# What's the ideal gym padlock? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 5, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194 "2016-01-05T02:26:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/1 "2016-01-05T02:26:51Z")
So I joined a gym. You have to bring your own padlock. What’s a good padlock to use? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/2 "2016-01-05T02:32:23Z")
I use one of these: > **[Amazon.com: MAKIYO Anti-Theft Cabinet Door Password Gym Lock Solid 4 Digit...](https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Theft-Cabinet-Password-Resettable-Combination/dp/B00S97T91C)** > > Amazon.com: MAKIYO Anti-Theft Cabinet Door Password Gym Lock Solid 4 Digit Resettable Combination Lock Password Plus Padlock : Everything Else ---
**Author:** ![phxjcc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phxjcc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phxjcc)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/3 "2016-01-05T03:21:16Z")
This one, if you forget the combo, you can go home and get the key. > **[Master Lock® Combination Padlock with Optional Key - 3/4](https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-2061/Padlocks/Combination-Lock-with-Optional-Key-3-4-Shackle?pricode=WY705&gadtype=pla&id=H-2061Q&gclid=Cj0KEQiAzai0BRCs2Yydo8yptuIBEiQAN3_lFi2summR54iOmsLd8ji_eW-IleW_8zunYmYkyC2KhlsaAuMF8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds)** > > Protection for school, gym and employee lockers. Hardened " steel shackle resists prying, cutting and sawing. Stainless steel body. Features optional key override for alternative access. Master Key sold separately.ULINE offers over 41,000 boxes,... ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/4 "2016-01-05T03:34:05Z")
I say “any,” but then my padlock only has to safeguard my pants and gym bag, which are weakly prized and yet heavily insured. If you’re planning on stashing ingots while you Zumba, you’ll probably want something robust enough to waylay Oddjob until you can show up and brain him with a kettlebell. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/5 "2016-01-05T04:38:27Z")
An [interesting new design](http://www.independentliving.com/prodinfo.asp?number=569405) has a center button that slides up/down/left/right instead of a combination dial or a lock cylinder. The sequence of slide movements is settable, so you can choose your own combination. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/6 "2016-01-05T13:10:07Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I say “any,” but then my padlock only has to safeguard my pants and gym bag, which are weakly prized and yet heavily insured. If you’re planning on stashing ingots while you Zumba, you’ll probably want something robust enough to waylay Oddjob until you can show up and brain him with a kettlebell. I’m going to also go with “any”. The only question is if you want one with a key that you can lose or a combination you can forget. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/7 "2016-01-05T13:25:24Z")
I just use a little suitcase combo lock- cheap, lightweight and I’ve got a dozen of them laying around. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/8 "2016-01-05T16:44:08Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > An [interesting new design](http://www.independentliving.com/prodinfo.asp?number=569405) has a center button that slides up/down/left/right instead of a combination dial or a lock cylinder. The sequence of slide movements is settable, so you can choose your own combination. Interesting. Looks like it’d be an easy one-handed operation, and quick too. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/9 "2016-01-05T16:56:49Z")
I picked up a cheap combination lock at Target. No worries about having to keep track of a key. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/10 "2016-01-05T17:56:28Z")
Don’t get a TSA lock. They are TSA approved because they can be opened with a master key, which has been leaked on the internet. > [@](#): > > I just use a little suitcase combo lock- cheap, lightweight and I’ve got a dozen of them laying around. I see these all the time, but they only work until a criminal goes to the gym. Most people at the gym won’t steal anything even if you leave your locker wide open. But the criminals will look for these easy targets and will pop the lock with a screwdriver or small lock cutter. I had my stuff stolen from my locked locker and couldn’t figure out how they did it. Then I looked up on YouTube how to pick the lock I had. The lock seemed sturdy, but there was a small flaw which made it trivially easy to find the combo. I had used that lock for years, but all it took was one criminal to open it up. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/11 "2016-01-05T18:44:50Z")
I just use one I think I got from Walgreens. Maybe Target. It’s just a regular combination lock with a dial and no key. Never had a problem with it. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/12 "2016-01-05T18:59:12Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > Don’t get a TSA lock. They are TSA approved because they can be opened with a master key, which has been leaked on the internet. > > I see these all the time, but they only work until a criminal goes to the gym. Most people at the gym won’t steal anything even if you leave your locker wide open. But the criminals will look for these easy targets and will pop the lock with a screwdriver or small lock cutter. > > I had my stuff stolen from my locked locker and couldn’t figure out how they did it. Then I looked up on YouTube how to pick the lock I had. The lock seemed sturdy, but there was a small flaw which made it trivially easy to find the combo. I had used that lock for years, but all it took was one criminal to open it up. Please share what that lock is so we know what to avoid. A link would be great. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/13 "2016-01-05T19:21:02Z")
My gym claims there are more thefts from combination-locked lockers than from key-locked ones. Not sure if that’s true, or if they’re just sick of having to cut off the locks of forgetful patrons. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/14 "2016-01-05T19:27:06Z")
I actually found a combination lock which has letters instead of numbers, which for some reason I have a MUCH easier time remembering. I got it at Target. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ideal-gym-padlock/742194/15 "2016-01-05T19:42:27Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Please share what that lock is so we know what to avoid. A link would be great. Thanks. In this lock, there was a notch on the hole where the shackle went into the lock. So rather than being a complete circle, there was a part which had a square notch, almost how a keyhole looks. This lock had 4 wheels on the side which could be set to a custom combo. The flaw was that there was a way to put a pin down the notch and turn the wheels in a way to get the lock to open. I can’t remember the brand of lock. If you search for “how to pick \”, you’ll find if your lock is easy to pick. What the thief did in my case was take just one credit card from my wallet, left everything else, and relocked my locker. I didn’t noticed until the next day when the CC company called me about some odd charges.