Traveling with a suitcase can be stressful enough, but if you’re packing a lot of expensive gear or fragile items, you want to be sure that your luggage stays locked uptight.
There are a few different types of bag locks out there, and they all have their own pros and cons:
- Zipper lock – A zipper lock attaches to your bag’s zipper and allows you to zip it closed without having to worry about the security of the contents. The zipper is locked by hooking an internal wire that is hooked into the slider part of the zipper.
- Cable lock – A cable lock has a looped wire cable that goes through the handles of your bag and then around an immobile object like a lamp post or bike rack.
- Chain lock – A chain lock is similar to a cable lock, but instead of a looped wire cable, it has links in a chain. Again, this type of lock can be used with the handles of your bag and around something immobile.
- Combination Lock – A combination lock uses numbers to unlock it. You set the numbers into the cylinder at one end, then turn the dial on the other end to set it into place. Some locks use keys instead of dials for unlocking them, so keep both in mind when shopping for something for your bag.
- The Luggage Lock: This is probably the most common type of bag lock that you’ll see in use today. The design is simple and straightforward: one end twists around a piece inside your suitcase handle, and the other end has a keyhole that accepts a standard key. These locks are convenient and easy-to-use, but also give thieves plenty of opportunities to break in–a simple pair of wire cutters will slice right through this type of lock.