Lockers, bags and cases
A small combination padlock is at home on a gym or school locker, a sports bag, a toolbox, a tackle box, a filing cabinet or a storage bin. These are places where you want to keep people out of your things, and where a key would be one more thing to lose.
The Combination Padlock's shackle is 0.2 in (0.5 cm) thick. It threads through a zipper pull or the small hasp on a case, which a chunky lock cannot do.
Outdoors
The maker describes both FortLocks bodies as rustproof and fit for outdoor use. A pool gate, a garden locker or a utility box is a fair job for them.
Outdoors, grit is the enemy of any dial. If the dials start to feel stiff, rinse the lock in clean water, roll every dial through all ten digits and let it dry. Hang the lock with the dials facing down when you can, so rain runs off them.
Where you need a heavier lock
Some jobs need more lock than we make. The shackle is what a thief cuts, and ours are sized for lockers.
| Job | Our locks | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gym, school or work locker | Yes | Sized for a standard hasp |
| Sports bag, toolbox, case | Yes | Slim shackle fits small loops |
| Pool gate, garden locker | Yes | The maker rates the body for outdoor use |
| Garage, shed door, storage unit | No | Needs a thicker, shrouded shackle |
| Trailer hitch, bike on the street | No | Needs a lock built for cutting attacks |
For those jobs, look for a heavier padlock with a thick shackle and a shroud around it. Buy it once and it will outlast the thing it protects.
Checked luggage
A combination lock on a suitcase feels safe, but airport screening can undo it. The Transportation Security Administration puts it this way:
If you decide to lock your checked baggage and TSA cannot open it through other means, then the locks may have to be cut.
Transportation Security Administration, Travel Tips: TSA recognized locks, read 27 September 2026
Our locks are not TSA recognized. So use them on a carry-on you keep with you, a gym bag or a locker at the other end of the trip. For checked bags, the TSA points travelers to locks its officers can open with a master key.
Want the full sizes before you choose? Our comparison page puts both locks side by side, drawn to scale. The FortLocks Gym Locker Lock and the FortLocks Combination Padlock share the same code and the same steel shackle.
Sources
- Transportation Security Administration: Travel Tips: TSA recognized locks, read 27 September 2026.