As you know, traveling is not just about having a wonderful, worry-free holiday or trip. Of course, there are people who think just like that and, sadly, most find themselves with one or two things missing at the end of their trip.
The trick here is that you have to take everything into account while traveling. Naturally, you will most likely be targeted by petty thieves, case in which your phone or your wallet might go missing.
On the other hand, you must also not forget any documents that you leave in your hotel room. These might get misplaced by the cleaning services or even by you if you put them in a random place and then forget about them.
In short, you need something to help you deal with managing all of your most valuable items while traveling – in this respect, we strongly recommend that you start using a portable travel safe.
But you might ask, what is a portable travel safe?
As the name implies, a travel safe is an item that you can store other items inside of and then securely lock it. Most portable travel safes are fit for hotel rooms and such, as they are capable of fitting a lot of items inside them, while others emphasize on portability and can be taken with you at the beach and so on.
Of course, we have the lockbox-style portable safes as well – a bit more traditional, but still, a good option to keep your items safe.
Now, let’s see exactly why you should consider traveling with a portable travel safe!
Why Should You Travel with a Portable Travel Safe?
The first and most obvious reason for you to start using a travel safe while traveling is to keep your valuables in a safe, locked up place, where thieves would have a really hard time getting to.
Back in the day, the only important things we had on us while traveling were our wallets and identification papers, such as ID and passport. However, we all know very well that things have changed and, during one single trip, we get to have on us items worth more than just a couple of thousands of dollars.
Now, we have to worry about smartphones, cameras, electronics, and all sorts of other gadgets. Therefore, the answer is short and obvious – by using a portable travel safe, you make sure that your items will stay just where you put them and that no one else but you will get to touch them.
You won’t have to worry about any lost data or memories you had on your smartphone and you will definitely not have to wait for the local embassy to replace your passport – as such things will not happen!
What are the Best Portable Travel Safes in 2019?
Now that you have the reasons, let’s see which the best portable travel safe is! Below, you’ll find the reviews of seven portable travel safes which we think, based on analysis, customer reviews, and ratings, are the best ones you can find!
The SAFEGO Lock Box is a small, lightweight, and reliable portable travel safe. As one of the top portable safe out there, the SAFEGO is made from high-impact ABS plastic and is equipped with a built-in 3-digital combination lock, as well as with a keyed lock.
One of the locks is used to secure a 6mm steel cable that can be used to safely attach the travel safe to the frame of a bench, chair, table, or any other object.
In terms of size, this top portable safe is large enough to fit a smartphone, as well as the usual cash, passports, and wallets. However, given the material it is made from, it will still be light enough for you to carry it around.
When it comes to functionality and features, so to say, one interesting aspect of the SAFEGO travel safe is that it comes equipped with a pass-through hole that you can use for your headphone cord or for a cable connected to a battery charger. In short, you won’t have to take your phone out of the travel safe if you want to listen to music or if someone calls you – in case your headphones are equipped with buttons that you can use to accept a call.
Given its size (7 x 4 x 7.5 inches) and the fact that it comes in multiple colors, the SAFEGO Lock Box is perfect for days spent at the beach, when you have to leave your items alone, or simply for when you are traveling and want to keep your valuables safe.
Moving on to yet another top portable travel safe, we present to you the Pacsafe Travelsafe X15. This one is a bit larger than the previously discussed travel safe, coming in at 7 x 13 x 15 inches.
As you may have guessed it, the Travelsafe X15 is big enough to fit a 15-inch laptop, as well as a tablet. Naturally, any other small items – cameras, smartphones – will not be a problem for this top travel safe.
So, what’s going to stop the thieves and protect your goods? Well, it’s the 360-degree eXomesh stainless steel wire mesh that’s embedded into the poly canvas fabric in order to prevent thieves – as well as most of their tools – breaking into the travel safe.
The mesh material, as well as the fabric the portable safe is made from, are hard, resistant, but lightweight as well. So, the manufacturers thought of taking advantage of this aspect and had the travel safe fit with straps, allowing it to be a shoulder bag too.
Therefore, the Pacsafe Travelsafe X15 can be worn on your back, without having to worry about a single thing – did we mention that the eXomesh is completely slash proof? Thieves will have to come up with new tricks if they want to remove any items from this top travel safe.
As expected, this item comes with a secure stainless-steel cable as well, which you can use to fix and lock the travel safe to any piece of furniture or fixture. The lock that is responsible for keeping the safe tight shut is a three-dial combination one, TSA approved as well.
When it comes to reviews, most customers that it is bigger than you’d expect – reportedly, it can fit your documents, laptop, camera, smartphone, as well as a couple of other small objects in a single run, so to say, without any issues.
The Master Lock 5900D comes with classic looks, so to speak, quite similar to what we’d see in a 90s movie, for example. However, keep in mind that this is one of the best portable safes out there and, thus, it cannot disappoint when it comes to safety and reliability.
First of all, the travel safe features durable and water-resistant construction, making it fit for any purse or backpack that can be subject to some accidents. For example, you can place your most valuable goods inside the Master Lock when you are hiking during the rain or engaging in water sports, such as canoe.
