In a cave, I found sanctuary

Whether its internet security or physical security, logic tells us that layers of protection using different functionalities is the most effective. That’s why I ran straight into the well-equipped FW Cave to seek sanctuary and pick up one more layer to guard my backpack.

For my travelling world record-breaking, of course I carry locks. Good locks. But if each of those locks uses identical anti-theft components, then by cracking one, a criminal could repeat the steps to get past them all. To fox those wily undesirables, I like to use various systems, interlinked. The latest addition to my array of locks is a pair of Master Locks from FW Cave, in which I have great confidence.

By roaming and attempting world records, I run into people from a wide spectrum of life. Among them, unfortunately, are opportunist thieves and our society’s destitute. I believe I need to protect myself in every way possible, but without offending others. And that’s precisely where FW Cave came to the rescue, with tiny robust combination locks.

Being on your toes is vital if you, like me, transit through some of the most dangerous international airports on the globe, such as that in Johannesburg, South Africa. Because this particular airport is strategically located on a regional basis in the world of air travel, you’ll be hard-pressed never to visit it as a globe trotter. Even worse, there are plenty such dangerous airports, where staff sometimes view air passengers as walking buckets of cash. So without advertising you’ve got items worth protecting, you really want to do just that – and thoroughly.

Worried yet? Well, you ought to be because crime is a huge industry. But you do not have to succumb to it, and here’s my commentary on the two locks I’ll be adding to my security portfolio:

The MP633:

The nice thing about this little fellow is the compact size, in a lightweight shell, and a longer, thicker shackle than other combination locks of its size. The built-in hole to one side is also an excellent innovation, as it allows one to secure a third point but without the need for an available loop of some sort. So, using this unit, I can easily connect two sections of my backpack to achieve my main objective, and then secure the whole arrangement to something such as a strap or steel peg. The hole to its side really gives this tiny lock a new dimension, and one I think I’ll be using regularly.

MP4687DNKL:

Although bigger than the MP633, this slightly heavier lock comes with one great advantage. It’s TSA-approved, and if my backpack gets searched by officials, the red indicator will notify me. Awesome! The shackle is fairly thin, but it feels rock solid. Because I’m not into showing off my belongings with bright colours, I chose a silver one which I’ll use on the outside of my gear for international  crossings where I may not be able to keep an eye on my goods all the time. The shackle is open enough for me to use this lock in combination with others, and that’s where the real benefit comes in – I am confident the power of several locks will be greater than the power of one when exposed to criminal pressure.

A lock weighing just a few grams, and which can easily have its shackle woven through straps, is ideal. As I’ve alluded to above, you could even use two to secure the same items, giving a would-be thief a harder job. The thing is, delaying a petty criminal – and sometimes also a hardened brute – can mean the difference between your escape and becoming the next dreaded crime statistic. So don’t be fooled by the compact weight and size of these Master Locks. They’re obstacles that any robber despises. Use them to your advantage, whether in an airport in South Africa, Moldova, Mexico City or anywhere in public.

What’s my impression overall? These are two good additions to my growing range of security items, and I look forward to placing my trust in the final arrangement.

Now here’s a friendly departing tip. If you’re passing by in the Pacific region, consider a little cave-diving. Picking up a few locks while you’re there might afford you far more protection – or at least peace of mind – than you’d expect. And where’s that amazing cave again? Oh, it’s FW Cave in Auckland, New Zealand.

--

Alastair Galpin (independent record breaker)

2nd biggest Guinness World Records™ breaker of the decade: 2000-09

"Record-breaking exposure" - http://www.WorldRecordChase.com

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Backpacking Security Essentials: Alastair Galpin reviews the Easy Clip-On Personal Alarm

Once again, here's a piece about me, written by Be Safe Alarms in the UK. It is so well written, I simply had to share it.


