The Kings of Titanium EDC Perfected a Tiny Travel Staple Like No One Else Could

So here’s a quick peek behind the curtains. When the mad scientists at Titaner gave me an excited heads up about their latest product, a zipper lock, I was a bit skeptical. 

Then they sent me a sample to try out for myself … and I was thisclose to emailing the rep to complain that the unit must be defective.

Titaner

That’s because even while watching a demo clip, I couldn’t even get through the first layer of security.

Thankfully, I figured it out before totally embarrassing myself, but suffice it to say, the Titaner Trident is both more secure and ultimately more fun than any other tiny luggage lock out there. Here’s why.

Thinking different

Check out the (already crushing) Kickstarter page, and you’ll quickly notice a mindset I’ve begun to notice is a theme for Titaner. 

Not unlike Peak Design, they do not wade into a product category without first thinking deeply about what they can bring to the table that is different and better than what has come before.

Titaner

In this case, they started by considering the common hangups of many small EDC zipper locks: questionable security, annoying clinking sounds, unattractive aesthetics, the hassle of fumbling with combinations or keys when it’s cold and/or dark and jamming up due to corrosion.

Addressing all those issues at once is the Trident, which Titaner calls “the world’s first 3-level titanium zipper lock.”

Leveling up

What’s particularly cool here is that you can set the level of security based on your activity. For example, Level 1 or “Quick Access” is for everyday use on a backpack or purse. 

At this level, you simply insert the latch into the body and the ruby mechanism automatically engages. To unlock it, and here’s where I struggled, you press the ruby, start tugging on the latch and then slowly release the ruby as you pull out. 

Titaner

In other words, just holding down the ruby won’t do it, nor will tapping and pulling. It’s a subtle in-between motion that, once you get the hang of it, is addictive to the point of being one of the most fidget-friendly gadgets I have ever encountered.

The next layer is Level 2 or “Active Defense,” adding security in places like crowded city streets, trains, buses and even, I dare say, bars and nightclubs.

Activating this level is a matter of sliding the little switch on the left side toward the ruby. Once you have done so, no amount of pressing and sliding the ruby and latch will make any difference. 

Titaner

Even if a thief were to figure out the sliding mechanism, the act of reversing it is something perhaps only the Invisible Man (or Woman) could pull off in public without you noticing. You kinda need to dig your nail in to make it happen. 

Which brings us to the final layer, Level 3 or “Ultimate Deadlock,” which is intended for flying and other high-risk situations where your bag is not always in your immediate vicinity.

Those crafty mofos at Titaner are currently keeping the mechanics of this third layer under wraps — even on the Kickstarter page, where they’re offering a special mystery gift to the first backers to figure it out.

Titaner

Do I know what it is? In all honesty, yes, but they swore me to secrecy, so at this point I will only say it’s pretty damn good: the kind of thing that is only obvious after you know how to do it.

This is where my skepticism emerged, in that if someone does know how to get through all three levels of security, they can pull it off. 

But upon further consideration, anyone that clever and determined would have blown through whatever you were previously locking your luggage with hours ago.

Good lock charm

So far, the Trident has addressed most of the issues that make other locks less than ideal.

However, an underrated aspect is the fact that it looks pretty cool, in a mystical sort of way.

Titaner

There’s intentionality there too, as Titaner notes: “In Chinese tradition, round beads symbolize completeness, while red represents the strongest form of good fortune. There’s also a well-known Eastern legend: everyone is associated with a Zodiac Animal, and during one’s ‘Year of Fate,’ it’s customary to wear something red to guard against misfortune and invite luck.”

In an effort to squeeze every bit of utility out of this small wonder, which measures 1.39 inches tall by .59 inches wide and weighs .59 ounces, Titaner didn’t stop there.

They also included tritium slots on both sides of the body. Tritium can glow continuously for 25 years with no battery or charging, making the Trident eternally visible in the dark. 

Titaner

Because Titaner is so associated with multi-tools, they didn’t even stop there. The head of the latch is a precision flathead driver, while the tail doubles as a 4mm hex wrench. 

Did I mention the Trident is CNC machined from a solid block of GR5 titanium, one of the strongest and most corrosion-resistant materials around? C’mon, this is Titaner we’re talking about here, so duh.

Availability and pricing

The Titaner Trident is available now on Kickstarter for the launch day special price of $69. Estimated shipping is April 2026.

Titaner

Titaner Trident

• $69 at Kickstarter

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