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@Pragma
I'm glad you are happy. I honestly think the 11mm is a very good compromise for a carry chain and is a lot more versatile than a D-lock, and the 13mm is a very good option for a wide range of bikes for home security. Sure, we can't say it's impossible to bolt-crop the 13mm with 42" croppers, but I certainly can't cut it with them and I'd say the vast majority of bicycle thieves are a) not carrying croppers of that size anyway, and b) not big enough/fat enough/strong enough to get through it even if they do have croppers that big, especially if the chain is used properly (notably away from the floor).
I do wonder about the basis behind this thread as it is favouring thicker D-locks that supposedly can't be cropped, but they are all likely to be vulnerable to jacking attacks unless the 'D' is very well filled. That is often very difficult to do as you often don't have the ideal thing to lock the bike to when you're out and about. I do think there is a role for D-locks for portable security, but they are very limiting in what you can lock them onto and the jacking and twisting attacks are a worry. That is why we've stopped selling them ourselves. We used to sell a Squire 'Urban Paramount 230' D-lock (which is the smaller variant of those, so it was less likely to have spaces left for attackers to exploit), but that was never as tough as the top D-locks. However, it was a much better compromise, in our opinion, between security level, weight (especially) and cost. Squire have withdrawn that one in favour of a Chinese-made one that is heavier and that uses an inferior cylinder, so we dropped it from our range. To be fair, it is cheaper than the Urban Paramount, but the weight is the killer if you are aiming it at portable security.
I'm interested in other people's opinions about this?
Something like an 11mm chain that is likely to stop boltcroppers up to/around 36" long (which is double the size of croppers most bicycle thieves tend to use), can give more options for locking to real-world objects whilst avoiding the risk of jacking/twisting attacks and still being a sensible weight. However, D-locks are often supplied with brackets that can make them a bit easier to carry on the bike's frame. We do offer a small frame bag that will take an 11mm chain but it maxes out at 1.0m length and the lock is a squeeze in that combination. I don't think there are any 'perfect' solutions and your best option may depend on what you are locking to and how predictable/reliable that is from day to day.
For home security, which is where most of the thefts happen, that is where a thicker chain (and D-lock if you've got one - might as well use it too) come in and where the more serious deterrent is required. Even that needs to be practical IMHO so it actually gets used every time, rather than something so heavy and awkward that it is occasionally left lying on the floor.
Of course, nothing is totally infallible but getting the balance right in terms of the level of deterrent versus the level of risk/'nickability' of the item, is what we are trying to do and what hopefully flips the advantage in your favour rather than the scrote's.
I hope that helps,
Steve.