TSA locks: what it is and where to buy them

(Klik hier om deze post in het Nederlands te lezen)
Traveling to or through the United States? Did you know that you’ll have to have a TSA approved lock on your baggage?
I’m going to Mexico at the end of this month and we have a stop-over in the States. I was preparing for my trip when I found out that you’ll need a certain lock for your luggage called TSA locks. I didn’t know this and I often don’t use a lock at all and if I did it was this old lock that I once used for the lockers at the gym. I’m very happy that I found this information before my trip, so now I’m sharing it with you to prevent you from unpleasant surprises!

In this blog post I’ll tell you what a TSA lock is and where you can buy them. I’m also giving away a set of 4 TSA approved locks on my Facebook page!
TSA stands for Transportation Security Administration and they require access to luggage, also if the passenger isn’t present. This could for example be when your luggage is being transferred at a stop-over. The TSA has a key that opens TSA approved locks. So if you’re traveling to or via the United States you’ll have to make sure that the lock on your suitcase or backpack is TSA approved.

A lock on your luggage is recommended in any case, also if you’re traveling to other countries. After all, you want your belongings to be safe. For my upcoming trip I got the TravelMore cable lock. This is a multi-use lock, you can use the lock itself to attach two of your zip-fasteners together. This way no one can open the zipper of your suitcase or backpack. But you can also use the cable to attach multiple bags together.

Many of you might go skiing this winter, you can of course also use a TSA lock for your skiing gear.
The Dutch website that sells TSA locks (www.tsa-slotje.nl) also sells ski and snowboard locks! With this lock you can lock your ski’s or snowboard when you’re having dinner or drinks at the piste. Unfortunately skis and snowboards sometimes get stolen if you leave them outside the restaurant or bar. This ski-lock is quite small so it’ll fit in the pocket of your pants or coat. You can read more about it here.

As I mentioned, you can win a 4-pack of normal TSA locks or Ski locks on my Facebook page, quickly check the post about TSA locks and leave a comment!

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