Do you lock up your skis?

[xxs_skier]

Going to Whistler during Spring Break and I was wondering how many of you lock up your skis? I've never really worried about anyone stealing mine (jr small skis), but I don't know how common it is as I see many skis without locks.

 

[Christy]

I don't, but I don't have a defense for that. I think it's a good idea to lock them, especially if they are newer. At Whistler for sure I would if you left them outside a bar in the village. I do know of cases where someone has accidentally taken skis that weren't theirs so there is that too. I have a sticker on mine for that reason.

 

[Jilly]

I lock mine all the time. I've had my carbon fiber poles stolen twice. But one of the biggest reason is that I ski a very popular ski. I want to make sure I get my skis. Even splitting them I've seen people get the wrong ski for 1 of the pair.

Locally there has been a problem. Ski keys are not that expensive and fit in your pocket.

Ski Key Canada

 

[MissySki]

Yes, I almost always lock mine. Makes yours less appealing when most others are an easy grab and go.

 

[Jenny]

Almost always.

 

[racetiger]

No, I honestly have never heard of doing that until the last couple years.

 

[mustski]

Nope. I never have. On occasion, I have split them and stashed them separately - but that’s it. I guess I’ve been lucky!

 

[santacruz skier]

^^^^ same as @mustski

 

[SkiBam]

I ALWAYS lock mine. Don't want a ski day ruined by missing skis, As @Jilly said, if you have a popular ski, it's easy for someone to make an honest mistake. If you're going to Whistler there will be ski key locks so it's no hassle.

I always remember the first day I demoed (the then quite new) parabolic skis - at St. Sauveur where there seem to be many thefts. I left my old straight skis in the rack, unlocked, and when no one stole them I decided they clearly of little value any more! (As if I needed an excuse to buy new skis...)

 

[santacruz skier]

Come to think of it, my SIL had her Black Pearl's accidentally taken from a shuttle bus....... it all worked out at the end of the day when hers were turned in. Meanwhile she had to rent skis for the day.
I'm not one that likes any stickers on helmets or skis..... but I might change that if I had a popular ski..... well actually I do....Sheeva 9 and Sheeva 10's..

 

[jthree]

OK so back in the day my dad bought Ski totes for the whole family. A carrier AND you could lock it to the ski rack!

But since those times, no. Wondering if I should get something for my new BP88's, if only because of the popularity?

I did notice at Killington that someone had Sharpi'd their name on their BPs which would at least prevent the mistaken identity issue.

 

[Jilly]

You can engrave some number of importance on your skis. But that makes it hard to sell down the road. Cable locks are good too. But you need to make sure you can get the cable through something...like a hole in the brake to secure it.

 

[TNtoTaos]

Nope, never have, but I also have very large, prominent stickers near the tips. I actually carry a cable with me, but have never really felt the need to use it. Maybe just lucky, I guess.

 

[TNtoTaos]

I lock mine all the time. I've had my carbon fiber poles stolen twice. But one of the biggest reason is that I ski a very popular ski. I want to make sure I get my skis. Even splitting them I've seen people get the wrong ski for 1 of the pair.

Locally there has been a problem. Ski keys are not that expensive and fit in your pocket.

Ski Key Canada

I looked up that Ski Key -- apparently it can only be used with a special rack that it fits into? I've never seen one of these racks.

 

[jthree]

I looked up that Ski Key -- apparently it can only be used with a special rack that it fits into? I've never seen one of these racks.

I've definitely seen these in Vermont but I didn't know about the key or where to get one. A lot of people just use them as a freestanding rack anyway.

 

[diymom]

I used to use a Ski Key all the time, but over time got frustrated that the racks meant for them usually just have a bunch of skis and boards leaned up against them, not actually locking them, and it wasn't easy to squeeze my skis in between to lock them properly. This year I started using a Dakine cable lock. It is larger than the ski key, but an advantage is that it is a combo lock and no key needed. I was always worried about losing my key, kept one on a lanyard, and the spare in my boot bag just in case. It really doesn't take any time to loop it through a binding and around the rack, and it fits easily enough in an inside pocket of my jacket.

The places that have the Ski Key racks generally sell the locks in their shops.

 

[jthree]

I used to use a Ski Key all the time, but over time got frustrated that the racks meant for them usually just have a bunch of skis and boards leaned up against them, not actually locking them, and it wasn't easy to squeeze my skis in between to lock them properly.

Sorry to be that person!

Totally makes sense that the ski area would sell the key I just never bothered to figure out how the whole thing worked.

 

[Iwannaski]

I use a small cable lock. You don’t have to make it IMPERVIOUS, just annoying to take and walk off.

 

[Myriad]

I've never heard of, or seen, anyone locking their skis on the hill, so it's not occurred to me to do so.

 

[tinymoose]

I usually will if they have the ski key racks since I own a ski key. Here in PA that almost always means I lock them up or valet them if the resort offers that (haven't been many places other than Montage recently which has the ski key racks). Otherwise, I usually don't bother at larger resorts out of state since I don't have a cable lock. Thankfully, so far it hasn't been an issue at larger, out-of-state resorts.