Security is something we treasure and the one thing we will go out of our way to gain. When the day’s drawing to a close we’d rather take the long route home, knowing that the streets are well lit rather than taking the quick way via a public passageway that is secluded from traffic or a residential area. We all want and need security to feel safe and at ease, and the same goes when you take that once-in-a-lifetime backpacking trip.

At Be Safe Alarms we know oh-too-well what safety means to everyone and sometimes you need that extra bit of security, such as being equipped with an alarm to feel reassured. This is especially true when travelling – part of the thrill is not knowing who you’ll meet and what you’ll discover, but to what extent? You don’t want to compromise, or jeopardise your safety. Alastair Galpin, one of the greatest world record breakers, who has travelled near and far to accomplish his titles knows just how important security is. Not just for one’s possessions, but one’s self.

We gave Alastair Galpin a personal security alarm to help him, no matter where his travels may take him to create a sanctuary away from danger and the unknown. Writing a review of the Easy Clip On Alarm that boasts an ear-piercing 120dB siren, Alastair commented:

“I got a personal security alarm because I can see multiple uses for it. Two of these applications are so common for backpackers to worry about; you might be hoping I’ll cover them. Here they are.”

Application One: Stealing

“‘He went in to buy a bottle of water quickly, and returned to find only his cap lying where his 50-litre backpack had been on the cracked pavement a minute earlier”. Yes, it happens all the time. And it will definitely happen again, so make sure you’re not the one in for such a blood-draining surprise.

“Lock your goods and tie them to something robust every time you turn your face. It’s a boring routine, but look at the alternative, which you’re inviting if you don’t. This lightweight high-volume alarm could be just the trick. If that wily guy snatches your backpack, your surfboard or your bicycle, the noise will explode into the air, effectively saying ‘hey everyone, look – I’m not supposed to be doing this: look at me!’

“But it can get worse, and heaven forbid that both this and the previous incident happen to you on the same day.

Application Two: Breaking and Entering

“‘The rattling was so loud it woke me up when the main panel snapped and he smashed his way through the open door, aiming straight for my bed!’ A blood-curdling thought? Then make absolutely sure you have physical barriers up, so you can sleep the way you want to, not how he wants you to.

“Girls – and boys – are petrified at the thought. It happens. And if you’re on a budget, backpacking could mean you’re staying in seedy hotels. I’ve done it and many are actually quite a lively experience; nothing to worry about, except for remembering the details of your journey to these places. But if you’re targeted late at night in the end room on the third floor, in an otherwise empty lodging at the bottom of a run-down city, you’d be trembling.

“Use your alarm to loop something on the wonky wooden door to something protruding on the door frame, such as nails (you could even carry your own drawing pins for this purpose). If the two are separated, the alarm will sound and you’ll have a much higher chance of a decent outcome. With a little modification, you can easily loop a cord through each end of this alarm according to your personal likes.

“Basically, don’t take chances with your hard-earned investment in that stuffed-to-capacity backpack or your own body’s security when you’re out and about.  I’ve found my alarm a neat tool, and you’d surely find even more uses for yours, so get thinking.

“Next time, I’m on the road for world record attempts, do you think I’ll have my alarm?”

We’re sure he will and after reading this review from Alastair we believe everyone from the Be Safe Alarms team will be packing this essential item when they go on their next adventure. Personal safety alarms are a fantastic deterrent to have on you at all times and at Be Safe Alarms we have a myriad of security products that will assist in keeping you safe in an array of situations. From door wedge alarms to window alarms and many other security measures to wear on one’s person – you’ll be able to backpack safely and securely. 

In love with my towel

I got a tiny piece of feather-light cloth from north America recently. It’s actually a towel, but if you saw this 38 gram square of fabric, I’d not blame you for thinking I was kidding you. Let me tell you about it. It’s really good value, considering all it can do.

When I decided to de-clutter recently, I wanted a new and much smaller towel. But do you think I could find such an item in a local shop? Never. Thank goodness the manufacturer of these towels has a website, where my questions were answered before I had time to ask them. I looked no further, and got one. And boy, was I mighty pleased I did.

