 Poster: A snowHead
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Not on the mountain. My skis are pretty distinctive so no one would take them by accident, which I think is the main risk on mountain. But I do lock them at village level, if not within direct sight.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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As they are generally not insured, pretty much always with 2 combination cable locks when near to a lift station or a road i.e. anywhere that it's easy to carry them away. Otherwise I just tend to keep them in sight because being as they're fitted with Dynafit bindings, it is extremely unlikely that someone else could either accidentally or deliberately ski away with them. While on Alpine holidays etc, I'll also lock skis in the drying/storage room although I know this isn't much deterrence to that kind of thief. On holiday, I'll also always remove the liners from my ski boots at the end of the day and take them to my room. The shell is generic but the most precious part of the boot to me is the liner/footbed combination.
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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?
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| Shimmy Alcott wrote: |
| I don't think I've ever seen a locked pair outside a bar or restaurant? Is it dependent on resort? |
I now lock mine having has my skis stolen a couple of years ago from a mountain restaurant.
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I am quite surprised by the percentages of the ayes to the nays here. It seems to be overwhelmingly that folk lock their skis. Yet whenever I have stopped at a mountain hut the vast majority of skis are unlocked, it is a rarity for me to ever notice even one locked pair.
We never lock ours, nor do we split them, but do try and keep them in sight to keep an eye on them. In the thirty five years that I've been skiing, between myself and all my ski buddies, only one pair of boots have been stolen and that was from the hotel ski room. Thinking how many different stops we have made in that time for drinks, lunches etc. I reckon the likelihood, in my experience, must be similar to a plane crash.
We all have our own equipment and I think that one of the pros of this is that similar skis are much rarer, unlike hire gear, where there can be hundreds of same model skis on the mountain. This obviously cuts down on the chance of mistaken identity, which I think is more prevalent than theft. Although I reckon they would be more desirable to a thief than a hired pair.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Does anyone realistically steal rental skis rather than just take them by mistake? Ex-rentals must be worth a fraction of a nearly new pair, especially with rental bindings, and will be much harder to shift on ebay. I have a lock, but don't use it. When I get some nicer skis I might start though
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Just got a brand new pair of Salomon endure XT800s, so I will be locking and doing swapsies with the wife. Have also taken a picture of the tail with serial number and other codes. My old skis were old and I rarely saw anyone else with the same so did not really worry too much.
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Cable lock for our skis. Sometimes will swap skis if they are going to be in sight when we stop for a quick vin chaud, but otherwise lock them
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Steve77, yep they do, sons rental skis were taken, we waited just in case it was a mistake but it wasn't.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| cstreat wrote: |
| Always; would you leave a £ 500 bike unlocked outside a restaurant? Safeman locks are reasonably small, but with a quite solid wire; the thin wire ski shop Chinese ones are pretty fragile and break easily. |
It is a very different situation to leaving a bike unlocked outside a restaurant.
Anybody can walk along, pick up the bike, and ride off along the road on it. But a mountain restaurant (except if at the top of a base lift), you need skis to get there in the first place, so you just don't get casual passers by who might think "those look nice, I'll have them", the way you could with a bike.
That is why I do lock them at the base area if I am going to be out of sight of them. But not in the middle of the mountains.
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| jafa wrote: |
Borrowed a set of wire cutters from the lifty and off we go. No-one seemed to pay attention...
That seems reassuring........NOT |
No lock will stop a determined thief. It will only ever prevent the opportunist taking them, or them being picked up by mistake.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| AB Ski wrote: |
If my skis were stolen when I'd left them unattended and unlocked I'd anticipate the insurance company might be awkward. |
Not necessarily. The wording in my Direct Travel policy from last year, under what they will not pay for is theft when:
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Winter sports equipment you have left unattended in a public place unless the claim relates to skis, poles or
snowboards and you have taken all reasonable care to protect them by leaving them in a ski rack between
8am and 6pm
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Most of the policies I have had in the last few years have been fairly similar. They don't expect you to lock them outside mountain restaurants.
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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.
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alex_heney, I don't have any personal experience of this, and perhaps I'm too much of a sceptic, but might an insurance company not argue that 'all reasonable care' includes securing them in some way ? also what do they mean by ski rack - perhaps they mean the lockable ones that have started to become more common.
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You know it makes sense.
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| dode wrote: |
| I am quite surprised by the percentages of the ayes to the nays here. It seems to be overwhelmingly that folk lock their skis. Yet whenever I have stopped at a mountain hut the vast majority of skis are unlocked, it is a rarity for me to ever notice even one locked pair. |
Perhaps Snowheads take more care of their gear than the average punter 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| a.j. wrote: |
| But why would anyone WANT my crappy rental skis? |
Because they've arrived in resort and want to save the cost of the rental fee for a few days. Rentals are so commonplace noone would take a second look at them. Pinch them, ski them, dump them. Far less likely to get caught than if they pinched a set of brand new, unusual skis.
Just a thought
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Poster: A snowHead
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Tigski, that seems to me to be the only explanation. Other than maybe a British trait, although I know all snowheads ain't British.
I would be interested to see some sort of statistic, although I doubt they would be available, of a resort's total skier days vs number of stolen skis per season. I doubt it would be higher than 0.001%
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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feef, do you think the risk/reward of stealing skis to save a couple of days rent a worthwhile venture?
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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?
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keep thinking about it, never done it. Even bought some cheap combo locks once, but they didn't fit through the holes in the binding releases, so gave up.
Once (and perhaps this was going too far) Small Roll left them outside in a rack overnight in the arc1950 village, and I've picked 'em up in the morning on my way to the croissant shop...
