6 Ways to Stash Your Car Keys While Surfing

Option 1

With a Wetsuit That Has a Key Pocket

This is my preferred option with my own vehicle.

Split the insert key from the electronic fob.
Place the electronic fob into a faraday cage pouch and tuck it away inside your vehicle. (Don’t have a faraday cage pouch? A few layers of tinfoil will do the trick. Just be sure to test that the vehicle won’t start before walking away.)
Lock your vehicle with the insert key
Attach the insert key to the key loop in the wetsuit key pocket, then tuck the key into the pocket (DO NOT insert your key into the pocket without securing it to the suit. A good wipeout could wash your key away!)
Go surf!

Option 2

With a Wetsuit That Doesn’t Have a Key Pocket

Split the insert key from the electronic fob.
Place the electronic fob into a faraday cage pouch and tuck it away inside your vehicle. (I like to hide mine some place a little bit less obvious — under a floor mat or in a back seat pocket.)
Lock your vehicle with the insert key
Place the insert key in a waterproof pouch on a lanyard and then tuck the pouch down the back of your wetsuit, between your shoulder blades (down the front of your wetsuit makes for uncomfortable paddling!)
Go surf!

Option 3

With a Wetsuit When Your Key Fob Doesn’t Have an Insert Key

I discovered the hard way that many rental cars do not have insert keys. I now travel with a waterproof key pouch for use with rental cars.

Lock your vehicle
Place the entire key fob in a waterproof pouch on a lanyard and then tuck the pouch down the back of your wetsuit, between your shoulder blades
Go surf!

I generally don’t recommend this option for your own car as over time the key fob can accumulate moisture. If this is the only option for you, keep a close eye on the waterproof pouch to ensure it’s maintaining its integrity. Consider adding a moisture absorbing pouch that ship with electronics to the pouch.

I haven’t tried this high end waterproof key pouch yet, but a sister surfer highly recommends it!

Option 4

Without a Wetsuit, with a Lockbox

If you have a suit or board shorts with a key pocket, you can follow the directions in Option 1 and attach the insert key to the key loop in the suit key pocket, then tuck the key into the pocket

If you don’t have a key pocket, use a lockbox.

Split the insert key from the electronic fob.
Place the electronic fob into a faraday cage pouch and tuck it away inside your vehicle.
Lock your vehicle with the insert key
Attach your lockbox securely to your vehicle (I attached my lockbox to my vehicle’s trailer hitch. Other people attach theirs to door handles.)
Lock the insert key in the lockbox
Go surf!

A note on lockboxes: They can be broken into. There are reports of organized gangs in Southern California watching surfers place keys in lockboxes. Some are so skilled that they have spotters note key codes, then send in members dressed like surfers to open vehicles, pull credit card numbers and cash from wallets, then leave the vehicle looking undisturbed. Victims might not notice the theft until days later.

Trailer hitch lockboxes are another option. As they are hidden, they are less likely to be broken into unless you have been observed placing your key inside it.

Option 5

Without a Wetsuit, on the Beach

I typcially only use this method if I’m with a large group of friends — safety in numbers?

Sometimes when surfing a beach break and I’m meeting up with a large group of friends, I’ll bring a few items and leave them on the beach. That said, I typically bring an inexpensive canvas tote with just sunscreen, surf wax and a water bottle. Keys and phone go into a ziplock bag. Ziplock bag gets buried in the sand. Beach towel and bag go on top of the bag. The bag acts as a decoy. If someone grabs the bag, it’s not a big loss. Grab and go thieves don’t stop for the towel so I can still find my keys.

Option 6

Hiding Your Key

When all of the previous options are unavailable, you can hide your keys in the bushes, or behnd your gas tank cover, or in a magnetic hide-a-key box. Not the safest option. But better than nothing.

Be aware of who’s around you. Some surf spots have a reputation for having car thieves watch surfers hide their keys. I had my vehicle stolen while surfing when the thieves watched me hide my key fob. They broke a window and took the car.