Keys when out camping

Giday Troll, I have a spare key cable tied under the truck, & the missus has a spare set in her h/bag all the time [finding thats a mission in it's self] & I usually just chuck mine UNDER the tent if we are leaving the camp, no dramas so far..
whatcha doin up at 3 in the bloody morn anyway!!... cya. Phil

Get a cheap copy of the vehicle key, i.e. not one with an imobiliser chip or a radio device. The el cheapo key will open the doors but not allow the vehicle to be started. Use a light weight dog chain type clip to attache this copy key to a belt loop or similar for your bush or beach wanderings.

Hide the imobiliser key inside your vehicle. Some door pockets have liners that can lift out quite easily and you can attach a permanant little bag or string to clip the imobiliser key onto.

Troll,

I always leave the keys in the ignition. The only time that I take the keys out is when I am staying at a caravan Park over night.

The other thing that I do with keys is only have the one key. That is leave the house keys and all the other keys that we seem to have in the clove box of the vehicle. The keys don't jingle when driving and the ignition barrel doesn't get worn with the weight of the keys bouncing around.

With a single key I will, if I have to remove it from the vehicle, put it in the fob pocket of my shorts.

I have seen a lot of people pack up the vehicle all ready to go and can't find the keys. They usually have left them in the tent when it was packed away.

Wayne

Losing the keys for a modern cars is real pain - whether you are outback or out shopping - you won't be able to jump start it !.

When I get a new car I always find a place where I can hide a key on the underside of the vehicle - where it will be very hard to find - but accessible in an emergency.

Mike

On just about every car I have ever had I put a spare key in the drivers side front blinker lens.
The advantages are that I am not scared of it falling off from under the vehicle, I haven't had any problems with the key rusting but if you were concerned you could seal it up in silver poly tape or similar.
I have figured that 99% of the time I would be able to borrow a phillips head screwdriver from someone to get it out. In the event I was on my own in a remote area, then I would just smash the blinker lens to get it out.
I have actually used this a couple of times when keys have been locked in the the car in the main street etc...

Cheers,
Brett

My key as a small carabine on it and when I'm in the camp site. I clip it to the post of the tarp we generally camp under. Thaty way SWMBO and I bot know where the key is at all times in case of emergency etc etc.. then when we go to bed .. it comes to the tent with us... I've been meaning to get a third key cut as mentioned above and then zip tie it under the body some place.

I have a spare key in a magnetic key holder attached to the chassis. It's not easy to find & doesn't fall off, as I 've been on some pretty rough roads. I've had cause to access the magnetic holder a few times, when I've put my keys in my toolbox, put the toolbox in the truck and then lock/closed the rear door. Sparky

I have a spare key on a leather boot lace, when I'm camping it's the only one I use and it hangs around my neck, nearly impossible to loose and always with you.

It's connected to the boot lace by means of a small quick release clip so the boot lace stays under my shirt when the key is being used and you don't need belt loops or pockets (or any clothing for that matter) for it to work.

I've tied the boot lace using two slip knots so it can be adjusted to hang high or low.

Works for me,

Keith

On a gu/gq the removable plastic rear wheel caps make a handy place to put wallet/keys etc while vehicle is stationary....

Hi Trol81
I keep the ignition key on a lanyard around my neck when I am not in the truck the rest of the keys in a security box under the drivers seat, my partner also carries a spare key
Ray

definitly never leave the ignition

I was reading the fine print on an insurance policy today and they won't pay up for theft from the vehicle unless there are signs of forced entry. This means leaving a key hidden on the outside of your vehicle will void the policy - damn!!!

Noel

Mostly go for a hidden key inside the car, if worst comes to worst I will smash a window.

On another note, anybody ever find a set of keys to a Patrol on a beach about 50k south of coral bay. Belonged to a mate they fell out of his pocket wile we were de bogging another 4WD.

Funny thing was he didn’t take his second key, But I did right before we left Perth I grabbed them thinking yeah he will drop his keys at some point, I had the spare set in my car but didn’t tell him hehehe. So he was sweating running around in a panic for like 10minutes, wile he was running around like heedless chicken, I casually walked over opened the Patrol up grabbed a cold beer out of the fridge and started it up. He was like how the F**k did you do that!!!, “Oh, I just used your spear key LMAO”.

On short trips I usually leave a spare set in the vehicle. As an ealier post mentioned, I am also content with breaking a window if need be due to losing a
key whilst away from camp.

When in camp the keys always live in on the center console.

On longer trips we exchange spare keys with others in the group.

I dont think you can affornd not to take a second set with you in these days of imobilised vehicles.
Paul.

Missus lost a key set in town once - bloody expesive and inconvenient exercise.

On short trips I leave a spare set in the vehicle. As an ealier post mentioned, I am also content with breaking a window if need be due to losing a key whilst away from camp.
When away from camp I usually carabena the key to a back pac or belt loop.

When in camp the keys always live in on the center console. On retiring the keys are placed in the tent. The key is the first thing required to make the moring coffee - then it goes back on the dash.

On longer trips we exchange spare keys with others in the group.

The driving set of keys dont have any thing other than the electroinc fob on them to reduce noise and barrell damage. The spare set has all the house keys etc.

I dont think you can afford not to take a second set with you in these days of imobilised vehicles.
Paul.

I've got a set and Mum's got a set.

Hers are in her hand bag and mine are mine are in my pocket.

Duncs

An added complication, where do you put your keys when on a nude beach?

Saw this a few years ago at Broome. Young couple were sunbaking starkers and decided to go for a walk up the beach. First of all each put on a hat?? carefully locked the car, then wandered off. Where to put the keys?

Answer, on the underneatch of the channel that forms the bull bar!

cheers

Me, like other I leave in the ignition as much as possible, except when heading away from camp.

Thanks for all the replied and input. Looks like most people just leave a key in the barrel and one in the car or under. Will most definitely look at doing something like this

When we are at camp, I never leave the keys in the ignition, not for any security fears, it's just that the surf BEEPS CONSTANTLY if the tailgate is down (which it always is) and the keys are in the ignition. So I have a switch that turns the accessory power on, and also changes the power for the stereo over to the aux battery. So I just drop the keys down into the side pocket for easy access. We always have a spare set either in a bag in the tent or in the glove box ( I know the glove box is a strange place, not much help if you lock yourself out!) But we very raley lock the car out bush, it's more for having a spare imobiliser if the other one get's wet or malfunctions. you can always break a window, but removing an imobiliser out bush with the kids screaming is not on my to do list.

G'day Troll81,

I can relate to the question having lost (inside the trailer) keys after packing and jumping in the car with the old WTF "where are the keys?" - "I though you had them!" string of discussion and the associated panic etc. Well a spare set are hidden in my fishing rod holder on the car - just hard enough to get to for it to be a problem for most people including us, so there is no chance of us using these unless there is a real emergency. That is a full set including the electronic bit and the spare tyre lock.

Kind regards