Unnerving TikTok Reveals Why Zipper-Less Luggage May Be The Best Option For Security

There are lots of ways to keep you and your luggage safe while at the airport. Investing in TSA-approved locks for your suitcase is a great start. Making sure all of your valuables are in your carry-on rather than your checked luggage is another. Yet, there is a new fear of theft that is popping up these days due to the one flaw in the design of most hard-shell suitcases. Sure the zippers have locks on them, but what about the nylon material that makes up the zippers? As one TikTok demonstrates, it's the zipper material itself that isn't durable enough to stop theft.

TikTok user @cyberbackpack shared to their over 61,000 followers an unnerving video of a TSA agent demonstrating how the sharp tip of a pen is all that thieves needs to stab through the zipper material and slice it open, completely bypassing the TSA locks and leaving all of your valuables vulnerable. This type of theft can happen at any point in your journey too — while your luggage is in the possession of baggage handlers, while your luggage is on the baggage claim carousel, or even to your carry-on luggage stowed overhead when you're not looking. User @cyberbackpack then suggests that you can protect yourself from this flaw by investing in what's known as zipper-less luggage. This type of luggae can ease your mind while travelling.

As TikTok user @cyberbackpack explains, zipper-less luggage can't be breached by using a pen or any other sharp device. Instead, zipper-less luggage is secured using a TSA-approved passcode lock. The code is something only you know, and there are literally no other access points to your luggage, making your suitcase virtually foolproof. This type of luggage also has seams that are secured with durable three-point latches. And just like the original hard-shell suitcases that you know and love, most of the zipper-less cases are also made of aluminum so they can take a licking and keep on ticking. 

YouTuber Max Miles Points shared a video in 2023 that has been viewed over 243,000 times, where he not only demonstrates how vulnerable zippers are to theft, but he also gives some recommendations for the best zipper-less luggage brands out there. He recommends Tumi or Rimowa brand luggage for the higher-end price point ($1,195.00 and $1,975 respectively), Away for the mid-range price point ($645), and even Samsonite which offers what he calls a "budget-friendly" option ($249). So if you're looking for the maximum security and to keep your luggage safe, zipper-less suitcases are a great investment.