Locking your board

[Surf Quebec]

When going in the chalet, do you lock your board ?

If so do you use a ski-key or a retractable cable lock ?


Last week, my retractable cable lock (KUU) didn't want to open, so I've asked for pliers at the shop and the guy just give them to me. I could have cut any lock and go away with the skis or snowboards.
It just took me a second to cut my lock.

[nekdut]

Cable lock, but I always assumed it could be easily defeated (thin cable, plastic housing). Its more that its just a deterrent than anything, and at least makes me feel better about leaving my gear out.

[corey_dyck]

Agreed on the deterrent. A determined thief is going to get it no matter what, just make sure it's easier to steal someone else's rather than yours and the lazy thieves will leave yours. I use something like this:

The one I have happens to fit through Intec holes, though just about anything will fit through the binding bails. If you want to be really anal, stop and turn around a few times when walking away from boards. Someone (bobdea?) mentioned that most thefts occur before you're even inside the lodge.

I continue to be stunned/impressed at how boards & skis are typically left unlocked in Aspen. Outside stores/restaurants, by park benches, etc. They wouldn't last long at the places I typically ride.

[Cousin of Beagle]

Yes, I lock all the time. Ski-key. Tiny. Fits easily in the pocket.

[lowrider]

One of a kind board, one of a kind plate most thieves wouldn't even know what it was.

[nitro]

I lock it up at my local hill with just a thin cable lock also I have the nalgene & multi tool on the cable as well.
The wind cant blow the board over either.
Lowrider has a point most people think I ride mono ski who would ever steal one of those

[NSSage]

I lock my equipment up with a Dakine cable lock whenever I have to leave it out of sight I know it could be cut easily but it gives me some peace of mind that my equipment will be safe for the short period of time I leave it alone. Im not so worried here because I have only me one person who knows what it is, anyone looking to steal it would not even know how to put their boots in it (I use intecs and people really trip out when they see them).

[philw]

+1 to the lock.

My board cost a grand; the bindings add more, plus if I'm riding in North America then it's the only one on the continent practically, so I can't replace it if someone takes a fancy to it.

By analogy, I've some cameras which are probably worth the same second-hand. Would you leave a thousand quid's worth of camera sitting on a shelf where thousands of people walk past whilst you have a coffee? I certainly wouldn't.

Snowboard locks are often really trivial to break; as the image above, you can get significantly beefier locks which don't weight much more.
Locking the bindings is only a screw removal away from being useless however... anyone got a line on non-standard screws for bindings? They'd be a hassle for other reasons, but maybe that's the way to go.

One advantage of a race deck: they have to carry it away if you leave it mid-mountain as most of them can't ride it.

[kieran]

use two of these in adjacent insert holes, or one next to your binding if it cannot be unscrewed. thread cable through, and secure to your immovable object of choice.

[michael.a]

As with bikes, Ive used everything from cheapo locks that probably could be forced open with your hands to the big ass beefy chains with a padlock. Didnt really matter though, they still got stolen. If a thief is really that determined, your board is gone.

Although I do use a thin cable lock with my boards, my only fail safe solution is to never leave the board out of sight. Considering how big of a pain it is to always keep one eye on your board from a window or to step outside every few minutes to check on your board, I basically stopped going inside lodges located at the base of the mountain or any restaurant/chalet accessible by non-skiers. Anything higher up is ok. Im anal.

[scrutton]

I've asked for pliers at the shop and the guy just give them to me. I could have cut any lock and go away with the skis or snowboards..

He probably figured that a professional thief would have brought his own tools of the trade.

[GV27]

One of a kind board, one of a kind plate most thieves wouldn't even know what it was.

+1. My setup is not THAT obscure, but I still reckon my board is safer without a lock than a high-end Burton is with one.

I continue to be stunned/impressed at how boards & skis are typically left unlocked in Aspen. Outside stores/restaurants, by park benches, etc. They wouldn't last long at the places I typically ride.

Maybe it's a Colorado thing then. Don't want to jinx myself but in 40 years of skiing and snowboarding I've never had a rig stolen. Only had someone in my party lose a pair of skis once. At Vail, naturally. Like 20 years ago. I just see boatloads of super nice skis an boards all over the place and very rarely see a lock on any of them. Heck, at Loveland people don't even bother to rack their gear. They just click out and walk into the lodge!

[corey_dyck]

I'd hazard a guess that some board thieves aren't hyper-educated in the latest and greatest innovations in board technology and fashion. Someone sees a whole rack of similar boards and one big one with intricate aluminum parts and carbon fiber - which one would they think is worth more money?

It's a moot point as it only matters if your board is the one that's stolen though. I find the extremely minor inconvenience of putting a lock on my board gives me so much more peace of mind. Everyone has to decide for themselves where their concern:work ratio sits.

[darko714]

Never lock. I always figure any potential thief will take one look at my rig and think: "WTF?" Also, I know just about all the hardbooters who ride around here, no one has had a board stolen, as far as I know. If they ever did, the word would be out. Whoever stole it would have to take it far, far away.

[Futahaguro]

[QUOTE=corey_dyck;371588]Agreed on the deterrent. A determined thief is going to get it no matter what, just make sure it's easier to steal someone else's rather than yours and the lazy thieves will leave yours. I use something like this:

QUOTE]

Mine is similar to this one but shorter. I have softies so I can put it through the bindings and I usually ride with a backpack to stick this into. If I don't ride with a pack I don't go inside much

I'm with everyone else. I spent a lot of hard earned money on my board and it would be really annoying to have it stolen. Which reminds me, I need to put it under my insurance

[crucible]

I use a cable lock- like the ones you would use to lock a nice bike to a bike stand.

