OldsnowboarderME
Member
:roll:
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About using Cable Locks
- Thread starter OldsnowboarderME
- Start date
Chris I
New member
I don't lock anything. I just make sure my edges are sharp so if they try grabbing it their fingers are cut off
billski
Active member
I have used locks since 1976 and never lost anything. I used to employ big thick honkers, but now I'm using the thin retractable cable, and that does the trick. Anything that makes it difficult to grab, including just cabling 1 ski of 3 pairs together. It doesn't need to be super secure, just difficult enough that you'd make a scene if you tried to disassemble.
That said, I don't lock it when I'm at a mid or summit station, kind of hard to grab and run....
I am super caution anytime after 12 noon at the base.
I was hangin' at the lodge late and the snow makers wanted to groom in front of the lodge. my skis were cabled to the racks. You should have seen the guys trying to move the racks with my skis attached, pretty funny; I ran out and lent a hand....
That said, I don't lock it when I'm at a mid or summit station, kind of hard to grab and run....
I am super caution anytime after 12 noon at the base.
I was hangin' at the lodge late and the snow makers wanted to groom in front of the lodge. my skis were cabled to the racks. You should have seen the guys trying to move the racks with my skis attached, pretty funny; I ran out and lent a hand....
millerm277
Active member
Nope. The thought does occur to me that it could happen though....but, I figure some deterrence is better than none.
Starter Jackets Rule!
New member
If some one wants your ski/board a lock will NOT stop them!
One swift kick with a ski boot will shatter any retractable lock ...small set of side cutters/Dikes will make short work of cutting threw the cable and in less than Thirty seconds your stuff will be GONE!
But do not be alarmed.
A thief will look at a locked set of gear and move on to ones that some dope left unattended.
One swift kick with a ski boot will shatter any retractable lock ...small set of side cutters/Dikes will make short work of cutting threw the cable and in less than Thirty seconds your stuff will be GONE!
But do not be alarmed.
A thief will look at a locked set of gear and move on to ones that some dope left unattended.
drjeff
Well-known member
Never had any locked gear stolen and I've been locking my gear for 29 seasons now (didn't lock my 1st season back in '79-'80 when I was on rental elan's with spademan plate bindings and safety straps 
As had been said, just the simple presence of a cable lock is more often than not enough of a deterrant to get the a$$hole that wants to steal gear to look pass your stuff and onto unlocked gear where them walking away with it will raise much less suspicion then cutting a cable lock first
As had been said, just the simple presence of a cable lock is more often than not enough of a deterrant to get the a$$hole that wants to steal gear to look pass your stuff and onto unlocked gear where them walking away with it will raise much less suspicion then cutting a cable lock first
thinnmann
New member
Locking depends on where I am and when I am there.
Where: At Hunter, Killington & PA mountains I would always lock them. At Belleayre and out west I don't worry as much.
What: I have a couple older cables that used to belong to those ski-tote thingies, from back in the 1980's or so. Chucked the totes, but I usually have a cable in my boot bag.
When: I use the cable on crowded weekends, especially in the afternoon, if I am skiing a semi-newer pair of skis. I will just loop it through one ski brake and I'm done. Lacking a lock, I might put one ski on a rack and another leaning against the lodge, splitting the poles too. Frankly, I am more worried about my poles than skis.
Other tactics: Leave them up the hill. For example, at Belleayre, at lunch, I usually leave my skis up the hill by lift 7. On weekends there are always a ton of race skis there from the race program that are much more attractive than mine, plus they are a long way from the parking lot.
Prevention: Buy your skis used on eBay, so you are probably not riding the targets of the thieves. There are so many great used and demo skis out there, I don't know why anyone buys retail....
Where: At Hunter, Killington & PA mountains I would always lock them. At Belleayre and out west I don't worry as much.
What: I have a couple older cables that used to belong to those ski-tote thingies, from back in the 1980's or so. Chucked the totes, but I usually have a cable in my boot bag.
When: I use the cable on crowded weekends, especially in the afternoon, if I am skiing a semi-newer pair of skis. I will just loop it through one ski brake and I'm done. Lacking a lock, I might put one ski on a rack and another leaning against the lodge, splitting the poles too. Frankly, I am more worried about my poles than skis.
Other tactics: Leave them up the hill. For example, at Belleayre, at lunch, I usually leave my skis up the hill by lift 7. On weekends there are always a ton of race skis there from the race program that are much more attractive than mine, plus they are a long way from the parking lot.
