Description
This luggage strap is a 5cm wide adjustable nylon belt with a three-digit combination buckle, available in black or rainbow, from $12.99 with fast Australian shipping. It wraps around a suitcase, clips shut, and the buckle only releases on your code.
Two problems get solved here and it is worth being clear about which. The first is a case that has been over-packed or has a tired zip, where a strap around the middle is what stops the lid parting somewhere between the check-in desk and the carousel. The second is finding your bag at all - baggage halls are full of black suitcases, and a rainbow strap is visible from twenty metres while you are still walking toward the belt. Both are real. Theft prevention, as covered below, is not the reason to buy one.
Specifications
| Width |
5cm |
| Material |
Nylon webbing |
| Buckle |
Plastic, 3 digit combination |
| Length |
Adjustable |
| Colours |
Black or rainbow |
What's in the Box
| 1 x |
Luggage strap with combination buckle, in the colour selected |
Why Use a Luggage Strap
-
Holds a full case shut - the backup for an over-packed bag or a zip that has seen better days
-
Spot your bag instantly - especially the rainbow, against a carousel of identical black cases
-
No key to lose - a three digit code instead of something to keep track of on a trip
-
Wide 5cm webbing - spreads load across the case rather than cutting into one line
-
Adjustable - fits carry-on through to a large checked case
Does a Luggage Strap Actually Stop Theft?
No, and anyone selling one as security is overstating it. A determined thief has a knife, and a nylon strap takes about two seconds. What a strap genuinely does is deter the casual and the opportunistic - the bag that is quick to open gets opened, and the one wrapped in a strapped buckle usually does not - and it keeps a compromised case closed so nothing falls out in transit. Think of it as bag integrity and identification rather than a lock. Anything genuinely valuable should be in your carry-on, not in a checked case, strap or no strap.
Will Airport Security Cut It Off?
They can, and occasionally they do. Security screening in most countries includes the right to open checked baggage for inspection, and if a bag is flagged and cannot be opened, the strap or lock comes off. In the United States this is formalised - TSA-approved locks can be opened with a master key and are left intact, while anything else may be cut. This strap uses a standard three-digit combination buckle rather than a TSA-approved mechanism, so if you fly to or through the US, be aware it may not survive an inspection. For domestic Australian and most other international travel this is rarely an issue.
How Do You Set the Combination?
Combination buckles of this type ship on 0-0-0. The usual method is to open the buckle, hold or slide the set button while turning the dials to the code you want, then release it - and the exact mechanism varies, so check the buckle before assuming. Set your code before you travel, not at the airport, and write it somewhere that is not on the bag. The most common way people lose access to a strap is setting a code in a hurry and forgetting it, at which point the only way in is to cut the strap yourself.
Buyers are typically people who have had a case burst open in transit, frequent flyers tired of squinting at identical black bags, families colour-coding luggage across several cases, and anyone whose suitcase zip has started to separate.
See more in our Storage & Organisation range, or browse Essentials for practical travel items.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will it fit a large suitcase?
The strap is adjustable and covers carry-on through to large checked cases. Very large or unusually deep cases may use most of the adjustment.
Is the buckle TSA approved?
No. It is a standard three-digit combination buckle. If you travel to or through the US, a TSA-approved lock is the safer choice.
What if I forget the code?
There is no override. The strap has to be cut. Write the code down somewhere separate from the bag.
Is the buckle metal?
No, plastic. It is a fastening for a fabric strap rather than a security device.
Why is the black one more expensive?
Currently black is $16.99 and rainbow $12.99 for the same strap. If that seems odd to you, it does to us too, and we have flagged it internally.
Can I use it on something other than a suitcase?
Yes. People use them on storage tubs, camping gear and boxes being posted.
Will it damage the case?
The 5cm width spreads pressure. Avoid over-tightening on a soft-shell case.
Fast Australian Shipping
Orders ship from within Australia to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra and Darwin, plus regional addresses nationwide, dispatched promptly with tracking.
This is a luggage strap for keeping a case closed and identifiable. It is not a security device and provides no meaningful protection against theft or tampering - keep valuables in your carry-on. It is not TSA approved and may be cut during security inspection. There is no override if the combination is forgotten. Dimensions and colours are supplier-stated and may vary slightly.