Mrs Roll is a stickler for splitting them, which is all it really takes most of the time.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| AB Ski wrote: |
| alex_heney, I don't have any personal experience of this, and perhaps I'm too much of a sceptic, but might an insurance company not argue that 'all reasonable care' includes securing them in some way ? also what do they mean by ski rack - perhaps they mean the lockable ones that have started to become more common. |
If they meant that, they would have said "lockable ski rack".
They may be becoming more common in some places, but I haven't seen one on the mountain in the places I ski yet, so they really can't require that.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Tigski wrote: |
| dode wrote: |
| I am quite surprised by the percentages of the ayes to the nays here. It seems to be overwhelmingly that folk lock their skis. Yet whenever I have stopped at a mountain hut the vast majority of skis are unlocked, it is a rarity for me to ever notice even one locked pair. |
Perhaps Snowheads take more care of their gear than the average punter |
I suspect a lot more snowheads own their own skis than the average across all holiday skiers.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Checked by SCGB insurance and under the heading 'What you are not covered for' it states 'Ski equipment unless you take reasonable precautions to protect it (see note opposite) or it is locked in the accommodation you are using on your trip or out of sight in the locked boot or covered luggage area of a locked motor vehicle.'
and the indicated note states........ 'If it is not possible to lock your ski equipment (for example when stopping at a mountain side cafe), it is good practice to mix your ski equipment with that of your ski companions and store them separately, so that neither set is matching.'
In the event of skis being stolen I'm sure the first questions the insurers will ask is were they locked? and if not why? and what other precautions did you take?
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The replacement cost for my piste board is over a grand, with some weeks delay required to get one. Whilst most people couldn't ride it, any competent snowboarder can easily carry a spare board under their arm, and base area theft obviously doesn't require riding skills.
I've some cameras which cost about the same amount. I'd not leave any of those unlocked on the ground outside a cafe; why would I do the same thing with my board?
But then I don't insure any of my stuff, so I have to take care of it instead.
I rely on most people leaving their stuff unlocked. I don't have to be able to outrun the bear, I just need to be quicker than you. Especially if my gear's sexier.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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These days there is quite a second hand market for freeride / touring bindings which can get pretty expensive to replace. Often the bindings are worth more than the skis.
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Quite surprised to see all these 'yes' replies - I've never locked mine and I don't think I've ever seen a pair of skis locked.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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.
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| telford_mike wrote: |
| Quite surprised to see all these 'yes' replies - I've never locked mine and I don't think I've ever seen a pair of skis locked. |
Agreed, never seen it happen. Even swopping actually, although we do this regularly depending where we are.
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| alex_heney wrote: |
| you just don't get casual passers by who might think "those look nice, I'll have them", the way you could with a bike. |
I was on a lift in Courchevel 4 years ago and saw two guys skiing down, each carrying a pair of skis on their shoulders. Later found out that two people from our chalet had had their skis taken from outside a mountain restaurant.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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well i've just purchased a lock and shall be using it from now on
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| dode wrote: |
| feef, do you think the risk/reward of stealing skis to save a couple of days rent a worthwhile venture? |
I don't.. but I don't think the risk/reward of any sort of theft is worthwhile. That people steal anything in the first place suggests that it's a bit of sliding scale.
Some years ago, I had a 10 year old, oil stained and torn Nevica jacket stolen out of my car. It really was worthless. what does that say about the evaluation of risk and reward by some scrotes?
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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?
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I have locked my skis this season for the first time, because I have just bought brand new (latest model, rave reviews) ones which could easily be sold on. I never leave them unattended at resort level, locked or unlocked. It takes up very little space in a pocket or backpack. I probably shan't bother to lock them next season, just rely on swapping, since they will no longer be so desirable.
I use a Safeman, which has a more robust cable than I have seen on combination models - readily available online.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I wonder whether thieves may actually look out for locks on skis on the basis it probably means they're decent??? Just saying... I have only ever locked my skis (as well as keeping in view) in Val D'Isere, everywhere else in France up the mountain I've not felt the need and I have nice skis. Having said that, having my bike nicked was a right pain and I would hate to have my skis nicked, I just actually think locking them up may make it more likely to happen in a strange way...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Bike had two locks on too!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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In recent years I have always used a Safeman, provided free by the ski rental shop, I hire top end skis. Quick and easy to use but you do need something substantial to secure the cable to. In particular, resorts such as Val D'Isere and St Anton are theft zones.
Several years ago, late afternoon in Val D'Isere, we went to a bar on the main drag and outside the bar must have been many many pairs roadside, it looked so easy so we took our skis up on to a verandah. Sure enough, about 30mins later somebody rushed in to say that a van had pulled up and some guys got out, loaded up most of the skis and drove off, no doubt getting some decent kit amongst their haul. Ours up on the verandah must have been the only ones left. Don't remember the bar's name.
On the insurance front many policies do not cover ski theft if the skis are left unattended and unlocked.
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We always lock skis at restaurants etc. Use retractable combination cable lock. Agree if thief is determined, then this lock wont prevent them. But it is to try to reduce hassle factor.
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Re insurance, friend of mine had his board taken (outside KK IIRC) and the insurance company (can't recall which one unfortunately) wanted proof he had a cable lock on the board when he left it. Thankfully he bought one with his board that season and so still had the receipt. Only time I've heard of proof being asked for tho.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Maybe the safest rule of thumb would be to do as the locals do. They obviously know the local crime rates for this kinda theft. If all the locals lock their gear up then it would be foolish not to, similarly if none of the locals do then it may be pointless excercise.
Perhaps some holidaymakers are guilty of assuming crime rates in the mountains are the same as in the areas they live back home???
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We lock all of ours every time. Northcore Viper. We started doing that after my skis were nicked at the top of Val Thorens...utterly ruined a great day.
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