Prevention: Buy your skis used on eBay, so you are probably not riding the targets of the thieves. There are so many great used and demo skis out there, I don't know why anyone buys retail....
Starter Jackets Rule!
New member
I was at "Mid Vail and some chick that we were skiing with went inside to do things that only chicks do...well when she came back out from doing things that only chicks do her skis were GONE!
Sucked being her.
speaking of skis 4 sale..I have a pair of Head Magnums
Super Shapes @170cm with binders 4 sale Two days on them $450.00+shipping
Mint condition!
PM me for info.
(too short 4 me).
riverc0il
New member
Yea, but the deal is this: theft is a crime of opportunity and there are usually a lot of new high value skis that are not locked. So a thief is MUCH more likely to move on to the next pair rather than look suspicious by cutting a cable. There is absolutely no suspicion when a thief just picks up any old pair of skis. People might raise an eye brow when someone starts kicking or cutting a cable. I REALLY doubt people are out there looking to steal specific skis. They are just looking for any ole good pair they can find. Unless you have a Volkl Goat with Dukes... some people might be gunning for that type of setup LOL.
The other thing is this: I suspect many "thefts" are actually people who simply grab the wrong pair of skis (wrong size perhaps or similar look such as an 8800 versus a 8000).
I have read a lot of internet posts about thefts when people did not lock their skis. But I have never read a post about a pair of stolen skis when a lock was used.
As I like to say... a $15 insurance policy that will last for years and years and for many different pairs of skis is an absolute no brainer. At the very least, you won't be kicking yourself for not protecting yourself had you had skis stolen without a lock. That has to feel pretty crappy and I think that situation happened with a normal lock users on this very forum.
Starter Jackets Rule!
New member
"I have read a lot of internet posts about thefts when people did not lock their skis. But I have never read a post about a pair of stolen skis when a lock was used."
LOL waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day when I was a race coach working for WVVBBTS.
Some chump showed up at our house in Thorton(across from the town dump on 175).... well this drunk a-hole wanted a hack saw so he could cut the roof rack full of skis that he just yanked off someones car.
needless to say that b4 the local law was called he received a free beating followed up with a broken hand....
BeanoNYC
Active member
I'm with Bill on this one. I use a cable lock and feel confident that the would be thief would pass for an easier grab. Path of least resistance...
ERJ-145CA
Active member
I always lock my skis now with a retractable cable lock, I figure a thief will just grab some unlocked skis. I always lock them no matter how short of a time I'll be inside.
I did have my skis taken by mistake a couple of years ago at Belleayre. This was before I started locking them. I was in the lower lodge and leaned my skis against the wall outside while I de-booted and when I came out my skis weren't there. There was another pair of skis leaning against the wall so I looked in the open back of an SUV and there were my skis so I took them out of the truck. I figure it was a parent who grabbed my skis instead of his/her kid's skis as they were both covered in snow. It was a terrible feeling though when my skis weren't where I left them but it was a relief to find them.
I did have my skis taken by mistake a couple of years ago at Belleayre. This was before I started locking them. I was in the lower lodge and leaned my skis against the wall outside while I de-booted and when I came out my skis weren't there. There was another pair of skis leaning against the wall so I looked in the open back of an SUV and there were my skis so I took them out of the truck. I figure it was a parent who grabbed my skis instead of his/her kid's skis as they were both covered in snow. It was a terrible feeling though when my skis weren't where I left them but it was a relief to find them.
riverc0il
New member
Okay, that was completely irrelevant to locking skis at a ski area with a cable lock... but I guess I have seen my first posting regarding stolen skis that were locked... :roll:
Starter Jackets Rule!
New member
drjeff
Well-known member
+1
Oh and for the "absolutely no lock for me" crew here on the board, if some a$$hole walks off with your unlocked gear someday, no whining allowed
billski
Active member
Warp Daddy
Active member
lock user since i started skiing ---no stolen skis to date
As many have said, thieves take path of least resistance.
As many have said, thieves take path of least resistance.
millerm277
Active member
That's why I started using a lock...my Bandit BX's look very similar to B1's, which are very common skis..
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Hawkshot99
Active member
I have never tried to break a lock, but have cut many lock cables. People would bring in there locks that they forgot the combo to hoping we had a magic key or something. When the realized we didnt they often ask us to throw it out.
You do not need a large set of cutters, a small hand sized will work, if you have strong hands.
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