zelin Anti Theft Zipper Clips Review: Inexpensive Backpack Security
Four tiny zinc alloy carabiners that clip both backpack zippers shut. What they stop, what they don't, and who should bother.
The zelin Anti Theft Zipper Clips are worth buying if you walk through crowds with a backpack on your back. You get 4 zinc alloy carabiners, the whole set weighs 0.63oz, and they clip both zipper pulls together so nobody quietly opens your bag behind you. Buy it.
This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
How this review was made: written from my own video review of this product. Every opinion here is my own, from using it myself.
Quick Verdict
Two clips, two zipper pulls, and nobody opens my backpack behind me without me feeling it. The whole 4-pack weighs 0.63oz. Very inexpensive, very easy, and at this price point, it’s an obvious choice.
Buy if you:
- Wear a backpack through airports, trains, or crowded streets
- Have a bag with dual zipper pulls on the main compartment
- Want a luggage tag attachment that doubles as a zipper lock
- Refuse to add weight or bulk to a carry-on
Skip if you:
- Open your main compartment constantly, unclipping every time gets old fast
- Expect an actual lock, a determined thief with a blade gets past the fabric anyway
- Have single-pull zippers, there’s nothing to clip together
| Includes | 4 zipper clips per set |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.63 oz |
| Material | Zinc alloy, hanging-plated coating |
| Colors | Space Gray or Frost Silver |
| Warranty | 2 years |
The Two Zippers on My Backpack
My backpack has two zipper pulls on the main compartment, one at each end of the track, and that gap between them is all a pickpocket needs to slide a hand in quietly. I clip a zelin Anti Theft Zipper Clip, available on Amazon, through both pulls and the compartment stays closed. Nobody walks up behind me in a crowd and quietly unzips it.
That’s the whole thing. Simple carabiner, small form factor, and it turns a bag anybody can open into an anti theft backpack that takes two hands and some fumbling to get into. Someone trying it from behind is going to have to work at the clip, and you’re going to feel that.
The Trade-Off: Unclipping Every Time You Open Your Bag
You have to unclip it every time you want into your own bag. That’s the trade. These are very small carabiners, so if you’re digging for a passport or a charger at the gate, you’re working a tiny metal gate with your fingertips while holding the bag. It’s not hard. It’s just a step you didn’t used to have.
Which is why I don’t clip every pocket. The main compartment gets the clips. The outside pocket I actually reach into stays open. If you lock down all four zippers on a bag you open twelve times a day, you’ll stop using them by day three.
These Are a Deterrent, Not a Lock
Nothing here stops a thief with a knife and a plan. I called it a deterrent in the video on purpose. The point is dissuading the opportunist, the person in the crowd who looks for the bag that opens with one tug and moves on when it doesn’t.
Pickpockets work on speed and silence. A clip takes away both. A clip forces a thief to stop, use two hands, and fumble at your back for several seconds, which is exactly when they abort and move on. That’s the ceiling on what any anti theft zipper lock in this form factor can do, and I’d rather say it plainly than oversell it.
Zinc Alloy, 0.63oz, Four to a Set
Each set is 4 clips weighing 0.63oz total, which is nothing in a carry-on. The body is zinc alloy with a hanging-plated coating rather than barrel plating, which is the part that matters for anyone who travels in humidity or rain. Cheap zipper pulls rust at the spring and then the gate stops closing cleanly. These are built to resist that, and zelin backs the set with a 2-year warranty.
The dual-opening design is what separates these from a regular keychain carabiner. One end hooks your luggage tag, the other hooks onto the bag itself, so I’ve used them that way on luggage previously, not just as a zipper lock. They work as a mini carabiner for keys or a pet leash too, though that’s a bonus rather than the reason to buy.
Sizing is the thing to check before you order. They fit most zippers, but “most” isn’t “all.” A chunky molded pull on a hardside suitcase can be too thick for a small carabiner gate. Look at your pulls first. On standard backpack and crossbody bag zippers I haven’t had an issue.
One more practical note. Amazon lists more than 6,000 bought in the past month, and the price on these moves around a fair bit. The price fluctuates enough that it’s worth clicking through before you assume, I’ve seen it drop noticeably for short windows, and at a 4-pack this cheap, a dollar or two either way is the whole margin. You can check today’s price on Amazon before you commit.
Would I Travel Without Them Now?
No. They live on my backpack. For a 4-pack this cheap, the math isn’t complicated: a few ounces of zinc against the chance of losing a wallet or a laptop in a crowd. That’s a trade I’ll take every trip.
I’d say it differently than the listing does, though. These aren’t going to make anything “nearly impossible” to get into. They make it slower, louder, and more awkward, and that’s enough to send an opportunist to the next bag. If that’s what you’re after, pick some up.
Pros
- Clips both zipper pulls together so the main compartment can’t be opened quietly from behind
- Whole 4-pack weighs 0.63oz, adds no bulk to a backpack or carry-on
- Dual-opening design lets one end hold a luggage tag while the other hooks to the bag
- Zinc alloy with hanging-plated coating, plus a 2-year warranty
- Very low price point for what it does
Cons
- You unclip it every single time you want into your own bag
- Very small carabiners, fiddly to work one-handed while holding the pack
- A deterrent only, it won’t stop anyone willing to cut the fabric
- Won’t help on bags with a single zipper pull
Frequently Asked Questions
Will these set off airport security or need removing at the gate?
They’re small zinc alloy clips, not TSA locks, so there’s nothing to unlock or hand over. Checked-bag inspectors can remove them if they need inside, same as any non-TSA-approved clip, so for checked luggage I’d keep them on outer pockets rather than the main compartment.
Do they work on a crossbody bag or just a backpack?
Both, as long as the bag has two zipper pulls that meet. An anti theft crossbody bag is actually an easier case than a backpack because you can see the zipper, so the clip is mostly there to slow a grab in a crowd. Single-pull zippers are the one setup where these don’t apply.
What usually fails first on clips like these?
The spring in the gate, which is why plating matters. Cheap zipper locks corrode at the spring and then the gate stops snapping shut. These use a hanging-plated coating over zinc alloy specifically to resist rust and wear, and the 2-year warranty covers that window.
Is four clips enough, or should I get a bigger pack?
Four covers one backpack and one suitcase with a spare. Larger counts exist if you’re outfitting a family or want them on keys and gear too. For one traveler with one bag, a 4-pack is plenty.
Clicking takes you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases β pricing and availability subject to change.
Get it now
zelin Anti Theft Zipper Clips
Get the best price on Amazon βAffiliate link. See the disclosure at the top of this post.
ποΈ Shop everything in this video
Every product mentioned, in one place. These are affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
ποΈ Zelin Anti Theft Zipper Clips: check price on Amazon β
ποΈ Small Carabiners (4-pack or up to 16-pack): check price on Amazon β
