Best Locks for Hostels: Which Padlock Fits a Hostel Locker

Most hostels give you a locker. Far fewer give you the lock. The right padlock is small enough to fit the locker’s hasp, strong enough to put off an opportunistic thief, and not a TSA luggage lock.

This guide covers what size lock fits a hostel locker, whether hostels provide locks, and five real padlocks compared on the specs that matter. All specs and prices come from the manufacturers’ own product pages, checked on 6 October 2026. We picked the locks from those specs; we haven’t lab-tested them.

Hostel locks compared

Prices are Master Lock’s own US store prices in US dollars, checked 6 October 2026. Its store ships only within the contiguous US, so expect different prices in Europe. ABUS doesn’t list a price on its product sheet.

Which one to buy

• Best all-round hostel lock: Master Lock 1500D. The classic locker padlock. A 7 mm hardened steel shackle sits at the top of the size most lockers take, and the dial means there’s no key to lose. The catch: you can’t change the combination.
• Best if you want your own code: Master Lock 178D. A solid-body lock with a 4-digit code you set yourself and a hardened steel shackle. At 8 mm, the shackle is thick, so it won’t fit every locker. Check the hasp first.
• Best small keyed lock: ABUS 64TI/30. A 5 mm hardened steel shackle on a light aluminium body (54 g), with a body just 30 mm wide. It fits almost any hasp and is the easiest to carry. Keep the spare key separate from the lock.
• Smallest: Master Lock 120D. A solid brass lock just 19 mm wide with a 4 mm steel shackle. It’s for small hasps and bag zips more than for securing a locker, since a thin shackle is easier to cut.
• For checked luggage only: Master Lock 4688D. The flexible cable fits awkward zips, and the lock is TSA-accepted, so airport security can open it without cutting it. That same master key is why it shouldn’t go on a hostel locker (see why a TSA lock is the wrong choice for a locker).

What size lock fits a hostel locker

Locker hasps are made for small standard padlocks. One locker manufacturer, SimonRack, says its padlock lockers “accommodate the vast majority of standard padlocks on the market, with shackles ranging from 5 mm to 8 mm in diameter.”

In practice:

• Aim for a 5–7 mm shackle. It sits inside that range, so it fits nearly every locker. A hostel lock guide on GetTopics suggests 5 mm for a small padlock.
• 8 mm is the upper limit. It fits many lockers, but not all.
• Check the shackle clearance too. The inside of the shackle has to reach over the hasp. The 1500D has 19 mm of clearance and the 178D has 25 mm, which covers most lockers.
• Keep the body compact. A smaller body is less likely to catch on the locker door’s handle or frame.

If you’re not sure what the locker looks like, ask the hostel before you arrive. Some lockers are under the bed or are wide drawers, and those take bigger locks.

Do hostels provide locks?

Sometimes. Lockers are standard; padlocks often aren’t. Here’s what a few hostels in Lisbon and Porto say on their own websites:

• Back to Lisbon Hostel: each dorm guest has a personal locker, and guests should bring their own padlock.
• The Central House (Lisbon and Porto): under-bed drawers lock with a padlock, and if you don’t bring one you can buy one at reception.
• Sant Jordi Hostels Lisbon: lockers work with a padlock, and reception lends one against a €5 deposit returned at check-out.
• Lisbon Destination Hostel: individual lockers under the bed open with a key from the hostel.

That spread is typical. Hostelling International’s FAQ says you’ll usually need to bring your own padlock, and that some hostels hire them out at reception. Bringing your own means you know it fits. Before you book in Lisbon, the hostel pages in our guide to the best hostels in Lisbon list each hostel’s facilities, and our hostel directory covers the rest of Portugal.

Combination or key lock?

Both work. The choice comes down to what you’re more likely to lose: a key or a number.

Combination locks

• No key to lose, which matters when you’re swimming or out all night.
• Set-your-own models like the 178D let you pick a code you’ll remember, and change it.
• Fixed-code dials like the 1500D come with a code you can’t change, so photograph the code card and store it somewhere other than the lock.
• Small 3-digit locks have only 1,000 possible codes, so they deter rather than resist.

Key locks

• Quick to open in a dark dorm, with no dial to read.
• You have to keep track of the key. Keep the spare in a different bag from the first.

Why a TSA lock is the wrong choice for a locker

TSA-accepted locks have a universal master key, which “allows TSA agents to open and relock your luggage without having to cut open the lock,” as Master Lock explains. That’s the point on a checked bag, and the problem on a locker.

The master keys are no longer secret. In 2015 the Washington Post published a photo of the keys, and, as WIRED reported, lockpickers then turned it into 3D-printable copies. Anyone with a copy can open a TSA lock. Use a TSA lock on your checked bag, and a non-TSA padlock on the locker.

Pack the rest of your dorm kit

A padlock is one line on the list. Our hostel packing list covers the rest of what makes dorm life easier. A lock deters theft, but doesn’t replace insurance: our travel insurance guide for Portugal explains what covers stolen gear.

Frequently asked questions

What type of lock do you need for hostels?

A small padlock with a 5–7 mm hardened steel shackle and a body 30–50 mm wide. That fits almost any hostel locker hasp. Combination or key is up to you, but avoid TSA locks on lockers.

Should I bring a lock to a hostel?

Yes. Many hostels have lockers but don’t supply padlocks, and those that do usually charge a deposit or sell them at reception. Bringing your own means you know it fits, and you can use it on your bag as well.

What is the most secure type of lock for lockers?

A solid-body padlock with a hardened steel shackle, as thick as the locker allows, and not TSA-accepted. A keyed lock or a set-your-own 4-digit combination is harder to defeat than a 3-digit dial. Thin cable shackles are the easiest to cut.

Is it safe to leave belongings in a hostel?

In a locked locker, generally yes. Keep your passport, cards, phone and laptop in the locker whenever they’re not on you, and never leave them on the bed. Theft from unlocked bags is the usual problem in dorms. Travel insurance covers what a lock can’t.

Can I use a TSA lock on a hostel locker?

It will fit, but it’s the weakest choice. TSA master keys have been leaked and copied, so anyone with a copy can open your locker. Keep the TSA lock for checked luggage.

Combination or key lock for a hostel?

A combination lock if you’re likely to lose a key at the beach or on a night out. A keyed lock if you want the smallest, strongest lock and are careful with keys.

Do hostel lockers come with locks?

Some do. Lisbon Destination Hostel’s lockers open with a key from the hostel, and Sant Jordi Lisbon lends padlocks against a €5 deposit. Many others, like Back to Lisbon Hostel, ask you to bring your own.

How big is a hostel locker?

It varies a lot, from small wall lockers to deep drawers under the bed. If you need to lock your whole backpack away, ask the hostel about locker size before you book.