Ski Theft

Hi

I'm wondering if ski theft is as common here in Europe and Scandinavia as it is in the US. Has anyone experienced it? I heard they pick up skis from outside resorts and take them in vans. Is it that serious?

It's rare but it certainly happens. Definitely worth being aware of the risk, especially if you've got kit worth pinching. Split your skis, get a lock, but leaving them where someone can keep an eye on them is the best plan...

There is a lot of trust which fortunately is adhered to at most times. I use a lock now, and a lot of my friends do too. It would ruin the trip if something got nicked, I'd rather have mine secure and therefore make the thieving piece of sh*t go elsewhere.

I've run a ski club since 2000, every year we've run at least two holidays with an average of 28 people on each one.
That's well over 700 places over 13 years, in some of Europe's larges resorts, yet we've never encountered a problem with theft of skis.
I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I do believe the problem is exaggerated. It seems to be part of the standard TO blurb, which makes it sound like it's a daily occurrence.
The only problem we've had is people taking the wrong pair of similar looking hire skis by mistake.

andyhull wrote:
The only problem we've had is people taking the wrong pair of similar looking hire skis by mistake.

I'd agree with that - had someone take mine a few years ago from the hotel. problem was that my 169s were gone and I was left with a pair of 143s

I'd love to see the 5'3", 8stone woman try and turn my skis..... (I do have little feet so her boots may have fit). The hire shop gave me new ones no bother and said it happens all the time

I too have never had / heard of skis being nicked - though we do usually split and then split again when stopping at lunch/pub

Never experienced it in thirty years of skiing but then again I do go to the so called big resorts …..

Having talked to several folks who have had their kit nicked I now use a combination lock and chain and have "bar coded" my skis with name,address and e-mail and then stuck that to the top surfaces with resin. Not perfect but will hopefully deter most. Insured as well but that does'nt help a deal when you are left with no skis 10000 feet up a mountain :D

To be honest, I am usually pretty relaxed once we are up the mountain. However, when we are at the base, especially with roads nearby, I tend to be more cautious and will usually split the skis.

Unfortunately, we did have some skis stolen in Flaine a couple of years ago from outside the hotel at lunchtime - it was near a road so I suspect some opportunist grabbed a couple of pairs and threw them in the back of a van :twisted: