pouch hangs under your shirt, and is much smaller than many others. You can stash money, cards, and your passport inside, for added security.
✅ This RFID blocking pouch keeps money, cards, and passports safe and secure under your shirt or jacket.
✅ Easier access than a money belt.
8. A Virtual Private Network (VPN)
If you have never heard of a VPN, don’t worry. You’re probably not alone. I became “in the know” not too far back, and now I’ve had the same VPN for 5+ years – with no plans to cancel anytime soon.
What a VPN does is keep your data safe and secure. Thieves and hackers can jump onto any public network, such as those at coffee shops and hotels, and collect your private info.
Imagine if your banking info, like usernames and passwords, was stolen? Pretty terrible scenario, especially when abroad!
That’s why I initially got a VPN, and so far so good. Beyond that, it also allows you to stream your favorite platforms like Netflix or Hulu even outside of the USA, which often does not work abroad.
✅ Keeps your personal data safe and secure, and allows you to stream your favorite shows abroad!
✅ Super easy to turn on and off, and excellent customer service!
Travel Essentials for Personal Safety
The following travel safety items are intended for personal safety. These essentials will help keep you unharmed or help to prevent assaults and personal attacks.
9. A personal safety alarm.
I wish this had existed when I first started solo traveling! It is essentially a small tool that emits a loud siren when you hit the button. As in, loud enough to draw attention from even a busy crowd.
The attention you draw will scare attackers off or gather help – whichever comes first.
A personal safety alarm like this absolutely needs to be at the top of your list of safety items for travelers to pack. It’s so small that there really is no excuse. She’s Birdie is the best of the best. Throw it on your keyring and go.
This is truly a piece of travel security gear you shouldn’t leave home without, whether you’re exploring a new country or at home, hiking alone.
✅ Emits a loud siren to draw attention and get fast help.
✅ By women, for women – and a portion of your purchase is donated to women’s safety organizations, too.
10. A loud whistle.
Want a noise making device, but not ready to buy the alarm above? A Good old-fashioned whistle can do the trick.
Note – I still prefer the alarm above because you can sneakily push the button and you don’t need the mobility to move the gear to your mouth. So if you are really in trouble, the alarm above is ideal.
However, a whistle can certainly help!
✅ Create a loud noise anytime you need to attract attention to yourself.
✅ No need to charge or rely on batteries.
11. A door stop for security.
On my fist trip abroad, I thought I was so clever to think of carrying a rubber door stop on my journey. I would slide it under the inside of the door to help keep it closed as I slept peacefully inside.
Little did I know that others were using this very same travel hack! And nowadays, you can even buy one with a sound alarm that shrills if the door stop is displaced. The noise will alert you to any potential break-in before they make it inside.
✅ Keep your room secure from the inside.
✅ You’ll be awakened by a loud alarm if the door stop is moved or displaced in the night.
12. An additional door lock.
This portable door lock is made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel, meaning that it is small but mighty! (Some of them are made of plastic, so I appreciate the quality of this one.)
The portable door lock compatible with most hotel room doors – doors that are hinged and swing inwards. It is so small and transportable, there’s no reason not to bring one.
Keep yourself safe and secure when traveling alone!
✅ High quality portable door lock made of aluminum and stainless steel.
✅ Keeps hotel doors sealed even if someone else has a key!
Best Travel Safety Items For Health & Wellness
Staying safe while traveling comes in many forms.
While robberies and assaults might be the type of safety we innately worry about the most, health safety items are just as important to have on hand.
13. A portable First Aid Kit.
I love these tiny first aid kits for both travel and for hiking. You have several sizes to choose from, and all of them are smaller than you would ever think possible.
Now you will need to stash it in your checked luggage, as it does include some sharp mini-tools. Or, simply remove anything sharp that the TSA or airlines will not allow. But the gauze, ointments, and bandages are still super useful.
✅ Tiny, portable, and stash-able first aid kit with all the basics, and more.
✅ Super useful for all of the bumps and bruises (or worse!) that can happen on the road.
14. Hand sanitizer.
I’ve been bringing tiny hand sanitizer bottles with me each time I travel, since way before certain current events that made this practice more common. And, nowadays, many airports don’t even count this toward
I prefer these mini spray bottles rather than the squeeze-gel kind. Why? Because then I can spray it on surfaces other than my skin, too.
Need to spray down a visibly dirty airplane tray table? Done. Need to quickly sanitize your hotel table? Easy! Carrying a bottle like this is a multi-purpose sanitizer for me.
✅ On-the-go hand sanitizers that barely take up any space in your carry-on.
✅ Can be used on airplane and hotel surfaces, too, when you’re in a pinch and need a quick cleaning.
15. Face masks.
You may be surprised to learn, my purpose for bringing face masks has less to do with sickness and more to do with pollution.