To increase its water-resistance capability and ensure that the items are fully protected during transport, the Master Lock 5900D also features shock absorbing foam lines across the safe’s interior.
In terms of size, the travel safe is 9.4 x 5.1 x 2.2 inches. True, it’s not the biggest one out there, especially when compared to our previous entry, but it is big enough to fit smartphones, wallets, cash, passports, small devices, cameras, watches, and so on.
The steel cable is placed around the travel safe itself, making for a classy look. Naturally, it can be detached to either lock the travel safe to a piece of furniture or fixture or to carry it in your hand, just like a bag.
The portable travel safe features a four-digit combination lock, as well as a charging cable/ earbud access port so that you can listen to music or charge your devices while the travel safe is locked.
In order to help you make an idea of how many things you can fit in there, reportedly the Master Lock 5900D is able to accommodate one iPhone 6+, 2 iPhone 6 – both with protective cases on them -, a pair of earphones, as well as one passport.
Our next portable travel safe is the Pacsafe Travelsafe 5L GII. Unlike most portable travel safes out there, the 5L GII can be folded flat when not in usage so that you can easily store or pack it.
As one of the best travel safes out there, it’s only natural that this product from Pacsafe features 360-degree eXomesh stainless steel wire mesh that is embedded into the poly canvas fabric of the travel safe, in order to prevent thieves from slashing it and stealing your items.
It comes with carry-handles, for your convenience and ease of carrying, and features a three-dial combination lock that’s been approved by the TSA. Naturally, the stainless-steel cable is present here as well – you can use it to attach the travel safe to any stationary furniture or fixture.
In terms of size, the travel safe measures 16.3 x 10.4 x 0.5 inches and can easily fit a tablet with a screen up to 10 inches, your camera, jewelry, as well as other small items – passport, documents, cash, smartphone, and so on.
The Pacsafe Travelsafe 5L GII is also water-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about anything when traveling. However, we do not recommend you put it to test while swimming or dipping into rivers, as customers reported that it presents some tiny holes through which water could flow in.
It is best if you keep it away from large puddles and let the travel safe deal with rain and other minor incidents that involve water.
Even though it is rather small, 6 x 1.5 x 9 inches, the FlexSafe from AquaVault can really be seen as one of the best portable travel safes out there. You’ll soon see why!
When it comes to Amazon’s Carry-On Luggage category, the FlexSafe is the eighth best seller. The product features a three-digit combo lock which is mounted on the manufacturer’s patented locking design – reportedly, you can lock the FlexSafe on almost any fixed object.
Obviously, the lock is re-programmable so that you can set your desired combination. Moreover, the travel safe is equipped with RFID blocking technology – RFID is used to identify and track tags that contain electronically stored information.
In terms of durability, the product features a five-layer, heavy duty construction, which is also flexible and water resistant. The patented multi-layer design makes this product extremely slash proof!
Obviously, you can fit inside the FlexSafe most of the items you’d expect to be able to – wallets, jewelry, cameras, keys, passports, as well as smartphones, and so on. But the FlexSafe travel safe is also quite versatile, featuring an internal zipper pouch, for increased security, easily-accessible mesh pockets, for more storage options, a neat carrying handle, as well as a universal-fit locking flap.
Taking a dive into some of the product’s reviews, we find out that a lot of people claimed the FlexSafe perfect for any beach location – they had no issues with leaving the travel safe locked and attached to their chair while taking a swim in the ocean, as they felt it was safe and sturdy enough to keep their valuables in place.
The LOCTOTE Flak Sack II comes with a very interesting look – it looks just like the ordinary fabric backpack that you’d have with you during college or university. At first sight, it comes with nothing special other than the branding and the thick straps.
This top portable travel safe, however, features flaknit slash-proof fabric which achieves a cut level of A9 (the highest one for slashes) and is resistant against tearing and abrasion as well.
Moreover, the thick straps we mentioned earlier are made from a similar material, as they cut resistant as well. These are also reflective, making it easier for drivers or motorcycles to spot you if you are traveling on foot during the night.
The Flak Sack comes with a double steel-reinforced locking strap which, combined with the heavy-duty, solid brass combination lock, help you securely lock the bag shut – and, if you desire, to a fixed object or piece of furniture as well.
For more safety, the travel safe also features a sternum strap which keeps the side ropes/straps centered across the chest – besides working on your posture, this aspect will also make it harder for thieves to snatch your backpack.
If you plan to carry important data with you or such, then you won’t have to worry about any unauthorized scanning with the Flak Sack II, as it features RFID-blocking technology, located in a large interior pocket – does not interfere with the bag’s deposit space.
In terms of size, the backpack is 14.6 x 5.5 x 2.4 inches and can kit Kindles, large tablets, passport, camera, smartphone, headphones, wallets, keys, and so on – reportedly, you can also fit a 17-inches laptop inside the Flak Sack II.
