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Security bags for travel normally have anti-slash fabric, lockable zips, RFID blocking measures, wire enforced straps and hidden pockets to prevent theft and pickpockets. This post brings you some of the best security bags for travel available to buy today, each one should be easy to buy online, and we explain the features that make these bags more secure.
When choosing a bag (a handbag, travel purse, daypack, or backpack) for travel or city use most people consider security. It makes sense to buy a bag for travel that makes a bag snatcher’s or pickpocket’s life as hard as possible.
Let’s look at the best security bags for travel, the bags designed to keep your passport, cash, credit cards and other travel essentials attached to you. These security bags work just as well for daily use, anywhere in the world and are great for cruise ship shore excursions or busy travel days.

Update: The world has supply problems right now. Some of our recommended “best” security bags and purses are unavailable. We are looking for alternate suppliers. This Travelon bag does seem to be in-stock, and it’s a best-seller, but supply is limited and you probably need to buy before they’re all gone. (it may, become unavailable, please check.) Likewise, this Bagallini security bag is available at time of publication.
In my personal experience as a global traveller of many years, a small cross-body handbag or travel purse is extremely useful. You don’t always want to carry your day-pack, backpack or suitcase if you’re just going out for the evening, for instance. For times like this I generally use a small cross body bag, there are several designs below suitable for evening use.
I have a couple of cross-body fabric bags that I pack for travel, both have internal pockets and I can easily add a little extra security with a safety-pin or two. If you want to buy a travel bag designed to keep the thieves at bay and look put-together or formal, somebody has thought of that!
Here are the best and most popular anti-theft bags for travel and for travellers. As an extra security measure, some bags also have RFID blocking capacity in compartments or pockets.
The new security backpacks with built in charging ports are another travel must-have, see them at the end of the post along with a few extra travel security devices you may like. All are suitable for use as travel bags and have similar security features while having slightly different uses.
These bags are mostly aimed at women, but some would work just as well for men.
My husband uses a small cross body bag on airport days, his is a small Kipling bag similar to this one.
Although not designed as security bags, the Kipling is rugged and sturdy with a strong strap and zipper to fully close it. These can be ideal for men or women. A small bag like this worn cross-body and kept close to you is ideal for airport days when you will be producing ticlets, bording passes, your passport and phone multiple times.
We think they’re a great, long-lasting, good-looking, option for a travel bag that is not designated “a security bag.”
My husband has used his on travel days for almost 20 years. But if you’d like a designated “security bag” look at the options below.
Security Bags
Security Bags For UK, Europe, and USA
If you don’t have time to read this full post, our top picks are here. One is a security bag for travel, work, or city and will be just great for seeing the sights in Europe. See it here.
The other is an anti theft backpack ideal for city life or travel days. See it here. Find full descriptions and specifications further down the page.
Security Bags Available in Australia
If you are in Australia these are the two best security travel bags we can find for you to buy. The Travelon security bag is here. and the original Bobby Bag city security laptop bag is here.
Tips For Buying and Using a Security Bag or Purse
Before we get into the best security bags here are some extra tips for travel bag security:
- Keep your bag across your body, not on 1 shoulder.
- Wear the bag on your front, not on your hip or behind.
- Keep a hand on it on busy trains, buses or in markets or tuck it under your arm.
- Don’t keep everything in one bag, spread valuables around various hiding places.
- Avoid scooter bag snatchers by keeping yourself and the bag away from the road edge, walk on the inside edge of the pavement.
What Features Should a Security Bag Have?
A security travel purse or bag should have features such as these. Always look for the features below in a genuine security bag.
- anti slash fabric
- locking pockets and locking zippers
- RFID blocking
- steel enforced shoulder straps
- locking hardware for securing to immovable objects such as the table while dining
- hidden or secret pockets
The Travelon security bags generally have all of these anti theft features.
Cross Body Security Bags
We’ve shown most of the bags below in black but they do come in multiple colours from blue to red to gold, click-through on each item to check the range.
The Baggalini security bags, below, have a particularly good colour range including cool stripes but they don’t have the tough anti slash, anti cut technology of the Travelon bags.
Lewis N Clarke Secura Security Bag
Take a look here! Lewis N Clarke Secura Anti Theft Bag. This is perfect if you’re out and about in wet weather.
My favourite! Unfortunately not available yet in the UK without extra import / shipping fees, ( to the best of my knowledge, I’ve looked but that could change) although other Lewis N Clark products are available. USA and Canada can buy this cool green, blue or black bag.