I have also buried my spare board in the snow, far enough to keep it from prying eyes and grooming snowcats, but close enough to switch it out between trips to the lodge.

At a new ski area, I make sure that I take a GPS waypoint with my phone after I have stashed it, just to make sure that I can find it again...

Geo

[Cousin of Beagle]

I have also buried my spare board in the snow, far enough to keep it from prying eyes and grooming snowcats, but close enough to switch it out between trips to the lodge.

At a new ski area, I make sure that I take a GPS waypoint with my phone after I have stashed it, just to make sure that I can find it again...

Geo

That's also a good idea for storing sandwiches and beverages for the day.

[RideGuy]

I always use my ski key. Always.

Years ago when I was teaching I had my board leaned up against the ski school meeting place sign and ran inside for a minute. Some kids tried to steal it. The first kid picked it up and through it in the woods. The second kid took it out of the woods and was trying to walk away with it. It was an Oxygen SX with plates so it was pretty unique. One of the other instructors recognized my board and stopped the kid 20 feet from the property line. Too bad. If he had waited another 10 seconds we could have actually nailed the kid and his friend for theft.

[C5 Golfer]

Ski Key -- works great

[Cousin of Beagle]

Skikey is extremely robust. It would take significantly more than a couple of seconds to steal a board, as opposed to using a cable lock.

A few years ago, I emailed skikey. I asked them if there is a master key available. There is no master key. If someone loses their key, the lock would have to be drilled out.

[jtslalom]

At my local resort, my board NEVER leaves my side. I will bring it with me every where I go. There is a policy that no skis or snowboards are aloud in the lodge but I ignore that. Theft is an absolute at my local hill. It is sad to say but if you have a nice board with new bindings and its not locked, its stolen.

The same is not true for hard boards and bindings. Most thieves at my local resort are to ignorant to recognize their value and will pass them up when trying to steal a board. However I still lock mine.

[CarvingScooby]

Cypress Mt Resort (New) Management nicely remind us the potential of loosing your gears and at the same time promote Cypress shop...
I feel confident to leave boards locked, I use Cable (similar to Corey's) and or Retractable (Kryptonic) and leave it away from my sight. I like these kind of locks as I don't have to carry more keys and never froze, not like keys...

Cheers,
RT

NOTE: Take pixs of your quiver for your library and keep it up todate and store them where you wud be able to retrieve anywhere for proof. My 2 cents.

[philw]

Just ordered a couple of those "A4-AISI 316 Stainless Steel Eyebolt DIN 580 - 308.110.006" jobbies, which should fit nicely in the inserts under my rear foot on piste boards.

For no reason other than I happen to have a snap handy, here's the pre-eyebolt version demonstrating reasonably secure storage, this with a "lifeventure" cable lock which is a fair bit beefier than standard snowboard locks (which I reckon I could break with one hit from a board edge against something metal). This one's a little tougher.

[AutumnOrangeGT]

I don't really worry about my carving boards as I rarely see any other hard boot snowboarders. I'll lock up my doughboy shredder when I take it up though

[utahdeafcarver]

Sometimes I lock, sometimes I don't. Interesting hypothetical though: Imagine you're in the lodge and you see your board getting lifted by some kid in tennis shoes. You're in hardboots. The thief could outrun you for sure. Your only hope is to yell for others to stop the thief. Makes me think it's certainly worthwhile to lock up my boards!

[b0ardski]

I love living in N. Idaho, not much theft problem here, ofcourse if I had $1-2k worth of board sitting there I'd think twice about it.

[xy9ine]

nice board. standard sl, or a wider variation?

[philw]

That's the standard SL, stock model from 2010-2011.

The first time I rode it last season I hit a mogul field doing about twice as fast as I thought I was doing. I hadn't particularly noticed the width but looking at it there it's looking significantly wider than some I've ridden. My angles have been mellowing since the heady heights of the early 2000s... down to around 53 parallel now.

Today I equipped that with one "M6 A4-AISI 316 Stainless Steel Eyebolt DIN 580 - 308.110.006". With a slightly shortened thread as it was too long for the inserts as expected. There's plenty of space under the rear binding. Looking at it I think I need to fit the second one too as you could unscrew all the standard screws and then rotate binding plus this all together.

[Futahaguro]

That's the standard SL, stock model from 2010-2011.

Looking at it I think I need to fit the second one too as you could unscrew all the standard screws and then rotate binding plus this all together.

How long are you leaving it locked up?? I would imagine if I saw someone doing that I may have to wonder what the heck they were doing and inquire.

[dochalliday321]

When I go somewhere that I know I can't keep an eye on my ride I use a cable gunlock. I first tried it out after the gunlock wouldn't fit my rifle. It's 1/4 inch stainless steel cable with a plastic coating and uses a key. It also fits in my pocket with minimal weight. But mostly at Killington I can watch it, and I've seen what happens to thieves in vermont, it's not pretty and it's not legal, but after being beat up by half a dozen people and then getting cuffed and stuffed by the Trooper who is also kinda rough on them I think they tend to stay away.