11 Best Anti-Theft Backpacks For Travel in 2020 (Complete Buyer's Guide)

If you're looking for a large, anti-theft carry-on backpack that you can use as a standalone bag for virtually any type of trip, the Pacsafe Venturesafe EXP45 is really the only option on our list that will satisfy you. Not only is this backpack very roomy, but it's packed with more anti-theft features than any other bag in our roundup.

A lot of thought has gone into the design of the Riutbag X35 and it's a backpack that can be really customized and tailored to your individual needs and preferences. If you like the idea of high-quality, handmade backpack that really pays attention to all the intricate details, this could be right up your alley.

If you love the idea of a lockable and virtually slash-proof drawstring-style backpack that doubles up as a portable safe, and you're cool with the relatively modest capacity of this bag, this might just be the perfect choice for you.

This anti-theft backpack does most things really well, although the lack of external side stretch pockets for a water bottle or umbrella may be a dealbreaker for some travellers. Still, you might be willing to overlook that obvious shortcoming in light of the fact that this is one of the least expensive anti-theft backpacks in our roundup. 

Pacsafe anti-theft backpacks can be a little too pricey for some people and the Travelon Anti-Theft Classic Large Backpack seems to come to the rescue as a slightly less expensive and slightly less fully featured alternative to a medium-sized Pacsafe bag. Make no mistake though, this backpack still has most of the anti-theft features that you're likely to need to keep your gear safe on the road.

If you consider yourself to be an adventure traveller or you're into hiking, this anti-theft backpack is probably going to be the best option for you. With the laptop sleeve doubling up as a holder for a hydration pouch, and the padded hip belt and sternum strap, this backpack has been specifically designed for travellers who like enjoying nature and getting off the beaten path.

If you're after a small anti-theft backpack with a no access front, the XD Design Bobby XL is a very popular option. 

However, this bag is quite pricey considering its capacity and it also lacks external side pockets for a water bottle or umbrella, which may be a problem for some travellers. 

The Oscaurt Anti-Theft Travel Laptop Backpack below has a very similar design and most of the same features but is significantly cheaper.

If you're looking for one of these small anti-theft backpacks with a back opening panel and an external USB port, the Oscaurt Anti-Theft Travel Laptop Backpack would probably be a better choice than the XD Design Bobby XL above. This backpack has virtually all the same anti-theft features but also includes external elastic side pockets and is much cheaper to boot.

If you're looking for a medium-sized anti-theft backpack in the regular style (not panel-loading), this is Pacsafe's highest rated backpack, so you couldn't really go wrong with this. If you think it's a bit pricey, a slightly cheaper option is the Travelon Anti-Theft Classic large Backpack. 

If you're looking for a very inexpensive, medium-sized, expandable daypack for travel and you're happy with just a couple of very basic security features, the Hanke anti-theft carry-on backpack might appeal to you, although it is a shame that this bag doesn't have side stretch pockets. 

Pacsafe backpacks are always heavy on the anti-theft features, but this one is smaller than the others in our roundup. If a small daypack is what you're in the market for, then this bag will be a great choice. It's cheaper than the larger Pacsafe anti-theft backpacks too.

This is the FAQ section of the article where we answer all of your most frequently asked questions about anti-theft backpacks and discuss what you need to be keeping in mind when comparing the different anti-theft backpack options on the market.

So, do you really need an anti-theft backpack or will a regular backpack do? Are anti-theft backpacks just another gimmick?

The truth is that you probably don’t need an anti-theft backpack for travel in every part of the world. There are a number of countries where rates of crime, pickpocketing, shoplifting and theft in general are very low.

However, even in these relatively “safe” countries you might be spending a lot of time in cities, where you’re likely to be in crowded situations (public buses, metro, marketplaces etc.) that make you more vulnerable to pickpockets and bag slashers.

If you’re planning a trip to a country where theft and pickpocketing is known to be problem, it’s highly recommended that you invest in an anti-theft backpack.

Latin America, for example, is the world’s most violent region and many travellers get robbed the first time they go there because they’re not properly equipped to frustrate the dexterous hands of skilled thieves who make a living by robbing tourists and locals.

