In-depth review
SURE LOCK Cable Locks Purple 2 Pack Review (2027)
The SURE LOCK purple cable pair combines large easy-read dials with an open alert indicator. Our research verdict on the easy-read lock.


SURE LOCK Cable Locks with Open Alert, Purple, 2 Pack
The easy-read cable pair: large dials, a purple finish and an indicator that shows inspection.
Our verdict
The SURE LOCK purple pair is the lock for travellers who have ever squinted at tiny dials in a dim hotel room and given up. Large, easy-read dials are its headline feature, and they are backed by a genuine open alert indicator, a zinc alloy cable body and a purple finish that makes a bag easy to spot. Two locks cover a suitcase and a backpack, or a couple's two bags. Its limits are colour and count: purple is loud, two locks are few for a family, and a cable is a deterrent rather than a barrier. For the traveller it is built for, those limits are beside the point.
What we like
- Large easy-read dials make setting and reading the code simpler than on slim-dial locks
- Open alert indicator shows when a screener has opened the lock
- Zinc alloy cable body balances weight and toughness for a two-lock pack
- Cable design fits zipper pulls, backpack loops and gym bag hasps alike
What to watch out for
- Purple is a statement colour, and it will not suit every bag
- Two locks cover two bags, so larger families need a second pack
- A cable lock is a deterrent, and a determined thief can cut a cable faster than a shackle
What owners report: SURE LOCK Cable Locks with Open Alert, Purple, 2 Pack
Synthesized from recurring themes in long-term owner feedback.
Most praised
- Owners with poor eyesight single out the large dials as the reason they chose this pair
- The purple colour gets praised by travellers who spot their bag instantly
- Several owners keep one lock on a suitcase and one on a backpack for daily use
Common complaints
- Some owners find the purple too bright for a business trip bag
- A few report the indicator staying up after an inspection until the lock is opened and reset
- Owners note the cable is shorter than they pictured for looping two pulls together
Who it is for
Travellers who struggle with small dials, and anyone who wants an inspection indicator on a cable lock.
Dials you can actually read
Dial size is the kind of detail that only matters when it fails: small dials in poor light, with tired eyes, after a long flight, turn a simple lock into a frustration. Large dials with clear numbers remove that failure mode, and they help travellers with poor eyesight or stiff fingers most of all. It is an accessibility feature that happens to help everyone, and it is the reason this pair earns a place in a guide full of smaller-dial rivals.
An indicator on a cable lock is rarer than it should be
Inspection indicators are common on shackle locks and rarer on cable locks, which makes this pair unusual: it gives cable-lock buyers the same post-inspection information that shackle buyers get. At baggage claim, a raised indicator tells the traveller to check contents before leaving the airport, while the bag is still in the arrivals hall. That timing is the feature's value, and cable buyers should not have to give it up for fit.
The honest limits
Purple will not suit a business bag, and two locks will not cover a family. The cable is shorter than some owners picture for joining two pulls, so measure the job before buying. And like every cable lock here, this is a deterrent: it stops casual opening and keeps zippers shut, and it does not stop a thief with cutters and time.
Key specifications
- Lock type
- 3-digit resettable combination, cable
- Body
- Zinc alloy
- Indicator
- Open alert indicator
- Dials
- Large easy-read dials
- Pack
- 2 locks, purple
- Acceptance
- TSA-accepted
Also consider
Forge Open Alert Cable Locks, Black, 4 Pack
The flexible answer to awkward zipper pulls: four black cable locks with a search alert indicator.
Why consider it: The four-pack cable alternative, for families who need more than two locks
- Lock type: Resettable combination, cable
- Cable: Braided steel cable
Forge Open Alert Shackle Locks, 4 Colours, 4 Pack
The family pack benchmark: four 3-digit shackle locks in four colours, each with a red inspection indicator.
Why consider it: The shackle pack with the same indicator idea, for bags whose pulls accept a rigid loop
- Lock type: 3-digit resettable combination
- Body: Zinc alloy
Research-based assessment. TrueGear has not hands-on tested this product; this evaluation synthesizes manufacturer specifications, retailer documentation, and published expert reviews.
Questions, answered
Are the dials really larger than normal?
Yes, per the listing and owner reports: the dials are designed as large, easy-read dials, which is the pair's distinguishing feature against slim-dial locks. Travellers with poor eyesight notice the difference immediately.
What does the open alert indicator do?
It shows when a screener has opened the lock for inspection, so the traveller knows to check the bag's contents promptly. Open the lock with the correct code to reset the indicator.
Will purple match my bag?
It will stand out, which is either a benefit for spotting a bag or a drawback for a discreet look. Travellers who want discretion should choose a black lock from this guide instead.
Every guide on Luggage Locks16 pages
- Topic hubLuggage Locks
- Best ofThe Best Luggage Locks (2027)
- Checked bags face two threats a carry-on never meets: a screener who may need inside, and a conveyor system that tests every dangling part. This ranking therefore weights TSA acceptance first, then inspection indicators that report an opening, then a shackle or cable that will not snag. Carry-on-only locks with no inspection story do not belong here, even if they are well made.The Best Luggage Locks for Checked Bags (2027)
- Cable locks exist because shackle locks do not fit every bag. This ranking starts from fit: which pulls, loops and hasps the cable can thread, and whether the length joins one pull or two. Length is then judged as a trade-off, since a long cable that is not managed snags, while a short cable cannot join distant pulls. Indicators and opening type decide the order within each length class.The Best Cable Luggage Locks (2027)
- This ranking is for travellers who have decided that a pure combination lock is not for them, either because codes get forgotten or because keys feel simpler. Within that group, the split is between pure keyed locks, which are simplest but punish a lost key, and dual-opening locks, which forgive both a forgotten code and, with a spare key kept safe, a lost code. The ranking rewards forgiveness: the lock that leaves the fewest ways to be locked out of your own bag wins.The Best Keyed and Dual-Opening Luggage Locks (2027)
- ReviewForge Open Alert Shackle Locks 4 Pack Review (2027)
- ReviewMaster Lock 4688D Cable Combination Lock Review (2027)
- ReviewForge Dual-Opening Guardian Locks 6 Pack Review (2027)
- ReviewLewis N. Clark Retractable Cable Lock Review (2027)
- ReviewForge Open Alert Cable Locks 4 Pack Review (2027)
- Head to headForge Open Alert 4 Pack vs Master Lock 4688D (2027)
- Head to headForge Cable 4 Pack vs Lewis N. Clark Retractable Lock (2027)
- Buying guideLuggage Lock Buying Guide (2027)
- Fix itForgot Your Luggage Lock Combination? Fixes (2027)
- Fix itLuggage Lock Won't Fit or Close? Fixes (2027)

