How to lock and secure your snowboard

1. Pick the spot. Use a rack in a busy, visible place near the lodge entrance rather than a quiet corner.
2. Pull out the cable and pass it through a solid part of a binding, such as the baseplate or heelcup frame. Avoid looping only a strap, which can be unbuckled.
3. Loop it around a fixed part of the rack, not just around another board.
4. Riding with friends? Thread the cable through each board and then the rack.
5. Close the lock, check it has caught and scramble the dials.

Take the lock with you in a pocket between uses rather than leaving it on the board, where snow and ice can stiffen the dials.

• Small retractable cable locks. Pocket-sized combination locks with a thin pull-out cable. Dakine describes its Cool Lock as a “compact 4-digit combination lock with 37 in. (94 cm) retractable cable” for when you “take a break,” and Burton’s Cable Lock has a 30-inch cable with a three-number combination (both checked 23 September 2026). Locks like these deter grab-and-go theft and mix-ups on short stops; a thin cable can be cut, so they aren’t meant for leaving a board for hours.
• Longer or heavier cable locks. More reach for several boards or a large rack, and harder to cut.
• Locking carriers and racks. Many car roof carriers lock; see loading a board on a roof rack.

A combination lock saves carrying a key on the hill, but you have to remember the number.

Dakine’s official operation instructions for the Cool Lock, linked from its product page and checked 23 September 2026, give these steps. Use them only for that model; for any other lock, follow its own instructions.

Set your combination

1. Turn the dials to 0-0-0-0.
2. Press and hold the reset button while turning the dials to your new 4-digit combination.
3. Release the reset button, and write the combination down somewhere safe.

To change an existing code, Dakine says to turn the dials to the current combination first, then repeat steps 2 and 3.

Lock and unlock it

1. Turn the dials to your combination.
2. Press and hold the cable trigger, pull out the cable head and adjust the length before releasing the trigger.
3. Insert the cable head firmly into the locking port; you should hear a click. Scramble the dials.
4. To unlock, set your combination and press the release button so the cable head pops out, then press the cable trigger to retract the cable.

Dakine warns that the cable return is spring-loaded, so mind the cable’s path as it retracts. Practice at home before you rely on the lock on the mountain.

Resorts offer different storage, so check your resort’s website or guest services:

• Staffed equipment check or valet, where staff hold your board against a ticket.
• Lockers. Big Bear Mountain Resort, for example, lists locker rentals for the day, overnight or all winter (checked 23 September 2026).
• Outdoor racks for short stops, used with a lock as above.

Other simple habits help prevent your snowboard being stolen:

• Keep stops short, and take the board inside your lodging at night rather than leaving it on a car roof or balcony.
• Keep it out of sight in a vehicle.
• Make it distinctive. Stickers or custom graphics make a board easier to identify and less appealing to resell; see ideas for personalizing your board.

• Serial numbers. Many boards have one printed on the base, sidewall or near the tail; bindings may have their own. Photograph them.
• Photos of the base, topsheet, bindings and any distinctive marks.
• Proof of purchase with the model, size and year.
• Insurance. Check whether your home, travel or sports insurance covers the board and whether it requires it to be locked when unattended.

If your board is stolen, tell resort staff straight away, report it to local police and keep the reference numbers for your insurer.

Dakine’s instructions for changing the Cool Lock’s code start from the current combination, so a forgotten code can’t simply be reset that way. For a Burton, Dakine or any other lock, check the instructions that came with your exact model and contact the maker’s customer service with the model name and proof of purchase.

If the lock is attached to your board and you can’t open it, ask resort staff or a local shop for help rather than forcing it, which can damage the board or bindings. Then replace the lock and record the new code.

At home, good storage protects your board as well as a lock does; see storing a board safely off-season. On the road and in the air, our snowboard travel guide covers the rest of the trip.