Boosted Safe vs Vaultek · specs checked Oct 23, 2026
Boosted Safe vs Vaultek: a cable, or the car’s own anchors.
Vaultek’s car safes are held in the car by a steel cable, a strap or a seat-rail bracket. Boosted Safe clips to your car’s LATCH anchors (called ISOFIX outside the US), the steel bars welded to the car’s body to hold a child seat. Below: Vaultek’s own published specs, where a Vaultek is the better buy, and our test footage.
Spec for spec, from Vaultek’s own pages.
The LifePod and the Slider are the Vaultek safes people put in cars. Every Vaultek figure below is what Vaultek publishes for that model, with a link to the page we read.
| Spec | Boosted Safe Elite | Vaultek LifePod 10 | Vaultek LifePod 20 | Vaultek Slider Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How it stays in the car | Clips to the LATCH anchors welded to the car’s body. The release is inside the safe. | A 48-inch steel security cable, included. | A 48-inch steel security cable, included. | A mounting plate. In a car: a seat-rail bracket ($19.99) or a strap mount with a security cable ($37.99), sold separately. |
| Body | 16-gauge steel | T3 polymer“Impact resistant proprietary material blend” | T3 polymer“Impact resistant proprietary material blend” | 16-gauge steel |
| Inside (L × W × H) | 15.1 × 13.6 × 4.25 in14.3 L | 7.75 × 6 × 1.75 in1.3 L | 9.625 × 7.25 × 2.125 in2.4 L | 8.875 × 5.625 × 2 in1.6 L |
| What it holds | A 16-inch MacBook Pro, or handguns (unloaded) and gearNothing longer than 15 inches | Handguns up to 7.75 in long | Handguns up to 9.25 in long | One handgun up to 8.875 in, plus one spare magazine |
| Opens with | Fingerprint, keypad, backup key | Keypad and keyFingerprint on the LifePod 10 Biometric | Keypad and keyFingerprint on the LifePod 20 Biometric | Keypad and keyFingerprint on biometric models. Wi-Fi app on the ViSN. |
| Power | 4 AA, USB-C emergency power | 9V battery, micro-USB backup power | 9V battery, micro-USB backup power | Power cable, or 4 AAA batteries |
| Weight | 15.4 lb | 2 lb 3 oz | 3.3 lb | 7.4 lb7.8 lb in a second spec list on the same page |
| Looks like | A child’s booster seat, under a quilted cover | A hard case | A hard case | A slim steel box |
| Water and fire | Not waterproof. Not fireproof. | Water resistant, airtight, floatsFire: not published | Water resistant, airtight, floatsFire: not published | Fire rated: noWater: not published |
| California DOJ roster | The Elite: no. The Golden Gate Elite is listed. | Listed (VLP10 models) | Listed (VLP20-BK, BLP20) | Listed (SL20i, NSL2i-BK) |
| Price on Oct 23, 2026 | $399 todayCover, cable and Faraday bag included | $109.99 to $119.99Biometric $159.99 | $169.99Biometric $209.99. Essential $147.99. | $169.99 to $279.99ViSN + Biometric $359.99 |
| Source | Elite product page | vaulteksafe.com | LifePod 20, Biometric | Essential, ViSN, rail mount, strap mount |
Vaultek figures are Vaultek’s published specifications and prices on vaulteksafe.com, checked October 23, 2026. Litres are worked out from the published inside dimensions. California listings are from the California DOJ roster on the same day. Prices change: check Vaultek’s site. Our price is today’s live price.
Fair is fair
Where a Vaultek is the better buy.
If one of these is the job, buy the Vaultek. We would rather you owned the right safe.
- It goes where you go.A LifePod 10 weighs 2 lb 3 oz and Vaultek says it meets TSA guidelines. Backpack, carry-on, boat. Our Elite weighs 15.4 lb and lives in the car.
- It floats.Vaultek says the LifePod is water resistant, airtight and floats. Ours is not waterproof.
- It mounts up front.Vaultek’s car mounts put the Slider on the seat rail behind the front passenger seat. Ours sits on the back seat. It is built for the hours you are away from the car.
- It costs less to start.A LifePod 10 is $109.99 to $119.99 on Vaultek’s site today.
Where we win
Where Boosted Safe is the better buy.
If the safe stays in the car while you don’t, these matter more.
