How do you stop your speaker being stolen at a festival? The SOUNDLOCK explained

The risk is real. Festival camps empty out for hours every time there is a big act on the main stage. Anyone who has left a SOUNDBOKS behind knows the low-level worry that runs through the back of their head the whole set. On the last night of the festival, when tents are being abandoned and fewer people are watching, that worry is at its highest.

The Soundlock is the straightforward answer: a steel wire, a ground spike, and a padlock. You drive the spike into the ground, thread the wire through the SOUNDBOKS handle, and lock it. Your speaker stays where you put it.

Why speakers go missing at festival camps

Festival theft is opportunistic. A SOUNDBOKS left unattended in an empty camp, visible from a main path, is a target. The SOUNDBOKS Go starts at 4,999 DKK and the flagship SOUNDBOKS 4 at 7,999 DKK (check current prices at soundboks.dk), which is enough to make a speaker worth someone's effort on a night when most of the field is watching the headline act.

The risk is highest during the music days, when large parts of the camping area are empty for hours at a time. The final night is consistently the most dangerous: people start leaving early, supervision drops, and some tents get abandoned before gates close. Festival goers at major Danish events report speakers being taken on the last night, with tents sliced open to reach them.

Experienced festival goers use improvised fixes: chaining a speaker to a stake or a buried rim works, but it means bringing and rigging the right hardware. The Soundlock is purpose-built for this situation.

What the Soundlock actually includes

The current model is the Soundlock 2, available directly from soundlock.dk. The kit contains three things:

• A 4-metre galvanised steel wire (6 mm diameter)
• A ground spike designed for festival soil
• A padlock, supplied with three keys

The wire threads through the SOUNDBOKS handle. The spike goes into the ground next to the speaker, or you can loop the wire around a fixed structure if the ground is too hard. The padlock closes the loop. No additional tools needed.

The Soundlock 2 is priced at 699 DKK at soundlock.dk. Check the site for current stock and delivery timelines.

How to set it up at your camp

Most festival fields are grassed soil, soft enough for the spike. A few things that help:

• Choose a spot where the speaker is not in plain sight from a main path
• Drive the spike as deep as it will go for better hold in loose ground
• Thread the wire through the handle before you close the padlock
• Keep one padlock key on you and stash a spare separately in camp

The four-metre wire gives you enough reach to position the SOUNDBOKS inside a pavilion or under a tent canopy while the spike sits in the ground outside. That keeps the speaker out of sight and physically anchored.

Renting a Soundlock at the festival

If you do not want to buy one before you arrive, Volt rents Soundlocks at a number of festivals including Roskilde Festival and Jelling Musikfestival. Pick one up at the Volt Recharge Zone when you get to camp. A refundable deposit of 450 DKK is charged at pickup and returned within 14 working days of you handing it back.

The Soundlock rental sits alongside SOUNDBOKS battery swap packages at the same Recharge Zone, so you can sort both security and battery top-ups in one stop. See what Volt is running at your event on the Volt camp gear page.

The SOUNDBOKS built-in lock: a second layer, not a replacement

SOUNDBOKS speakers include a digital security feature in the app. If your speaker goes missing, you can mark it as lost or stolen. When anyone tries to connect to it, the speaker locks and you keep the only way to undo that. This makes a stolen SOUNDBOKS harder to resell, but it does not stop the physical theft from happening.

The Soundlock and the app lock work well together. One stops the speaker leaving your camp; the other makes it useless to anyone who does take it.

Other habits that reduce the risk

Beyond the physical lock, a few things that experienced festival goers do:

• Put stickers or custom markings on the speaker so it is identifiable as yours and less attractive to someone looking for an anonymous resale
• Bring the speaker inside the tent at night rather than leaving it outside in the open
• Hand it to a friend leaving before the final night if you are staying to the end
• Leave it at the Volt Recharge Zone when you plan to be away from camp for a long stretch

None of these replace a physical lock, but they reduce how visible and attractive the speaker looks to someone walking past. For everything Volt runs on-site at camp, from Soundlock rentals to SOUNDBOKS battery swaps, see the Volt SOUNDBOKS service page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I rent a Soundlock at a festival instead of buying one?

Yes. Volt rents Soundlocks at selected festivals. Pick one up at the Volt Recharge Zone on arrival. A 450 DKK deposit is required and refunded after you return it.

Does the Soundlock fit all SOUNDBOKS models?

Yes. The wire and padlock system works with any SOUNDBOKS that has a handle or anchor point, including SOUNDBOKS 2, 3, 4, Go, and Mix.

What if the ground is too hard to drive the spike in?

Loop the wire around a solid fixed structure instead, such as a pavilion frame or a fixed post. The spike gives the most secure hold, but the wire itself does the anchoring work.

Does the Soundlock work for other gear?

Any piece of camp gear with a handle or fixed anchor point can be secured with the wire. It was designed around the SOUNDBOKS handle but works for anything that fits.