European cities that draw tens of thousands of tourists from around the world every year are also major hotspots for pickpocketing incidents. Many travellers get pickpocketed in famous European cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Florence, Prague, Paris, Athens and Amsterdam.

Consider also the following pickpocketing statistics:

• An estimated 400,000 incidents of pickpocketing occur around the world every single day.

• An average of 600,000 incidents of pickpocketing occur each year in the UK alone.
  

• The London Underground accounts for 63% of pickpocketing reported nationwide on the British Rail Network.
  

• The New York Police Department reports 3,000 incidents of pickpocketing per month in New York City. Many more go unreported.
  

•  33% of travel insurance claims are for lost or stolen items.

Although people don’t carry as much as cash nowadays as they did a couple of decades ago, skilled pickpockets can also now steal debit cards (they’re good at getting your PIN number too) and mobile phones, making it still a very lucrative profession.

Far from being on the decline, pickpocketing is actually on the rise in many American cities and it may be getting easier for pickpockets too because people are so distracted by their mobile phones all the time.

Anti-theft backpacks are definitely not a gimmick and they effectively do what they’re designed to do, which is to deter and repel thieves and theft attempts. 

Here are five benefits of travelling with an anti-theft backpack:

Deter robbery attempts

Anti-theft backpacks act as a deterrent because some thieves will be able to recognize that you’re wearing such a backpack and will discount you as a target for that very reason, as they know that their efforts to steal something from you will likely prove futile.

Even if a thief has never encountered an anti-theft backpack before, it’s not going to take him long to figure out that your backpack is an impenetrable fortress compared to the ones he’s tried to break into before, and he’ll probably call off the robbery attempt prematurely.

Thwart robbery attempts

If a thief is still determined to get into your backpack even after realizing that he’s up against a superior foe, an anti-theft backpack will put up a much greater fight against the thief than a regular backpack. It will withstand a great deal of abuse and efforts to slice, puncture, tear or force it open.

An anti-theft backpack is going to hold out for much longer than a normal backpack and in a time-sensitive situation that can mean that a thief is either forced to flee the scene empty-handed or ends up getting apprehended before he manages to breach the bag's defences.

Anti-theft backpack also protect you from a new breed of electronic pickpockets that try to steal the data on your biometric passport chip or credit cards using RFID readers.

Attain peace of mind

Travelling with an anti-theft backpack really does afford you greater peace of mind. You know that you’re less likely to be targeted by a thief in the first place and that if someone does try to rob you, the attempt is much more likely to fail.

Without being able to let down your guard, you can’t really enjoy your trip or properly connect to a place, so an anti-theft backpack has real value in helping you to really reap the benefits of visiting an unfamiliar destination.

Unlock new travel destinations

Having an anti-theft backpack will definitely give you a greater sense of security and this could mean that you now feel protected enough to visit countries or destinations that you were previously apprehensive about visiting because you had heard lots of reports of crime or pickpocketing incidents in those places.

Pack more liberally

Although it’s never a good idea to bring items of high monetary value with you on the road, having an anti-theft backpack might open up new possibilities in this regard. 

Maybe you always wanted to bring a nice necklace or a powerful laptop with you on the road, but you never felt confident enough to do so because you were too worried that the item would get damaged or stolen.

You might feel differently about bringing along these items if you have an anti-theft backpack, knowing well that the odds of your being robbed will be significantly reduced. 

The very best anti-theft backpacks that possess a wide array of security features can cost a bit more than their regular backpack cousins. So, is it really worth paying the extra money for an anti-theft backpack?

I would say that an anti-theft backpack is worth paying the extra money for if:

(a) You're going to be carrying valuables that are collectively worth more than the backpack itself. It makes no sense to be carrying around thousands of dollars worth of electronic gadgets and other expensive gear and then not invest a few extra bucks on a backpack that will afford those items proper protection.

(b) You're going to be travelling in places where pickpocketing, bag snatching, bag slashing and other types of petty theft against outsiders are a common occurrence.

Provided that these two conditions are satisfied, I think it would be well worth investing in an anti-theft backpack. However, even if you're not travelling to a part of the world where petty crime against tourists is common, you might still want to buy an anti-theft backpack if it affords you greater peace of mind and enables you to better enjoy your destination.

