Anthony Bourdain is no stranger to travel.
The host of travel show “Parts Unknown,” which is entering its ninth season, spends more than 200 days a year on the road.
And in a short travel write-up with The New York Times, Bourdain revealed the five things he can’t travel without. He always has to take moleskin notebooks, books, something to rest his head on at airports or on planes, a few jujitsu uniforms, and a “hidden knife.”

Image from Lwp Kommunikáció on Flickr
That’s right, Bourdain keeps a hidden knife on him when visiting shady places. Here’s his rationale:
“If it’s a place with heavy street crime, I have this sneaky credit card that turns into a knife. It’s not something you’d want to get into a serious fight with, but it might be a rude surprise should someone grab you from behind as you enter your hotel room.”
From the image accompanying the article in the Times, Bourdain carries a Cardsharp from Iain Sinclair. This is one of the most popular credit card knives, which you can pick up for about $10, but it may be a mistake.
Why the Cardsharp is awful for self-defense
1) If someone grabs you from behind as you enter your hotel room, this knife is several steps removed from coming in handy. First, you have to take your wallet out of your pocket and pull the knife out. Then you have to go through the laborious process of opening it. Here are the three steps you need to do to open it up.
By the time the knife is out and engaged, it could be too late.
2) It’s not durable. In a pinch, the knife can be useful when open, but I wouldn’t bet my life on it. In fact, you may be better off simply using your keys or even a hotel key, which can be used to slash at an attacker’s eyes. There are ton of reviews saying the knife is not sturdy or well-built. In a real scuffle, there’s a good possibility of it failing in your hand.