The shackle is the part that gets cut, so it is the part to read
Every padlock is attacked at the shackle, and the specifications that matter describe it: diameter in millimeters, whether it is hardened or boron alloy, and how much of it is exposed to a bolt cutter. A closed-shackle design leaves only a few millimeters visible and is the single biggest step up available in this family. Outdoors, the second question is corrosion — a brass or stainless body on a gate that faces weather, rather than a plated steel one that will seize by spring. We compare shackle diameter and material, shrouding, weather resistance and keyed or combination mechanisms.
6.9 mm (0.27 in) shackle · aluminum body · high shackle, 22.3 mm (0.88 in) wide · double locking · 2 keys
A light aluminum-bodied padlock with a 6.9 mm (0.27 in) hardened shackle and a high shackle 22.3 mm (0.88 in) wide. BURG-WÄCHTER states double shackle locking and two keys.
Best for: A gate latch or a barrier where the shackle must reach through something thick, and the value behind it is modest.
≈ $32
6.5 mm (0.26 in) shackle · 63 mm (2.48 in) high shackle · Titalium body, 107 g (3.8 oz) · paracentric key · ABUS level 5
ABUS's everyday Titalium padlock with a high 63 mm (2.48 in) shackle: a special-aluminum body at 107 grams, a hardened steel shackle, a paracentric keyway against manipulation, and double shackle locking.
Best for: Doors, lockers and tool boxes where the lock is carried, opened often, and left outdoors between times.
≈ $28
8 mm (0.31 in) shackle · extendable 60–150 mm (2.36 to 5.91 in) shackle · 281 g (9.9 oz) · paracentric key · ABUS level 6
ABUS's cellar padlock: an 8 mm (0.31 in) hardened shackle that extends from 60 to 150 mm (2.36 to 5.91 in), in a 281 g (9.9 oz) Titalium body, with a paracentric keyway and double shackle locking.
Best for: A hasp or a bracket where nothing standard reaches — cellar doors, old gates, awkward ironwork.
≈ $79
60 mm (2.36 in) cast-iron monoblock body · chrome-plated hardened bolt · shrouded shackle
A monoblock cast-iron padlock: the body encloses the shackle so that very little of it is exposed. KOTARBAU states a chrome-plated hardened steel bolt in a solid cast body.
Best for: A shed, a store or a gate where a cropper is the realistic threat rather than a curious hand.
≈ $31
4-digit combination · 7 mm (0.28 in) hardened shackle · zinc die-cast · 45 × 23 × 92 mm (1.77 × 0.91 × 3.62 in), 178 g (6.3 oz) · 5-year warranty
A four-digit combination padlock in solid zinc die-cast with a 7 mm (0.28 in) hardened shackle, dimensioned and weighed on the listing, and covered by a stated five-year warranty.
Best for: A shared lock — a gate several people use, a store cupboard, a locker — where distributing keys is the problem.
≈ $10
THE ONLY CUT STRENGTH FIGURE ON THIS SHELF: shackle cut strength up to 4000 lb · a round shielded design stated to minimize shackle exposure · 40 mm (1.57 in) zinc die-cast body with a zinc-plated hardened steel shackle · 4-dial resettable combination · no shackle diameter
The only lock here that puts a number on its shackle — four thousand pounds — and one of three that shields it.
Best for: A school or gym locker, a bike or a storage container, where no key should exist at all
≈ $13
80 mm (3.15 in) D-style body with a heel-and-toe freely rotating hardened steel shackle, stated to grant very little access for bolt cutters or saws · triple chrome plated, stated for marine use · all internal mechanics brass and stainless steel · KEY RETAINING, 4 European-style keys, keyed alike · bullet 4 names the SPSA60 instead · no shackle diameter
A D-profile heel-and-toe body with brass and stainless internals — the closest thing on this shelf to the closed shackle the hub asks for.
Best for: A shipping container, a trailer or a marine gate where salt and a bolt cutter are both in play
≈ $37
40 mm (1.57 in) SHROUDED body, one of three shielded shackles on this shelf · "hardened base metal", with no alloy named · 3 keys on removable rings · stated rust and corrosion proof, with no material behind it · one lock · no shackle diameter, no cylinder detail, no keyed-alike option · one bullet of four is Amazon boilerplate
A shrouded body for fourteen dollars — on a page that names no material, no diameter and no mechanism.
Best for: A warehouse hasp or a container where a shield matters and the specification will not be read
≈ $14
THE ONLY SHACKLE DIAMETER ON THIS SHELF: 9/32 in (7 mm), 1-1/2 in (38 mm) long, 5/8 in (16 mm) wide · 40 mm (1.57 in) laminated steel body · 4-pin cylinder, dual ball bearing locking · three locks, two keys, both open all three · an EXTENDED shackle, stated as a feature · lifetime guarantee
The one padlock here that tells you how thick its shackle is — and then advertises that the shackle is extended rather than shrouded.
