To lock or not to lock, that is the question

I have traveled to Europe numerous times, sometimes checking my bags and other times with carry on only. I prefer traveling with carry on only because I hate waiting for luggage to arrive when I get to my destination plus there is less chance of anyone going through my bags without me being present. When I do check my bags I don't lock them, I carry any valuables with me in my smaller backpack that I use as my carry on. I always tuck my ipad or laptop in between clothes in my suitcase when I leave the hotel room or B&B and have never had problems with things going missing. If I am not so sure about the security in the hotel I will carry my ipad with me during the day (but I think I've only done that a few times). There was a few students who had things taken from their hotel room on a tour I was on but I think they left them out on the desk or night table...far too tempting!!!

I just travelled to Iceland and the UK and I didn't lock my bags. I do use bags that look like they will fall apart any second now and have bits and bobs come off all the time. So, I figure people don't expect to find anything valuable in there (which is true, all valuables go in my carry-on and/or purse).

I've never locked my bags however, if there's a lay over with time to spare, I have a friend who locked her luggage so she wouldn't have to lug them all over. It all depends on what kind of time I would have to venture in a country during a lay over!

In the US if u lock your bags they like u to use the ones they can over right. Most travel stores sell them. Then that way everyone is happy.
I only lock my bags if I'm going somewhere more 3rd world, or where I know ppl get stuff taken regularly.
Iv never stayed in hostels but never felt they were the safest (bunch of ppl you don't know all together) so I would triple lock my stuff their. And keep money and passport on you at all times - best not to risk that.
Safe travels.

I always lock. I've never had a note.

I usually lock my stuff when I'm not in the hotel room too. if nothing else it gets it out of the maid's way (and the thought of someone else trying out my makeup etc is icky).

I never lock my luggage, I feel that's an invitation for them to look through it.
My friend locks hers all the time and most times has a note in her luggage. I have only had a note once!

I never lock my bag because I have seen demonstrations of how easy it is to get into luggage that is locked. I figure a lock would just be a signal that there is probably something valuable in there. I never carry "real" jewelry other than what I am wearing and I keep that to a minimum. I keep passport, credit cards, and currency on my person at all times, generally inside my clothing except for a small amount of currency that I will need to access. I also travel with a small camera that will fit inside my pocket or cross-body bag.

The only issue I have had was in Lisbon at the airport when I gave my purse to my traveling companion to hold while I wrestled the bags from the conveyer belt. It was so crowded that I worried someone would pick my purse in the crowd. She got distracted, laid my purse on top of the suitcase while she dug in her purse for something, and someone just walked away with it.

It was one of those rare instances where I had stuck my little bag with passport, credit cards, and currency in my purse rather than inside my clothes. We had almost missed our flight due to delays in Paris at security and I crammed it inside my purse - we had to rush to the gate and, because I was in an exit row, as soon as I sat down I was instructed to put my purse in the overhead. And then I didn't think about it again.

Fortunately I knew to have a copy of all my documentation including front and back of credit cards in another bag. And I have great praise for the American consulate who quickly and efficiently got me a temporary passport the same day. They even facilitated a phone call so that hubby could wire money to me. The police were also very efficient - right there in the airport they made the phone calls to my credit card company so that I could cancel the account and arrange for a replacement card.

That story has nothing to do with locks on bags, but is to emphasize the point that anyone can walk away with a bag in baggage claim, in which case a lock is irrelevant.

In all my travels over the many years, I always have locked up my suit cases, back packs, etc. I have only had one bag riffled with. It happened in Spain, they said the bag was too big to carry on had to check it at airline.. I didn't have a lock on it as I always carried it with me.
I would not think to travel without using locks. It is usually just enough of a deterrent to stop noisy baggage handlers and others. they will go on to unlocked bags..
I had stopped carrying back packs since the cutting them open started happening.
Tisha.

I rarely lock things.

I have a padlock for hostel lockers, and a PacSafe cable lock to chain my backpack to my bed or another piece of furniture when a hostel doesn't have lockers.

I don't lock up my luggage when I'm in transit, but I do use carabiners to clip ALL of the zippers into one big bunch. To open the bag you have to unclip all the zippers from the carabiners, and it would take too long for a pickpocket. I've seen other people do it too- like here:
lipglossandabackpack.wordpres
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2/07/03/im-convinced-it-works/

I always use the TSA locks. I don't mind them going through it (well, that's not true - I DO mind, but I have accepted it)

But i like the locks because they hold the zippers together so there's no accidental unzipping if you catch on something, and if you're ever leaving your suitcase around places (hotel, hostel, the baggage claim, etc) it just gives me a little extra sense of security when I'm not around.

My backpack is too big for carryon. I never lock my luggage, but its not often that everything in my luggage is vital to my comfort for an entire month. And I'm not in a position to easily replace things that go missing.

How big is your back-pack, I think you can have it as a carry-on if it is not oversized.
I never locked my suitcase, if they want to look in it they can and nothing will be ruined
in the process.Now when i travel i use a smaller case and it is the right size to fit in overhead bin.
Have fun on your trip.

So I'm in final prep packing my backpack for Europe. I will need to check it at the airport, both across the US (layover in Michigan) and across the pond.
I have little zipper locks just to make it harder to be pickpocketed out of my pack, but I see there are actual buckle locks and "TSA approved" padlocks.

Has anyone ever used these or suggest them? I will have most my "monetarily valuable" items in carry on, but everything I pack is valuable TO ME for my trip.

Just need an experienced opinion or two...