HS7000 Key Vault | Hidden Trailer Hitch Safe for Secure Key Storage | CarShare Turo | Weather Resistant and Durable with 4-Digit Combination Lock for Cars, Trucks, and SUVs

I took a leap of faith buying this based on its mixed reviews, and I'm extremely glad I did - this thing's awesome. It's a bummer that some people have had bad experiences with it, and I'm surprised they did; this is a sturdy, well-made little safe, FAR better than the plastic magnetized compartments you stick under your car, both in quality and general security (most people know to at least check underneath the car for a key safe, and once you see it - the key is yours). Most people's trouble with it seemed to be in the fit, and I did notice that the HitchSafe came with foam seals (the seal sits between the safe's lip and your hitch) of different thicknesses - perhaps they weren't included before, and that was the problem. I haven't had any trouble at all - it's tough, fits well in my standard hitch, and the cover is a great touch, both protecting the lock from the elements and making the safe invisible to anyone walking by. I have sixty bucks, a credit card, and a spare key stored in it, and there's still a little room for something small - a key fob pill bottle or something similar. After seeing some reviews that said the safe wasn't waterproof, I've stuck everything in a little plastic baggie, but after rain, snow, and slush I still haven't noticed moisture in the compartment. I've had it mounted for a few months and taken it far from home, and it's been a great relief to know it's there. I know myself - eventually I *will* lock the keys in the car, and instead of rolling around on a muddy road or in gritty urban slush to get at a cracked-plastic box that may or may not have made it through the last several thousand miles of interstate and off-roading, all I'll have to do is whack myself upside the head and crouch down for a sec to open this little sucker. Huzzah!

It seems a bit expensive, however it is holding a backup key to my vehicle so how much cheaper would I like it to be? None if it compromises the quality and security of it. One reviewer mentions that you have to buy an additional locking pin to make this work. This is incorrect. There are two very short pins which are included and go through the receiver on each side and into the box, with the safe open you then push forward the bars and they lock the pins in tight. The pins include a gasket of sorts for each, and you have to press the pin in compressing the gasket to get it to lock in. Seems pretty water "resistant" (note that this is different from waterproof) A couple other reviewers mentioned that it was just barely too short to install it. On my 2006 Trailblazer it installed easily. There are 4 different gaskets provided. A really thick one, a medium one and two really thin ones. On my vehicle I could only use the two really thin ones and I still had to apply pressure to compress the gaskets for the pins to fit. I wanted a really snug fit on the gaskets to maximize water resistance. I'm not sure on the other reviewers if maybe they didn't pick the proper size gasket or if they weren't putting enough "stank" on it to fully compress the gasket they choose. I did have to review the instructions for setting the combination. But that's it. The installation is so simple and straight forward I didn't need the rest. I will have to say that it is important for the cover to be installed properly. There is a note on one side that says "This side down". It seems loose after installing the cover, but it doesn't feel like it'll come off after tugging on it. If you don't grab the bottom edge and pull it to release the tabs keeping the cover on, it seems to want to stay. We will see. The safe itself seems very nice. Smooth, combination lock is solid. It's a quality product. Again at first I thought it was a bit expensive, but after receiving it, playing with it, installing it, and using it. I would have been very disappointed if any shortcuts were implemented for the sake of cost.

I’ve been using the HitchSafe HS7000 as a place to store a spare key when I’m out running, hiking, or shooting on location, and it’s been a really practical solution. Once installed inside the trailer hitch, it’s completely hidden from view, which feels much more secure than a magnetic key box or hiding a key somewhere on the vehicle. Installation was straightforward, and the combination mechanism is easy to use but still feels secure. I also like that it keeps the key protected from the elements, and there’s enough space inside for a key and small fob, depending on size. One thing to note is that it’s important to make sure your hitch size is compatible and to take a moment to set the combination carefully before regular use. Other than that, it’s been reliable and gives peace of mind knowing I have a backup key accessible when I need it. Overall, it’s a smart, low-profile solution for anyone who spends time outdoors or away from their vehicle and wants a secure way to store a spare key.

