Defendius lock picture courtesy Geekologie

You know those little wedge things that you can put under a door to keep it open when you’re carrying heavy stuff?  You can get the little brown triangles for a dollar from most hardware stores, but they’re usually made of rubber and a bit heavy for the traveling lifestyle.

So what if you were a backpacker, say, and maybe you were a woman, say, and you were concerned about having someone jimmy your door lock in less-than- savory parts of the world?  Delicious Irish author Dervla Murphy, who wrote the wonderful Full Tilt, which I first read because a Moroccan rug merchant gave me a copy when I was nineteen years old, spoke of lying awake in bed at night in Afghanistan, listening to drunken men keep trying to get in her room.

So if you have a spare dollar and a bit of room in your bag, get a door wedge and put it on YOUR side of the door. Instant deadbolt. Or, if you’re an ultralite packer, consider getting a Wedgeit and using that. In a pinch, you can hang it around your neck on a string as a funky piece of rave jewelry.

No need to sow fear, naturally, but if you’re the slightest bit worried about your travels, this could make you rest easier at night. Just remember it’s there if the building catches fire.

PS My attention brought to wedge door locks by Ray. You’re a lifesaver.