Best Retractable Cable Lock of 2023: Top Five Picks
Whether you’re looking to secure your belongings to a fixture or want to group them together in a tight fit, there’s no better way to do so than by using a retractable cable lock.
They are sturdy, reliable, and handy in a pinch, and they are very easy to carry around with you if you ever needed to do so.
There are plenty of retractable cable locks on the market - so many, in fact, that it can become almost impossible to choose the right one.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of some of the best retractable cable locks out there.
Comparison Chart
Best Retractable Cable Lock Reviews
Bosvision 4-Digit Retractable Cable Lock
Bosvision is a very popular manufacturer of security equipment and is known for its high-quality tools and products.
Its retractable cable lock is no exception.
This cable lock is perfect for those looking to secure their bikes, skis, buggies, strollers, and much more.
It is also quite affordable, which is one of the reasons it made it to this list.
Review
The Bosvision Ultra-Secure 4-digit combination lock features a 3/32" dial and a retractable cable that measures 3 feet long.
Its cable is thicker than those found on many other retractable cable locks, which makes it incredibly sturdy and almost theft-proof.
The cable is adjustable and made from steel that is coated in vinyl to give it some extra strength and durability.
It can wrap around your belongings or fixtures several times and can be tightened, as well, to ensure that whatever it’s attached to won’t go anywhere.
Since it’s a 4-digit combination cable lock, you can choose a combination out of 10,000 options, making it virtually impossible to crack by merely guessing.
The push-button retraction feature allows you to easily recoil this lock once you’ve finished using it, and the cable will slip right back into the casing, returning to its compact and portable state.
Like we mentioned above, this retractable cable lock is perfect for securing your valuable equipment, such as bikes, skis, strollers, and even buggies.
You can also use it to group some of your items together to ensure that they are all secure or just for the sake of portability.
It is available in three colors: orange, black/green, and black.
The head of the cable measures 6 mm, and the entire retractable cable lock weighs a mere 87 grams.
This adds to the level of compactness and portability and makes it very easy to carry around with you wherever you go.
This is quite a unique entry on this list since it comes with its own accessory hole.
This hole lets you attach things like tags, keyrings, other accessories, or you can affix it to a bag or locker.
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Lewis N’ Clark Retractable Cable Lock
Another well-known security tool manufacturer, Lewis N’ Clark, prides itself on creating high-quality locks that are guaranteed to keep your belongings safe no matter what.
This is a great, affordable solution to keeping your bikes, luggage, etc., safe wherever you go.
Review
This retractable cable lock from Lewis N’ Clark keeps your luggage, work equipment, bikes, doors, gates, briefcases, purses, and other items safe and secure.
You can use this lock to secure specific items, or you can group a bunch together to save time and avoid having to fumble around with keys.
It can also be used as a travel accessory.
Whether you are flying across the country, taking public transportation, on your daily commute, or touring your city, you’ll be able to keep your most valuable handheld possessions safe and sound with you.
The superior design of this lock features rugged and durable construction with ABS housing and thermoplastic rubber, making it last much longer than many other locks of its kind.
Resetting the combination on the Lewis N’ Clark retractable cable lock is a piece of cake, and it can be done any time using the three-dial code.
The reprogrammable lock makes it much simpler than usual to change the combination and keep your valuables secured and protected.
It features a non-slip rubber grip attached to the sturdy ABS housing, which ensures that you drop it less frequently while also maintaining the lock’s overall lightweight feel.
It is compact in size, with the casing measuring 3.25” x 1.88”, while the flexible cable measures 30” in length.
You can choose from three colors when purchasing this lock - red, blue, and green - all of which stand out well and make the lock very visible. It is a good looking lock.
We highly recommend looking at the instruction manual that's included with your purchase or visiting the Lewis N’ Clark website to learn how to set and reset the combination, since the process can be quite tricky.
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Pacsafe Retractasafe 100 Retractable Cable Lock
Are you looking for an extremely compact solution to securing your belongings?
Look no further than this retractable cable lock from Pacsafe.
The Retractasafe 100 is very lightweight and compact, and it features a lengthy cable for its size, making it great for smaller items and possessions.
The only question is if the plastic body is strong enough to keep your items secure.
Review
The first thing you’ll notice about the Retractasafe 100 from Pacsafe is that the body is made from the same kind of plastic you’d expect to see on a children’s toy.
As you can imagine, this does not really bode well if you intend to use it to secure your valuables, like your luggage, for instance.
We have to say, it looks quite cool, though.
