In reply to mcveigheddie:
Do you have to just design this or also implement it?
I was wondering about some sort of lockable rack. I have seen two sorts - those in accommodation that usually opens with your room key. They are fine but you can only use them in the hotel. Sometimes you also see lockable racks outside shops/cafes that require you to bring your own padlock. These are almost never actually locked because there are so few of them that most people don't bother to carry a padlock - also padlocks are susceptible to bolt cutters.
Perhaps you could think of something similar where a user can input a PIN code to lock it and then needs to put the same PIN code in to unlock it again, a bit like a hotel room safe. Advantages would be potentially more secure than a padlock depending on how the locking mechanism works (padlocks are susceptible to bolt cutters) and doesn't require you to carry something around with you to use it. If you want to get really fancy you could think about an app - maybe something that would let you know where there is an available slot, or where you could input your PIN into the app so a thief would need both your phone logged into the app and the location of your skis to steal them. This would also prevent someone from looking over your shoulder as you lock your skis and then retrieving them when you leave - this could work a bit like the system for renting Boris bikes (not necessarily with money, but the same idea for locking/unlocking/finding availability).
Having said all that, I usually just abandon my skis if I am on the piste - I might separate them at the base.
Post edited at 16:04