When I first went to China, I came prepared. I had read quite a bit about Beijing’s air quality, and knew that it was common practice to wear masks in the city.
Then, when I visited Kathmandu, the same situation presented itself again. The city is known for pollution and car smog, and I was very glad to have planned ahead and brought these.
So if you are headed to a place with less than ideal air quality, face masks are one travel safety item that you definitely shouldn’t skip.
✅ Excellent for avoiding air pollution and car smog in busy cities!
✅ Inexpensive yet high quality (and in fun colors too!)
16. Electrolyte tabs.
If you are either a) planning on doing any hiking or strenuous activity, or b) headed somewhere with a hot and humid climate, consider taking along these tiny and easy-to-stash electrolyte tablets.
Think of electrolyte tablets as Gatorade, but without all the added sugars.
The nuun ones are my personal favorite due to their flavors and packaging (so easy for travel!) They’ve accompanied me to India, Aruba, and are one of my staple desert hiking essentials.
✅ Easy dissolve tablets packed with electrolytes and bursting with great fruit flavors.
✅ So useful for hot and humid places!
17. A high quality headlamp.
It took me a while to join team-headlamp; I used to think that my cell phone light would be enough. But after camping in Tanzania, in total pitch black darkness, I quickly changed my tune.
First, you get hands-free lighting. With your cell phone, you lose a hand, which makes carrying other items like shower items and camping items more difficult. But even more annoyingly, those lights really don’t have any reach.
A high quality headlamp makes your life easy not only while camping, but also while reading a book in a dark hostel room or while using both hands to search for your car keys.
Team headlamp for life! But, you get what you pay for – so the one linked is my current fave.
✅ A great light source while camping, hiking, or reading in a dark hostel room.
✅ Provides hands-free lighting.
Overall Great Travel Safety Essentials
While these next few travel essentials don’t specifically keep your body or wallet safe, they have earned a solid place on this list.
Below are some of the best ways to keep you connected, whether to the internet or to your luggage and items. And, it also contains my best advice on what to keep1 “in your back pocket” in case things do go wrong.
18. Travel Wifi
While I do have an international phone plan, there are some areas that it just doesn’t adequately cover. Example: In Namibia, I was left high and dry with no coverage.
And, while you can buy a local SIM card pretty easily, that’s not always my favorite thing to do. First, I miss and lose messages when I swap my SIM. Second, it’s a hassle to keep track of your tiny SIM card to put back in later.
Enter, Skyroam. I was introduced to this baby by a fellow traveler, and I was quickly sold on it. You can pay daily, or just as you need it, so no need to spend exorbitant amounts to stay connected.
✅ Keeps you connected globally, without the need of a SIM card. Pay as you go pricing.
✅ Pocket sized for easy carrying.
19. Samsung SmartTag 2
Samsung’s SmartTag 2 is my current favorite luggage tracking device. Fellow Android users will enjoy the ease of the newer design, and the built in ring for connecting to keyrings and bags.
Even though I travel carry on only, I still am separated from my bags during my trips or even sometimes forced to check a bag if the flight runs out of overhead bin space. In those times, I am so happy to have this!
✅ Keep track of your bags and items, even when they’re out of your possession.
✅ Much more high-tech than the previous version!
20. Apple AirTag
Or, if you are an Apple user, you will want the AirTag instead. While I don’t have personal experience with this since it does not work with my phone model, it is very beloved by Apple users.
✅ Keep track of items like luggage and checked bags easily!
✅ Easy one-tap setup connects the AirTag with your iPhone or iPad.
21. Travel Insurance
Lastly, do you know what is great to have on hand when things do go wrong? Like, when your bags are lost, or when you get injured in a way that a first aid kit can’t fix?
Any time I’m on a trip where extreme activities are taking place (such as my bungee jumping and paragliding adventures in Nepal) I typically get travel insurance beforehand.
Even if you just want to cover all your bases, travel insurance can give you peace of mind. Different plans cover different situations, and at different price points.
✅ Get peace of mind by having travel insurance for unexpected emergencies.
✅ Great to consider if you plan to take part of adventure activities.
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Travel Safety Gear Conclusion
My goal with this list is to help any reader worried about safety by highlighting tried and true travel safety gadgets and gear. And while I write this through the lens of a frequent solo female traveler, these items are truly useful for any traveler.
Whether you are looking for the best solo travel safety items, or simply ways to stay safe while traveling abroad, this list has got you covered!
From the pickpocket-proof travel safety gear to the best essentials for health and wellness, each of these items has a place in your pack. They will keep you feeling safe and secure, and will have you covered for preventing many potential emergencies before they begin.
Last but not least, if you are feeling nervous about your first solo trip, sign up for my FREE Solo Travel e-course! It will provide you with loads of tips and that will leave you feeling confident to take on the world, alone.
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