RoadWired® KeyCard Travelock? Security Kit Review

RoadWired® KeyCard Travelock™ Security Kit

RoadWired® has a very interesting and unique product called the KeyCard TraveLock™ Security Kit. RoadWired® designed this lock with the concept of providing an alternative solution to securing luggage and laptop computers without the hassles of dealing with small keys or having to remember combinations. The TraveLock™ Security Kit consists of one KeyCard lock, two keycards (one large, one small), one laptop lock adapter, one 60” cable and one 4.5” cable; both cables are braided galvanized steel with a PVC coating and brass headers. RoadWired® states the cables can withstand 330lbs, the KeyCard lock holes can withstand 110lbs, while the laptop lock adapter can withstand 70lbs. If the lock functions as advertised that should be more then enough strength to properly secure your laptop.






Standing next to the RoadWired® KeyCard™ lock is the widely popular Targus DEFCON™ CL that I purchased at a local OfficeDepot for $29.99 which has a cable thickness of four millimetres (0.16 inches). Unfortunately RoadWired® did not provide the thickness of their cable on their website; I would guesstimate the thickness to be two to three millimetres.

When I first opened the package and started playing around with this lock I found it really easy to lock and unlock. I did not have any trouble switching the cables from short to long and vice versa. I did however run into trouble using the laptop lock adapter. While RoadWired® shows it being used to secure an IBM® Thinkpad™ I could not secure my newly acquired Thinkpad T43. When attached to the security slot on my laptop the hole in the laptop adapter is still closed – it should be open so that I can slip a cable though. Granted it is quite possible IBM has changed their slot and it is impossible to make an adapter to fit all security slots when they aren’t a strict standard. However I feel that this kit should have come with an alternative method of securing a laptop – for example many laptop locks come with a adhesive lock plate and also worth noting is that the Targus DEFCON™ CL attaches without issue.





Using the included keycards it takes me about 2 seconds to unlock this product. Defeating the lock using good old fashion gravity is even quicker. The easiest way to defeat the lock is to drop the unit from a height of four feet or higher onto a hard surface. That’s right, as odd as that sounds, simply dropping the unit or banging the corner nearest to the keycard slot will defeat the locking mechanism and cause the cable to eject open. When I inspected the unit, the pin inside the left hole (when logo is facing up) appeared to be quite small and every time the cable disengages from impact, it’s always that slot that gets released.


Here’s a video clip: (approximately 12mb) Mirror One | Mirror Two | Mirror Three
*Video requires QuickTime or a compatible player. Recomended player is VideoLAN


I repeated this test over eleven times, each time insuring the unit was indeed secure by hanging heavy objects and pulling on the lock. If this is the result of a flawed design, I believe its well within the bounds of reason that an opportunistic thief would see your laptop or secured items and with one look of the unintimidating cable or even small locking unit itself, try giving the lock a pull or a bang against the table; and as I’ve shown in the video clip, this would easily open the lock.

Aside from the lock mechanisms itself, which I’ll admit could be flawed in just my unit or just in a small batch of units (while unlikely, it is possible), other suggested improvements to this kit include: a 5mm or 8mm cable instead of the supplied cable to aid in the visual deterrence as well as to make it more difficult to cut through using inexpensive wire cutters; an alternative securing mount for older & newer laptops that don’t have a compatible security slot; and perhaps including a rubber or impact absorbent casing.

I sent an email to RoadWired’s customer service department and told them about my findings. Michael Hess (RoadWired’s President and CEO) immediately sent me a personal reply that was by no means short and dismissing. In his reply he stated to me that he and his staff are taking the issue very seriously and have already sent me a self-address mailer so I can return the lock to them for inspection. I was offered a full refund including the price of shipping, which is a very nice offer being that usually your get a refund through the merchant you bought the item from – in my case I purchased the lock from eBags through Amazon.com during a 20% weekend sale. Instead of going for the full refund, I asked Michael Hess if he would exchange the product for their Skooba™ Strap, which they accepted. So from a customer service experience I would have to rate RoadWired as excellent while the quality of this particular product as poor.

It will be interesting to see what develops from here. I believe if this is indeed a wide spread issue then a factory recall should be issued. It definitely puts to challenge RoadWired’s motto: "Better to explain the price than apologize for the quality." At $15 this lock may seem cheap, but when you can head to your local WalMart and pick up a $2 imitation masterlock that holds up better then this unit, $15 becomes outrageous.

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P.S. If you own this lock and encounter the same issue, contact the merchant you bought if from and request a full refund. If you cannot contact your merchant or they refuse to do anything about it by all means email RoadWired.com as they do stand behind their motto. And don’t forget to post your results here as well.

 

wow, can be defeated by banging against a wall? then there's no point of even having the lock, that's terrible. thanks for the great review here and alerting people to this concern with the lock. Great pictures...I'm downloading the video right now to take a look at. Let us know how things develop with this and if it turns out it's a one off problem with the product or they all perform this poorly.

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OMG, just watched the video, that's crazy. Two bangs on the linoleum kitchen floor and the thing unlocks without a key. Maybe this should be called a deterrent more than an actual lock and you just hope a crook stays away based on the looks. thanks for the effort with the video here!

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Great work man - You should be their head of Test Control.

 

yea...lol...great review!!!!