The One Accessory Every Female Should Travel With

One of the main questions I get as a female traveler is “don’t you feel unsafe?” 99.9% of the time that answer is a solid no. However, there is still that 0.01% that sometimes I find myself in a situation or setting that makes me feel a little uneasy and maybe I pay closer attention to what’s happening around me. Call it a gut feeling. Which is where the Wild Kat self-defense keychain comes into play, the one accessory every female traveler should travel with.

The sad truth is that in the United States alone, 1 in 5 women have experienced rape. Sexual assaults are no longer taboos that were accredited to only happening in “dodgy neighborhoods”. Violence, unfortunately, happens everywhere. Which is why, as women I believe in protecting yourself, in whichever way that may be.

Since I’m not a Jedi master or kung fu champion (maybe one day), I choose to use the Wild Kat keychain. This lightweight kitty is the best travel accessory for security. First off, it is insanely inexpensive. Setting you back a whopping $5 (£4)(€4.70). It comes in a bunch of different colors. I chose black because….I mean….all black er’thang. But there’s so many to chose from! This keychain can be attached to a carabiner, your pack, keys, even tossed in your purse. The basis of it is really simple. you stick your fingers into the two holes and the tips of the kitty ears are pointy enough to do some damage when you get a good shot in.

I’ve brought them along with me to 17 different countries and while I’ve (luckily) never had to use them, it feels good knowing that I’m not entirely defenseless if a situation were to arise.

Because let’s be real, my right hook is nothing to brag about without it.

In a world where rape and assault still occur to women every single day, I am a firm believer in carrying some kind of means of defense while traveling. ESPECIALLY for solo travel. For awhile, I even carried a small pocket knife I scored in Pisa in my backpack. This makes me sound way more badass than I really am I assure you. Realistically, it was used to cut up apples and remove tags from clothes.

But it was problematic when I flew. Especially if I was trying to avoid ridiculous checked baggage fees. I’ve tossed the Wild Kat keychain in the bottom of my carry on for countless flights without any issues going through security.

This affordable and small travel accessory is a must for female travelers. It’s made to give you that little extra reassurance when your gut strikes you the wrong way. While I hope you never have to use it, I will say it never hurts to have it. Safe travels my loves!