Post: #1

I'm currently in Cebu City, but this place is starting to bore me to tears.

I'm ready to hit the road, but...

...I got a Macbook Pro Retina 15-inch beast with me.

I use this for work. But granted, I currently don't need this much processing power. So I'm hauling around a laptop with a value of 2100USD+ in a country where people make 100USD a month. That's is my definition of reckless.

Not that people are not friendly, not that I'm not being discrete, but still. I like to not worry about things. Especially as my hobby's include random encounters with sexy women, lodging in sketchy places and going of the beaten path. I don't want to have to think about the heavy, 2100USD monster with all my unreleased work on it, that could be taken away with just a little carelessness on my part.

I'm not necessarily worried about getting mugged. My main concern is when taking girls home, becoming a target of opportunity. I can imagine if they see it the temptation becomes too hard to bare.

So I'm looking for a solution to either:
- Get a cheap netbook instead.
- Lock the Macbook or make it almost impossible to steal it.

Before I buy a new laptop, I'm curious if there are other members out here traveling with an expensive laptop. And how they make sure it doesn't get stolen while staying in hostels, or having sex (and sleeping together with) a girl you know for just a few hours. A macbook pro is not lockable, most hotels don't have vault that fit it and I want to stay in guesthouses, dorms or with locals anyway - which don't provide any safety.
If you have solved this problem for yourself, let me know how I can do it.

And if no-one know, I'll gladly hear which netbook you are taking on your travels. Especially if it's cheap, very light and has decent battery life.

I appreciate every response.

Post: #2

I'd be interested in this thread and what solutions we come up with here.

I brought my laptop with me so I could do some work while in BKK. People in BKK have money and they're not struggling to survive around here. But it's a whole another world down in the Philippines.

The thing is, I can't go to a cheap laptop because I've already built mine as a coding rig and I need the power, memory, and space for it.

Post: #3

I was worried about a trashy Colombian chick stealing my pro retina so I threw it in the corner of the closet covered with some dirty clothes.

Netbooks suck and the screen is too small, might as well get an Ipad with a keyboard case. You can get one a generation or two old one so you don't have to worry about it.

Post: #4

If you don't mind doing everything in google aps Chromebooks are cheap, easy, light and very functional.

Post: #5

(03-13-2016 11:05 PM)Sidney Crosby Wrote:  I was worried about a trashy Colombian chick stealing my pro retina so I threw it in the corner of the closet covered with some dirty clothes.

Stealth is the key. Whether it's cash, your wallet, etc. Hide it in a place where no one would think to look, want to look, or would be too much effort to look.

Post: #6

I always have a big expensive laptop with me on the road and I've never had any issues after many years of traveling around Asia and South America (knock on wood!).
Of course you have to take care and here are some things I stick to religiously:

- I always back everything up in the cloud (work, photos etc) then I can easily restore everything in case my laptop or phone gets stolen or damaged. I have used Onedrive the last year or so and it has worked well for me. Even the photos I take with my phone gets automatically synched on OneDrive which is a nice feature.

- EVERYTIME I leave my apartment or hotelroom and there is just a slight possibility that I could bring a girl back I hide my laptop. Its too large for the average hotel safe so I usually just hide it where the average girl can't reach or somewhere where a person would likely not look (under a piece of furniture etc).

- I never work when I have a girl over unless we have been dating for a while and I feel I can fully trust her. It's not only about the risk of theft but I also have sensitive work stuff up on my screen which I don't want other people to peek at.

- When I travel I keep the laptop in my slightly worn backpack which doesn't attract too much attention. It's is always at my side and you can lock it with some straps (North Face). If I have to sleep when I am on a bus I keep it in my lap, the straps slightly wrapped around my hands and the zippers facing away from other people (Windows seats are best on buses)

- If I have to work in public (Not really my thing but I do it sometimes) I am careful what place I choose. I prefer a cafe in a mall or similar.

Hope this helps.

Post: #7

Had an idea... I could hide my laptop on top of a tall cabinet or furniture and hide the battery out of plain sight. She'll never know there's even a laptop in my room and even if she did, she won't be able to reach it.

Post: #8

I worried about this as well, after turning down some girls in Barcelona because they seemed like they were a bit too eager....so I started hiding my laptop each night before going out. I thought about getting a lock, and physically locking the laptop down somewhere in the apartment, but then realized that the new MacBook Pro that I have doesn't have the security lock thing anymore like they used to back in the day. So that was too much of a hassle.

Just make sure to not get lazy and keep the charger lying around or plugged into the wall, since that gives it away that there's also a laptop somewhere.

Post: #9

Get a Laptop lock.

They come in a few different varieties.





Problem solved.

Post: #10

If you are worried about trashy chick who might steal your stuff, shouldn't you be worried about getting a disease first? seriously...

Post: #11

(03-14-2016 03:38 AM)Sebastian Wrote:  If you are worried about trashy chick who might steal your stuff, shouldn't you be worried about getting a disease first? seriously...

Post: #12

get a pacsafe, its got wire mesh all through it and you lock the cunt with a padlock or two, no way of getting in. They can fit laptops/are slash proof/etc. For extra security you wrap the cable around something fixed like bathroom water pipe or something else

Post: #13

(03-14-2016 04:00 AM)TatsuhiroSato Wrote:  get a pacsafe, its got wire mesh all through it and you lock the cunt with a padlock or two, no way of getting in. They can fit laptops/are slash proof/etc. For extra security you wrap the cable around something fixed like bathroom water pipe or something else

How heavy is this? Any seasoned traveler knows that the kilograms count when you are hulling your pack to the next city.