Best for: Three gates, sheds or toolboxes on one key, where the hasp needs a long shackle to reach through
≈ $21
A WORD rather than a number: a resettable 5-LETTER combination, the only one on this shelf · 8 mm (0.31 in) braided cable, 30 in long with a 14 in locking span — a cable, not a shackle, and the most exposed loop here · zinc alloy body · a detachable code wheel that prevents accidental code changes
A five-letter word instead of four digits, on an 8 mm (0.31 in) cable that spans fourteen inches — which is the opposite of everything the hub recommends.
Best for: Awkward spans — a pair of gates, a pool ladder, a fridge — where no shackle will reach and the code must be memorable
≈ $24
SOLID BRASS body AND shackle — the only solid brass on this shelf, and exactly what this shelf's introduction asks for outdoors · 40 mm (1.57 in), chamfered edge · keyed alike across the pack · two locks for fourteen dollars, about seven each, the cheapest keyed lock here · no shackle diameter, no shrouding, no cylinder detail · all five bullets end with the word "steady"
The only solid brass lock on this shelf, which is the material this shelf's introduction asks for on a weather-facing gate.
Best for: A gate, a meter box or a garden store that faces weather and has to open next spring
≈ $14
55 mm (2.17 in) body, the largest on this shelf · 4 big resettable digits on large wheels · a sealed core stated against rain, dust, snow and frost · claims a "Strong Uncuttable 55mm (2.17 in) Body" — no padlock is uncuttable, and the body is not the part attacked · no shackle material, no diameter, no shrouding
The largest body and the biggest digits on this shelf — and a claim that the body is uncuttable, which is neither true nor the point.
Best for: Cold or wet hands on a gate, where big wheels and a sealed core matter more than the paperwork
≈ $19
BORON-CARBIDE shackle — the only boron alloy on this shelf, which this shelf's introduction names as the material to look for · re-keyable on site in seconds with the included learning tool · laminated steel body · bump and pick resistant · key retention · 4 locks · no shackle diameter, no shrouding
The only boron shackle on this shelf, on the only lock here you can re-key yourself without a locksmith.
Best for: A crew, a rental portfolio or a smallholding where four locks must share one key and that key will change
≈ $56
Combination, sold as a pair · 8 mm (0.31 in) hardened shackle, double locking · weatherproof · 85 × 54 × 27 mm (3.35 × 2.13 × 1.06 in), 271 g (9.6 oz)
A larger weatherproof combination padlock with an 8 mm (0.31 in) hardened shackle locked on both sides, in a zinc die-cast body dimensioned and weighed on the listing, with a stated five-year warranty.
Best for: A gate or a garage used by several people and left out in all weather.
The shackle diameter and how much of it is left exposed decide resistance to bolt croppers, which is the most common attack. A shackle wrapped by the body offers no purchase.
The width and material of the body decide resistance to being pulled off and to levering. That is the second most frequent attack.
A twelve-millimeter shackle will not go through a hasp made for ten, and one that is too short will not reach the other side. Measure the stated diameter and height on site; an extendable shackle solves the awkward cases.
The shortest compatible with the use: a long shackle offers purchase to croppers. Shrouded-shackle models are the hardest to attack.
None is. It buys time and noise, which is enough to discourage most opportunistic attempts.
An untreated padlock can rust and seize outdoors. Models with a treated body and protected barrel are designed for it.
A drop of dry lubricant in the barrel once a year. Greasy lubricants attract dust and end up seizing it.
Scales specific to one brand cannot be compared between brands. Independent certifications are more reliable.
A combination is not lost and is forgotten; a key is not forgotten and gets lost. For the same resistance, keyed models are often stronger.
A lock de-icer, never hot water, which will refreeze inside. A barrel lubricated in advance freezes far less.
A code saves a lost key, but a cheap dial mechanism can be decoded by feel. On a sensitive point, a key and a solid body remain the stronger combination.
Resistance comes from the mass of metal: a padlock that is both light and very resistant does not exist. Take the shortest compatible shackle — length offers purchase to croppers — and lubricate the barrel once a year, dry and never greasy.
A characteristic has to come from four devices in five to hold a column. Below that, we would be lining up empty cells.
