9 Solo Female Travel Essentials for Maximum Security

Solo travel is one of the best things you can do – trust me, I’ve been doing it for over a decade.

However, the world isn’t always as safe as we’d like it to be, especially for women. The reality is, you move through the world differently as a woman, especially in unfamiliar territories.

I’ve written before about why being a solo female shouldn’t stop you seeing the world, but it’s always important to do your research on the places you visit and ensure you’re as prepared as possible for what’s in store.

In this blog post, I’ve shared my recommendations on what to pack as a female traveller that will help keep you safe on your next trip. So, without further ado, let’s get into it.

Here are 9 female travel essentials for maximum security.

Table of Contents

1. A bag that properly closes

Many people will advise you to wear a crossbody bag when you travel to prevent bag snatchers, but I actually don’t recommend this.

If you’re wearing a crossbody bag and someone on a moped speeds past and makes a grab for your bag, you’ll go flying and end up hurt. If you wear a bag over your shoulder, it’s easier to snatch, but your safety isn’t as compromised.

With that being said, never use a bag that doesn’t have a zip or buckle. Lockable zips are a bonus on your main luggage (I use super secure Level8 suitcases), but a basic zip on your everyday bag already puts you ahead of most people wandering around with their bag hanging open.

Pickpocketing is the most common issue in Europe and this is by far the simplest fix. You can read my Level8 luggage review here.

lockable zips on level8 luggage — The lockable zips on my Level8 suitcase – the zips lock into the slots on the left, and I set my own code to release them

2. A portable charger

Your phone is your map, translator, and way of getting home safely. If it dies, you’re immediately more vulnerable.

Get one with at least 10,000 mAh and fast charging, and actually carry it with you rather than leaving it at the accommodation. The ones that feel too heavy to bother with are pointless.

I’ve been using my INIU power bank for years and it lasts forever. I got mine on Amazon for under £15, and was a lifesaver on the 18 hour car journeys in Pakistan! You can get yours here.

3. Offline maps

Before you leave each day, download your area on Google Maps and screenshot your accommodation address (or write it down in your notes app).

This means that if you lose signal, you’re not left stranded, and you can either ask a passerby for directions or show your taxi driver where you need to go.

While you’re at it, it’s not a bad idea to save the address of the nearest hospital and police station for wherever you’re staying. You probably won’t need it, but knowing it’s there costs nothing.

4. A personal alarm

As a solo female traveller, having a personal alarm is a small and affordable thing you can buy to make you feel instantly shielded from people with bad intentions.

There are tonnes of cheap options on Amazon that go up to 130dB (that’s loud), have flashing strobe lights, and clip onto your keyring or bag for easy access. Most of them are charged by USB and the battery life can last up to a year!

The best thing about personal alarms are how quickly they draw attention, which is usually enough to deter would-be criminals. They are particularly useful at night or in quieter areas where you’re less likely to have people nearby.

5. A portable door lock

Having control over who can open your door is worth a lot, regardless of where you’re staying.

Portable door locks are small, inexpensive, and give you an extra layer of security that doesn’t rely on the building’s existing locks being decent. This is especially relevant in budget accommodation or older buildings where the locks feel like they haven’t been updated since the place opened. I’ve stayed in plenty of dodgy apartments where I wished I’d had a portable door lock with me!

6. Meta Glasses

Meta Glasses are becoming more and more popular, but what a lot of people don’t realise is that AI glasses such as Oakley Meta glasses are a great safety tool for solo female travellers.

The main advantage is discreet recording. If you’re in an uncomfortable situation, getting your phone out to film can escalate things quickly. Glasses don’t carry the same signal, and most people won’t even register what they are. You can start recording via a button or voice command without drawing attention to yourself, which means you’re documenting what’s happening without making the situation worse.

oakley sunglasses — Oakley sunglasses (these are regular Oakley glasses, not Meta AI glasses!)

Outside of safety, they’re a practical travel tool. Capturing moments on the go without stopping to dig your phone out, noting a taxi’s number plate before you get in, or recording a walking route back to your accommodation are all handy uses of Meta AI glasses.

One important note: laws around recording people in public vary significantly by country, so it’s worth checking the rules for wherever you’re headed before you rely on this.

7. Live location sharing

Of all the solo female travel essentials on this list, a location-sharing app is probably the most important.

Share your live location with someone you trust before getting in a taxi alone at night or exploring a new city solo means that your loved ones can have peace of mind, and can sound the alarm if you end up somewhere dangerous or unexpected. If you go completely MIA, this can also aid the local law enforcement in their efforts to find you.

There are plenty of apps with this feature, including WhatsApp, Life360, Apple Find My (iOS), and Google Find My Device (Android). It takes ten seconds set up, so there’s really no excuse not to!

8. A backup payment method

I lost my bank card in Bali on my first ever solo trip, and trying to get it sorted out was a nightmare.

Ever since then, I’ve always kept a second card on me (separate from my main purse, ideally in the hotel room), and I can also pay for things using my phone, which wasn’t an option back in 2015!

Some people also keep a small amount of emergency cash hidden separately, which is worth considering if you’re travelling somewhere with limited ATM access. I always have some of the local currency with me, because you never know what’s going to happen.

9. Shoes you can properly move in

This one seems obvious, but so many people go travelling with impractical shoes, and this can turn into a safety issue quickly if you’re on your own.

It isn’t about restricting what you wear. It’s about being honest with yourself about the environment, and your limitations. If you’re somewhere unfamiliar after dark, high heels or loose sandals are a liability.

The bottom line is that if you’re wearing something that impacts your ability to move as quickly as possible (which looks different for everyone), you’re also reducing your ability to get out of harm’s way.

I recommend brands like Skechers or Teva for secure sandals that look cute (ish), but are also super practical.

Solo Female Travel Essentials | Final Thoughts

So, those are the solo female travel essentials I recommend.

However, it isn’t just about having the right gadgets – you also need to learn behaviours that don’t put yourself at increased risk. The goal isn’t to spend your whole trip on high alert. It’s to build habits that give you options, so you can get on with actually enjoying being somewhere on your own.

If something feels off, leave.

Get into a shop, a hotel lobby, anywhere with other people. The instinct to not want to seem rude or cause a scene is something a lot of women have been conditioned into from a young age, and it actively works against you when you’re travelling alone. You don’t owe anyone politeness at the expense of your own safety, and no one whose opinion is worth having will judge you for removing yourself from a situation that felt wrong.

That’s about it for today, but as always, please leave any comments below and I’ll do my best to get back to you!

Until next time,

XOXO

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