Is theft a real problem in resort

A snowHead

I (along with many others) often leave my skis propped up on the racks outside the mountain bars or restaurant whilst I'm inside having a drink or lunch. Is there much chance of them getting stolen? Does it happen often? Are some resorts worse than others? Although I do have a pull out cable lock I hadn't really considered using it before, but reading the balcony thread and people having skis pinched made me wonder?

A snowHead

I think its a pretty rare occurrence - especially up on the hill. Down below, is probably a different story.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

897sma Mis-match your skis with a friend if you're worried, its often not people wilfully taking your skis, its idiots picking up the wrong ones.

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If you carry a lock then use it !! Skis get stolen from everywhere and anywhere no matter what resort you are in and its definitely not a rare occurence.... Albeit its a rare occurence for me as I've never had my skis stolen !!

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I would say it happens in most, if not all resorts but it's not exactly rife and you just need to be sensible.

A lot of it is stupid or drunk people picking up the wrong skis by mistake. I would say on the mountain you're mostly fine - but be careful if you're eating/drinking in a bar that can be easily accessed on foot (ie Folie Douce in Val/Krazy Kangaruh in St Anton).

Down in town, I always lock my skis. Yes, a Leatherman can easily cut the wire, but it's even easier to grab the pair next to them which aren't locked.

We were eating outside a restaurant in Courmayeur once, and a guy in our group saw a bloke pick up his brand new skis and try to walk off with them. Luckily he spotted him and grabbed them back with some choice words.

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ansta1,

After all it is free

In all the years we have been doing just that we have only ever had one set stolen. My middle son had an accident (minor) and was taken back to the top of the telecabine. I left my skis in the rack and rushed in to see how he was. When we went to collect them they were gone, I do not think in this instance they were taken by mistake as they were the latest super duper skis of the time and at a point where it was easy to get back down the mountain on foot. I gather there had been a spate of such thefts! Way up on a mountain it is much more difficult to deliberately or accidently actually take a set of skis as they would need to be carried in most instances.

I have come out after lunch once and no sign of my skis. It was a rather late lunch. When I checked with rental shop they had been returned, obviously someone had taken mine by mistake.

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Depends where, as in any town. The Rond-Point in Meribel is right by the bus stop on the road so easy access for the light-fingered, and as people often leave drunk they frequently take the wrong skis just by accident.

A friend had a pair stolen in Meribel by another bus stop as he was getting something from his garage - someone jumped off the bus, grabbed them and jumped back on again. The same thing happened to me with a bag in Barcelona, so that's hardly unique to ski resorts..

Personally I've only had one set nicked so far, from a car park in Val d'Isere, but have come out of a restaurant somewhere to find my previously separated skis reunited on the snow just beyond the terrace (someone had obviously tried them but didn't fit).

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I've had my poles taken, probably by mistake as there were a crap old pair left nearby.

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897sma, much more likely to happen near roads. There have been gangs in mini buses in France drive up and nik the skis so they can sell them in the south of france. If it happens up the mountain more likely drunk / idiots. I carry a lock but the wire could easily be cut though.

897sma, this

You know it makes sense.

depends what you class as a "real problem".

I know of a few that have had skis stolen.

but then if you ski on several bashes with 100+ people, the chances are you're more likely to come across someone who's had skis nicked, than if you ski as a family or single.

I lock mine... not to prevent a thief running off with them, but because my insurance has words to the effect of "forcibly removed". especially in and around resort level or a restaurant by the top of a gondola or cable car.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

My sons skis were stolen from outside the lift office in Vaujany, very busy thoroughfare and close to parking/cars. Daughters skis were stolen from a locked boot room in a chalet hotel in Les Deux Alps along with most of the others in there! More unusual in the mountain I think, but more people are using locks, needless to say we do now! But mostly at village level.

A snowHead

I'm very tempted to buy one of these for this season:

A snowHead

Learn to ski Telemark.
Most punters will think your bindings are broken already and will leave your kit well alone snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

those that have locks, what do you use ?