The Key Vault appears to be well made, with very little plastic. Being concerned about rust (which may or may not be a problem), I put a little bit of Teflon oil on the inside of the two sliding retainers that hold the two pins in, as well as a drop on the two latch points before installing. This way, if it does get some rust, it will have less of a chance of seizing up. Long term instead of oil, I'd probably recommend a small amount of Teflon based grease where the pin contacts the two sliders, as well as on where the sliders contact the inner wall. Since the drawer walls are high, the oil isn't going to come into contact with the contents. I'd probably consider a drop of oil on the spring in the back that pushes the drawer out when the right combination is entered and the lever pulled. I easily changed the combination and had no problems whatsoever installing it. Time will tell if it gets water into the drawer, but so far, it looks decently water resistant. I personally am not worried about water getting in the drawer. As for people being able to tell it is there, the only real way someone can find it is if they examine the hitch pins and notice that it isn't a standard hitch lock, or pull off the dust cover. If someone had to place a spare key on a vehicle, this is the most secure solution for this answer. Of course, a thief who has some power tools can get into it, as well as someone sitting there flipping through 10,000 combinations. If someone is worried that keeping a spare key in this would be a security issue, you can do the following which an acquaintance of mine does: Keep a "dummy" key in the Hitch Safe that will open the door. Then inside the vehicle, use a console or other strongbox with a stout lock store in there a spare key that works in the ignition. This way, for a thief to steal the vehicle, they would have to either break out the Hitch Safe, then try drilling out a heavy steel enclosure for the ignition key, or break the windows and try to get into the console safe. Either way, eventually a thief would prevail, but it will take a lot of time and noise. For all but the most crime-plagued areas, the Hitch Safe appears good enough -- it keeps all but the dedicated thieves with hand/power tools away.

The good and bad and motivation to purchase. This was purchased for hunting with my boys (so anyone in the hunting party could access the vehicle in an emergency; for kayaking, paddle boarding, and swimming when I don’t want my keys with me on the water). Good: novel concept, good implementation, quality construction, discrete with cover (nobody will know it’s there unless they see you put your keys into it), works as advertised. Bad: no room in the HitchSafe compartment for the keys if inside a faraday bag. If you have rear door (e.g., my Land Rover Defender) there is the possibility that the keys are sufficiently close to the door handle to enable unlocking if someone checked the rear door. With a faraday bag for the keys the door would not unlock. If you have a pickup truck you should have no worries. I’m keeping the HitchSafe, largely because the packaging is destroyed when removing the product from the packaging. I ended up buying a Master Lock Large Outdoor Lock Box with Combination Dial and Removable Cable (from Home Depot as I could not find it on Amazon.com). The Master Lock has room for a faraday bag.

I used this for Turo rentals at the time of purchase. Now I use it for times when hiking or running where I may not have pockets or don't want to lose keys on a trail. It is easy to use and is a quality solid product.

What a neat little idea. Glad to get it on sale for prime day and I installed it in my front hitch. The cover is a great idea so people don't even notice it's there.

I purchased this during it's inaugural year (2008). The owner was friendly and helpful when I called with questions, even supplied extra gaskets at no charge to fit my FJ Cruiser. It gave me great peace of mind during a 3-month trip through OK and TX, especially since it was little known and no one would've ever thought to look under the cap. Unfortunately, I should've removed it immediately afterwards instead of relying on it to hide my spare key, because it RUSTED! The pins are rusted, the latch is rusted, and there was rust on the inside of the rubber cap. The entire thing is currently soaking in a half can of WD-40 with a plastic bag tied over all. Wish me luck. Update 05/28/14: *still* soaking in WD-40. Per their web chat, tried to rotate the pins without luck since nothing grips the (round!) pins. Backed up onto the bank in my back yard to raise the rear end, added yet more WD-40 in hopes it'll penetrate backwards into the receiver. Wish me MORE luck. Update 06/11/14: well, it took two full cans of WD-40 and a half can of PB Blaster, an 8" chisel, and a 5 lb. hammer, and my boyfriend finally got the drawer out in chunks, tried to pull the locking plates with pliers (almost impossible in a <2" space), finally punched through the back and pounded the plates forward to finally release the pins. THE ENTIRE SAFE IS NOW SITTING IN A BOWL IN CHUNKS, the pot metal parts shattered, the so-called rust-proof coating mostly peeled off, full of rust. I DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT UNLESS YOU PLAN TO REMOVE IT AND SOAK IT IN LUBE OR WD-40 *REGULARLY*. REPEAT: *REGULARLY*. The locking plates were RUSTED to the inside of the safe, would not move until we punched through the back and were able to hammer them from behind with a chisel. DO NOT RECOMMEND. REPEAT: *DO*NOT*RECOMMEND*. P.S. Google for reports of theft in surfing communities. Evidently the riff-raff knows to check for the safe these days, knows how to jimmy it with a screwdriver - not such a secret place to stash a backup key anymore. I seriously could've used one of these guys!