Post: #14

(03-14-2016 04:33 AM)Suits Wrote:  

(03-14-2016 04:00 AM)TatsuhiroSato Wrote:  get a pacsafe, its got wire mesh all through it and you lock the cunt with a padlock or two, no way of getting in. They can fit laptops/are slash proof/etc. For extra security you wrap the cable around something fixed like bathroom water pipe or something else

How heavy is this? Any seasoned traveler knows that the kilograms count when you are hulling your pack to the next city.

mine is 450 grams. I always put my shit in that and then put that in the hotel safe, most of the time you can hook the cable through the back of the safe and then pad lock it too cause you shouldn't trust hotel safes.

they make hundreds of different bags from backpacks to suitcases etc

pacsafe.com

http://www.pacsafe.com/travelsafe-12l-po...-safe.html

thats the big one 600 grams and that takes a full 16 inch laptop and all the rest of your shit, they are like 80 bucks but definitely worth it. I travel a lot to shitty poor asian countries so need my shit locked down when not in the room

the bag is flexible and you can roll it up tight and just shove it anywhere you want

Post: #15

love this man, I am gonna use the pacsafe for my thinkpad yoga soon.

Post: #16

I also purchased a cheap throw-away laptop in the case that I am traveling to places that are kind of sketchy, and I keep all my files stored in encrypted flashdrives that I carry on my person; there's nothing on the computer that could be compromised in the event it was stolen.

I recommend and older thinkpad or something similar. Macbooks are just theft magnets.

Post: #17

I have a ThinkPad X230 for the same reason. It's been everywhere from deserts to snowy mountains.

When it's broken or stolen I can replace it for a couple hundred bucks.

It happened once when I stupidly went skiing with it in my backpack in Ukraine and I picked up another one off olx when I went to Moscow.

I don't need the stress of thinking about an expensive laptop.

Post: #18

I have an old travel designed backpack (with protective laptop sleeve in it), the bag looks like crap now but still works perfectly, just put the laptop inside of it and then cover it with dirty clothes in a corner, unless someone knows the laptop is in there then it would be the last thing that anyone would think to steal. Touch wood but have had zero issues with it or in general but I tend to not target the kind of street rat that makes you think about them stealing your shit anyway so that might be the bigger factor.

I previously traveled with a cheap laptop and I'd never do it again, even browsing and watching videos was painful on it, when you're used to using a powerhouse rig to downgrade to a cheap laptop is like going from Victorias Secret models to a Jenny Craig clinic to pick up women...

Post: #19

I started this thread two years ago. Damn, I was a pussy back then.

Post: #20

I bought a beat up looking store display open box buy lenovo with a 249 msrp for $90. Took it home and wiped it clean with a full encrypted linux install. Its thin and light and the charger is really small (important). The battery lasts 4 hours on linux and there is nothing on it.

Traveling to shitholes with a $2000 apple product just makes you a target. You underestimate the ability of even low iq criminals to follow you, watch you, and communicate with people about what you have and where you go.

Don't be stupid and think they are stealing a 2K laptop. They will be stealing something they can get a quick couple hundred bucks for to get rid of it. Whereas a solution like my dirty plastic lenovo with the markdown sticker half still showing isnt worth much of anything to anyone, and they sure as hell won't be getting any data.

The common thinking when traveling to these god-forsaken places that they cannot separate feces from food is to dress shitty and hide your gear well.

Dress well, but have no contents of high resale value on your trip. In fact, I follow my same advice at a coffee shop in the US.

Post: #21

I second/third/forth the Lenovo suggestions. Old Thinkpads and the newer model cheap Ideapads (200/210/220) are where it's at for cheap, reliable laptops.

I also second the idea of throwing a slick linux distro on the thing (if you can work with linux). Then, you can make it work two different ways. Do a secure install with full disk encryption (they aren't getting any data off of that) or spin your own OS on to a 64/128 GB thumb drive (carry it with you and there is no data for them to get).

As far as the physical device goes, I have always erred on the side of making things look like they aren't worth stealing. Someone can search or toss your room quite a bit, but they will only take what looks valuable. With my old Thinkpads, I will mess them up quite a bit if I am going to be in a sketchy area. This is easy to do. Grab some silver electrical tape and white chalk. If you roll the tape over the outside of the laptop case a few times, it begins to look seriously busted. The chalk can be used to "rough up" the surface or to actually draw on some case cracks. Finally, wrap a bit of the electrical tape around part of the case (the top of the screen and hinges are my favorite part) and the adapter (to make it look seriously frayed). All of this takes about five minutes and can save you a major headache. I have had my room robbed before, but they have never taken one of my "busted" laptops. When you get home, while the thing off with a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol and it's good as new.

Post: #22

I dont know from which country you are but in west-Europe its pretty normal that your travel insurance can cover your lose in case of theft.

Post: #23

I have a macbook pro and that's what I do :

- I have a USB SSD drive that I use to backup my data every week or so. When I travel, I always keep the SSD in my backpack in the unlucky case my laptop in the luggage would be stolen. At home my SSD is always hidden in my room so that even if my laptop is stolen I'll still have the data.
- My important documents are also synced to the apple cloud automatically as a double security

The only other security measure I do is when I'm not sure about a girl I'll not leave her alone in my room to take a shower or so. I did that especially in Colombia and once or twice in Vietnam I think, but for example in Thailand I've never ever felt the need to do that. Actually after banging so many girls in shitholes, there was only one time when I got stolen : a Viet girl stole $50 from my wallet while I was showering. I should have been suspicious, she sucked too well with no barely any LMR to be a normal girl.

Post: #24

I used backblaze for automatic cloud backup... it's awesome. It can even restore various versions of files, e.g. if you have a file that you update daily it will offer you dozens of versions of that file (useful if you accidentally overwrite it and the most recent backup is the overwritten version).

Post: #25

Put a lock on the suitcase and hide it in a closet. Or put the laptop in a safe and don't allow anyone to have access