Locks on my Pack?

Laflx

Should I lock my pack flying INTO India? I have good bikelock/padlock for the pack during trains/hotels. but flying what do I do?

Felix

dan37_123

dont lock

dan

Dennis-M

Wrapping your pack (sealing) could be a good alternative to a lock , if someone wants to take something out , a sharp object is in most cases enough to get in the pack, what can be considered is that you could be in more trouble if someone puts something in your pack

Dunno what you are packing , but a lock on a bag instantly gives away that there must be something worth stealing in the bag , did not use a lock for Hotels , but it's advised to keep an eye on bags during stops at stations during train rides.

Hope this helps

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dzibead

A lot of standard backpacks are just not lockable because of the way they are constructed and the types of fasteners they use. Since I definitely do not like the idea of checking my baggage unless it's locked -- not just to prevent things from being taken out but also to prevent any "surprises" from being put in -- I've used a Pac-Safe mesh when traveling with a backpack. Here's the website: www.pac-safe.com. You can buy these things at REI.

machadinha

Another little gem Dan, and so elegantly expounded upon too! Why have people even bothered weighing the pros and cons on so many threads one might wonder!

I realize personal attacks are not the way to go here, but from a whole array of your postings so far we have been able to glean such little jewels of information as that schnapps in the morning (readily available at every Indian guesthouse's breakfast counter as we all know) helps against stomach upsets, that the Moghuls are to blame for female western tourists today being advised on forums like these to dress moderately modest, that the India of yore was one great rambling Kama Sutra flower power kind of place, that if the locals act differently than you're used to at home or show any undue curiosity you should just give them the middle finger, and that most western visitors go for cheap drugs! Etc. need I say it! Is there anything you don't have sound advice on, and with as solid arguments?

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iwanttogoback

ask the australian girl jailed for 20 years for importing marijuana into bali which she claims was put into her unlocked bag what she thinks of locks.
i don't know what the reality is on drugs or other contraband being smuggled into countries in other peoples luggage, but i'd really rather not find out first hand. especially in a country where the jails might not be that comfortable and the legal system what one is used to.
it really is not a big effort to lock things and gives peace of mind, i find anyway.
in australia, at the moment, because of the above mentioned case, people are absolutely paranoid about locks and, now, at some airports the gladwrap sealing is available. i just can't see why you wouldn't? for either things being taken out or put in.

edwardseco

Of course, everyone in the jails say that. However, it does remind us to look after our luggage when travelling. That said I never lock unless goig by air. The luggage handlers can't be trusted for sure..

shere

This type of talk always makes me piss myself laughing. Looks like for all these years we have been wrong. I am going to remove the locks on my external doors and all the windows in the house as it may give it away instantly that there is something worth stealing in the house. Oh better remove the locks from my car doors as well as they could attract thieves.

Locks act as deterrents to most casual thieves. Full time pro thieves can always get around locks and alarms but even they like an easy steal. A lad who went school with me used to steal cars (even stole teachers car once) and he always said he looked for soft targets like no alarms, doors unlocked etc.

Even Indian customs & excise suggest you use locks.

crvlvr

I have never locked and never had a problem. Ofcourse, if your baggage is going to sit unattended for a while, say in transit at an Indian airport, then its worth considering.

camelgirl

I always lock the main compartment of my bag. BUT now here in the USA, if you do they will chop it off unless it has TSA written somewhere on the lock--the security people have a universal key to open it. I've lost one lock to the hacksaw but now I have the TSA kind. They are pretty cheap, small and certainly wouldn't keep out anyone who wants to slice open my bag. That said, I still use those small cheapo kind of locks and figure it's a deterrant...figure the thieves will go for the bags that don't have any Outside pockets still vulnerable but try not to put anything important in them.

Funny true story: today I brought my husband to the airport and he used our lovely new TSA lock on his bag. Got to the airport and he discovered he lost the keys! Had to get security to open it for him or he wouldn't have been able to get into his luggage!!! Found the keys on the front porch when I got home.

My opinion: Use a lock

livin-in-india

Lock everything always. This is India. If you don't, you are to blame for your stolen items.

Indian airports will never implement the no-lock rule like the U.S. because the people who make the rules themselves would never trust the baggage handlers.

My Indian house has a gizzilion locks in it. Each door to the outside has a minimum of three locks and bolts. Then each room can be locked off separately, including the bathrooms. Even my fridge came with a lock and key, to keep the domestic help from snacking on the master's food.

India is a land of locks. If you don't play the locking game, you will pay the price.

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luciano

whats the best/simpleist way to lock my pack? are we talking pad-locks, bike locks or what? i have never locked a bag before so don't really have a clue!
cheers.

iwanttogoback

i just bought a pack of the largest padlocks that would fit my zips - buy a pack so you aren't fiddling around with more than one key. i also bought half a metre of chain and used that, with another padlock, to chain my pack under my seat on the train.

better to be safe than sorry i say, anywhere.

camelgirl

See my post just above. Just little locks. They are just a deterrant and won't keep out a serious thief who would cut your bag to get in. They sell them all over India, if you want to wait until you get there. I've seen people (mostly Indians) using huge locks of every sort. Too heavy. Just don't pack anything you'd cry about losing, like a laptop or expensive camera. Keep those with you. I find it's easy to keep quite a few things in my "bed" if I'm on an overnight train ride. The big pack will be under the bottom seat/bed and mostly unavailable.

-m2-

Many packs have zippers that can be secured with a small 'luggage lock', while top-loading pack are nearly impossible to lock without extraordinary measures like a 'pac-safe', or an external covering of some sort. Best to keep your valuable stuff in your carry-aboard hand luggage anyway as that way there is nothing much of monetary value that could get lost or stolen.

Locked bags are acceptible from Canadian airports and I always lock my mine -- lockability was a requirement for the pack when I bought it. For rail travel, an ordinary padlock can be used to secure the pack to the cable under the seat that is (usually) provided. The same padlock can be used for locking hotel rooms that have a 'hasp'.