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I have one that's a bit like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pocket-Retractable-Cable-Combination-Lock/dp/B0014IW97O?tag=amz07b-21

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I just use a 10mm to 12mm coiled cycle lock. They fit in a pocket or bag fine, and are much tougher to cut through. If I had to replace my skis and touring bindings in resort it would prove very expensive, so I prefer the added security.

http://www.tesco.com/direct/squire-zenith-cable-lock-12mm-x-1800mm/795-3580.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=795-3580

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kryptonite-kryptoflex-1218-coiled-key-cable-with-flexframe/

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Having read this thread and am travelling with new skis this winter, anyone got any recommendations of ski locks? The post above says 'sold out'.
Thanks

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My piste snowboard cost more than a grand. I've the odd camera which costs about the same. Neither will I leave unlocked outside a bar. I don't use the "purpose built" locks as they are so flimsy I think the edge of a park ski could probably split them... I have a slightly beefier cable which works well and still doesn't weigh much.

My bike lock on the other hand weighs about half the weight of my bike.

After all it is free

Never had my skis stolen, but they were carried off in error by a South African who swept up all the skis he could see and took them to a bar a few blocks down the road. Had me worried for a while. Shocked

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My wife had a pair taken at our hotel in ValD but got a trial pair of Salomons for the day. Woman brought hers back at the end of the day with the remark "I couldn't find mine so I took these"!! It cost me a few hundred as my wife decided she preferred the Salomons to her 2 year old Heads!!!

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I'd guess about 90% of hire skis that go missing are an honest mistake of identification, some people simply pick up the wrong skis because they look like their own, this tends to happen at mountain restaurants since to get there you need typically to arrive on your own skis, resort thefts are different though, they are done typically by people (sometimes groups of people with vehicles) and the skis will often end up in another country.

You know it makes sense.

It's also a good idea to keep your kit in your apartment or room rather than leaving it in a ski locker; reports do seem to be growing each season of people simply breaking into locker rooms and taking everything in sight.

E.g. in Morillon last season, 45 lockers were broken into across multiple residences on the same night.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I am skiing a fair bit throughout the season, and most weekends. If a group of us are at a larger resort, we always split our skis up - just in case.

At Montafon last year, my Volkl Shiros were brand new, and at the apres I stood where I could keep an eye on them. Probably paranoid after reading this site - none of my Norwegian friends have ever thought about ski theft.

A snowHead

http://www.edgeandwax.co.uk/32398/products/dakine_cam_lock_ski_and_snowboard_lock.aspx

I have the one in the link above and never had any issues with the locks freezing etc.

A snowHead

My daughter was working in VT the season before last. She woke up one morning to find that all the skis and boards from her block of apartments had been stolen, about 30 or 40 sets in total. Seems the local plod weren't in the least bit interested.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

From the research I did a couple of years back when looking at an alternative to locks then the worst place is France for ski theft, it would appear that there are some organised gangs working out of Lyon who are responsible for many of the proper thefts of multiple sets of skis.

Also chalets in some resorts are targeted, as they are usually pretty easy to get into during the day, La Tania had a few a couple of years back, so also good to think about what you leave in your chalet room!

Oh and on poles!

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I've had skis stolen. One set from the bus stop in Courchevel (kids skis). I had an entire ski bag stolen off the back of a transfer bus with skis/snowboard, 2 helmets in it on our way from the airport to Peisey. I NEVER get on the bus now until it is leaving and watch like a hawk at every stop. It ruined the holiday for me. I always lock my skis even on the mountain. I'm probably a bit paranoid TBH rolling eyes

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I've had just one ski pinched while I was taking a well deserved beer up the hill just after the lifts closed.

However, I was then texted a photo of it sitting in the boot room of the Hotel.

Mates, who needs them Evil or Very Mad

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I've had skis stolen. One set on a balcony. Another set stupidly just left lying on the piste outside a restuarant. Both events in Val Thorens.

I've also taken another person's skis by mistake. Saas Fee. Fortunately quickly discovered when got to first lift, and returned before real owner discovered.

I now always ski with a lock and lock skis up every time.
Even this can cause trouble: sitting in a restaurant in Tignes Le Lac a waiter approached and enquired of i had a set of skis locked up outside. I did. But had included another person's skis. Sad

So be careful where you thread that wire. rolling eyes

After all it is free

I never understand people who don't lock their kit up one of my boards and bindings was over 750 quid and you wouldn't leave a bike worth that much unlocked outside, after someone had a good go at my lock in mayrhofen I bought one of these as it's a bit more heavy duty. http://eu.dakine.com/p/backpacks-and-gear/accessories/snowboard/cam-lock

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Is theft a real problem in resort

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