Anti-Theft Travel Backpacks: Clever Security or Just Another Travel Gimmick?

Lockable zippers, slash-proof materials and hidden pockets sound impressive, but do anti-theft backpacks actually protect your belongings, or just make you feel better about carrying them?

There’s nothing quite like exploring a new city, wandering through crowded markets or stopping for lunch on a European road trip. Until you discover your wallet has gone walkabout, and suddenly the holiday becomes considerably less relaxing.

Enter the anti-theft backpack. It looks much like an ordinary daypack, except someone has apparently designed it with the assumption that everyone around you is a potential criminal.

A little dramatic? Perhaps. But there’s some genuinely clever technology involved.

What Makes These Backpacks Different?

Unlike conventional backpacks, anti-theft models incorporate features designed to make life difficult for opportunistic thieves.

Brands such as Pacsafe (opens in a new tab) and Travelon (opens in a new tab) offer lockable zippers, cut-resistant shoulder straps, reinforced fabric panels and concealed compartments.

Some even feature stainless-steel mesh embedded inside the material, making the old slice-and-grab trick considerably harder to pull off.

Interestingly, Pacsafe was founded by two Australians in Hong Kong in 1998, inspired partly by travellers protecting their bags with wire mesh in South America. Apparently, wrapping your luggage in something resembling chicken wire wasn’t entirely ridiculous after all.

Which Features Actually Matter?

For travellers, particularly those exploring unfamiliar cities between road trip destinations, we’d prioritise three things.

Lockable zippers make accessing your belongings harder without attracting attention. Cut-resistant straps help discourage someone slicing through a shoulder strap, while an attachment cable allows you to secure your bag to a fixed object when stopping for coffee.

Then there’s RFID-blocking technology, designed to prevent certain contactless scanning attempts. Nice to have, certainly, although we’d rate physical security considerably higher.

What Should You Spend?

For perspective, Travelon’s compact Runways backpack offers a 6.25-litre capacity and weighs just 400 grams, with Australian pricing around $90. Its larger Urban model provides 18.5 litres, laptop accommodation and weighs approximately 840 grams, with pricing around $145.

That’s a reasonable investment if you’re regularly carrying passports, electronics and valuables.

Where to Buy Anti-Theft Backpacks in Australia

Fortunately, you don't need to travel overseas to find a decent anti-theft backpack. Australian retailers including Strandbags stock Travelon's range, while Luggage Direct and Bags To Go offer a selection of Pacsafe backpacks and travel accessories.

You'll also find options through Myer and other specialist luggage retailers. Expect to pay around $90–$160 for any basic anti-theft backpack, with premium models costing $200–$300 or more.

Our advice? Shop around, compare security features and remember that the most expensive backpack isn't necessarily the best one for your travels.

Who Really Needs One?

International travellers, backpackers, grey nomads exploring overseas cities and families juggling expensive gadgets could certainly benefit.

For someone driving between quiet Australian country towns, however, a quality conventional backpack might be perfectly adequate.

What we love is the clever integration of security without making the bag look like military equipment. What we’d like to see next? Lighter materials, better ventilation and security mechanisms that don’t require three hands and a university degree to operate.

Our Verdict

Anti-theft backpacks aren’t theft-proof, and they certainly won’t replace common sense. But they can make you a less attractive target.

DSP Tip:Before buying, test how easily you can operate the security zippers yourself. If accessing your sunglasses requires a five-minute wrestling match, imagine doing it twelve times a day.

Find out more - TRAVELON ANTI-THEFT BAGS

Find out more - PACSAFE ANTI-THEFT BAGS