[Luc]

When recreating out of a vehicle-based base camp, do you feel that your valuables are more secure in your vehicle or in your tent? Breaking into a vehicle is loud and messy and can attract attention, but going into someone's tent has another set of risks for thieves. If you were going to leave camp for the day would you keep your valuables hidden in your locked vehicle, or out of sight in your tent?

[ejain]

By "valuables", presumably you mean gear like sleeping bags that you don't want to carry with you while day-hiking? The car seems like a safer choice, as long as there are people around. If there are no people around, then I'm not sure it would matter (and your car windows would get broken regardless of where your gear is)...

[Chief Joseph]

One of the things that I learned from the forest gnome is hiding gear-valuables in the woods near your vehicle, just make sure a rodent like a pack rat can't make off with them.

[Luc]

By valuables I actually mean electronics/gadgets. I guess one thing to consider is that if it's in your vehicle then your insurance might cover a theft, whereas in your tent it wouldn't.

[ejain]

[huron]

If it isn't something you will use while hiking, you can leave it home?

[Luc]

Of course I'd not bring the kitchen sink of gadgets to a trailhead on purpose. The context for this question is more so if you're on a long, rambling journey, that has trips away from your basecamp.

[Randito]

One friend of mine has a "fire safe" with a 4 digit combination bolted to the bed of his pickup truck underneath the hard canopy for such items. I drive a JDM vehicle that is very hard/expensive to obtain body parts for from Japan so I leave my doors unlocked and windows rolled down to reduce the chances of thief breaking glass to gain entry. I use a steering wheel lock to make it less convenient to steal the whole vehicle. Since a Dewalt angle grinder can quickly defeat any locks and safes there isn't any such thing has truly secured storage at a campsite. But one can prevent casual thieves from having an easy pickings day.

[huron]

There are likely fewer people passing through your camp than thru the trailhead. And the people who make it all the way to your camp are probably less likely to be out just for the opportunity to grab something. So, seems safer at camp just as long as it's not too heavy and bulky. Then you could stash nearby the camp for even more security. Use some technique to keep from walking away without it.

[Chief Joseph]

Put it in a large ziplock bag under your tent, I typically leave nothing of value in my car and most times with the windows down, but obviously not when bad weather is expected. As we know thieves will break your window even when the doors are unlocked. A friend of mine left a cigarette carton in the front seat of his older Honda car, they broke his window, took the two packs of smokes and left his $2000 worth of golf clubs on the back….but he couldn’t find a used one, so replacement cost him $600.

[Cyclopath]

[sarbar]

I carry everything. Even my car registration and insurance paper. I don't need someone knowing where I live. There is visibly nothing anyone wants in my car, being the flaming dumpster pit it is. Be truly gross. Leave fake used diapers on the seat.

[Kim Brown]

Its impossible to know for sure which is safer, but as you asked how we feel about it; I would feel like my stuff is safer in the car than in my tent when at a car camp. But ....my tent & sleeping bag are the most expensive gear, so leaving camp set up leaves out the most expensive stuff. So there's no real answer. Howz that for an answer.

[Chief Joseph]

Right. Plus someone told me that you can take a picture with your phone of your vehicle registration and proof of insurance and that is kosher with the authorities. And yes, having a car containing trash and junk helps to deter thieves as most are also lazy and looking for a quick and easy score,

[Schroder]