Where do you put your key fob when you surf?

December 11, 2020 5 min read

silent pocket key fob security solution for surfing

The Key Fob Stash Bag is designed, first and foremost, to keep your car from being stolen. Key fobs operate on proximity and do not allow you to lock your car if the key is inside or stashed somewhere near, which is a nice feature most of the time.

However, As cars have become more modern and individuals, such as surfers, seek outside activity many struggle to find a safe spot to stash their car's key fob so that they can lock their doors and go surfing in peace.

Key fobs don't swim.

The problem lies in the niche of people that need to leave behind the key fob portion with their car and put the metal "valet key" into their wetsuit.

Most likely you've come up with a "decent" solution such as leaving it unlocked, wrapped up in a towel, in foil, or stashed somewhere sketchy.

The Silent Pocket Faraday Key Fob line of products solves this by blocking the wireless signal from your key fob to your car.

I've had friends that have left their keys wrapped up in a towel and on the beach for years, stashed in the bushes, or leave there car locked with the key on the wheel well - but if anyone grabbed the handle the car would unlock.

Unfortunately, with keyless entry cars, the key still reads signals to your car even stashed in your wheel well springs. I also have a friend that tries to find the sweet spot on his new Toyota truck - back left bumper just right so that the door won't pop open when you grab the handle. Sketchy operation, especially in a public parking lot, and frankly more time consuming than anything.

Growing up in a smaller community (not Los Angeles) you could find anyone's keys stashed on their car, along with their personal belongings piled up on the front seat. But we didn't steal each others things, occasionally we would re-park the car somewhere else or played some trickery, but never theft. I once heard of a hundred crickets being put in someones truck, now that is a prank.

The caveat here is if you are in fact a thief or opportunist waiting for an easy target then you have your pick of the litter with surfers.

Step 1

Watch someone stash their keys

Step 2

Watch them paddling out into the ocean

Step 3

Steal their shit.

Maybe their car too. In college, my friend Taylor and I, were out surfing Scripps Pier while car theft in San Diego County was particularly prevalent. We came out of the water to... where's your car dude?

We stood there in our wet wetsuits like kooks and eventually bummed a ride back home. A month later the cops find the car in good condition minus everything inside. Someone had a 30 day joy ride, new clothes, wallets, watches and maybe a CD or two.

Times have changed, but breaking into cars is still a real threat and now with one asterisk, that it is now easily done wirelessly. (see our other article on relay attacks if you want to know more about protecting your car while in your driveway).

Personally, I have had this problem for years and with the creation of Silent Pocket, I was finally able to create a worthy solution. No more coming back from a quick surf to find out I have to walk the streets in a wetsuit, while carrying a surfboard.

No need for that anymore. Silent Pocket Key Fob Stash Bag allows you to safely stash your electronic key fob inside your car (or safely secure a backup key). From here, you can put the removable valet key in your suit, block the signal to the fob so it cannot connect to your car, lock your car manually, and go about your life knowing your car and the contents inside are safe and secure.

Good thing it is never too late and always the right time to adopt healthy habits that advance your Privacy, Security and Health.

Here is the simplified plan:

Equip yourself with a Silent Pocket Faraday Sleeve
Pull out the valet key (metal removable key) from your key fob
Put your key fob into the Silent Pocket Faraday Sleeve
Leave the Silent Pocket Faraday Sleeve in your car
Lock your door and put the valet key into your wetsuit
Go surf (trunks or bikini if you're living the dream)

While Key Fob security is the biggest issue at hand when it comes to our beach going, we can't forget about the larger world of connected devices that we have come accustom too. Recent evidence shows that bluetooth scanners are being used in parking lots to "sniff" out bluetooth devices inside vehicles. Perhaps you are planning to head straight to the office after your morning surf and you have your laptop and phone in your car, or maybe just your cell phone sitting inside your car with a t-shirt covering it.

While these devices may be dormant, if Bluetooth is on it is screaming "HEY i'm here, come find me." Thieves can pick up on this signal and make a judgement call to how many devices are inside. The easy fix is switching your device to airplane mode before locking your car, but better yet completely eliminate the threat with a Faraday Sleeve.

I know another thing to worry about, but hey we adapt or are left behind.

A thought for the future...

What happens when our phones are the only ones to open our cars? Tesla has a small plastic key which looks nice, but can you imagine asking your apple watch to open your car? Our world is living in an age that is more connected than ever before, but does that mean that it is safer?

Until we can open our cars with a wave of our hands, this problem is still here and as prevalent then ever.

If you're reading this you may feel an ocean lovers pain point for an unsolved problem.

Here are some stories/descriptions of people that we have talked to in our surfing crossover of their past brush-ins with car security:

Dylan is an avid surfer, getting into the water on a weekly basis and struggles with stashing his key every time. It is the "silent" elephant in the room for many surfers in Southern California, but it's just part of the gig when going surfing these days. He uses a valet key but doesn't know where to put his key fob where his car won't stay unlocked, while he's out in the water.

Jack likes to travel to Hawaii and other surf destinations when he has time off, and doesn't like looking like a tourist (kook) when he has to stash a rental car key. It's a frustrating pain point for him.

Cole wants a new car but seriously worries about how he's going to prevent break-ins and theft while he surfs with the new car technology.

Zach usually surfs in front of his house where car theft isn't as big of an issue, but worries when he drives to other areas to surf.

Rick teaches surf lessons and uses a truck with a manual lock for this reason, but a lot of his students have newer cars with proximity sensors. He locks thei keys in his truck but would love to be able to offer a proper solution.
Thomas has had his car broken into while surfing and still rely's on the same methods even though they know it hasn't worked in the past. They just don't have a new solution.