How useful or necessary is a pacsafe for your backpack?
I will be taking a backpacking trip through SE Asia, South Africa and South America for an extended period of time.
I am taking a 36L backpack, and trying to bring as few things as possible. However, I will be carrying a laptop, DSLR camera and some other electronic gear so that I can work while traveling.
Is a pacsafe, or something else that surrounds your backpack for security reasons, a necessary or useful item that would warrant the extra space and weight in my pack?
Best Answer
For South East Asia, I am not sure how much a Pacsafe will help you in protecting your equipment and keeping it safe. Outright bag snatching or theft is what usually occurs, rather than someone slitting a backpack open (although that's not to deny the latter can happen too). Generally, South East Asia is a safe place and your things don't get stolen. You need specific situational awareness, such as the fact that there are motorbike-based bag snatching gangs in Phnom Penh or that when travelling by bus in Thailand, some unscrupulous private bus operators might rifle through your luggage when the bus is travelling (but this doesn't happen in other countries).
I also agree that if you are carrying an anti-theft backpack, that probably only makes you an even more lucrative target looking at stealing bags!
Since you're carrying costly electronic equipment, a better investment would be a backpack that is actually waterproof, with isolated compartments specifically for laptops if you can find one. Don't skimp out on this because depending on when you travel (rainy season in SE Asia can last months) or if you travel by boat on any stretch, that's the kind of protection - from natural elements - that you will need far more.
Pictures about "How useful or necessary is a pacsafe for your backpack?"
Is pacsafe really safe?
Overall, we are both super impressed with our PacSafe bags. It's hard to find decent looking anti-theft bags, so we were pleased to discover these three. They feel secure, rugged and have passed the "get-through-airport-security-with-seconds-to-spare,-or-we'll-miss-our-flight-test"\u2122.Are anti-theft bags necessary?
Anti-theft bags certainly won't eradicate these crime syndicates, but they CAN help you prevent theft while on the go. And most importantly keep your precious memories and belongings safe in your bag.Is pacsafe a good brand?
Top Anti-Theft Bag Brands. As I mentioned already, there are two main brands that make some of the best anti-theft bags on the market today. They are Travelon and Pacsafe. I personally have carried the Classic Light Travelon anti-theft bag for many years and I love it so much I'll probably cry if it ever breaks.Should I put a lock on my backpack?
As we noted earlier, locking your backpack ensures that no one can sneakily take anything out of your bag when you are not looking or if you have to leave it alone for a few moments. While they could still take the bag, you can prevent small theft by using a lock on your backpack.Pacsafe 85L Backpack and Bag Protector Review - After 10 Years of Use
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Images: Armin Rimoldi, Charlotte May, Charlotte May, Andrea Piacquadio