We were able to purchase a Lewis N Clark travel umbrell recently, in Australia, so supply may be improving. This is a good travel brand in our opinion.
This security bag has the following features:
- water resistant outer
- durable exterior
- fabric lined
- anti slash fabric and internal steel shoulder strap reinforcement
- exterior locking pocket
- locking hardware to secure to tables etc.
- RFID blocking pocket for cards
- internal organiser pockets including zip pocket
- slimline profile
- 11 x 3 x 9.5 inches
- 49 inch strap
- main locking zip compartment
- also available in onyx
Travelon Classic Security Messenger Bag with Water Bottle Holder
Take a look – Travelon Security Messenger Bag. A key feature is the lobster claw designed to be secured to bars or tables.
If you are in Australia, the Travelon security bag is here. The following features make this bag a security bag.
- internal pockets
- external water holder
- RFID blocking card and passport sections
- cut proof, cable reinforced shoulder strap
- lobster claw clasps on pockets and straps
- slash resistant internal mesh on body panels
- main strap can be used to fasten to immovable objects using lobster claw
- strap length 28-48 inches
- size 11 x 10 x 4.5 inch
- a range of colours, I like the blue.
New – Travelon Messenger Urban Security Bag
Take a look at the new urban Travelon messenger here. This could be my new favourite!
I like this one a lot. It’s a little more expensive than most of the travel bags on here, but for people like me who often carry their laptops (I’m what’s known as a digital nomad, I work online from anywhere) a bag like this is gold. I love the style too, plus the usual security features along with a laptop pocket.
I’m going to call this one the best security bag for digital nomads!
- Take a small laptop, plus ipad or tablet in a padded buckled compartment (up to 14 inches)
- Has a pass-thru strap on the rear to secure this bag to your wheeled luggage.
- RFID blocking pockets for passports and credit cards
- Strengthened strap which can be attached to fixtures and furnishings.
- Slash resistant mesh
Travelon Classic Mini Security Shoulder Bag
- available in black, blue, red, light grey – many colours and patterns
- slash proof
- locking compartment
- RFID blocking card and passport area
- cut proof shoulder strap
- strap can be fastened to immovable objects
- size 10 x 9.5 x 2 inches
Travelon Signature 3 Compartment Cross-Body Security Bag
Travelon Signature 3 Compartment Crossbody Security Bag, Black, Straight Pocket
- comes in blue, red, dark grey, beige and black
- 3, larger, locking compartments
- main compartment has RFID blocking card and passport section
- slash resistant body
- cut resistant shoulder strap
- strap can be fastened around immovable objects with lobster claw fastening
- 29 inch drop
- larger size, 11.5 x 13.75 inch
Baggalline Everywhere Cross Body Security Bag
Baggalline Everywhere Cross Body Bag. Great if you’re wearing your bags across your body.
- A great range of colours
- RFID blocking
- multiple pockets
- spacious, longer strap for cross body use.
Travelon Cross Body Security Bucket Bag
This security bag is a larger size, with all the usual Travelon anti theft features, so I’m calling this one the best large security bag for travel. The backpacks are bigger, but this one is large while still looking loke a fairly smart purse.
Travelon Cross body bucket bag with water bottle pouch.
- anti cut strap
- anti slash panels
- RFID blocking card/passport section
- lower price than many for the black version
- built in external water pocket
- built in external umbrella pocket
- locking main compartment
- strap can lock to an immovable object
- larger size 10 inch high by 14 inch deep
- available in leopard, grey, green, purple and black – good choice of colours.
Bagallini Pocket Waterproof Cross Body Bag
Bagallini Pocket Waterproof Cross Body Security Bag
- durable nylon
- waterproof
- multiple pockets
- great colour range
Larger Security Bags, Backpacks and Daypacks
The Bobby Bag is the most expensive of these 3 travel bags but it’s so feature-packed it’s hard to ignore. This one is my pick for city use or even to use as a small carry on bag. I regularly use a small backpack or daypack as a travel purse, it’s far more convenient and like the cross body bags, more secure.
It’s not at all strange to use a small backpack as a purse, particularly when you travel. A backpack is very useful and won’t look out of place in European cities or in Asia.
With most of these bags you will need portable chargers or power banks, we created a post on our favourite (often solar) chargers here.
Security Laptop Bags or Day Packs
Above – Low Cost Business Laptop Backpack with USB Charging Port Fits 15.6 inch Laptop
A backpack that will take your laptop safely and securely is an absolute God-send and these days I’d say that any daypack you choose, other than for trekking or hiking long distances, must be big enough to take a laptop.