| Model | Price | Body | Shackle |
|---|---|---|---|
| NovLock NLCL004 | $10 | Solid zinc die-cast | 7 mm (0.28 in) hardened steel |
| BRINKS 175-50054 4-dial resettable sports padlock, 40 mm | $13 | 40 mm (1.57 in) zinc die-cast. Die-cast zinc is the weaker of the two body constructions on this shelf — laminated steel resists a hammer better — and it is lighter and does not rust | Zinc-plated hardened steel, stated for cut resistance. No diameter is published, as on at least six of the fourteen padlocks here |
| Mindy 40 mm shrouded hardened keyed padlock, 3 keys | $14 | 40 mm (1.57 in), stated in the title. No material and no construction — not laminated, not die-cast, not brass | Hardened, stated. No diameter, no alloy and no length appears. Mindy describes the lock as professional grade hardened BASE METAL, which is not a material: base metal means any non-precious metal |
| SEPOX 40 mm all-weather solid brass padlock, keyed alike, 2-pack | $14 | Solid brass, 40 mm (1.57 in), with a chamfered edge — stated. This shelf's introduction asks for a brass or stainless body on a gate that faces weather rather than a plated steel one that will seize by spring, and this is the only solid brass body on this shelf | Brass, stated: a durable brass body AND shackle resisting corrosion. That is the unusual half — most weatherproof padlocks pair a brass body with a steel shackle. Brass is softer than hardened steel, so this trades cut resistance for a lock that will still turn after a winter |
| SEPOX Large outdoor combination padlock, 2.2 in, 4 big resettable digits, 2-pack | $19 | 55 mm (2.2 in) — stated, and the largest body on this shelf, where the others run 40 to 80 mm (1.57 to 3.15 in) with most at 40. A bigger body means bigger dials and more metal around the mechanism | NOT DESCRIBED. No material, no diameter, no length and no hardening claim appears anywhere on the page. This shelf's introduction says every padlock is attacked at the shackle and that the specifications that matter describe it; this listing describes the body instead |
| Master Lock 3TRILF laminated steel padlock, 7 mm shackle, keyed-alike 3-pack | $21 | 1-9/16 in (40 mm) wide laminated steel — stacked and riveted plates rather than a casting, which resists a hammer better than die-cast zinc | 9/32 in (7 mm) diameter, 1-1/2 in (38 mm) long and 5/8 in (16 mm) wide, in hardened steel — stated. It is the ONLY shackle diameter published on this shelf, and this shelf's introduction calls diameter in millimeters the first specification that matters. Seven millimeters is a modest section: enough to resist a hacksaw for a while, within reach of a decent bolt cutter |
| NBYT A06 5-letter word combination lock with 8 mm cable, 30 in long, 14 in locking span | $24 | Zinc alloy, stated. Die-cast zinc does not rust and is softer than steel | — |
| ABUS Titalium 64TI/40HB63 | $28 | Titalium special aluminum, 107 g (3.8 oz) | 6.5 mm (0.26 in) diameter, hardened steel, 63 mm (2.48 in) high |
| KOTARBAU Monoblock 60 mm | $31 | 60 mm (2.36 in) cast-iron monoblock | Shrouded by the body |
| BURG-WÄCHTER Alutitan 770 HB 40 65 | $32 | Solid aluminum | 6.9 mm (0.27 in) diameter, hardened steel |
| FJM SPSA80-CR-KA D-style high security padlock, 80 mm, keyed alike | $37 | — | A freely rotating hardened steel shackle with heel-and-toe locking, in a D-shaped body stated to grant very little access for bolt cutters or saws. Heel-and-toe means the shackle is secured at both ends, so cutting one side does not open the lock — both legs must be cut. It is the strongest shackle arrangement on this shelf |
| Kwikset 90260-048 SmartKey re-keyable laminated steel padlock, 4-pack | $56 | Laminated steel, stated for strength and longevity in weather-exposed environments. Laminated means stacked and riveted steel plates rather than a single casting, which is the stronger of the two common constructions on this shelf | Boron carbide, stated as premium super-hard material for significantly improved cut and saw resistance against hardened steel. This shelf's introduction names boron alloy as one of three things the shackle specification should tell you, and this is the only lock on this shelf that offers it — the other six are hardened steel, brass or unspecified |
| ABUS Titalium 64TI/50HB60-150 | $79 | Titalium special aluminum, 281 g (9.9 oz) | 8 mm (0.31 in) diameter, hardened, extendable 60 to 150 mm (2.36 to 5.91 in) |
| NovLock NLCL003 | — | Solid zinc die-cast, weatherproof | 8 mm (0.31 in) hardened steel, locked on both sides |
$10 – $14
4 models
NovLock NLCL004, BRINKS 175-50054 4-dial resettable sports padlock, 40 mm, Mindy 40 mm shrouded hardened keyed padlock, 3 keys
$19 – $28
4 models
SEPOX Large outdoor combination padlock, 2.2 in, 4 big resettable digits, 2-pack, Master Lock 3TRILF laminated steel padlock, 7 mm shackle, keyed-alike 3-pack, NBYT A06 5-letter word combination lock with 8 mm cable, 30 in long, 14 in locking span
$31 – $79
5 models
KOTARBAU Monoblock 60 mm, BURG-WÄCHTER Alutitan 770 HB 40 65, FJM SPSA80-CR-KA D-style high security padlock, 80 mm, keyed alike
Specifications: manufacturer sheets for home security products and the matching Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure in this table names its source.
Most recent revision in this category: October 8, 2026.
Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.
