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Padlocks Technical Advice Centre

This is our dedicated help, advice and testing results section for padlocks. Every time we get a good question from a customer, or asked to test a product, then we post the answer or results here. Use the list of Categories or the Search Box below to find the answer you're looking for. Don't worry you can get back to your basket our products by clicking our logo above.

We've also created a concise guide with the most commonly asked questions to download and print here:

Which outdoor combination padlock is best for boat storage?

The best outdoor combination padlock for securing boat storage is the Shield MC40 or the larger MC50 which won BEST IN TEST in Practical Boat Owner Magazine when subjected to an accelerated salt spray test simulating many years in a natural coastal environment. This marine grade padlock can be used on narrowboats or sea going […]

What is the best outdoor padlock for all-round performance?

The Abus Silver Rock 5 series is an excellent all-round performance padlock. Offered in two different bodies sizes, they can be used for a variety of purposes including securing gates, doors, lockers and even toolboxes or sheds. With the look and feel of a high-security padlock, this range is ideal for those with medium level […]

What is the best outdoor combination padlock with a reset key?

We have a number of padlocks that use a key to enable the resetting of the combination. This is ideal when you do not want users to be able to reset the code but you still need to have the ability to alter the combination when required. We find sites catering to groups of visitors […]

How do you get locks keyed alike for multiple access points?

Where you have multiple access points to one site we can supply a set of padlocks all keyed the same so one key will open any of the padlocks in the suite. This is ideal if you have a large site with a number of access points where visitors can use any of the gates. […]

What is the best long padlock to lock my diesel tank?

The best way lock off Diesel bowsers, which are basically diesel tanks on a trailer, is an outdoor padlock with a long enough loop to secure it but without it being too long so that it gets in the way of other fittings. The padlock shackle generally needs to be a minimum inner height of […]

How can I padlock a gate barrier with offset fittings?

Offset gate barrier fittings can be hard to secure but there is a way to get around this. When the holes on the gate fitting do not line up with the holes in the plate on the gatepost it can be hard to secure the gate, especially if the holes are too small to use […]

What is the best outdoor padlock to lock off vehicle access?

The Abus Diskus range is well suited for securing the folding parking post used to close off tracks and drives to vehicle access. By securing the parking post in the upright position with a suitable padlock, it is an ideal way to still allow access for pedestrians but not to vehicles. From the Abus 23 […]

What is the best padlock to secure a garden storage locker?

To secure a garden storage locker you often need an extra-wide yet long shackled padlock to secure the fitting. Many of these lockers will need a padlock that has a shackle up to 50mm wide and 100mm long yet with a diameter not thicker than 15mm. A tough ask but here are some solutions. As […]

Which outdoor combination padlock can also open with a key?

We are often asked for an outdoor combination padlock that can also be opened with a key. Currently, the combination padlocks with override keys are generally made for use indoors. A very handy solution to this dilemma is to have a keyed padlock and use a combination lockbox to store the key. This allows you […]

Do I need a fully weatherproof padlock?

A fully weatherproof padlock is one that uses 100% stainless and non-corrosive materials. They are also know as marine padlocks and suitable for saline and other extreme environments. This is a common question and often the answer is no. The first thing to seize up and prevent a padlock from functioning properly is the internal […]