Pickpockets and thieves employ a wide range of techniques and strategies to relieve tourists of their mobile phones, laptops, tablets, e-readers, cameras, jewellery and other valuables. This topic deserves a dedicated article, but here we will briefly discuss the most common methods that these crooks use to get their hands on your property.

The elements of distraction and misdirection are common to a lot of the techniques, especially the pickpocketing techniques where the thief's aim is direct your attention away from what their hands are doing in order to rob you without your awareness.

Pickpockets will certainly take advantage of naturally occurring distractions in the environment, such as an ambulance that suddenly comes racing around a corner with sirens blaring. 

However, in situations where natural distractions are infrequent or their timing is unpredictable, pickpockets will usually devise their own ingenious methods of diverting your attention while they reach into your bag or pockets for the goodies they're after. 

Any situation where a stranger is trying to help you could potentially be setting you up for being pickpocketed so be very careful if any person is trying to get very close to you physically in the name of helping you out with something.

The favoured stomping grounds of thieves and especially pickpockets are confused, chaotic, overcrowded places like bustling markets and bazaars, busy pedestrianized streets, pilgrimage sites, overflowing commuter trains and buses at rush hour, concerts, festivals, stadiums, arenas and many other situations where people are densely packed together like sardines in a tin. 

People are naturally bumping into and brushing up against each other in these kinds of places, so it's less likely that a target will notice or think much of the subtle sensation that he might feel as the pickpocket's hand tugs at his backpack zipper or slips into his pocket to grab his phone or wallet. There are also frequent, naturally occurring distractions in these types of environments that keep people's attention diverted.

And even if you know that someone is fiddling at your pockets in such a scenario, it's more difficult to pinpoint exactly who the culprit is, since you're surrounded by so many people and the crowd is constantly shifting. Therefore, you should be especially vigilant for thieves in these kinds of situations. 

Alright, now we'll go over a few of the common techniques.

The most well-known example of this trick is the notorious bird poo scam, which is most commonly associated with the Spanish city of Barcelona. The scam begins when a person deliberately spills a slimy concoction resembling bird poo on the target's clothing when he or she is looking the other way.

The target is then notified that a bird just shat on them and the helpful stranger produces a tissue or a cloth, offering to help the target clean up the mess. If the tourist is carrying a bag, he will be strongly encouraged to set it down on the ground for a moment so that the Good Samaritan can better assist with the cleanup. 

While the tourist is distracted with the cleanup operation, an accomplice swoops in and makes off with any unattended bags or extracts anything of value from the victim's pockets. Another variation of this trick you might have come across involves mustard being "accidentally" spilled on the target's clothes by a person who got a little too close while eating a hot dog.

In this trick a local thief pretending to be a tourist approaches you with a big fold-out map while pretending to be lost or disorientated. He passes the map over to you so that you can try to figure out where he's trying to get to and what directions you need to give him. While your attention is absorbed by the map and your peripheral vision obstructed by it, the thief seizes the opportunity to steal things from your bag or pockets.

Another common technique used by pickpockets to distract a target is the staged fight, where two people initiate a mock fight somewhere, perhaps on the street, at a park, or in a bar. The only purpose of the spectacle of course is to draw the target's attention while the pickpocket stealthily empties his pockets or backpack.

In this technique the pickpocket uses an item of clothing or a newspaper to conceal the fact that his hand is dipping into a person’s bag or trouser pockets.

The technique is commonly used on British subway trains to prevent other passengers from noticing what the pickpocket is doing and the prop also prevents the victim from seeing what is unfolding if he happens to look down. 

This is usually the method of choice for the pickpocket who is operating solo. The perpetrator will deliberately bump into you quite forcefully on the street, while simultaneously reaching his hand into your pocket and extracting the valuables therein.

The pickpocket immediately apologizes afterwards, pretending that the collision happened by accident. You are so startled and confused at the moment the pickpocket bumps into you that you don’t notice as he voids your pockets. By the time you register that your pockets feel unusually light, the thief is already long gone with your valuables.

With this technique, the pickpocket usually picks a target that is just about to board a train or bus. The technique is especially common at metro stations.

The target is chosen based on how easy they are to rob - if the victim's bag is not properly closed or their wallet is protruding out of their back pocket they will make an ideal target.

