 Poster: A snowHead
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Rolled up in Val Tho yesterday.
Everyone seems to be talking about the large number of skis, poles and boards being lifted from public areas, like mountain restaurants, this year.
Anyone hearing or seeing a similar trend in France, Austria, Switzerland or anywhere else?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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No trend discernible in Tignes.
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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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Mostly it is people picking up the wrong rental skis because they look the same as theirs or else getting a bit typsy and forgetting where they left them. This is then reported as theft to ensure that either they or the rental company can make an insurance claim.
But hey why not start ANOTHER misleading thread with an alarming title. It’s only Monday.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| nozawaonsen wrote: |
But hey why not start ANOTHER misleading thread with an alarming title. It’s only Monday. |
France is not safe for your skis.
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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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@Whitegold, ...not where we are. The market in used skis is pretty slack, I can’t see that bulk thefts make any sense.
In the past five years in the Valais, only heard of two instances of lost/stolen skis. One was a third hand account, the other was a neighbour who lost a pair at Violettes.
We leave millions of gbp-worth of kit lying on the snow and a tiny proportion go missing. If worried, just put them in a weird place or against a window you can see.
No one in their right mind would want my rock skis. I am not even sure I want them.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We always split our skis. Still didn’t stop an idiot picking up an odd ‘pair’ (different colour/ different size) leaving two of us stranded. The person appeared about 45 minutes later having made a return trip in the bubble - not her fault of course!!
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Nothing new...
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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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nothing where we ski
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My poles got taken from outside CocoRico (luckily only cheap ones), although I'm assuming it was probably more because someone was very drunk rather than intentionally stealing a cheap pair of poles
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I have never had my gear lifted, neither have I ever heard of any of my friends gear going missing, whether stopping for a drink, lunch or the post activity couple of jars - hopefully I haven't jinxed myself now, but I guess if you keep an eye out for any untoward attention in the vicinity of your equipment then you lower the possibility of it disappearing.
If you're heading out on the lash then take your gear back to your accommodation and then hang one on - never been a problem for me!
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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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| nozawaonsen wrote: |
| Mostly it is people picking up the wrong rental skis because they look the same as theirs or else getting a bit typsy and forgetting where they left them. ... |
This - which in my view is the main reason for splitting skis at restaurants. Recently was with someone who managed to pick up the wrong set twice in one day! Luckily they were for a different boot size so they didn't get very far.
I don't think it helps that rental companies now typically mark their kit with just a small sticker and a bar code - which is great for checking it in/out of the shop but more tricky for the hirer to identify. Ten years ago they probably stencilled a larger identity number on each ski.
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i lock my stuff up. Its my own stuff & i dont fancy being left stranded because someone took a fancy to my fancy gear.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
But hey why not start ANOTHER misleading thread with an alarming title. It’s only Monday
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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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2 of my friends have had skis vanish in Meribel - different years for each incident, but enough to make us all carry locks.
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Poster: A snowHead
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The first time I was aware of significant ski theft was back in the 1970s, when an entire rack of skis was lifted from the roof of a car in Aviemore.
It hit me personally in the early 1990s, when a brand new* pair of K2 skis was stolen from outside a mountain restaurant above Les Deux Alpes. Naturally I'd split the pair ... and it made no difference. Ski thieves are capable of playing 'snap'. The mid stations of gondola lifts (as in that instance) are useful to thieves, for an easy getaway.
The thread title is unlikely to be "misleading". It says exactly "Lots of Skis Being Stolen in Alps". A similar title for London might read "Lots of Mobile Phones Being Stolen in West End".
I'd sooner question the word "Everyone" that kicks off the 2nd line. The 3rd line doesn't seem to be delivering any response, so far. Whether Alpine police forces release trend data on ski theft is an open question, and would obviously be better than anecdotal information.
My advice: ski with a backpack (useful anyway) and use a quality 'coil' type bike lock. Not a Mickey Mouse ski lock. They are sold in bike shops with recognised security ratings. Coil the cable as tightly as possible around the section of the skis between the toe and heel binding units ... and the ski poles in the same bundle ... and to any useful mooring.
I can't personally vouch for any of these (having not bought one recently, and I use a D lock for my bike) but have used similar cable locks in the past ... so these look to be worth a punt ...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-MASTER-LOCK-BIKE-SECURITY-LEVEL-4-8MM-X-1800MM-LENGTH-KEY-PIN-CYLINDER-COIL/352112974958?epid=2256246381&hash=item51fb919c6e:g:tfkAAOSwmFNZZ4cD
http://www.argos.co.uk/product/7605288
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quality-5-Digit-Resettable-Combination-Bicycle/dp/B014P5LP90?tag=amz07b-21
* that I'd helped to lay up with fibreglass before they went into the mould at the K2 factory - then on Vashon Island outside Seattle. A tragic loss!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Jt's kinda like a helmet thread - re locks -those that are bothered do , those that say don't bother itll never happen are almost always right
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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 am 'fairly' sure most people wouldn't leave their bike in a public area in the UK without locking it up in some form. (save for the one chap at our local station who leaves a pink and rusty mountain bike with some antiquated form of suspension on it).
I don't understand why a set of ski's or a snowboard would be treated differently.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Learn to ski Telemark.
Your skis will look old fashioned/broken and other Telemark skiers are not thieves 
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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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@Richie_S, I take your point but if you were leaving your bike somewhere that only those on a bike could access theft would be much lower.
As others have noted the market for second hand skis isn't as big as bikes.
