Ski trips and resort visits require a lot of gear! You’ll obviously want to make sure you have your skis and that they’re secured in your ski bag. You’ll also want to make sure you have your ski boots and all of your ski clothing. But one thing that may easily be overlooked as you’re packing for your trip is a ski lock of some kind.
What are ski locks?
You’ve probably seen people use a bicycle lock before to secure their bike somewhere when it’s not in use. Ski locks are essentially the same thing. They keep your skis (and even your ski poles) safe and attached to either a rack or other space where you know they can’t be stolen.
Types of Ski Locks
When you’re looking for the best ski locks, you’ll quickly discover that there are many different types available. Here are a few common ones you’ll find:
Cable Locks
These are the most common types of locks. They often feature a retractable cord that you use to wrap around your skis and secure them to a rack. These can be used with a key or with a combination lock.
How to Use: In general, you will wrap the cable around your skis, poles, and rack (or whatever you’re attaching them to) and snap the end of it back into the main body of the cable lock. There are many different types of cables available, though, so be sure you look at the specific instructions that come with yours before you use it.
Tether Locks
Tether ski locks are similar to cable locks, but they are more heavy duty. They wrap around your equipment similarly to cables and can be used with a key or combination lock.
How to Use: Wrap the tether around your gear, and then thread the lock through the tether. Again, you will secure this with either a key or a combination lock. Keep in mind that you will need to loop it through your gear, so these locks only work with objects that feature a closed loop of some kind.
Rack Locks / Ski Key
Rack ski locks only work with specific types of ski racks and are used with the Ski Key. These ski racks are common at both American and European ski resorts, so it’s not a bad option to go with if you think it will work best for you.
How to Use: With a rack lock, you will place your skis in the rack and secure them with a pin. You will then lock it with your Ski Key.
Key or Combination?
One important thing to take into consideration when choosing a ski lock is whether you want something that uses a key or a combination. There are pros and cons to both.
Key ski locks are a solid option because the only way to unlock them is with the key, rather than a stranger trying various combinations on your lock until they get it right. However, a key lock requires that you keep your key with you at all times. On the off chance that you lose it, you’re out of luck.
Combination ski locks, then, are nice because you don’t have to carry anything with you. All you have to do is remember your combination. Just make sure that you choose something that isn’t easy to guess but is easy enough to remember!
Other Things to Consider When Choosing a Ski Lock
Length of the cable/capacity
Obviously, you’ll want a ski lock that will be able to fit your gear! This shouldn’t be too much of an issue since skis and poles are not very wide, but if you’re planning on securing skis with a snowboard or other items, you’ll want to double check that your cable or cord is long enough.
Strength
You’ll also want to be sure that you have a ski lock or cable that is durable and won’t
break or snap easily! Plus, you will want to invest in something that will hold up to plenty
of ski trips.
Convenience
Last of all, convenience shouldn’t be overlooked! If you know you’re bad at remembering
combinations, go for a key lock instead. If a cable sounds like too much of a hassle, go with a Ski Key. Think about what will work best for you when you’re looking at ski locks.
Other Tips
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- Mark or label your skis. This will help you recognize them, especially if someone else happens to have the same pair as you!
- Separate your skis. If you’re out with a friend, you might want to consider splitting up your skis and pairing them with each other’s when locking them up. This is a classic technique that skiers use to prevent their skis from being stolen.
- Keep your skis where you can see them. It’s not always possible to keep your eye on your skis 100% of the time, but if you’re keeping them locked up for an extended period of time, try to check in on them or keep them in sight when you can!
Ski locks are clearly important when it comes to keeping your equipment safe from being stolen! Be sure you bring some kind of a lock system along with you on your next ski outing so that you can feel confident that you’ll leave the resort with all of the same gear you brought with you!
