kevinpauly

I always carry a keyboard with me when i travel because when i use a laptop, im more comfortable on the keyboard as oppose to the my laptop keyboard. Anyone else feel this way?


I always put my keyboard in my messenger bag which is my carry on and whenever i go through TSA, i take it out and put it on the bins just like my laptop. But should i keep it in my checked luggage instead? The reason why i don't do this is because i seen videos where tsa throw the bags pretty hard for checked bag and don't want to risk any damage. I mean has anyone here put a laptop in their checked bag only to find out it got damaged through tsa? I know you should not put laptops in checked bag due to theft. That is the number 1 reason right? Im actually more concerned with them tossing my check bag hard and then damaging the laptop. Now if you have it in a laptop sleeve, that sort of protects it.


Another thing i want to ask is this. I usually have a keyboard and 2 laptops with me when i travel. My carry on bag is a messenger bag so its pretty full because i have my shaver there and laptop charger etc. If you were planning to bring a camera with you like a security camera, would it safer to bring it on your carry on or your checked bag? Checked bag would concern me if tsa throws bag hard and also the risk of theft. I heard there is lot of theft with jewelry with tsa. But something like a security camera probably wouldn't be that safe in a checked bag? Whether its a 40 dollar one or a 200 dollar one.

freecia

I guess this would sort of depend on what kind of keyboard you have. If you have an expensive mechanical keyboard and are traveling outside tech hub airports, you might want to pull it out and put it into the bin. I have a travel Logitech keyboard which could get checked as it is as thin as a folded t-shirt and fits in a packing cube with clothes.

I wouldn't put a pricey laptop in checked luggage. People do. I might pack an inexpensive Chromebook in a check-in if it is one of those more durable educational-style units. It isn't solely the loss/theft of the unit but also the personal information which is usually present on a laptop which could be stolen if you don't password protect & encrypt. If there are people who steal credentials over public wifi (and there are) then I also assume there are people who steal/access unattended hardware for the data (and there are).

Luggage also gets stacked in addition to tossed or thrown. A hard sided bag with clips/hinge (vs zipper) which is filled with soft items like clothing around fragile objects fares a bit better at the bottom of a stack than frameless soft sided bags (duffels, some lighter weight luggage, backpacks).

Often1

If this is a typical keyboard which can be replaced pretty much anywhere, I would simply check it.

AltaBound

I always put my keyboard in my carry-on luggage. Never had any issues.

chx1975

Both here as well, when it's checked in then it's in a well padded photo bag -- it's a split keyboard so it's easier to pack. When in a carry on, I just pull laptop sleeves over the two halves. (Not only is it split but it's vertical as well.)

kevinpauly

Im talking about a basic keyboard... nothing expensive.

Moderator2

For future indexing benefits, we'll move this thread to the "Practical Safety/Security forum.

TWA884

Take a look at this thread: