While waiting for the research guys from Loughborough to develop the ultimate ski and board security device, I was wondering whether anyone can recommend any type of portable ski security device - i.e. something to stop expensive new skis from being nicked from outside a bar or restaurant.
Amazon offer combination retractable cable locks in the £5-£10 range. Does anyone know whether they are any good? My guess is that anything that encourages the scumbags to pass on to someone else's unprotected skis is better than nothing, but a genuinely effective device would be preferable.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Peterkct wrote:
While waiting for the research guys from Loughborough to develop the ultimate ski and board security device, I was wondering whether anyone can recommend any type of portable ski security device - i.e. something to stop expensive new skis from being nicked from outside a bar or restaurant.
Amazon offer combination retractable cable locks in the £5-£10 range. Does anyone know whether they are any good? My guess is that anything that encourages the scumbags to pass on to someone else's unprotected skis is better than nothing, but a genuinely effective device would be preferable.
I thimk they provide a little deterrent - when a mates jammed we cut the wire in about 20 seconds with a leatherman of which 15 seconds was getting it out of the pack.
The certainly prevent the post restaturant lunacy - as seen on the recent insideout trip to Tigmes when someone (no names ansta1 pickups up a set of white 177s when he was skiing green 165s
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
bertie bassett wrote:
I thimk they provide a little deterrent -
Thats about right,and only really of any use against the opportunist....and mistakes
Any decent tea leaf will have a pair of snips in his pocket anyway! I gave up on finding anything worth carrying long ago,and made up a length of plastic coated stainless cable c/w a combination lock. This stuff is multi stranded,and a real PITA to cut.
Have to admit though,a regular tactic of mine is to bury my skis behind a load of others,along the lines of safety in numbers.
My sons tactic appears to be covering his skis in gaudy stickers aka ratty old park skis! To be fair,they are,so not worth nicking anyway
Thanks for the replies, neither of which comes as a surprise.
I think it odd that none of the ski manufacturers has seen a marketing opportunity here. It would cost virtually nothing to embed a simple chip with a unique number that could be read by a proximity reader. If registered centrally, this would make it difficult for a thief to sell the skis on.
Lets hope the Loughborough guys come up with something. I would guess a small, but tough lockable device which simply gripped the ski and made it impossible to ski on could be fairly inexpensive. I am thinking of something along the lines of the locks which clamp onto disc brakes on motorbikes and thus make it impossible for the wheel to turn.
Anyway, for this season I guess I shall just have to resort to the usual tricks of separating skis and burying them under others.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Retractable cable lock is fine - stops the casual opportunist and the probably more likely accidental pick up (although other measures for that include having reasonably distinctive skis and stickers as above). Realistically I'm not looking to deter a pro thief, just someone who thinks they might as well swap their shitty hire skis for something fun. Ski theft just isn't a big enough issue to merit an OTT solution. Anyone who leaves skis unattended outside a bar in town however deserves to have them nicked though for negligence - either drink on the terrace or take em home and come out for apres in comfy shoes.
Peterkct, Brilliant idea putting a rfid chip in every ski and allow them to be monitored. I like it, I really do. If I was you I would be running to the patents office as fast as possible.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I use a retractable lock, as above its really a deterrent, why take the locked skis even if they are easily cut when there are plenty of unlocked ones.
Cant see ski manufacturers getting too excited about anti-theft devices, realistically would it make you chose one ski over another? For the vast majority of people no.
And what happens when skis get stolen... people go out and buy new ones!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Quote:
Peterkct, Brilliant idea putting a rfid chip in every ski and allow them to be monitored. I like it, I really do. If I was you I would be running to the patents office as fast as possible.
Are you serious? Apologies to Peterkct, but I think the idea is completely unworkable. Sure, you could subsequently prove they were your skis, but you could just as easily have your name branded into them. A chip buried in the ski won't stop someone pinching it. If you are lucky, and equip every ski shop in Europe with a reader free of charge, you might just make it harder for them to sell (to a shop, who probably aren't interested anyway). It would do absolutely nothing to stop drunks skiing off with them, someone just swapping with his skis for fun, or even the determined thief who sells them on the open market/Ebay/local bar.
These are skis, not Ferraris, race horses, or diamond necklaces. The problem is simply not significant to worry about.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
1. place your ski with your mates so it is o longer a pair of skis - place one odd pair on one end of the rack and the other odd pair somewhere else
2. leave your kids outside with the skis while you go inside for somefood and to warm up - nothing like character building
3. go with statistics the busier it and the older your skies are less likely theyre going to be stolen
The certainly prevent the post restaturant lunacy - as seen on the recent insideout trip to Tigmes when someone (no names ansta1 pickups up a set of white 177s when he was skiing green 165s
What sort of idiot would do that......!!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
A dyscalculic suffering from colour blindness perhaps?
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
[quote="foxtrotzulu"]
Quote:
These are skis, not Ferraris, race horses, or diamond necklaces. The problem is simply not significant to worry about.
What other easily portable things worth hundreds of pounds would you leave unattended and unsecured outside in public without worrying?
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
extremerob, Children - by far the best answer. Only snag is that I don't have any to hand.
For many years now it has been possible to get rfids buried in a motorbike. The theory is that the warning stickers deter professional thieves, though not joyriders (whom you put off with a robust lock). It has worked for me on two new bikes left parked in the street in London.
Perhaps I could leave an iPhone lying around so that the thief will nick that instead of the skis, since it is of similar value. But then, perhaps not.
I think I might invest in a Safeman. It looks a bit more robust than the usual retractable cable locks. Amazon currently have them on sale for £13.26, which is not bad.
Thanks everyone for your contributions.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Peterkct wrote:
Thanks for the replies, neither of which comes as a surprise.
I think it odd that none of the ski manufacturers has seen a marketing opportunity here. It would cost virtually nothing to embed a simple chip with a unique number that could be read by a proximity reader. If registered centrally, this would make it difficult for a thief to sell the skis on.
TBH, if you could get the same people that make chips for cats (a tiny microchip on which you can register your name and phone number) and they are installed in a living animal for £50, I suspect that someone could come up with a method of inserting a chip into a ski that would be unique to its owner and programmable only by authorised retailers and read by anyone with relevant scanner.
Anyone selling a pair of skis with a wiped chip or selling a pair with your details, once registered stolen, is easily prosecuted for handling stolen goods. That is a very effective deterrent, and allows ski shops and general public not to end up buying stolen kit. I would certainly be in favour of it.
A nice big sticker with "Stop, these skis have chips inside" would probably be enough deterrent to move people on to the next pair in the rack, which is really all that the wire lock devices will do. If they were left outside overnight in a quiet location there is every chance that they are going if they are worth money, but then we are talking about opportunist theft - I've never heard of someone having their ski lock cut to steal a pair of skis.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I do tend to use a 8mm cable bike lock to anchor my skis in busy downhill places. It's fairly light, coils up small and would need proper bolt croppers to get through. Think my bindings are worth more than my skis now
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Peterkct, superb idea re motorbike disc brake locks- the analogy for skis is to just put a padlock through the bit of ski brake that sticks up, probably more secure, lighter, cheaper than a cable lock.
Or just tele-no one will nick them or take them by accident.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
ed123 wrote:
Peterkct, superb idea re motorbike disc brake locks- the analogy for skis is to just put a padlock through the bit of ski brake that sticks up, probably more secure, lighter, cheaper than a cable lock.
Or just tele-no one will nick them or take them by accident.
Shame that on many bindings, all it takes is removing two screws and the brake is gone.
The tele idea on the other hand... loosen the heel, don't lose the ski?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Tbh just putting a unique number embossed into them, with a certificate, or even a website database, would be just as effective, much cheaper, and allow private second hand sellers to check authenticity.
A 'password' could be provided with new skis, log o and register your name, when you sell them on the details are transferred, simples.
I wouldnt bet on that, you don't need to emboss anything either just a QR code and the skis details, on a world wide data base link to all the police stations and lots of other social media
Think I should have another look at my option on this for next season
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Poster: A snowHead