This one is full of features to make it more secure.
The zips are lockable with a combination padlock and his has an external USB port for charging your mobile devices.
This Mancro bag is an Amazon Best Seller and the price is budget friendly, check it out above.
Above – Again, pretty cheap – Oscaurt Travel Backpack, Business Laptop School Bookbag with USB Charging Port
The Original Bobby Bag
The Original Bobby Bag below would be my choice for a city backpack with extra security.
It’s so packed with features that I can’t possibly describe them all here. You can charge discreetly, it has protective layers, I love that you can keep public transport cards handy in front pockets (the perfect bag for London use!).
Just click through and see the features, it’s a brilliant design. Next time I’m in London I’m getting one of these, pink, blue and yellow compact versions are available too.
If you are in Australia the original Bobby Bag city anti-theft laptop bag is here.
Security Bags Available in the UK
Just click below to see a selection of anti theft bags available in the UK currently. For our USA readers and all other countries, you should be fine with any of the other links on this page. Pacsafe are very popular in the UK and you’ll see a few choices below.
Are Anti Theft Bags Worth Buying?
Yes, we think the added peace of mind and security of using a security travel bag is helpful. Good security bags have multiple features such as slash-proof fabric, hidden lockable pockets, hooks and straps to attach to furniture and cut-resistant cross-body or shoulder straps. They also often have RFID blocking technology. I have had a bag, a backpack, slashed on a train in India. I had an anti-theft layer inside the outer bag. The thieves got nothing.
Extra Security Devices For Travel
In addition to your Security bag, you may want some other anti-theft devices and equipment for your vacation or travel abroad.
Cable locks allow you to secure your bags to a bench, a train luggage rack, a table, your other bags, or anything that will make them harder to snatch. These cable travel locks are useful at airports, train stations and anywhere you have to sit or wait for a while with your bags. Cable locks are useful if you need to attach bags to an immovable object like on a train for instance, particularly an overnight journey on a sleeper train, as is common in Thailand.
The brand below is one of the most well respected and TSA compliant. Cheap versions are easy to break.
Most of the dedicated security bags remove the need for a cable lock as they have built in clips for attachment, but your main luggage may still require locking up.
I had a bag stolen at a busy airport in Australia. If I had had our luggage locked up with a cable lock this wouldn’t have happened.
Get a security cable lock for your bags here.
Then you can think about hidden wallets and pockets in secret pouches. They’re all going in our new post, coming soon!
More Security Bags and Other Travel Essentials
Security bags can be cross-body, a shoulder purse, a small backpack, large backpack or and main luggage bag. We think they should be items on your travel essentials list.
Visit our other posts in our “travel gear” category for more items to pack and carry with you on your trip, to Europe, Africa, Asia, the US, the world!
Don’t Worry About Thieves Too Much
I want to reassure you that theft isn’t a major issue once you leave your home town or country and set out to travel. You should always be security conscious and not take risks with your belonging, but don’t live in fear of theft.
In 20+ years of travel, to 50+ countries I’ve had one pickpocketing incident. I left my bag unzipped on a crowded bus in Malaysia.
We have had one bag stolen in an airport in Australia.
On one occasion we had a bag slashed by a potential thief in Asia, luckily it had a metal mesh inner to make it knife proof. The attempted theft didn’t even wake us. Slash proof fabricks are a great feature in many of the safety bags we list on this page.
We have travelled full-time for years and have lived in London (which some travellers consider high risk for theft and sadly our theft problem is rising, scooter thieves are targetting pedestrians) for many years.
I must also mention that I have a friend who had a bag stolen in Spain recently while sitting drinking coffee in a cafe. He didn’t so much as see the thief who picked up his bag and walked away with it. The security clips on these bags would have saved this from happening.
Security Bags, Conclusion
These security bags give you extra peace of mind when you travel. You don’t “need” one but they’re reasuring to have and could save the day in an emergency situation. It’s your choice, do you need one? While a handy-sized cross body bag is always a good idea, particularly for airport days when your documents (see organisers here) need to be accessible and extra pack security is reassuring, we don’t want you to think your belongings and documents are always in danger of theft. Of course you should always take out good travel insurance for added protection.
If you'd like to hire a car during your stay, use this car rental comparison tool to find the best deal!
We also suggest you take a look at this company to get a quote for all kinds of the more tricky adventure or extended travel insurance.
Try Stayz / VRBO for an alternative way to find rentals on homes/apartments/condos in any country!