After having my phone stolen on a recent trip, I started wondering if it makes sense to bring a spare, back-up phone.

I was with a group of people so it wasn't the worst situation as they still had their phones and I could use my iPad back at the hotel or in places with wifil. However, it was definitely inconvenient and I would be worried if I was on my own.

Within the US, it's probably not a big deal as I could just pop into any store and buy a replacement or even a burner phone. However, outside the US, I'm not really sure what I would do and how simple it is (or isn't) to buy a burner on the fly.

Would it be possible to bring an unlocked phone and, in the event of loss or theft of my primary phone, simply buy a local SIM to at least have a mobile device for use?

Does anyone do this regularly on international trips?