Most of the happy customers that have purchased this product praised the fact that, unlike most tote/drawstring bags, the Flak Sack II’s interior was pocketed for compartments and/ or sorting, making it easier for them to manage their valuables, rather than dumping all of them in one place, at the bag’s bottom.
Now, when it comes to the best portable safe out there, the choice is really up to you – however, we do have one item that comes with the looks, the functionality, and the features that will probably blow you away!
Obviously, we are talking about the CoolBag Gen 2 – at first sight, it looks just like a purse, especially given the fact that it comes six different colors (turquoise, dark blue, pink, purple, red, and black), which would make it more fit for a woman.
However, the manufacturer does not discriminate, as you can turn the fancy beach-bag into a backpack in a blink of an eye, making it perfect for anyone that likes to have more options when it comes to carrying a purse.
The bag’s zipper is puncture proof and it hides the combination lock that’s needed to lock the bag. Interesting about the lock – more specific, its combination -, is the fact that you can register and then later retrieve its combination if you forget it.
The CoolBag Gen 2 is said to be light-weight and equipped with cut-resistant liner. In order to attach it to stationary objects, you’ll have to make use of the padded cable straps, which can be detached from the bag. Naturally, the product’s interior features RFID-blocking technology so that you won’t have to worry about someone stealing data you might have within wallets, keys, and cards.
The interior is spacious (21.3 x 14.5 x 3.7 inches) and features mesh pockets meant for small items and a padded section for electronic devices. The external magazine pockets are convertible – you can turn them into over-the-luggage handles, facilitating carrying.
CoolBag Gen 2 is TSA approved and can be used/ registered as a carry-on item.
The Pros and Cons of the Best Portable Safes of 2019
| Product | Pros | Cons | Rating |
| -available in multiple colors;
- waterproof and impact resistant; - combination lock and key |
- a couple of customers stated that the product is not sturdy enough and could easily be broken into | 4.5/5 | |
| -spacious, can fit a 15-inch laptop;
-TSA approved lock; -eXomesh stainless steel wire mesh; poly canvas fabric; |
- not quite a con, but there were customers that said the item turned out to be too large for their expectations;
- some reported that the TSA locks can be easily reset |
⅘ | |
| -small enough to fit in your purse, but big enough to secure your valuable items;
-4-dial combo lock with a fixed cable as well; |
- some users found it too hard to set up the lock | ⅘ | |
| -eXomesh stainless steel wire mesh; poly canvas fabric;
-can fit a 10-inch tablet; -a three-dial combination lock that’s TSA approved; -carry handles; -water resistant; |
-again, some people complained that the lock randomly resets or their combination is not accepted anymore; | 4.5/5 | |
| -fool proof reset button for combination;
-RFID blocking; -five-layer construction, heavy duty; -belt loop, storage pockets, padded carry strap; |
-reportedly, the buckle can be a little hard to insert when locking the travel safe on a non-solid surface behind it; takes some time to click it and get it locked. | 4.5/5 | |
| -durable;
-lightweight; -can fit a laptop with a screen of up to 15’’; -slash proof fabric; -steel locking strap; -RFID blocking pocket; |
-reportedly, the sternum strap is not as durable as the rest of the bag; | 4.5/5 | |
| -puncture-proof zipper;
-hidden combination lock; -lightweight; -roomy interior; -RFID blocking; -TSA approved; |
-the lock is quite small and hard to adjust;
-reportedly, the locking system/ feature is difficult, with some customers even accidentally changing the code. |
3.5/5 |
Things to Consider Before Buying a Portable Travel Safe
Now that you know which the best travel safes are, it’s important that you keep in mind the fact that each of the mentioned products is fit for different traveling activities, so to say.
For example, you cannot have a travel safe that’s meant for a hotel room at the beach with you. This is why, before purchasing a portable travel safe, we recommend you to take into account the following aspects:
- Location of Use – if you plan on using the travel safe at the beach, then go for something lightweight, water resistant, and maybe even stylish; if you want one for your hotel room, then you might want to pick a study, heavy duty one;
- Size – naturally, depending on the items you want to keep safe, you’ll choose a big or a small travel safe. It’s important to keep in mind that you have to stick to protecting just the essentials – fill your travel safe only with the items you really fear losing.
- Lock Type – you can choose between combination and key locks; both have one big disadvantage, as you can either lose the key or forget the combination. Choose what fits you best but we recommend combination locks, as they are much safer and harder to crack.
- Items You Want to Protect – naturally, when it comes to very expensive items or jewelry, it is best if you keep them in your hotel’s safe or in a safety deposit box.
Concluding Remarks
As you now know which the best portable travel safes of 2019 are, you’ll have a much easier job in terms of protecting your valuables. All you have to do is pick one of the above or search for the one that fits you the best.
Keep in mind the things you have to consider when buying a travel safe, as well as your desires and suck – you can choose a tiny safe, meant to protect your passport and important document, or you can go with a larger one, capable of fitting your entire backpack or purse contents in it.
As they say, the world is yours to travel – and, as we say, it’s your responsibility to protect yourself and your valuables while traveling!