I think @Dave of the Marmottes, nails it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Richie_S wrote: |
I am 'fairly' sure most people wouldn't leave their bike in a public area in the UK without locking it up in some form. (save for the one chap at our local station who leaves a pink and rusty mountain bike with some antiquated form of suspension on it).
I don't understand why a set of ski's or a snowboard would be treated differently. |
Because the probabilities of bike versus skis being nicked are entirely different.
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I have an unfashionable board ( Endevour) so its not likely to get pinched, but if I had a cool one, and was worried about it being nicked. I would crank the high-backs up to the max when I stopped out side the dodgy piste-side bar.
Anyone trying to ride off on it would soon get a high degree of thigh burn and upper leg discomfort.
In the unlikely even of it getting robbed, simply walk around the apres bars and look for the person walking like they've got a carrot up their ass.
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| Quote: |
Richie_S wrote:
I am 'fairly' sure most people wouldn't leave their bike in a public area in the UK without locking it up in some form. (save for the one chap at our local station who leaves a pink and rusty mountain bike with some antiquated form of suspension on it).
I don't understand why a set of ski's or a snowboard would be treated differently.
Because the probabilities of bike versus skis being nicked are entirely different.
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Clearly. I mean look outside any mountain restaurant - I'd say 95% plus are unlocked. It clearly IS different!
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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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Heard of a few going missing outside bars in town. Nothing up the mountain
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| BobinCH wrote: |
| Heard of a few going missing outside bars in town. Nothing up the mountain |
In town, or near the top of gondolas are the danger points; anywhere where you can get to without already having a set of skis with you already, as it's pretty difficult and obvious to be skiing carrying another pair of skis.
I use a lock, mainly to deter people who *don't* want to steal my skis. I actually came out of a restaurant to find some bloke yanking at my skis swearing away, saying "who the F*** has but a lock on my skis ?". He still didn't believe me that they weren't his until I pointed out my name tags ( another good reason for having them). He then demanded that I tell him where his were !
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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A chap I worked with while seasoning in VT was arrested for stealing skis. He and his accomplice would climb up the outside of apartment blocks at night and pinch skis from balconies, before selling them on. Have never left skis on the balconcy since then...
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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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| eblunt wrote: |
| ... as it's pretty difficult and obvious to be skiing carrying another pair of skis. |
Not really, I often ski around with a second pair of skis on my shoulder, never had anyone question me about it.
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| rjs wrote: |
| eblunt wrote: |
| ... as it's pretty difficult and obvious to be skiing carrying another pair of skis. |
Not really, I often ski around with a second pair of skis on my shoulder, never had anyone question me about it. |
Pretty bizarre way to go sking 😀
Do you also have 2 pairs of poles etc?
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You know it makes sense.
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Elder daughter had her skis stolen from the locker outside her apartment while working in vt four years ago. So did a dozen or so of her neighbours the same night.
I think I posted on here about it at the time
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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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I had some renters nicked from that boozer at the top of Meribel. Near the grand couloir entrance. I was advised it'd be someone smashed. The only ones left looked nowt like my renters either.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Mon 26-03-18 20:05; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Tignes addict wrote: |
| rjs wrote: |
| eblunt wrote: |
| ... as it's pretty difficult and obvious to be skiing carrying another pair of skis. |
Not really, I often ski around with a second pair of skis on my shoulder, never had anyone question me about it. |
Pretty bizarre way to go sking |
Pretty standard way to ski before and after a race.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Tignes addict wrote: |
| rjs wrote: |
| eblunt wrote: |
| ... as it's pretty difficult and obvious to be skiing carrying another pair of skis. |
Not really, I often ski around with a second pair of skis on my shoulder, never had anyone question me about it. |
Pretty bizarre way to go sking 😀
Do you also have 2 pairs of poles etc? |
Used to be quite the cool look out west - zipping around first thing with a pair of skis on shoulder. Trying to remember where I was going, think was just a good way to move gear pre or post service.
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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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We had 4 pairs go goggles stolen from communal store in our block, 400 euro worth. Is it coincidence that we now have 1 airbnb renter
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Not in the Alps, but Japan. I was surprised to see ski/board theft warning signs at the Furano Kitanomine base lift station. I hadn't seen them anywhere else in the 10 plus resorts I've visited.
In the case of the Kitanomine lift you can walk off the street, up a staircase/lift one floor, step outside, grab what you fancy and return pretty much unobserved, and walk into town.
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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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Can we get insured against this?
Then we might get lucky and get a new pair of skis 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Perhaps I should paint my skis two different colours ... Red & Green.
Then stick them together so they look like a non pair.
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On an early ski holiday I accidentally took someone else’s skis. I took them back to the hire shop as they kept coming off to be told they were an instructor’s. She was there and wasn’t happy - oops. Since then we always use ski straps.
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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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I very nearly walked off with someone elses skis and poles earlier in the season. They had *exactly* the same skis and poles as me. It was only because I had written my name on mine that I spotted my error! Had it not been for that I'd probably be posting 'dunno about ski theft, but some plonker in Zermat nicked the shims from under my bindings' 
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When we were out at les menuires At feb half term this year, my youngest told me how one of the students in my daughters ski school, could not find her skis after a short drink stop in a mountain restaurant. Their instructor proceeded to pick up a pair of similar size skis from the ski rack, she then adjusted the bindings to suit her pupil, then they all skied off, presumably leaving someone else stranded!!!
Must admit, I was not impressed with this, as I thought it was very unprofessional and was not a good example to her students.
Looking back I should have complained, though to be fair I was dealing with other priorities that week (my truck had broken down upon arrival to resort), and not thought to much about it at the time.
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