Today we are going to answer the question: How to choose the right padlock? We’ll also discuss how we put 3 padlocks to the test.
At Loc-Doc Security, Our Mission is to help you protect your people and your property. We continue to share information like this to help you be informed so you can know the best solutions for the security of your property.
There are a plethora of padlocks on the market today, however, we will be sharing our experiment with 3 padlocks. We will test each padlock individually using the same setup and materials to keep a standard of equality.
Our team connected a smart car and pick up truck with a heavy duty chain held together by each padlock. In this tractor pull style, we will be putting all 3 padlocks under the same pressure test to see how they perform under force.
One thing to note is the old proverb, “A lock only keeps honest people out” and keep in mind that we are only testing durability under force.
The first padlock to the test is what we call our go to Padlock. This Abus padlock is used for simple preventative measures on gates and trailers and can withstand a great amount of force.
This padlock can be matched up to an existing keyway so it can coordinate with your facility. This is great when you want one key to open multiple areas in your facility.
For example, a key to provide front door access, supply closet, and maybe an open air gated storage area can all be keyed the same since the padlock has a cylinder on the bottom.
The second padlock was a Master padlock mostly used on light equipment and small trailers. Unfortunately, this lock snapped in seconds under the force of pressure.
The shackle ended up being pulled from the body of the padlock. In a real world scenario, this padlock could be hit with a hammer or sledge hammer and easily be broken or opened.
This padlock would be good for lightweight applications. This type of padlock does not have the ability to be keyed to match your facility and comes with 2 provided keys from the manufacturer. This lock would be useful for small equipment such as a weed eater or bicycle.
The third padlock is a Medeco heavy duty beast. This Medeco Padlock is great for Cargo transportation, Power Utility Gates, heavy duty equipment and trailers and can withstand all types of weather.
It even has a cover to protect against the elements. Key retention is another great feature of this heavy duty padlock. This means the key can’t be removed without engaging the lock.
This padlock comes with a protected key system which makes the key unable to be duplicated at a key kiosk or any other locksmith without your knowledge or permission.
While this was a fun experiment, at the end of the day, we recommend padlocks based on the application you would use it for.
We can help you decide what would work best for your facility.
From common lower end models that can be grabbed off the shelf, to a large quantity of padlocks that can be master keyed to match your facility, we can help you figure out what would work best for your needs!
If you would like to learn more about choosing the right padlock for your facility schedule a free evaluation with our team!