When the victim is stepping onto the train or bus, the pickpocket will swiftly approach from behind and pinch the person’s phone or wallet out of their bag or pocket.

The victim then obliviously rides away on the train or bus, and unless the person realizes what has just transpired before the doors of the train close or the bus pulls away, the chances of being able to chase down the thief are next to nil. 

Street children are often used to do the bidding of adult pickpockets. In this technique, a group of raggedly dressed street urchins will suddenly descend upon a tourist like a swarm of bees and will start tugging at his/her clothes while insistently demanding money, pens, chocolate or sweets.

While being besieged with so many pleas, questions and demands from every direction, the tourist succumbs to sensory overload and distraction, while the children capitalize on this opportunity to pickpocket him. 

Another common ploy that pickpockets use is to engage the target in some impromptu street dancing. While the victim is distracted with all the dancing an accomplice moves in to pickpocket him or her.

One strategy that pickpocketing gangs often employ is for all the members of the gang to form a human wall that physically blocks the doorway of a train or bus when it's time for the target to disembark at their stop.

As the target battles his way through this human barricade to avoid missing his stop, the gang members take advantage of all the commotion by pickpocketing him.

Another variation of this is the flash mob, where a huge gang of people suddenly boards the train or bus and starts deliberately knocking into the target from all sides. They all alight together at the next stop, usually some time before the victim realize that a few of his belongings have gone missing.

A similar technique is also used on escalators, where an accomplice stands in front of the victim and the pickpocket stands behind. The accomplice deliberately obstructs the exit when the escalator reaches the top, causing the victim to collide with him. This creates enough of a hullaballoo for the pickpocket to rob the target.

Another similar variant occurs at turnstiles like the ones you see in some train stations. As the target passes through the turnstile the pickpocket will sneak in behind them like a typical fare dodger. However, in this case the thief actually uses their physical proximity to pickpocket the target as they're both passing through the turnstile.

Although I never experienced it, I first became aware of this technique from a Lonely Planet guidebook the first time I visited Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. 

Some tourists visiting the city had had bags, purses, cameras, mobile phones and other valuables snatched right out of their hands or off their shoulders by men driving by on a motorbike or moped while they were walking alongside the street. This technique is also commonly used to snatch necklaces from women's necks.

There will often be two people on the motorcycle; either the driver or the passenger will yank the desired item out of your hand or off your body as the vehicle drives by. Being on a motorcycle means they can make a quick getaway with your property so that giving pursuit is futile.

Slashing is a very crafty and surreptitious method of stealing that usually goes completely unnoticed by the victim if executed competently.

The technique is often used in situations where a thief can’t easily obtain access to the contents of your bag or your trouser pockets; maybe you’ve padlocked your backpack’s zippers or zipped up your pockets, or maybe the thief just finds this technique to be more reliable.

How slashing works is that a thief will use some kind of a discreet or concealable blade (like a penknife or razor blade) to slash open the fabric of your trouser pockets or your backpack. 

In the case of slashing your pants pockets, most thieves will make an incision wherever is most convenient and they are usually skilled enough to do this without accidentally cutting your leg in the process.The thief will usually have to cut through two layers of fabric to gain access to the contents of your pocket, because most pockets consist of a separate fabric pouch that hangs down inside your pants.bAfter making the incision in the pocket, the thief will reach in and extract the contents,

In the case of thieves cutting open backpacks, thieves know that many travellers keep their important documents, wallet, phone and their point-and-shoot camera in the small zippered front compartment of their backpack for easy access. They will often slash open this front compartment of the bag from behind, before reaching in to grab the sought-after items without the victim noticing. Thieves will also sometimes cut through one of the bag's side panels and reach into the main compartment to see what they can grab.

Another technique is to slash the underside of the bag’s main compartment or the bottom of the front compartment so that the contents spill out onto the ground, to be promptly gathered up by the thief.

Thieves will also slash the shoulder straps of bags if they’re attempting to steal the entire bag rather than just the valuable items within. If you’ve slung your bag over one shoulder instead of wearing it properly over both shoulders, a thief only has to slash one of the straps to easily separate the bag from you.