It would be honest of me to say I love this thing. It’s the size of a table napkin, it soaks up water from my skin efficiently, it smells fresh, it dries in minutes, and it’s so light I don’t know it’s in my pocket. On top of all that, it acts as a cooling surface for those brutally hot days. You call that a regular towel? I call it more like a miracle invention from Discovery Trekking.

When I started writing this blog after a quick cold shower, I hung my lovely towel out to dry in the intolerable 40 degrees Celsius afternoon sun. By now, I’d expect it to be pretty much there and ready for me to slip back into my pants pocket. Truly, I reckon this is a great little item worth carrying if you want to down-size the junk in your life and live simply.

My advice? Get rid of those bulky heavy towels which make your kit bag bloat. Get a tiny, lightweight towel like mine. I guess it’s pretty obvious that I love this thing, and that’s because, for me, it works.

Great stuff! So I don’t think I’ll want a regular towel henceforth, thanks. I’ve found my new fabric friend… Thanks Discovery Trekking. 
--

Alastair Galpin (independent record breaker)

2nd biggest Guinness World Records™ breaker of the decade: 2000-09

"Record-breaking exposure" - http://www.WorldRecordChase.com

*   Want your brand in stock footage? Ask!

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Neither Alastair Galpin nor WorldRecordChase.com will be responsible for any actions whatsoever undertaken by any person as a result of acting on information blogged about. Always seek expert advice.

Backpacking Security Essentials: Alastair Galpin reviews the Ila Wordlock

Here’s a piece about me, written by Be Safe Alarms in the UK. It is so well written, I simply had to share it.

Alastair Galpin, the second most successful Guinness World Records™ breaker of the decade 2000-2009, travel enthusiast and promoter of social and environmental causes knows just how important it is to keep his belongings safe. “I’m paranoid about the security of my personal belongings. That’s to be expected thanks to my upbringing: I’m South African. Living in a country with some of the highest crime rates on the planet left me, and everyone else, with a choice. We could buy and replace our assets in a sporadic cycle set to the timings determined by thieves, or we could go lock-crazy. I chose the latter.” 

This is where Be Safe Alarms came in, offering this impressive world recorder breaker an Ila Wordlock to keep his possessions safe and deter any unwanted attention. This personal locking system is unlike other padlocks as it asks the user to enter four letters or a four lettered word instead of digits. Let’s face it, in this modern digital age we have enough number passwords to remember as it is; something that Alastair welcomed with open arms; “Let’s say you want to chain up your backpack, as I do. I’ve set my Wordlock to ‘sack’ to help me remember this lock goes on my backpack, with an appropriate code. For other Wordlocks I use, I’ll choose codes which I can remember, but that a thief won’t easily figure out.”

“The great thing about these locks is the codes are re-settable. So if you find my backpack and try to bypass my Wordlock, do you think you’ll succeed by spinning the dials to read “sack”? Not if I change that code before we meet…”

When backpacking you tend to carry your life in one bag – all the essential items you need to connect with the new friends you’ve made on your travels, find your way back from an unexpected trek and to ensure you’ve got some fresh clothes, it’s all packed in one bag. This backpack is vital for your survival. You probably have your passport and ticket back home in there, so it’s best to prevent the despicable situation of having its contents stolen.

Alastair continued in his review: “These nifty gadgets have got far more applicability than just as locks. If you’re a survivalist, as many youngsters aspire to be, you could use your Wordlock as a carabiner, a weight to balance small items on uneven surfaces in your tent, a mid-sight to aim through when lining up objects, a plumb line, or even as entertainment if you’re camping in the boondocks but miss your Scrabble!”

“You might find other uses too, especially if you’re a lateral thinker, or a world record dreamer like me. At the end of the day, if you’re after locks – whether you come from a high-crime nation as I do, or whether you’re simply being prudent about the security of your assets, try out these Wordlocks. I did, and I’m satisfied so far.”

