10 Best Black Friday Deals on Solo Travel Essentials

I love family vacations and girls’ trips plenty, but there’s something uniquely powerful about traveling alone. For me, solo travel has become an empowering way for me to explore the world on my own terms, providing opportunities for self-reflection and soul-searching. My confidence as a traveler has grown exponentially now that I’ve visited multiple countries on my own. I’m very much aware of the potential risks that come with solo travel — especially as a woman. 

Even the toughest solo travelers can quickly become a target in a new, unfamiliar place, and while I consider myself to be pretty scrappy myself, I know that travel safety products can be lifesaving in certain situations. To keep myself safe this holiday season, I’ve decided to invest in some Amazon finds that were built to keep travelers safe away from home. Read on to learn more about what products I’ll be shopping during Amazon’s early Black Friday sale, including portable chargers, safety alarm keychains, and RFID-blocking wallets. Starting at just $10, these travel essentials provide a better sense of security on solo and group trips alike.

She’s Birdie Personal Safety Alarm

We’d all like to believe that in a self-defense scenario, we’d be able to spring into action against our hypothetical attacker. The truth is, many of us involuntarily “freeze” when met with fight-or-flight situations — martial arts training and self-defense classes be damned. One way to throw off an attacker is by carrying a loud personal safety alarm like this one from She’s Birdie. On sale for $22 when you use the 25 percent off coupon, this compact keychain flashes a blinding strobe light and blasts a 130-decibel alarm for up to 40 continual minutes when you remove the top pin of the device. Considering the fact that tasers, pointy self-defense keychains, and pepper sprays can be used against you if the attacker gets a hold of them — this alarm is a safe alternative for self-protection abroad. 

Emdmak Door Stop Alarm 2-pack

In that same vein of using sound to deter attackers, I’m also eyeing this discounted two-pack of door stop alarms ahead of the holiday travel season. On sale for $14, these door alarms have a wedged silhouette that gets pressed down when someone tries to open your door, tripping a 120-decibel alarm in the process that’ll wake you up and scare off the intruder. They come with an easy on-off power switch and a rubberized nonskid bottom, and only need a 9V battery to work (although you’ll need to buy them separately). 

Travelon Anti-Theft Classic Mini Shoulder Bag

Unfortunately, traveling abroad alone can make you an easy target for pickpockets. Having your guard down, even for just a moment, could mean getting your phone, wallet — or even worse, passport — stolen, stranding you in a foreign country with limited means of getting back home safely. That’s why I’m swapping my go-to day bag with this Travelon anti-theft crossbody bag, on sale for $15 off ahead of Black Friday. Available in 10 fun colors, this slash-resistant anti-theft bag has a five-point security system that wards off thieves. Inside the main compartment are RFID-blocking passport and credit card slots, while the exterior has discrete zippered pockets for keeping your most important items close to your chest. 

Resqme Emergency Car Escape Tool

I’ve carried an emergency car escape tool in my glovebox since I got my first car at 16. A gift from my parents, these lifesaving tools enable you to quickly cut through seatbelts and break car windows in the event of a flash flood, car fire, or accident. Given the fact that I sometimes rent a car on trips or rely on rideshare apps to get around abroad, I’ve decided to invest in a second, more compact one for travel. This Resqme keychain tool, on sale for $10, is so small that it fits in the palm of your hand. It’s equipped with a razor sharp steel blade for cutting through seatbelts quickly, plus a tempered glass window breaker that shatters car windows in an emergency. 

Pxwaxpy Portable Charger Power Bank

I’m usually good about plugging in my phone before falling asleep. But even a full night’s charge can quickly run out, especially if there’s sightseeing opportunities and excursions on the day’s itinerary. To make sure I’m never caught with a dead phone while traveling solo, I like to pack at least one portable charger in my carry-on. This $37 option comes with a lightning charging cable and type C charging cable built in and has an LED display that tells you exactly what percentage of battery is remaining in the power bank. But the best feature, in my opinion, is that it has a foldable AC wall plug for easy recharging, no mangled USB cables or charging blocks necessary. 

Nightcap Drink Cover Scrunchie 2-pack

While my bar-hopping days are largely behind me, I still enjoy soaking up the nightlife that travel destinations have to offer. Like many women, I keep a stern watch over my drinks and have no shame in declining drinks from strangers, but even then, all it takes is a quick glance in the opposite direction for an attacker to slip an unwanted substance into your drink. Before my next solo trip, I’ll be buying a two-pack of these Nightcap drink covers, made famous by the hit television show Shark Tank. On sale for $19, these reusable drink covers masquerade as hair scrunchies and can be worn on your wrist or in your hair. When you’re ready to enjoy a cocktail, slip the cover out from within the scrunchie’s hidden pocket and stretch it over the top of your glass, using the straw hole opening for drinking. 

AceMining Portable Door Lock

No matter where you decide to stay while traveling — whether it be a five-star resort in the Maldives or a secluded Airbnb outside of Denver  — your room can be the target of unwanted intruders. As someone who has stayed in her fair share of hostels, motels, and hotels alike, I feel safest when I have a second line of defense beyond the front door lock, and this AceMining portable door lock fits the bill. This lock has stainless steel claws that grip onto the locks of inward-opening doors, preventing someone from opening your door from the outside, even if they have a key to your room. 

Topbag Passport Holder

On my most recent solo trip abroad, I dealt with every traveler’s worst nightmare: I almost lost my passport. Now, I refuse to board an international flight without having a reliable passport wallet that I can slip a GPS tracking device (like an Apple AirTag) into. I especially love this zippered option from Topbag for how spacious it is. Inside this RFID-blocking wristlet are six individual passport holders, multiple credit card slots, a clear ID sleeve, a mesh coin pocket, and two discrete cash sleeves. Usually priced at $19, this Topbag passport holder is on sale for just $10 in the shade quartz gray. 

Netgear Nighthawk M1 Mobile Hotspot

Our phones, laptops, and smartwatches provide us instant access to the rest of the world via the World Wide Web. But without a stable connection, they might as well be bricks. When hotel room Wi-Fi and roaming coverage fails, a portable Wi-Fi hotspot can come in handy. This option from Netgear, 50 percent off, boasts 4G LTE internet access and 13 hours of battery life, allowing you to stay connected while on the go. You can even charge your phone with it at the same time thanks to its USB port. It’s worth noting, however, that this product isn’t compatible with Sprint’s legacy network and requires a SIM card from your cell provider to work. 

Sure Lock Luggage Locks

I prefer to pack light — even for lengthier trips abroad — and usually leave most of my valuables behind. Still, some trips require me to bring along my laptop or DSLR camera, two hefty pieces of equipment that are too large to slip into a standard travel lockbox. In such scenarios, a reliable luggage lock can provide some peace of mind. Currently 41 percent off ahead of Black Friday, this two-pack of Sure Lock luggage locks is constructed with hardened stainless steel lock mechanisms and keyless, customizable combination locks. These TSA-approved locks have red indicators that pop up whenever a security agent has inspected your luggage and can only be pushed back down when you enter in your unique three-digit code. Perfect for your checked suitcase and carry-on, this two-pack of locks has earned over 11,000 five-star ratings with one solo traveler sharing that they were easy to use and provided a sense of “extra security” while abroad. 

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