Most ordinary backpacks have a thin and easily cut strip of webbing material that connects the base of the shoulder strap to the body of the bag. This strip of webbing is for adjusting the length of the straps but it leaves travellers very vulnerable to this type of theft. 

When choosing an anti-theft backpack for travel, you not only have to weigh up all the usual factors that you would take into account when choosing a regular backpack, but now you also have to pay special attention to the security and anti-theft features of the backpack.

The factors to consider when choosing any backpack are things like frame type (internal, external, frameless), fit, aesthetics (shape, style, colour etc.), material (durability, water-resistance etc.) volume (capacity), comfort & adjustability, weight distribution (shoulder straps, chest strap, sternum strap), ventilation for your back, cushioning or padding for your laptop and other fragile items, organization and accessibility, price and so on. We discuss these factors in detail in our guide to the best carry-on backpacks for travel.

All these factors remain very important when choosing an anti-theft backpack, but in this case you also need to pay special attention to what security features the backpack possesses (or does not possess). 

We'll now discuss the eight security features commonly found in anti-theft backpacks and the importance of each one. 

No access front

Anti-theft backpacks often employ a no access front, which means that there are no zippers or other ways to access the interior of the backpack on the front or sides of the bag.

These anti-theft backpacks normally have a single zippered opening panel on the back of the bag, which means that the wearer’s back is always pressed against the sole access point of the bag and is protecting the zipper from the hands of pickpockets (provided the backpack is worn normally).

This makes it almost impossible, even for expert thieves and pickpockets, to unzip the backpack and access the contents without the wearer noticing. Thieves who are unfamiliar with the design will be left scratching their heads wondering where the opening is.

This design also means that the backpack opens up like a suitcase or clamshell instead of having the usual (highly vulnerable) zippered front, middle and rear compartments or top drawstring opening that normal backpacks have.

Some no front access anti-theft backpacks do have a zippered front pocket or other pockets on the outside, but these are usually only designed for keeping non-valuable or temporary items like snacks, and often the pockets are cleverly hidden so that they would be overlooked by most thieves.

Slash-resistant shoulder straps

Slash-resistant shoulder straps are a standard feature in most anti-theft backpacks and their function is to prevent a thief from slashing one or both of the straps so that he can more easily snatch the bag off the wearer’s shoulders before making a run for it.

Shoulder straps are usually made slash-resistant by running strands of metal wire through the straps of the backpack, so that a knife or razor blade will be stopped by the resistant metal as it tries to slice through the fabric.

Slash-resistant body panels

A good anti-theft backpack will be fabricated from a naturally tough, slash-resistant and puncture-resistant material, which will often have a stainless steel wire mesh embedded in it for extra reinforcement. This wire mesh should run through all the exposed body panels (sides, front and bottom) so that the bag has no vulnerable areas.

This is important because many thieves will bypass the zipper and try to slice the fabric open with a blade to gain quick access to the contents or in the hope that items will fall out of the bottom of the backpack through the newly created wound.

Securable zipper pulls

Many anti-theft backpacks feature zipper pulls that can be locked together using an integrated locking mechanism, thereby negating the need for you to carry a separate luggage lock.

Others allow the zippers to be fastened to a concealed clip that’s difficult for a thief to get at and undo without alerting the wearer. At the very minimum, an anti-theft backpack should provide high-quality dual zipper pulls for all the important compartments that can be locked together using a luggage lock.

Puncture-resistant zippers

Did you know that the interlocking teeth of most backpack zippers can be easily punctured by applying pressure with a ballpoint pen, scissors or other pointed object. You can verify how easy it is to do this for yourself and there are plenty of videos on YouTube demonstrating the technique.

Once the pointed instrument has penetrated through the teeth of the zipper and an initial opening has formed, the thief can just pull apart the rest of the teeth with ease, gaining full access to the bag.

Anti-theft backpacks sometimes come with puncture-resistant zippers that aren’t so easily defeated with this crude technique.

Tethering or anchor system

Some anti-theft backpacks have a mechanism for securely tethering the bag to an immovable object, such as a pole, seat leg or railing. Sometimes a steel locking cable will be provided with the backpack for this purpose, or the slash-resistant tail of one of the shoulder straps might also be used as the tether by looping it around the anchor point.

