Since I travel with a lot of camera equipment, a laptop and other electronics, keeping my valuables safe is my number one priority. My main concern for my camera/laptop bag is usually when I stay in a shared hostel room or when I’m sleeping on a bus or train.
During my recent trip to Nepal, I tested out a Pacsafe camera bag protector.
Now, while I didn’t sleep on any trains or buses in Nepal, I slept in a couple of airports and since I was traveling solo, it was nice to be able to lock my bag up next to me so that I could sleep peacefully. (As peacefully as a person can sleep in an airport.)
PacSafe 120L Backpack Protector Review
What I Like
Protects Camera Gear
I’m glad PacSafe came out with a safe for people who carry camera gear and laptops. The size of the safe will fit most camera bags (fits up to 25L and 35L). The material is slash proof and the holes are small enough so that a thief cannot steal a lens or small camera.
Size
It’s light and compact. The PacSafe weighs 14 oz and folds up to 8 x 3 x 3 inches. Even though my camera bag is already fairly full with camera gear, I can still fit this PacSafe inside my bag. I also bring a small purse with me on flights, where I can also easily store this safe if needed.
Price
At $64.99 USD, I find this PacSafe to be a good deal. It’s not outrageously priced, and well worth the money for the piece of mind of knowing your valuables will be safe. It’s either right in line or less expensive than a comparable anti-theft product.
Easy To Use
Set up is a breeze. The first time I used my PacSafe, I had it ready to go in less than 5 minutes.
What I Don’t Like
Unwanted Attention
My only concern regarding this product is that it may draw more attention to my bag. I wouldn’t be too concerned if I was sleeping and had it near me because most likely I’m going to hear somebody trying to break into the safe, but I’m not sure if I would want to leave my bag unattended for a long period of time with the safe covering it. In these cases, I would bring my bag with me. Since we wrote this review, we have also purchased a Pacsafe Luggage Venture Safe which conceals the fact that you have anything of value.
Full Disclosure: We received this PacSafe at no charge in order to test and review the product. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’ve only just started looking at these products. It has me wondering though, given that most of these packs and bags have the logo “Pacsafe” proudly upon them, if recognised will that deter a thief because of the difficulty or make it you more of a target because you obviously must have something valuable in it?
As far as the backpacks go, I don’t think you are more of a target. I use PacSafe backpacks on all of my trips and I feel more secure knowing they are slashproof and I’m able to lock them up. 🙂