Being able to see into the actual lock and see the dials turning around from the inside makes for quite a satisfactory visual experience.
Chances are, you didn’t come here to find out which retractable cable lock looks the coolest - you want to know which one is going to keep your stuff safe.
Like most other retractable cable locks, the Retractasafe features a 3-dial combination lock, so you have 999 possible combinations to choose from.
This doesn't make it impossible to crack by just guessing, so a thief wouldn't need to learn your password to be able to open the lock via the dial.
They would just need a little patience to go through every combination.
That could work in your favour in a public place but not if they had some privacy.
They may not need to worry about the combination though if they just bring a hammer, or brick, or anything somewhat solid to be honest.
The plastic body is quite flimsy and will break open if you hit it hard enough.
That doesn’t mean that the Retractasafe isn't useful, though.
It could be seen as more of a psychological deterrent or as a way to ensure that a thief brings attention to themselves if they ever try to steal whatever this lock is attached to in public.
If you aren’t in a public setting, you probably won’t want to leave anything stashed away with this lock.
If you are in public, it could be a good visual deterrent.
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Buggygear BUGGYGUARD Retractable Cable Lock
In complete contrast to the previous lock on this list, the BUGGYGUARD from Buggygear might be the most durable and secure lock on this list.
It is designed specifically to deter thieves from breaking it open, and with the 9,999 possible combination options, they’ll definitely have a hard time cracking this one.
Review
Buggygear places special emphasis on this lock not requiring any peripheral tools, electronics, batteries, or hardware.
You obviously don’t need keys, either, since the keyless combination entry is easy on you and tough on thieves - this is just a bulwark for your belongings.
The dial is entirely resettable, so you’ll be able to set a new code whenever you feel it’s necessary.
This comes in handy when traveling as it can be beneficial to change the code on your lock each time you visit a new location to ensure that there’s no way a thief could break into your luggage or the like.
The cable on this lock is not made simply from metal. It's made from aircraft-grade stainless steel that is 24mm thick, making it one of the strongest retractable vinyl-coated cables out there.
The vinyl coating works to protect the cable itself from damage, as well as whatever you choose to secure with this lock, as it will prevent the cable from scratching your belongings.
The BUGGYGUARD is multi-purpose meaning that, while it is built specifically for use on strollers, it would be just as effective if you used it to secure a bike or a pair of skis.
You could also use it to group multiple luggage bags together to make them easier to travel with.
It is capable of fitting on all kinds of strollers, and it can easily be tucked away.
What’s nice is that this lock won’t interfere with your ability to collapse whatever stroller you attach it to since the cable can be extended to loop through either one wheel or several others to lock a stationary object with ease.
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Master Lock Retractable Cable Lock
This lock is quite similar to the Retractasafe 100 in that it features a body made entirely of semi-transparent plastic.
This makes it considerably less durable than a few of the other locks on this list, and it also means that it faces many of the problems that the Retractasafe does.
Review
As we have said, the casing on this retractable cable lock is made from the same plastic you’d find on a Gameboy and thus offers the same durability that a Gameboy has.
As you may have guessed, that’s not a lot.
This lock could very easily be smashed open by a thief who has a little bit of determination and a rock about the size of a fist.
Unless you are in public or you plan to carry your things around with you everywhere, you probably won’t want to stash anything away with this lock.
Again, it could be seen as a kind of psychological deterrent to prevent thieves from attempting to break into your belongings.
Like the Retractasafe, it could be useful in making it difficult for thieves to snatch something in public, as they would draw plenty of attention to themselves when trying to smash the lock open.
On a more positive note, this is quite an easy lock to use. The cable retracts using a push-button mechanism so that you don’t have to fumble about when trying to put the lock away.
Also, the resettable dial features three digits, so you can choose from 999 possible combinations.
The cable is also reasonably long, measuring a decent three feet.
This makes it great for grouping a few large bags of luggage together when moving them around in an airport.
It is also good for securing multiple bikes to one bike rack in public when traveling in a group.
The wire is coated in a protective vinyl coating that helps keep it safe and helps prevent damage and corrosion.
It also ensures that the wire does not scratch your belongings while in use.
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FINAL VERDICT
With so many retractable cable locks to choose from, picking just one to purchase can often feel impossible.
We hope that this list has made your decision a little easier or at least shed some light on the nature of different retractable cable locks!
You can review some of the best combination locks for general use here or for a bike here.
If you're more curious about stronger bike locks check out our breakdown of the pro and cons of U-Lock vs Cable locks.