This is a very useful feature to have if you’re in an area where bag snatchers operate. These thieves will go for your entire bag by doing a snatch and run, and a bag that’s not strongly secured to anything sturdy is a prime target for this type of theft. 

Having a way to tether your bag will give you peace of mind during overnight bus and train journeys, or if you ever have to spend a few hours sleeping in an airport or other transport hub.

Hidden pockets

Anti-theft backpacks often have hidden or discrete interior and/or exterior pockets that thieves are very likely to overlook if they’re unfamiliar with the backpack model that you’re wearing.

If a thief manages to gain access to the inside of your backpack, one of your last lines of defence is to have your valuables hidden away inside one of these secret interior pockets. 

RFID blocking pocket or slot

Many anti-theft backpacks come equipped with an RFID blocking pocket where you can securely keep credit cards and biometric passports without worrying that they’ll be scanned by someone in possession of an RFID reader. 

This feature however is more of a garnish than anything else since the risk of having your sensitive data compromised in this way is mainly theoretical, with there having been very few, if any documented cases of this type of theft. 

Still, it's nice to know that you can't be pickpocketed electronically and in the future it's possible that we might see more of this type of theft as more and more countries roll out biometric passports and societies become increasingly cashless.

How many of these security features does an anti-theft backpack need to have?

In reality, not all anti-theft backpacks incorporate all of these features, although the more expensive anti-theft backpacks made by brands like Pacsafe usually do. Some anti-theft backpacks are aimed at people on a budget and so they won’t come with all the bells and whistles.

Obviously, the more safety features that an anti-theft backpack has, the better protected it will be against theft. Thieves can operate in a lot of different ways; snatching, slashing, pickpocketing, electronic theft etc. and a really good anti-theft backpack will guard against all the ways that you might be robbed.

If you’re on a tight budget though, you might have to compromise on a few security features, so just research the methods of theft that are most prevalent in the destination(s) you’re planning to visit and buy a backpack that protects against those methods.

One thing you’ll notice when reading the reviews in this article is that many of the anti-theft backpacks we’ve listed are small or medium-sized, but larger anti-theft backpacks with 40 litres or more of volume are less commonly encountered. 

This is just the nature of the market, as most of the consumer demand is for smaller anti-theft bags.

If you'd consider yourself a weekend-getaway traveller or one that has a very minimalist packing style these small or medium-sized anti-theft backpacks may be sufficient as a standalone carry-on bag for you, but if you're planning a longer trip or if you simply like to travel with a lot of luggage, you will need to take a different approach.

If you need more volume, it’s recommended that you travel with two bags; one large, primary bag that will go onto the plane as checked luggage, and a small or medium-sized anti-theft backpack that you can take inside the cabin as hand luggage. 

Any valuables that you’re bringing will go inside the anti-theft backpack, while clothing and other items that a thief probably wouldn’t be interested in can be packed inside your checked luggage. 

When you reach your destination you can use the anti-theft backpack as an extra-secure daypack while sightseeing or when partaking in daily activities.

Determining the best anti-theft travel backpack is pretty subjective, but if by best we mean the most secure, then it would have to be the first option on our list, the Pacsafe Venturesafe EXP45.

This backpack has a long list of security features that cover all the different angles of attack that a thief might come in from, making it a superior backpack for keeping your valuables safe on the road.

The Hanke anti-theft carry-on backpack and the Oscaurt anti-theft travel laptop backpack are the two most affordable backpacks in our roundup. Both of them only cost around $30 on Amazon, so if you're on a tight budget, one of these might be your best bet.

Well there you have it, our 11 top anti-theft backpack picks for 2020 and our anti-theft backpack buyer's guide and FAQ.

As you surely must have noticed while reading through the article, no one anti-theft backpack has everything or works for everyone, so it's always going to be a matter of knowing your needs, priorities and preferences and choosing the backpack that best caters to them.

We hope that you found something in our roundup that took your fancy and if you didn't then all we can say is that the anti-theft backpack manufacturers ought to up their game for next year.

Until next year then, happy and safe travels!

If you enjoyed this article or found it useful, please share it with other travellers. Do you travel with an anti-theft backpack? Are there any other anti-theft backpacks that you think should have made the cut? We always value your feedback so please leave us a comment below and we'll reply to you as soon as we can.