“If we meet on the road, you’ll know me by my world record antics. Check out how I’ve arranged my security needs, and remember to look for one thing in particular: my Wordlock.”

Security is something that we want and need wherever we are or might be going. However, we don’t want to be forgetting passwords left, right and centre, which is where this padlock with a twist can help. Don’t boggle your mind with numbers you’ll never remember, instead use a simple four letter word or four letters of your favourite word that will never be forgotten. 

Discovery. Trekking. They go together.

You can choose to venture through life in any way you wish, but as for me, I’m trekking. At times, it may seem the only trekking taking place is in my head, and that may be true – but not always. Sure, I spend way too much time behind a computer screen, as many do, and during my years of doing so I learned of how some people can live in a minimalistic fashion. I like the idea.

So I decided that to make it easier for me to attempt world records in public, the more mobile I am, the simpler things would be. One word sprang to mind: de-clutter. And so I have done. The “lighter” I can live, the faster and more comfortably I can get from here to there, do stuff, and never dread having to carry my own body weight bundled into an over-stuffed backpack. It sounded possible, so I set to work researching the idea.

Over the past few months, I’ve been out in the natural bush of New Zealand on various projects. These excursions gave me wonderful opportunities to think of ways of “living lighter”. Yes, you guessed it: I began exchanging and replacing all I could for more compact versions of the same things when I realised I can live without much of the clutter in my home. I tossed out my sleeping bag, my excess shirts and trousers, my dish towels, the rubbish bin, my spare work table, most of my cutlery and more. But as I prepared for yet another excursion into the bush, I felt something was missing. Something… but what?

I’d been researching wicking clothing and came across a crowd called Discovery Trekking. Well, I thought, so what - just another website. But within 8 or so seconds of reading snippets of text on their homepage, I began to concentrate seriously. These guys, it seemed, could really help me. I read on.

Their towels, Discovery Trekking claimed, would surpass my expectations of many standard towels, and I’d love the technology which keeps them fresh and clean for ages. Impressive. Half an hour later, I’d ordered one. And it was a good choice.

As I write right now, it’s 35 degrees Celsius outside my front door. I could pass out, I’m so hot and bothered. Oops! No, I’m not bothered – just hot. That’s thanks to my awesome Discovery Trekking towel, which I’ve laid over my bare shoulders to dry. And as it does so  - at great speed - it is cooling my back considerably. It’s a beautiful feeling on such a brutally hot day.

I’ll be off hitchhiking again soon into another wilderness trekking region, in the hopes of attaining another world record. The temperature might be similar, and I’ll certainly have my Discovery Trekking towel with me. It’s so multi-purposeful, I don’t think I’d want to go without it. It scrunches up so small, I can keep it in my pocket like a handkerchief. It dries very fast. And it’s a pleasure to use too. One other thing I like about my new friend is that it’s been made in north America, so I believe its quality worth having with me on my trekking adventures.

Well folks, that’s my latest great tech discovery, and I’m pretty pleased (can’t you tell!)

Wish me luck as I venture out and about, seeking opportunities to attempt world records. And if you see me away from home for a few days, just keep an eye out for my Discovery Trekking towel… I think you’ll like it too.

--

Alastair Galpin (independent record breaker)

2nd biggest Guinness World Records™ breaker of the decade: 2000-09

"Record-breaking exposure" - http://www.WorldRecordChase.com

*   Want your brand in stock footage? Ask!

*   Got unwanted air miles? Pass them on to us.

*   Are you a true eco-warrior? We'd love to advertise you.

*   Need a record breaker for an eco-awareness or community event? Ask!

*   Refer website advertising requests you don't want: We pay for done deals.

Neither Alastair Galpin nor WorldRecordChase.com will be responsible for any actions whatsoever undertaken by any person as a result of acting on information blogged about. Always seek expert advice.