What do you do with your keys?

[gcarter]

Okay, so this is kind of a dumb question, but my husband and I were discussing it last night, and we don't really know...

When you go diving, what do you do with your car keys when you shore dive? Our local quarry tells us to make sure to lock all our valuables into the car. It is an open recreation area and non-divers can come in to fish, hike, even hunt. So while our open water class just left stuff out (there was a non-diver in the group who watched the stuff) if it was just the two of us, I don't think I'd want to do that. I mean we wouldn't take much stuff with us, but at the very least, we'd need a credit card in case we have to stop by a gas station...

My car has a non-electronic key, but the car large enough to carry tanks in it doesn't: the key has all the electronic buttons embedded on it. I don't think we could tuck that into a BCD pocket and take it underwater.

So- what do you do with your keys?

It's generally easy to get a non-electronic door only key cut. I wear one on a lanyard around my neck, under the wetsuit, and lock the "real" keys in the truck.

 

[macado]

My solution is pretty low tech. I usually hide keys in wheel well of my car or somewhere under a rock if I can find one.

Alternatively, drysuit undergarment pockets.

 

[fjpatrum]

Wheel well, or in a doubled ziplock back inside my thigh pocket. So far so good.

 

[archman]

Some new key fobs have sensors prohibiting you from locking them inside your car or the trunk. Has anyone had any success in "shielding" the sensors somehow so you can lock the (damn) things inside?

 

[shoredivr]

Second the "use an old underwater flashlight with the batteries removed" mentioned earlier. If the UW flashlight body is big enough, the key fob can go in also. I put keys and fob in a ziplock bag with the air squished out, close it and then put the bagged keys in the UW flashlight body, pop the light head on, and clip it into my drysuit pocket. This has worked for many years.

 

[XS-NRG]

Another +1 for the Hitch Safe. I'm a locksmith and sell them at my shop. It's so handy to have and worry free!

 

[kelemvor]

I clipped a valet key in my BC and leave it there. It only opens a single door of my truck, where I have the electronic key hidden away. There are also "hitch safes" that you can lock small items into if your car(s) have a hitch.

That's exactly what I do. I've looked at the hitch safes myself but they seem really overpriced.

I always wash the valet key with my gear and spray it down with silicone.

 

[blue steal]

One thing I do not understand.
If you use a valet/non-electronic key to lock/unlock your door and hide the electronic key inside, how do you set your alarm system?

 

[gcarter]

One thing I do not understand.
If you use a valet/non-electronic key to lock/unlock your door and hide the electronic key inside, how do you set your alarm system?

My factory alarm sets with the fob, so obviously I don't get to set it.

Ask yourself how much good they do anyway especially if you are in a remote area. When you hear an alarm going off, you most often think:

a) Oh my gosh, someone is having their vehicle broken into!

or

b) Will that d**n idiot shut that off already ?!?!?!?!?!?

I don't worry about it myself.

 

[tplyons]

Does anyone know if the Hitch Safes or something similar come in a smaller size? Standard for my model car is a 1-1/4" receiver.