- It locks to the car, not to a cable.Steel latches clip to the LATCH anchors welded to the car’s body. The release is inside the safe, so it comes off only after it has been opened. Bolt cutters go through a cable. We filmed it.
- Thieves see a booster seat.Under its quilted cover it looks like a child’s booster seat. A hard case on a cable looks like what it is.
- Room for a laptop.14.3 L inside. It fits a 16-inch MacBook Pro. That is about six times the room inside a LifePod 20, by Vaultek’s published dimensions.
- It moves to your next car.No tools. No drilling. No change to the car. Unlock it, unclip it, and clip it into the next car with anchors.
The tests
We put a Vaultek ViSN in a car and pulled.
Our raw test of the Vaultek ViSN, the full pull test against cable lockboxes, and the same test on our own safe. Tap any one for sound.
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Vaultek ViSN raw test: setup, pull test, fit checkThe safe felt solid. The cable-style tether was the weak point, and a laptop did not fit.
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Car safe pull test: cable lockboxes vs Boosted SafeSeveral cable-tethered safes came out of the car. The anchored one stayed.
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Elite raw test: setup, tool test, fit checkSame test, our safe. Uncut.
New from Vaultek, October 2026
The RS Vehicle Slider is a different category.
Vaultek’s new RS Vehicle Slider (SLV200i) is a rifle vault for the cargo area of a truck or SUV: a 14-gauge steel drawer for one or two AR-style rifles plus pistols. It weighs 88 lb, runs on 12V power, and is held by two tether cables or bolted down through holes you drill. It is $1,199.99 on Vaultek’s site (checked Oct 23, 2026).
- Pick the RS Vehicle Slider ifyou need a long gun locked into one truck or SUV and you are fine with a dedicated install.
- Pick Boosted Safe ifyou need handguns (unloaded), a laptop and valuables locked in the back seat, in whichever car you drive today. It does not hold a rifle.
Pick your safe. See everything you get.
Three safes, $199 to $464. Every one in 4 interest-free payments.
Mini EliteCertified booster seat
Smallest footprint, best disguise
Opens with your fingerprint
$742 of protection. Only $264.
Mini EliteSmallest footprint, best disguise$264
Break-in replacement guaranteeA thief damages it or beats it, we send a whole new safe.FREE · $264 value
Lifetime warrantyDefects covered for as long as you own it, plus parts and support for life.FREE · $149 value
Steel security cableIncluded with every safe. Loop it through a seat frame for a second tether.FREE · $20 value
Faraday bagFits a 16-inch laptop, an iPad or a phone.FREE · $25 value
Three-layer foam insertPick-and-pluck, egg-crate and a base layer. Shape it around your pistol, camera or laptop.FREE · $20 value
Boosted Safe EliteBest seller
Fits a 16-inch MacBook Pro
Fingerprint, keypad and key
$1,066 of protection. Only $399.
Boosted Safe EliteFits a 16-inch MacBook Pro$399- Break-in replacement guaranteeA thief damages it or beats it, we send a whole new safe.FREE · $399 value
- Lifetime warrantyDefects covered for as long as you own it, plus parts and support for life.FREE · $149 value
- Steel security cableIncluded with every safe. Loop it through a seat frame for a second tether.FREE · $20 value
- Free shipping, in a plain boxOn every order of $299 or more.FREE · $29 value
- Faraday bagFits a 16-inch laptop, an iPad or a phone.FREE · $25 value
Black booster-seat coverThe disguise. Quilted, black, fits like upholstery.FREE · $25 value- Three-layer foam insertPick-and-pluck, egg-crate and a base layer. Shape it around your pistol, camera or laptop.FREE · $20 value
Golden Gate EliteCertified for firearms
12-gauge steel · 37 lb
Fingerprint · CDOJ certified gun safe
$1,196 of protection. Only $464.
Golden Gate Elite12-gauge steel · 37 lb$464- Break-in replacement guaranteeA thief damages it or beats it, we send a whole new safe.FREE · $464 value
- Lifetime warrantyDefects covered for as long as you own it, plus parts and support for life.FREE · $149 value
- Steel security cableIncluded with every safe. Loop it through a seat frame for a second tether.FREE · $20 value
- Free shipping, in a plain boxOn every order of $299 or more.FREE · $29 value
- Faraday bagFits a 16-inch laptop, an iPad or a phone.FREE · $25 value
- Black booster-seat coverThe disguise. Quilted, black, fits like upholstery.FREE · $25 value
- Three-layer foam insertPick-and-pluck, egg-crate and a base layer. Shape it around your pistol, camera or laptop.FREE · $20 value
Almost everyone picks the Elite. Compare every model
Boosted Safe vs Vaultek: straight answers.
What is the difference between Boosted Safe and Vaultek?
How they stay in the car. Vaultek’s car safes are held by a steel cable, a strap or a seat-rail bracket. Boosted Safe clips to the car’s LATCH anchors, the steel bars welded to the car’s body to hold a child seat, and its release is inside the safe. Boosted Safe is also much bigger inside (14.3 L, it fits a 16-inch MacBook Pro) and looks like a booster seat. A Vaultek LifePod is lighter, costs less and floats.
How does a Vaultek LifePod attach in a car?
With the 48-inch steel security cable that comes in the box, through the LifePod’s cable attachment point. That is what Vaultek lists for the LifePod 10 and LifePod 20 (checked Oct 23, 2026).
Does a laptop fit in a Vaultek LifePod or Slider?
Not by the published sizes. Inside, the LifePod 20 is 9.625 × 7.25 × 2.125 in, the LifePod 10 is 7.75 × 6 × 1.75 in and the Slider is 8.875 × 5.625 × 2 in. None is long enough for a 13-inch laptop. In our raw test a laptop did not fit the Vaultek ViSN. The Boosted Safe Elite is 15.1 × 13.6 × 4.25 in inside and fits a 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Is the Vaultek Slider a good car safe?
It is a slim 16-gauge steel pistol safe for one handgun up to 8.875 in and a spare magazine. For a car, Vaultek sells a seat-rail bracket and a strap mount with a security cable, both separately. If you want a pistol safe mounted up front by the seat, that is its job. In our test of the ViSN, the cable-style tether was the weak point.
Are Vaultek safes on the California DOJ roster?
Yes. California’s roster of firearm safety devices lists 73 Vaultek devices, including LifePod 10, LifePod 20 and Slider models (checked Oct 23, 2026). From Boosted Safe, the Golden Gate Elite is listed: it is a CDOJ certified gun safe (see the listing). The Golden Gate Basic and the Boosted Safe Elite are not listed. This is not legal advice. Check the roster for the exact model.
What is the Vaultek RS Vehicle Slider (SLV200i)?
Vaultek’s new rifle vault for trucks and SUVs, added to its site on Oct 20, 2026. Vaultek lists 14-gauge steel, 88 lb, 36.22 × 13.9 × 4.13 in inside, room for one or two AR-style rifles plus pistols, and a price of $1,199.99. It is a dedicated install in one vehicle, a different category from a car safe that moves car to car. Boosted Safe does not hold a rifle.
Is either one theft-proof?
No. With enough time and tools nothing is secure. The job is to raise the time and the tool count. Bolt cutters go through a cable. Steel anchors welded to the car’s body take more of both. Watch the pull test.
Are they waterproof or fireproof?
Boosted Safe is not fireproof or waterproof. Vaultek says the LifePod is water resistant, airtight and floats, and lists the Slider as not fire rated. A safe in a hot car gets as hot as the car.
Can I keep a gun in a Boosted Safe?
Yes, handguns, stored unloaded. The Elite holds several in cut foam. For firearms in California, the Golden Gate Elite is the one certified for firearms. Storage laws differ by state: see where it is legal to keep a gun in a car.
Will a Boosted Safe fit my car?
US passenger vehicles from model year 2003 have LATCH anchors. Heavy trucks over 8,500 lb GVWR and some two-seat vehicles can be exceptions, so check your vehicle.
What comes with a Boosted Safe?
30-day money back. Lifetime warranty. Break-in replacement guarantee. Free shipping on orders $299+. The quilted cover, a steel security cable and foam are in the box, and every Elite comes with a Faraday bag that fits a 16-inch laptop, an iPad or a phone. Buying for two cars? Buy one, get one half off: 25% off every safe when you buy 2 to 9, 30% off at 10 or more, all six safes counted together. It does not stack with other codes.
Lock it to the car. Not to a cable.
Boosted Safe clips to the anchors your car already has. 10,000+ orders in all 50 states.